The Last Bass Outpost

Main Forums => The Bass Zone => Topic started by: Dave W on August 19, 2014, 07:38:52 AM

Title: Billy Rath passes
Post by: Dave W on August 19, 2014, 07:38:52 AM
Johnny Thunders' Bassist Billy Rath Dead At 66 (http://www.contactmusic.com/story/johnny-thunders-sidekick-billy-rath-dead-at-66_4328937)

I thought L.A.M.F. was a great album despite the mixing problems. The cassette version was much better for some reason.
Title: Re: Billy Rath passes
Post by: uwe on August 22, 2014, 08:31:57 AM
For anyone connected to the Dolls/Heartbreakers scene, he reached an almost biblical age though 66 is still no time to go. New York bands have a short life span in more ways than one.

I'm too much a David Johansen fan to rate Thunder's, uhum, "singing" over his, but I liked LAMF too. Never thought it that punkish though, it was typical NYC urban street credibility/garage rock to me or: like a very badly produced NYD LP (and that is saying something, the NYD albums weren't already that great production-wise). Hitting the right vocal notes just a tiny bit more often would have helped that recording's success too. In my humble opinion of course.

Title: Re: Billy Rath passes
Post by: Dave W on August 22, 2014, 09:22:20 PM
I never thought the Heartbreakers were a punk band. Just plain old rock 'n' roll.
Title: Re: Billy Rath passes
Post by: Nocturnal on August 23, 2014, 09:32:07 AM
I never thought the Heartbreakers were a punk band. Just plain old rock 'n' roll.
Agreed. I saw Johnny Thunders live back in the 80's and I agree that his "singing" was not one of his strengths.