SG RI Bass sighting -- Patti Smith on Letterman

patman · June 21, 2012, 06:02:58 AM

Bass sounded good...I don't get the music...not enough elements of traditional music for me (i.e. melody, chord structure, etc.).

Maybe I'm too old.

uwe · June 21, 2012, 08:00:25 AM

Needs a bit more ~~cowbell~~, errrm, D Major ...

She has mastered that chord well by the looks of it.

And even though Allen Lanier and her were an item one, no one is gonna describe her new song as harmony-drenched like some of BÖC's work was. There are other ways to play songs with D major too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbUxCXX0f2E&feature=related

Dave W · June 21, 2012, 08:30:48 AM

Quote from: patman on June 21, 2012, 06:02:58 AM
Bass sounded good...I don't get the music...not enough elements of traditional music for me (i.e. melody, chord structure, etc.).

Maybe I'm too old.

I don't think old has anything to do with it. Some people have never gotten her music, and that's okay.

uwe · June 21, 2012, 08:35:35 AM

I like Patti and how intense she is, but she's a lyricist and singer at heart, not a songwriter. Listen to Because the Night and it is so blatantly obvious what Springsteen wrote (mostly all) and what she wrote (the middle eight mostly around D). And plugging on this new song Banga on D endlessly without an interesting melody doesn't do it for me either, sorry. Add a second chord for chrisssakes - like G - and voilà you have a song:

Simplicity is lovely, just don't make it that obvious.

jumbodbassman · June 21, 2012, 08:36:29 AM

that's my friend's son of the right with BOC.

His grand parents owned a music store in brooklyn called Bath Music. really talented kid. Dad played with the Chambers bros for a while and has a music store on Staten island now.

uwe · June 21, 2012, 08:48:51 AM

I only saw them two weeks ago and he is their real asset!!! Maybe it was an off night, but they were lame (except him and Kasim Sulton on bass) and the set list was totally de-Eric Bloom'ed. Almost only Buck Dharma songs with Buck on (nice and melodic, yes, but he's no gripping frontman) lead vocals. I know he generally wrote the best songs with BÖC and is an incredibly tasteful and melodic guitarist, but Eric Bloom and his (less commercial) voice is what made BÖC special (Buck by himself wouldn't have been put of place with Christopher Cross

). If I had gone to a Buck Dharma solo gig I would not have gone away disappointed, but ETI, Astronomy, Dr Music, RU Ready 2 Rock, Shadow of California, Harvester of Eyes, (This ain't the) Summer of Love, Black Blade, Divine Wind and Veteran of the Psychic Wars all not being played $:-\$ , it was decidedly lacking ...

But not your friend's kid fault in any way. He sang well and played nice guitar and keyboards and seemed to actively enjoy what he was doing while Eric Bloom seemed to be, well ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibd7yxg6fJ4&feature=related

He's so subdued on stage (and this wasn't the first time I saw him like that) that I'm worrying whether he might be ill. Or maybe having to work to pay the rent is no fun anymore.

Credit where credit's due: Buck Dharma soloed exceedingly well. Immaculate taste and choice of notes.

nofi · June 21, 2012, 09:16:45 AM

why disguise a simple song, uwe? robert johnson, son house et al did just fine with 'simple' songs that turned into blues and rock icons. i think your love of 70's euro bombast colors your views on music, and there is that german thing...

uwe · June 21, 2012, 09:27:12 AM

Hey, that's unfair!!! My music taste is wide ranging, everyone who knows me is surprised, more wide-ranging than anybody else I know. My car is currently filled with (CDs, I don't listen to individual songs, always to complete CDs) Rory Gallagher (Irish Tour remaster), David Sylvain (ex-Japan), Poco, new Slash, Marilyn Manson, Howlin Rain, Nora Jones, Leonard Cohen (certainly a minimalist), Max Webster, Band of Skulls, Halestorm, new Dr. John (wonderful), Rush, Nickelbag, the new Garbage, Sunstorm, En Vogue (compilation - Free your mind!), a solo album by a Swedish bassist I forgot the name of, Nancy Sinatra, new The Cult, Foghat (Fool for the City remaster), new Coldplay, We are Augustines, Flying Colors, Gary Numan, new Magazine, new The Shins, new Meshell Ndwhatchamacalher and these guys here:

Oh, and them as well:

Is that sufficiently wide-ranging?

You know, my Noah's Ark concept applies to my music buying too, I sometimes even go out of my way and buy stuff I know I will not like and listen to it as an intellectual exercise (like most things by U2). I'm different to most people I know in that way that I do not stop liking something - all the music I liked as a 16 year old I still like. It's just that with each passing year I like a wider range of music. But nothing is lost. From this

to this (though perhaps not every hour of the day!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuHfAqz3TFY&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL4D8A83EB7CF31316

is no contradiction for me.

Though this song is probably the one I have liked best among releases in recent years, two Yanks with a bit of Euro bombast,
and a couple of more chords than D Major:

Not to forget "ze Tshörmän zing" of course

:

nofi · June 21, 2012, 11:39:18 AM

there is a two hour documentary on scott walker hiding somewhere on your cable. i've watched it twice , the guy is quite remarkable.

uwe · June 21, 2012, 11:48:17 AM

Demanding too, but who says all music has to be easily digestible?

Highlander · June 21, 2012, 03:49:46 PM

It's raining here, again... Uwe has admitted to listening to Foghat... all these Noah references...

I'm heading for the Highlands... now...!

(BOC were in Eu...? missed again)

uwe · June 21, 2012, 04:39:49 PM

I really like the bass playing (producer did it, he later joined for a short while) on the Fool for the City album. It's quirky rock-funkish, very late seventies style, even a bit Disco influenced, but it's lively and even has humor in it.

nofi · June 22, 2012, 07:53:32 AM

some fogfat for you. still sounds great with the extra pounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nwOBaH--kA&feature=relmfu

this must have been near the end for lonesome dave.

that is tone stevens believe it or not.

gweimer · June 22, 2012, 09:00:31 AM

Quote from: uwe on June 21, 2012, 04:39:49 PM
I really like the bass playing (producer did it, he later joined for a short while) on the Fool for the City album. It's quirky rock-funkish, very late seventies style, even a bit Disco influenced, but it's lively and even has humor in it.

My two favorite Foghat albums are the ones with Nick Jameson producing and playing bass. Fool For The City was the big one, but In The Mood For Something Rude was equally as good. Nick Jameson found a new career as the President in the 24 series.

godofthunder · June 22, 2012, 09:22:33 AM

Quote from: nofi on June 22, 2012, 07:53:32 AM
some fogfat for you. still sounds great with the extra pounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nwOBaH--kA&feature=relmfu

this must have been near the end for lonesome dave.

that is tone stevens believe it or not.

Thanks for posting that ! Reminds me why I love Foghat! Great guitar sounds and Dave's voice one of the best in rock imho. Was that Roger Earl on slide ?