SPARKS BASSIST using 4003 FG on this tour

edski · Post by **edski** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:37 am

Proof that Ricks are not just for Prog Rock anymore!

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 1:04 pm

A brilliant band with a brilliant sound... always....

gareth · Post by **gareth** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:32 pm

The original bass player in Sparks that you see on the back of the Kimono My House LP is Martin Gordon. He still records today and has lots of production credits to his name.

Now get this. He was fired from Sparks for essentially refusing to replace his Rickenbacker 4001 with a P bass, so he was ousted in favor of the bass player from Jook who were managed by the same person as Sparks.

The bass player you see using a 4001 on the Supersonic footage is not a member of SParks, but just some poor schmo there for the taping.

Martin's sound on Kimono My House was instrumental in me getting turned onto Ricks at a formative age, and you can go to his web site and read all about Sparks, Radio Stars, and all the stuff he's been up to since at http://www.geocities.com/martinjjgordon

martin_gordon · Post by **martin_gordon** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:01 am

Ta to all who made nice noises about my bass playing, I tried (and try) to do the same even today, when I have (to my shame) switched to an Ibanez 5-string. But I do spend enormous amounts of time making it sound like a Rick, I should point out. As Gareth rightly notes, I was kicked out of the S****s band for insisting on my Rick-rights, so it's mildly amusing to see that their bass player now has to play one.

To bring it up to date, I allowed myself a bass solo in 'Let's Make Money' on Baboon in the Basement, which should be audible on the website, I think... www.martingordon.de, for those who like that sort of thing...

rickcrazy · Post by **rickcrazy** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:17 am

YES!!
Great to see you posting in here at last, Martin!

rickengeezer · Post by **rickengeezer** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 8:29 am

Welcome, Martin! And shame on you for using that Ibanez!

I'm sure Jeff Rath would whip up a 5-string Rickenbacker for you in short order. I play a 4003s/5 myself (well, 3 of them)--get back to where you once belonged!

12stringbassist · Post by **12stringbassist** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:44 pm

Martin Gordon e-mailed me today and very kindly answered a question I asked him regarding the Radio Stars 'Holiday album'. He used a Ric 3001 bass through a Marshall 100 watt guitar amp.

The bass on that album sounds truly phenomenal, if you haven't heard it.