NPR Music Blog Dissing Bass Solos

[Chaser001]

I ran across this completely by accident.  If it were just a regular blog, I would not give it a second thought.  But this is National Public Radio.  This is funded by taxpayers as far as I know.  Maybe I lack a sense of humor, but I don't see much amusing about this.  The writer uses the well-known Michael Anthony drunken bass solo to make her point. 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/monitormix/2010/02/drunk_bass_solo_a_meditation_e.html

[rockinrayduke]

My bass solos are terrible drunk or sober.

[Pilgrim]

Just remember the popular joke about why the drums can never stop.

Opinions are like ******** . . . everybody has one.

[Barklessdog]

Funny I actually kind of enjoyed it. The buffoonery, the non attempt at anything really musical.

Really any unaccompanied solo I find really boring, pick an instrument.

[gweimer]

I think we're all pretty familiar with this, but it bears reposting:

In the beginning there was a bass. It was a Fender, probably a Precision, but it could have been a Jazz - nobody knows. Anyway, it was very old ... definitely pre-C.B.S. And God looked down upon it and saw that it was good. He saw that it was very good in fact, and couldn't be improved on at all (though men would later try.) And so He let it be and He created a man to play the bass. And lo the man looked upon the bass, which was a beautiful 'sunburst' red, and he loved it. He played upon the open E string and the note rang through the earth and reverberated throughout the firmaments (thus reverb came to be.) And it was good

And God heard that it was good and He smiled at his handiwork. Then in the course of time, the man came to slap upon the bass. And lo it was funky. And God heard this funkiness and He said, "Go man, go." And it was good. And more time passed, and, having little else to do, the man came to practice upon the bass. And lo, the man came to have upon him a great set of chops. And he did play faster and faster until the notes rippled like a breeze through the heavens. And God heard this sound which sounded something like the wind, which He had created earlier. It also sounded something like the movement of furniture, which He hadn't even created yet, and He was not so pleased.

And He spoke to the man, saying "Don't do that!" Now the man heard the voice of God, but he was so excited about his new ability that he slapped upon the bass a blizzard of funky notes. And the heavens shook with the sound, and the Angels ran about in confusion. (Some of the Angels started to dance, but that's another story.) And God heard this - how could He miss it - and lo He became Bugged. And He spoke to the man, and He said, "Listen man, if I wanted Jimi Hendrix I would have created the guitar. Stick to the bass parts."

And the man heard the voice of God, and he knew not to mess with it. But now he had upon him a passion for playing fast and high. The man took the frets off of the bass which God had created. And the man did slide his fingers upon the fretless fingerboard and play melodies high upon the neck. And, in his excitement, the man did forget the commandment of the Lord, and he played a frenzy of high melodies and blindingly fast licks. And the heavens rocked with the assault and the earth shook, rattled and rolled. Now God's wrath was great. And His voice was thunder as He spoke to the man. And He said, "O.K. for you, pal. You have not heeded My word. Lo, I shall create an soprano saxophone and it shall play higher than you can even think of." "And from out of the chaos I shall bring forth the drums. And they shall play so many notes thine head shall ache, and I shall make you to always stand next to the drummer." "You think you're loud? I shall create a stack of Marshall guitar amps to make thine ears bleed. And I shall send down upon the earth other instruments, and lo, they shall all be able to play higher and faster than the bass."

"And for all the days of man, your curse shall be this; that all the other musicians shall look to you, the bass player, for the low notes. And if you play too high or fast all the other musicians shall say "Wow" but really they shall hate it. And they shall tell you you're ready for your solo career, and find other bass players for their bands. And for all your days if you want to play your fancy licks you shall have to sneak them in like a thief in the night." "And if you finally do get to play a solo, everyone shall leave the bandstand and go to the bar for a drink." And it was so.

[godofthunder]

Lots of showman ship going on, I liked it ! Clearly not as drunk as he would like you to think, it's a act. Don Powell of Slade did the same thing, Huge bottle of booze........................................... filled with ice tea.

[Barklessdog]

Clearly not as drunk as he would like you to think, it's a act.

True, he is more performing comedy, than trying to impress with his chopes (which he does have). It more about entertainment.

Like when BucketHead performs with him numchucks-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUvW9RnL65s&feature=related

[Highlander]

I think we're all pretty familiar with this, but it bears reposting:

New to me, but I like... 

[gweimer]

New to me, but I like... 

It's the opening of Tony Levin's book, Beyond The Bass Clef.

[Freuds_Cat]

I think my opinions of Michael Anthony and his solo/bass playing expertise have been made quite clear in the past so I shall refrain from boring you any more than you have already been due to Messer Anthothys bass abuse. 

[Chaser001]

This isn't just about Michael Anthony.  The writer of the blog makes it pretty clear what she thinks of bass solos in general in her second paragraph.  Furthermore, she used to be in a "power trio" with no bass.  I have googled her band and I do have to disagree with one of the YouTube comments which said that her band was even better than Cream or the Jimi Hendrix Experience.  I really don't think so.  I also don't think I like the idea of my tax dollars funding NPR, period.  This blog is just one example of NPR's many imperfections.  

Note:  I am having to revise what I said here, although it is done in a later post.  As it turns out, though, it appears that the blog was probably more about Michael Anthony than I realized. 

[Lightyear]

....... I also don't think I like the idea of my tax dollars funding NPR, period.  This blog is just one example of NPR's many imperfections.  

+1.  I listen to NPR from time to time and find some of it entertaining - though not all of it.  I would rather see money from NPR go to fund music programs in underserved schools.

[Pilgrim]

NPR has its faults, but it's still the only radio venue where you can get more than a 45-second news story (usually a 15-second story).  Their feature stories are excellent, and they do have reporters who actually specialize on topics and know something about them.  Most TV reporters are hired as much for their hair and teeth as for their reporting.

[Dave W]

I hadn't read this until now, but my thought was, it's just someone's opinion, and whether a site is publicly funded or not, a blogger is entitled to personal opinion. NPR has never claimed to be devoid of personal preferences.

Then I looked. It's Carrie Brownstein. More than 10 posts in this thread and nobody mentioned it was Carrie's blog? Nobody else here knows her? IMO she's a great guitarist, and a much better guitarist than Michael Anthony is a bassist. YMMV, of course.

I don't think she was trying to be amusing. Whatever.

[godofthunder]

Michael Anthony was never my cup of tea but to slag him off as not being a good bassist ? Naw that's silly.