So, what have you been listening to lately?

[Basvarken]

I'm going to see Rammstein tomorrow.

And to get in the mood I'm listening to this piece of German fine art

[uwe]

Will you be Row Zero, dear Rob? Wear something nice!

https://www.side-line.com/rammsteins-row-zero-under-scrutiny-in-munich-but-what-is-the-row-zero-exactly/#:~:text=What%20exactly%20is%20'Row%20Zero,concert%2C%20right%20before%20the%20stage.

[Basvarken]

Not even in the Feuer Zone.
Just among the Plebs

[uwe]

Have fun at that stiff & relentless German Industriemusik event with dubious Third Reich/Leni Riefenstahl aesthetics




and lots of rrrolling "rrrr"s forrreverrr caught in their micro-universe of obsessive sociological taboo-breaking compulsions!!! 

I've never ever actually seen them, but I have all their albums - getting a ticket in Germany is always difficult, they sell out within hours online (and always play stadiums - I hate live music in stadiums and prefer small to midsize halls). Their drummer said something very perceptive once along the lines of: "Initially, we wanted to sound Anglo-American, funky and swinging, until we realized that we could never do that as well as the rock bands from there. What we can do, what's in us as Deutsche, is that straight, merciless German beat, essentially Marschmusik, German funk if you like."

They're really under fire (no pun intended) for Till Lindemann's emotionally desolate pre- and post-show groupie-herding here in Germany. There is even a criminal investigation underway (against him, not the band). I'm sitting on the fence regarding this. On one hand I think: In this day and age, with unlimited internet access, even as a 17-year-old, if you are recruited and invited to "row zero", asked to "dress sexy", "not bring any male friends" and then "join Till after the show at the hotel" you should have a grasp that sex will be part of the expected transactional currency (and I have no issues with girls or women doing that, you can have given Till a blowjob in his compartment under the stage as a far-out experience and still be a great mother or win a Nobel prize in physics in your later life). You should perhaps also have a semblance of understanding that it won't be necessarily the vanilla kind. (It's a bit like people bedding with Marilyn Manson for months and then complaining in the aftermath that - shock, gulp, horror! - "he wanted me to do weird things", perhaps they should have teamed up with John Denver instead.) BUT ON THE OTHER HAND: If there is intimidation and roofie drinks when people want to get off the fetish fantasy train because they feel uncomfortable, then that is crossing the line.

Anyway, have a spectacular experience, Holländer! (And don't go into that compartment underneath the stage or, if you do, at least don't regret it!!!)

[Dave W]

Rockabilly and country singer Bob Luman. He died unexpectedly of pneumonia at age 41 in 1978. I believe this appearance was not long before that.

[Basvarken]

they did not disappoint...

[westen44]

I believe it.

[uwe]

Looks like Rotterdam '40.  But back then we didn't do it on purpose.

Go to church, fall to your knees, repent if you please (rhyme Halford's, not mine) and pray for deliverance from your carbon footprint, Holländer! 

Would you share a few words about the music and the bass playing too with us?

[Basvarken]

The music is exactly what you expect from Rammstein.
Überdeutsch. Teutonic. And Relentless.

Initially we found a spot in the middle with the stage on 12 'o' clock. Quite a distance from the stage because we literally walked in when the concert started.
The bass was horrible. An omni-present drone that lacked all definition and pushed away everything else in the mix.

About four songs in we decided to move more to the side. Better view and much better sound.
The bass was perfect in the mix. The bassist does exactly what he's supposed to do to lay down that industrial beat.

I know people look down on this type of bassist. But I actually admire this kind of player. They serve the song right. Don't draw attention to themselves.
I don't go to a Rammstein concert to hear a bassist trying to be Jaco or Rocco. 

[OldManC]

In this day and age, with unlimited internet access, even as a 17-year-old, if you are recruited and invited to "row zero", asked to "dress sexy", "not bring any male friends" and then "join Till after the show at the hotel" you should have a grasp that sex will be part of the expected transactional currency (and I have no issues with girls or women doing that, you can have given Till a blowjob in his compartment under the stage as a far-out experience and still be a great mother or win a Nobel prize in physics in your later life).

Wait. He likes girls? I have never gotten anything but an uber-absolutely-not-straight vibe from that band (not that there's anything wrong with that). I guess you can learn something new every day!

[uwe]

I don't know about the others, especially not the introverted bassist, but Lindemann is straight in a warped way. To him, women are like countries, you invade and subjugate them, good German qualities.

I admire the discipline of bassists like Cliff Williams, Ian Hill and the Rammstein guy, I could never do it. I only hang on to one note sometimes (while the guitarists and the keyboard change chords) to draw  attention to myself. But when the band plays the recurring E, D, B break in the verse of It's Only Rock'n'Roll (But I like It), I play G#, A, B. Or in the chorus they do B, A, E, B, but I descend B, A, G#, F#. I like to do bass lines that either descend or climb. It also helps me remember them!

[Dave W]

Jon Maye posted this on FB because the bassist was playing a Hamer Standard. Never heard of this Dutch singer and his band before, looked 'em up. I like this.

[Basvarken]

Ah, our National Rock n Roll Junkie.

We recently discussed him in the Fat Bottomed Girls topic

https://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=6622.msg214315#msg214315

[uwe]

He's been mentioned and linked quite a bit here, Dave, repeatedly so and decades ago. You need to click on those links, they are not all Deep Purple-related!

https://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=2050.0


Ooops ...

[Basvarken]

His (hit) song Saturday Night was even covered by Blackfoot