Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

He played P basses as far as I know.

That's true, or Jazz. I read an interview long ago with one of the engineers on "Yellow Brick Road," who recounted that Dee wanted to get the Squire sound for "Gray Seal." The engineer said he "couldn't understand why anyone would want to sound like that," but that they simply had Dee crank the treble and play near the bridge. No matter what bass he played, he played it well.

He has that trebly sound on "funeral for a Friend" too, sounds like a picked Jazz near the bridge.

11/17/70 is a must-have for any bassist, it's a clinic.
AFAIK Dee played mostly Jazz basses but took the Steinberger detour for a little while, and also endorsed G&L. But he was a J player mostly.
Dee's only on one tune on "Tumbleweed Connection", which is weird because he and Nigel were already established as his backing band live.
Dee was the player mainly responsible for me deciding to play bass.

I gotta check the credits for Tumbleweed. Nice bass on that (especially "Burn Down the Mission." In the interview I mentioned above, they did say Dee used a pick near the bridge. Judging from the pic above, Dee dressed well, too!! Nice coordination of bass color and shirt/pickguard.

While he does sing backup on a few tunes on the album, he only plays on Amoreena.

Dee, Elton & Nigel are pictured on the CD booklet, so I guess I assumed Dee played on aeverything. My second favorite tune on that LP. I saw Elton do Amoreena. Mission & Come Down in Time live maybe 10 years ago. He had absolutely the best band I've ever seen live. A year earlier I saw him on the tour with Billy Joel, and Elton's band smoked Billy's hands down. Tighter, more interesting playing, cleaner sound, excellent dynamics ... you name it.

>>>> (Paul) ....I like/love the Beatles..... They had nothing to do with my decision to buy my first Rick.

Aw, come on Paul, how is that possible? As your self proclaimed temporary psychiatrist, I gotta tell ya that I think you're repressing some early childhood memories and emotions!

Now you're gonna send me a bill, right, Kent?

yup.... for that introductory session I'll give you the discount rate: One Jetglo Carl Wilson 360/6.

I think Dee Murry was one of many who played bass in the style of McCartney, I'm not taking anything away from him but he was not a trailblazing bassplayer, he played melodic bass which was Mac's forte and Mac pretty much wrote the book on it. There were two or three major electric players in the 60's and they influenced countless others as the decade of the 60's was really the decade of the electric bass, Mac's influence runs much deeper than many people realize especially non-bassplayers. He freed up bassplayers to experiment on the bass. He was one of the huge pioneers in electric bass and bass playing would be vastly different today if it weren't for him.
Next week kids we study another far reaching 60's trailblazer who put the F in funky: James Jamerson, keep those cards and letters coming.

I got the bass because of Geddy Lee, Chris Squire and McCartney.

I'm getting the 360 because of McGuinn and his progeny.

It's cool the Beatles (mostly John in the early days) used Rics but I think more of Gretch and Hofner when I think about the Beatles.

Bob: Be sure to start up the "Is it Carol Kaye or James Jamerson" debate when you profile JJ. Just wouldn't be right without it.

haha! It was JJ. I've never heard of that debate. She has claimed to play on all sorts of records that are improbable though. She claims that The Doors never played on any of their records which I flatly disbelieve.

I loved Dee Murray's playing too. I remember seeing his white Jazz Bass on the sleeve of Elton's "Here and There" live album in 1976 or 77. What a cool looking bass. I loved the sounds he got out of it too. It's sad that he's not around anymore. May he rest in peace.

BTW, I felt the same way about McCartney and Squire's 4001's too. It's also too bad that Macca dosen't use his live anymore IMHO.