The Last Bass Outpost

Main Forums => The Outpost Cafe => Topic started by: gweimer on October 25, 2014, 07:36:15 AM

Title: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: gweimer on October 25, 2014, 07:36:15 AM
From his FB page:

It is with great sadness that we, Jack’s family, announce the passing of our beloved Jack: husband, father, granddad, and all round legend. The world of music will be a poorer place without him, but he lives on in his music and forever in our hearts.


I said he didn't look well in the Silver Rails interviews, and also said that album sounded like he was giving everything he had left.  A sad day.  He was an inspiration to so many of us.

He may have made his name in Cream, but this is the song that I will always think of personifying him best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLqsMQNAsDE
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 25, 2014, 07:56:15 AM
My favorite bassist.  If we had a flag here, it should go at half mast. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: gweimer on October 25, 2014, 07:57:54 AM
http://www.jackbruce.com/ (http://www.jackbruce.com/)
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Basvarken on October 25, 2014, 08:07:29 AM
Ouch.
One of the greatest.

RIP Jack
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: TBird1958 on October 25, 2014, 08:16:00 AM

RIP Jack.

 Truly one of the great ones is lost in your passing.
Thank you for all the incredible music. You helped inspire me to pick up the bass and enjoy it all these years.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 25, 2014, 08:41:19 AM
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-29772926
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: gweimer on October 25, 2014, 09:34:51 AM
Another one of my favorites...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqFQIIvs-J4
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Rob on October 25, 2014, 10:03:39 AM
R.I.P. Jack
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: chromium on October 25, 2014, 10:26:11 AM
Oh man  :sad:
RIP
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: 4stringer77 on October 25, 2014, 10:41:59 AM
RIP Jack. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to his musical legacy. Rock and Roll wouldn't have been the same without him.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Grog on October 25, 2014, 10:51:39 AM
RIP Jack............  :-\ I'm glad the Cream reunion actually happened. Jack and Felix were my two early influences.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: hieronymous on October 25, 2014, 11:22:13 AM
RIP Jack. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to his musical legacy. Rock and Roll wouldn't have been the same without him.
Yes - to me he changed what the bass guitar was seen as capable of. A huge influence on me - I'm glad I heard about it here at the Outpost.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: wellREDman on October 25, 2014, 11:27:47 AM
that sucks
 RIP jack
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Pilgrim on October 25, 2014, 11:41:12 AM
Sad to hear it - time catches up with all of us.  R.I.P to one of the greats!
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Grog on October 25, 2014, 12:08:47 PM
Odd coincidence........ Yesterday, I switched my car stereo to Bluetooth to play an internet station on my iPhone, the song that popped on was "End Game" by BLT. I thought that was odd, I'd never heard that song on the radio before. Ended up it was playing random songs from my iTunes library. Out of 2,454 songs, that was the first random song it played. Rest in peace Jack!
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: veebass on October 25, 2014, 12:55:40 PM
 :sad:
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 25, 2014, 12:58:19 PM
I can say the same about Jack Bruce that Lemmy said about Jimi Hendrix---

The world will never see the likes of him again. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Dave W on October 25, 2014, 02:19:58 PM
Yes - to me he changed what the bass guitar was seen as capable of. A huge influence on me - I'm glad I heard about it here at the Outpost.

Same here. He was one of the real pioneers.

He gave all he had for as long as he could.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Highlander on October 25, 2014, 02:45:22 PM
The sixties... my mind is going... I can feel it...

rip Mr Bruce... enjoy the jamming... and thanks for all the lessons...
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: copacetic on October 25, 2014, 05:41:09 PM
His basslines are eternal and his spirit and influence live on through all he influenced. Well done son.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Nocturnal on October 25, 2014, 08:06:34 PM
RIP Jack. Another great is lost.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: rahock on October 26, 2014, 03:49:54 AM
One of the greatest. He has not looked well for a long time , so not a shock, but very sad :sad:.
RIP Jack,
Rick
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: OldManC on October 26, 2014, 08:56:19 AM
He gave all he had for as long as he could.

That's a pretty great legacy to leave. RIP
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: tore00 on October 26, 2014, 12:04:12 PM
My favourite bassist. I learned bass thinking to him
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: mc2NY on October 26, 2014, 04:53:35 PM
Wow, Another great gone.

Got my first bass gig as a kid after I was asked if I could play "Sunshine of Your Love."

