3 Responses to “Friday Night Cage Match/Fondue Party/Evolving Conversation/Dancing About Architecture Vol. 74”

1. Sans Direction on November 28th, 2009 12:20 am

   Jaco Pastorius.

   No, that doesn’t work. Jaco was fully jazz, while Lee’s rock and Bruce did jazz before Cream but Cream was rock.

   James Jamerson.

   That doesn’t work either.

   There’s a big master-student vibe here. Cream invented the modern rock trio. Well, considering what they were going for — “like Buddy Guy’s band but with an improvizing bassist” — I guess you can push it up a generation, if you really want. But the point here is that Cream was dead well before Rush started going. In general, when you say student-vs-master, I tend to go with the master. Point for Jack Bruce.

   Then again, there’s the longevity card. From first practice to final goodbye, Cream had what? 2 years? Meanwhile Rush has been together for 30? 35? Point for Geddy Lee.

   But those are safety points. They are not 90 yard runs to the end zone. You don’t win the game on those points. There are artistic points — Geddy plays bass pedals while hitting the synths, while Jack “just” plays bass (unless I missed someone) — but that doesn’t really put the points on the scoreboard.

   Ox is more than a match for either, but I know you know that, and you know I know you know that. I’ll make the decider this point — I have never vowed to completely drop a Cream album from my playlist, but I will NEVER listen to 2112 again. So, based on that admittedly bulldada criteria, I’m giving the point to Jack Bruce.

   Although I should probably make a play for either Steve Harris or Billy Sheehan.
   .-= Sans Direction´s last blog ..You Don’t Have To Play Music On A Tele =-.

2. Pribek on November 28th, 2009 7:45 am

   Rush has evolved as a band. Early stuff had a big Cream influence and Ged was definitely in the Jack Bruce mold of busy bass (in a good way)/tenor vocals.

   But, a weird thing happened along the evolution; they shit-canned the improv. Almost like Skynyrd taking all that stuff from the Allmans…study every nuance but disregard the plasma. Never made sense to me.

   I read one of Peart’s books and he talked some about the Rush process which, starts with jamming and after a few months you have a song that is an architectural statement.
   So, you know those guys can blow…I’d really like to hear it though.

   Bruce didn’t end with Cream, he’s been doing what he should be doing; roaming the planet and jamming.

   I read a GW piece the other day that had Paul Gilbert interviewing Robin Trower. Paul stated that, when playing a gig, he often imagines that Trower is sitting at the soundboard and it keeps him grounded or focused or something…then Gilbert asked Trower who he wished could be at the desk observing him and RT said Jack Bruce.

   Rush does amazing stuff. Interesting music and wholesome entertainment and Geddy cooks.

   If I somehow got the chance to jam with one of these guys, I’d hope it would be JB.

3. Stratoblogster on November 28th, 2009 6:24 pm

   Both great! Different eras. Geddy needs Bruce. Geddy also draws from the Ox, JPJ and Chris Squire. I’m gonna vote Geddy because he’s evolved and showcased bass to higher and higher levels, not to mention his ability to multi-task. In fact, Geddy Lee has few rivals amongst ANY musicians when it comes to multi-tasking in live performance. The Rush catalog is enormous too.

   Jack Bruce is still out there, and not as many people are aware of the fusion projects he’s been involved with, including working with Allan Holdsworth. Bruce is a legend. But Geddy can juggle more chainsaws.
   .-= Stratoblogster´s last blog ..Happy Birthday Jimi Hendrix! Nov. 27, 1942 =-.

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