This is a little different from our previous bass player quotes because, the bass player in question, Tim Brouk, is also an arts and entertainment writer for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette-West Lafayette, Indiana. This quote comes from a piece he wrote entitled, “Bassists might be goofy, but essential”. Take it away Tim….
Maybe having only a fraction of notes to play compared to guitarists and even keyboard players give bassists more time to look silly. Why is it always the bassist that wears the sandals, the overalls, or the Dr. Seuss or jester’s hat?
Good question Tim. Maybe, one of our intelligent and esteemed readers can come up with a good answer.
Related posts
Tags: bass, bass player, quote of the day, Tim Brouk
Pat Darnell and Friends wrote,
Most bassists are incognito having just faked their own death… no?
Link | September 10th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Pribek wrote,
The good ones, yes. The best way to find a bass player is by knowing someone involved with the witness protection program.
Link | September 10th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Sans Direction wrote,
Why are you reading my hometown newspaper?
I suppose someone has to do it. God knows I haven’t bothered in years.
But I think it’s because there has to be one in every band, and since there’s little banjo in rock’n'roll, it can’t be the banjo player.
Link | September 10th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Pribek wrote,
Can’t say I’m a regular reader, Sans but, I couldn’t resist a title like “Bassists might be goofy, but essential”.
You know, and this is going to be way off the subject but, that’s part of the show here. Something you said earlier about Marty Stuart (”The Pilgrim” record) got to me thinking something that’s been rattling around my cage for a while. In my perception of how country music developed, I see the Grand Old Opry show as a pivotal thing in many ways. There has always been an element of humor in country music but, a very serious side as well. Kind of like the way a lot of people refer to pre-war blues records as either, hokum or deep blues. There was a similar thing in country music to “hokum” and “deep”. Although, until I did a little reading, I’d never heard the term hokum used in the context of country music. It all got me to thinking about how the Opry sort of promoted the more hokum side of the music and it kind of stuck.
Anyway, this is distantly related to your comment about banjo players. This quote is from David Wilds. His dad, Honey Wilds headlined a tent show that was a Opry production. The quote originally appeared in “No Depression” but, I found it in Wiki’s entry on hokum.
Italics are mine. So, traditionally the jester is the slide guitar guy. Which, is kind of funny ’cause they’re all pretty serious cats these days.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokum
Link | September 10th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Sans Direction wrote,
I’m thinking of Uncle Dave Macon’s words when he saw Earl Scruggs: “You’re not one damn bit funny.” And Grandpa Jones started out, I’m told, pretty much in the funny banjo guy mold.
Then again, there is Bashful Brother Oswald, right?
But yeah, exactly. I’m thinking Minnie Pearl. I’m thinking of June Carter in the first bits of Walk The Line.
Somewhere along the line, it became OK for rock to not really be fun, the way that country is. Which is both a blessing and a curse, isn’t it?
Link | September 10th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Pribek wrote,
When we meet face to face I’ll tell you a great Grandpa Jones story but, I can’t tell it here.
Something happened to rock and roll. It’s too easy to just say that the “artists” started to take themselves too seriously. But, there was also some weirdness going on with those who promoted the music. I remember reading these almost clinical discussions of The Sex Pistols and then, you see those guys, and there is some Three Stooges in there and nobody was getting the joke.
Link | September 10th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Ovidiu - GuitarFlame.com wrote,
Bassists are kind of a strange type of musicians, isn’t it? But hey, so are drummers!!
Link | September 11th, 2008 at 2:43 am
Sans Direction wrote,
What do you call people who hang around with musicians? Drummers.
Semi-seriously, Keys, the guy I write about, is mostly on drums and I’ve been trying to pick up the bass. For both of us, it’s hard to keep the groove on and think at the same time. I have been known to solve problems on the fly on guitar, so it’s different. Maybe we’re devolving.
Why did the bassist cross the road? Seriously. I was over there a while ago, and now there’s traffic and I’m sure there’s a reason, but I just can’t remember. Can you help me?
Link | September 11th, 2008 at 6:51 am
Watermang wrote,
Why did the bassist cross the road? Because the drummer wandered off again…
Link | September 11th, 2008 at 7:44 am
Pribek wrote,
Then you are going to have to give up one of ‘em. What’s it going to be, the groove or, the thinking?
It’s like the kid who told his Mom;”When I grow up, I want to be a bass player”.
“You can’t do both, son.”
I know I’ve told that before but, the old jokes are the best.
Link | September 11th, 2008 at 8:58 am