R.I.P Jack.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 26, 2014, 06:06:53 PM
Here is a little more info, including some brief comments by some notable people.  Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, of course, etc. 


http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/eric-clapton-jack-bruce-a-tremendous-inspiration-to-me-20141026
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on October 27, 2014, 06:06:31 AM
Deserted cities of the heart indeed.  :-\ Thanks for bringing electric bass playing to where it is today, Jack.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: gearHed289 on October 27, 2014, 08:06:40 AM
Jack Bruce - I real trail blazer. Rest in peace. Your memory lives on.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: slinkp on October 27, 2014, 12:19:24 PM
Very sad news. He's the kind of player that, even for those of us that weren't big Cream fans for one reason or another (I can't really explain it)  ... no-one could deny his impact or importance to us all. A pioneer for sure. Apart from the cool basslines, he was an interesting writer: whenever I think of a Cream melody that I liked, it was him.   Thanks for being here Mr. Bruce.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 27, 2014, 01:09:44 PM
I'm not a Facebook user.  But it appears this is taken from Eric Clapton's FB page and is entitled "For Jack."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWvMbFXOj84
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on October 27, 2014, 01:47:59 PM
You can imagine Jack singing to it and Clapton's humming is reminiscent of Bruce's often outlandish take on melodies - nice!

Clapton's participation in the Cream reunion (he didn't need the money) ensured that Jack's death now was at least not due to one thing: lack of funds for the best possible medical treatment. But even money can't buy you lasting health.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Highlander on October 27, 2014, 02:27:56 PM
That's nice...
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 27, 2014, 03:08:40 PM
More comments---

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6296702/jack-bruce-remembered-by-fellow-bassists-and-musicians-on-social-media


This from "Rolling Stone" is exceptionally well-written.


http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/jack-bruce-cream-obituary-20141027?page=2
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: amptech on October 28, 2014, 02:00:54 AM
I wore out my 'songs for a tailor' lp in one year :sad:

thanks, jack
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: drbassman on October 28, 2014, 07:42:05 AM
Bummer, now I am feeling old!  May he rest in peace.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 28, 2014, 09:56:12 AM
There are three deaths in music which have bothered me the most:  John Lennon, George Harrison, and now Jack Bruce.  Hendrix's death should have bothered me more.  But I was still a teenager, probably a little immature, not really knowing how to relate very well to such things.  Of course, John Lennon's death was quite a shock.  Still, that was so long ago, too, and I was still in my 20s.  With George Harrison's death, I felt kind of numb and that pretty much describes how I feel now that Jack Bruce is also gone. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Highlander on October 28, 2014, 05:22:40 PM
In the seventies I guess it was the Skynyrd accident and Tommy Bolin, as I'd only just seen both of them months previously...

Never saw Jack play live... nor Felix... both were significant to my playing though...
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 28, 2014, 06:17:44 PM
In the seventies I guess it was the Skynyrd accident and Tommy Bolin, as I'd only just seen both of them months previously...

Never saw Jack play live... nor Felix... both were significant to my playing though...

I think the LS tragedy scarred the psyche of quite a few people.  At least that's the way it seemed to me being in the Deep South at the time.  The details were just so horrific; it's hard to imagine how it could have been any worse.  I was always much more of an Allman Brothers fan, but like so many other people, I was still very much affected by what happened.  I never saw any of the people mentioned in this thread, though, with the exception of Leon Wilkeson, and even that was by sheer coincidence.  From time to time, I would come across people who got the chance of seeing Jack play, but always realized that most likely I would never get that chance. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: drbassman on October 29, 2014, 04:14:15 AM
I think the most cogent point for me in the deaths of all of the music makers from the 60' and 70's is how thinking of them at this moment conjures up so many wonderful memories.  Death is a sad part of life, but it's a part of it nonetheless.  They will always be young and alive in my mind every time I hear their music, especially Jack.  I think about how he and others impacted me as a teen and later as a college student.  Those are great thoughts!
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on October 29, 2014, 04:55:41 AM
At least his new liver bought him some more time to be with his loved ones, create new music and earn some money in the Cream reunion. A luck Rory Gallagher did not have, he died immediately after the transplant.

He can now teach Rory the Politician riff properly!  :mrgreen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXk--eL5-kQ

Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on October 29, 2014, 07:24:36 AM
In the seventies I guess it was the Skynyrd accident and Tommy Bolin, as I'd only just seen both of them months previously...

Never saw Jack play live... nor Felix... both were significant to my playing though...

