Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: cozmik_cowboy on December 21, 2025, 10:56:40 AM
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I just that TC, upon seeing Sly & The Family Stone in '67, likened them to "James Brown and Frank Zappa under the same roof."
Peter (who, realizing that there actually those among us who might not get the reference, will add that "TC" is Tom Constantin, Grateful Dead keyboardist about '67-'69 - and will furthur add: 2 drummers, 2 guitarists, 2 keyboardists; why didn't they just go all-out and add another bassist?)
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I seem to recall (though my memory is highly unreliable) that at one point Funkadelic had three bass players on stage at the same time.
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Here’s Spinal Tap using five bass players on “Big Bottom”. I always thought it might be cool to play “Big Bottom” on multiple mandolins.
Bill, tgo
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Thanks Bill!
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I seem to recall (though my memory is highly unreliable) that at one point Funkadelic had three bass players on stage at the same time.
I don't know about that - but Willie had 2 bassists for a while back around '80; Bee Spears on a P & Chris Ethridge on an Alembic.
Peter
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I believe Talking Heads used Tina Weymouth and a second bass player on occasion.
Bill, tgo
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You're correct on that. I recall seeing concert footage with a second bass player and think it was during the time that Adrian Belew was playing with them.
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I believe Talking Heads used Tina Weymouth and a second bass player on occasion.
Bill, tgo
Second? Did Tina really count as a first bass player? ;)
Peter
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There's this oldtyme jam in town I go to every so often, not so much to participate but to meet clients to hand off completed work or pick up a job. It's a good central meeting place and often is the case I'll meet-up with my friend and mentor Ward Elliott for dinner somewhere before. Anyway, I digress... it is commonplace for there to be at least four or five basses in that jam at once. Which is why I choose not to participate. It's the worst kind of cacophony. A mental ping-pong match to try to play with. I don't know why someone doesn't try to enforce a 'take-turns' rule... 'cause, good night... it sounds like the Gates of Hell slammed shut, behind you some nights.
With that said, I was gonna' post this on the Upright Bass Showcase Thread, but this seems like a pretty good spot.
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Second? Did Tina really count as a first bass player? ;)
Yes. Her bass lines, while simple, sparse, and without flash, make those songs what they are. And the same goes for Tom Tom Club.
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With that said, I was gonna' post this on the Upright Bass Showcase Thread, but this seems like a pretty good spot.
Really enjoyed that Pink Panther. 😃
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There's this oldtyme jam in town I go to every so often, not so much to participate but to meet clients to hand off completed work or pick up a job. It's a good central meeting place and often is the case I'll meet-up with my friend and mentor Ward Elliott for dinner somewhere before. Anyway, I digress... it is commonplace for there to be at least four or five basses in that jam at once. Which is why I choose not to participate. It's the worst kind of cacophony. A mental ping-pong match to try to play with. I don't know why someone doesn't try to enforce a 'take-turns' rule... 'cause, good night... it sounds like the Gates of Hell slammed shut, behind you some nights.
With that said, I was gonna' post this on the Upright Bass Showcase Thread, but this seems like a pretty good spot.
Puts me to mind of Howard Johnson & Gravity:
Peter
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with Dave on Tina; those are some funky basslines...
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Love the bass playing on that Howard Johnson & Gravity video.
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Busta Jones was in the expanded T-Heads. Also did a lot with Eno and David Byrne both solo and together. Shame the marching powder got to him far too young: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busta_Jones
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I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Jimmy Earl who played bass in Stanley Clarke's band for several years. Rhythm bass for Stanley's lead bass I guess.
More recently I seem to remember seeing Thundercat play some upper bass in a band with a lower bass player, maybe with Kendrick?
Years ago my brother and I played double electric bass on a couple albums for John Serry. That was industrial-strength jazz-fusion music with intricately written interlocking bass lines which required two players. Amazing compositions, but I think if I tried to listen to it now I'd need a little nap after each song. :o
Nothing wrong with a two-bass hit. (Sorry Jazzy, baseball reference).
Jimmy J
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In college, we put together a band to do one gig; Crazy Eddie & The Neutron Bomb Band (nobody named Eddie anywhere - but the name should give the time frame......)
It actually wasn't too bad. Perhaps not surprising, considering that the the lead player & bassist were both pros taking a break to try college, the drummer later made his living as a jazz pianist, and the keyboardist, a math prof, has 2 albums of originals.
I, of course did sound - but came up on stage to sing harmony on "Stand By Me' & "Tears On My Pillow" and lead on "Seeds & Stems" - and on "TOMP", I reached around the bassist & did a basic '50s line on the E & A up by the nut while went up around the 12th fret on the D & G and went all Phil.
Peter (who has told this often enough to have already heard any "reach-around" joke you might be tempted to make)
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In my band Rumsfeld we tried 2 basses for a bit; sounded really cool but the guitar player (playing lead bass) tried switching to playing only keyboard, or trumpet, etc. ...we're still friends, but not bandmates...
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Does Santa on a doubleneck count?
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There's this oldtyme jam in town I go to every so often, not so much to participate but to meet clients to hand off completed work or pick up a job. It's a good central meeting place and often is the case I'll meet-up with my friend and mentor Ward Elliott for dinner somewhere before. Anyway, I digress... it is commonplace for there to be at least four or five basses in that jam at once. Which is why I choose not to participate. It's the worst kind of cacophony. A mental ping-pong match to try to play with. I don't know why someone doesn't try to enforce a 'take-turns' rule... 'cause, good night... it sounds like the Gates of Hell slammed shut, behind you some nights.
With that said, I was gonna' post this on the Upright Bass Showcase Thread, but this seems like a pretty good spot.
Love the video. We need a thumbs up button.