Speaking of Bolin, BGO Records are finally giving his work with the James Gang (Bang and Miami) a belated remaster CD release in early November. Bang is a rush of an album, oozing Bolin's musical abandon (which tore the James Gang old guard of Peters, Fox and Kenner along), possibly as good as Come Taste the Band. By Miami, Bolin was already setting sails for a solo career and the album sounds curiously low-key, even dejected compared to the exuberant Bang, but there are still some quality songs. And up to now especially Miami was only available on CD as an extremely hissy and flat affair.

I miss Bolin to this day. I find his writing and playing timeless.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 29, 2014, 09:42:09 AM
Thanks, that's good to know about the remasters. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Dave W on October 30, 2014, 07:12:23 PM
Another nice remembrance of Jack: http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2014-10-29/jack-bruce-1943-2014
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on October 30, 2014, 09:50:50 PM
Another nice remembrance of Jack: http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2014-10-29/jack-bruce-1943-2014

That's very good. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: hieronymous on October 31, 2014, 10:31:57 AM
Another nice remembrance of Jack: http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2014-10-29/jack-bruce-1943-2014
Very nice!

I've been listening to the box set "Those Were the Days" and re-reading the liner notes. I think my favorite track is the live version of N.S.U. - the box set has the complete unedited version - there are other live tunes too where I might not be a huge fan of the song ("I'm So Glad," etc.) but the jamming they do on it is just amazing. The idea of them being a jazz band behind their blues guitarist makes so much sense.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Dave W on October 31, 2014, 08:54:56 PM
There's a large local appliance chain that does a lot of TV advertising. The ads almost always have "I Feel Free" playing in the background.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on November 01, 2014, 03:12:26 PM
I decided I'd better order "Silver Rails."  The order came in the mail and I was getting ready to listen to it.  Apparently, they thought I'd prefer CDs by the Alan Parsons Project, the Steve Miller Band, and Bad Company.  No Jack Bruce at all. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on November 02, 2014, 12:04:17 PM
 :mrgreen: I think their software has you filed under "repeated Classic Rock offender"! I've got Silver Rails, but what I am currently listening to, is the Cream - Gold Double CD compilation. I herewith out myself as liking "Anyone for Tennis", an unlikely Cream track I had never ever heard before. And the fact how Ginger's drums are panned to the right side only on those early Cream studio recordings draws a smile to my face. Eric on the left, Ginger on the right, Jack somewhere in the middle. I strikes me how for 1966 a lot of their songwriting defied what was then convention. And Eric sure liked rever-ver-verb and ech-oe-oe-oe on his guitar.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on November 02, 2014, 03:06:05 PM
They sent my CDs to someone else and his CDs to me.  I hope they can correct that sooner rather than later. 

"Anyone for Tennis" was on the old "Goodbye Cream" CD that I have.  A friend gave it to me long ago.  But I've noticed that other versions leave that song off.  Another thing I've noticed is that on the remastered songs, like the ones of the "Those Were the Days" boxed set, the bass isn't quite as loud. Especially on the original "Goodbye Cream" CD, the bass is really loud on "I'm So Glad," and that's the way I like it.  It makes that old CD mean more to me than I might have expected.  Still, as Hiero has pointed out, the 4CD boxed set is great to have, especially at the low price they were charging when I got mine years ago. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: 66Atlas on November 03, 2014, 05:51:19 PM
There's a large local appliance chain that does a lot of TV advertising. The ads almost always have "I Feel Free" playing in the background.

Warner Stellian? I swear I've seen a commercial with it but can't remember for sure what it was.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Dave W on November 03, 2014, 06:39:19 PM
Warner Stellian? I swear I've seen a commercial with it but can't remember for sure what it was.

Yep, that's it.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on November 03, 2014, 08:38:14 PM
Jack Bruce--sums it up very well. 

http://www.nuvo.net/Hoppe/archives/2014/10/31/jack-bruce-no-surrender
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on November 04, 2014, 06:39:13 AM
That's a nice one.

As regards Jack's influence on current bass playing styles, I - lamentably so - don't hear too much of it. Neither his quirkiness, his long departures from root notes (or from Ginger's drumming and especually kick-drum work!) nor his sound (or his early penchant for short scale which he replaced at a later age with a penchant for fretless long scale to have similar options of modulating notes). If pressed, I'd say that Flea (minus the slapping part) is probably the most Bruce'ish popular bassist today, possibly because he comes from a jazz background as well. Flea's lyrical entry on Under the Bridge has always reminded me of Jack's approach.

As regards the old guard, I always found that early Geezer Butler sounded a little like Jack Bruce on quaaludes (albeit soundwise the Hulk version to Jack Bruce's Dr. Banner playing). He certainly was a big fan and cites Jack as a lasting influence in pretty much every bass-relevant interview of his.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: amptech on November 04, 2014, 06:56:43 AM
Agree on Butler, but if you look away from rock and into early to mid 70's psychedelic prog, fusion etc. there is (the way I see it) many
traces of herr Bruce - plenty of distorted bass too:-) Maybe not too many today, though.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on November 04, 2014, 08:27:09 AM
No doubt his influence was heard a lot in the late sixties and early seventies. It waned from then on. Of course, nothing he did post-Cream ever had comparable commercial appeal again either. (And it's not like bassists not being influenced by what is popular or trendy!) Except in musician circles, you didn't hear a lot from him anymore. His solo projects became more and more cultish and leftfield (West, Bruce & Laing and BBM were commercial exceptions, but look how long they lasted).

Of course, you can say the same thing about JAE, Chris Squire or even Macca. I don't remember the last time I heard radio and had to say: "Oh, here is a bassist audibly heavily influenced by ...".
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: hieronymous on November 06, 2014, 01:24:14 PM
This tribute appeared on Facebook - though the article was a bit lacking but some interesting pics I haven't seen: http://www.daringaudio.com/bassist-profile-jack-bruce/ (http://www.daringaudio.com/bassist-profile-jack-bruce/)
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: Dave W on November 06, 2014, 01:38:18 PM
Eric and Ginger sang at his funeral. Pete Brown was there too.

http://news.sky.com/story/1367377/funeral-for-all-round-legend-jack-bruce

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/jack-bruce-funeral-eric-clapton/
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on November 06, 2014, 02:12:09 PM
Nice.

Who will Ginger yell at in the future?  :-\
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on November 06, 2014, 03:23:56 PM
Nice.

Who will Ginger yell at in the future?  :-\


In my opinion, even when their relationship would get at its worst, they still regarded each other as genius musicians.  I always got the feeling that they liked each other more than they let on.  But it's true Ginger did get furious at Jack at that Madison Square Garden concert for playing so loud.  Now, however, I'm sure he wishes he could have a problem like that again.  I'm glad he has been so gracious in his remarks now that it's the end. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: uwe on November 06, 2014, 03:56:46 PM
I agree. I never believed they hated each other in the first place, they just couldn't get along for longer periods. Herr Baker is a difficult man so they say ...
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on November 06, 2014, 05:23:59 PM
I agree. I never believed they hated each other in the first place, they just couldn't get along for longer periods. Herr Baker is a difficult man so they say ...

I've read about it and have seen documentaries about it.  But the "Beware of Mr. Baker" documentary pretty much proves how difficult Ginger Baker is.  I looked forward to seeing that very much, but it literally pulls no punches in its attempt to be authentic. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: gweimer on November 07, 2014, 04:48:07 AM
The drummer I played with in the peak of my musical career was the drummer I was at my absolute tightest with.  I still joke that we were so good, we could play mistakes together.  We also fought like 12-year-old boys who liked the same girl.  Constantly.  I then invited him into a new band, with the offering of starting all over.  40 years later, he's the only one of my old bandmates that I keep in touch with occasionally.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on November 07, 2014, 11:41:13 PM
In general, drummers have been the hardest to deal with.  But I have remained somewhat in touch with a great drummer from my teenage years.  I don't even know if Jack and Ginger were still on speaking terms.  It's doubtful.  Those two, however, were in a league of their own.  That drummer that I've known so long can play anything.  But he once told me Ginger Baker's drumming was the only drumming he had never been able to master with 100% accuracy.  Still, I think he has always been more of a John Bonham disciple.  Everyone else I've met has been within the past ten years.  He is the one link to my distant past.  The last time we played together was a few years ago, but it was like we had never stopped. 
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: westen44 on December 05, 2014, 11:22:29 AM
Jack Bruce--Complete Swing in 1971

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8ql_Fo8Uys
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: amptech on December 06, 2014, 03:31:55 AM
Nice! I really dig John Marshall´s drumming, didn´t know he played with Jack.
Title: Re: RIP Jack Bruce
Post by: gweimer on December 06, 2014, 04:26:09 AM
Nice! I really dig John Marshall´s drumming, didn´t know he played with Jack.

It was through the early Jack Bruce solo albums that I became aware of how good Chris Spedding was.