Wall of Mouths

yeah…you´re right!

That´s why I always loved the “Nurse” / Troublegum”-era when they played Live the sound was such unique…With the Bass pumping as a 2nd guitar and also providing really nice Bass-lines…:)

Tatty, be my bassist :) I agree with you guys, I’ve spent most of the time listening to music since HA was released just listening to it, but I went back and listened to Nurse this weekend and it was obvious Michael’s bass playing has become less.. defined.

I suppose the only song he really flexes his skills on the new album is “Limbo”. Which is a bit of a shame. He had so many lovely bass runs and indeed, bass-lines completely seperate from the guitar on earlier albums.

tatty seaside town wrote:

He plays the “musicman” basses … They are just boring. Designwise fender lookalikes and soundwise just “dum di dum dum” not really much high frequences in there … Also he uses just on amp … he used two amps years ago, which made the sound also much more activ …

two points:

1. you’ve clearly never heard Flea play a Stingray, which is the bass you’re on about. plenty of high frequencies there.

2. the actual bass is the part which is passive or active. both the Stingray & Status basses are active; the Precision is passive, by default.

1 amp or 10 amps isn’t going to make much difference, if you haven’t dialed in many high frequencies. that’s up to whoever is playing it to set the various tone controls.

having been a bass player for many years, i’m going to have to tell you that you’re not exactly right with most of your points there. i’ll leave it at that though, rather than make it look like i’m flaming you ;)

JSar666 wrote:

I suppose the only song he really flexes his skills on the new album is “Limbo”.

How cool is the end of Limbo with the bass riff and then the guitar coming in, it is just a shame the end of the song doesn’t last a bit longer!

Today I listened to every T? album to try to find out what most of you mean and I think philzilla is right.

It has nothing to do with the kind of bass and/or amp Michael’s using. Neither has it got anything to do with Martin playing guitar as well; listen very carefully to Nurse, Troublegum and Infernal Love and you’ll find that almost every song has two or more guitar parts.

It’s the sound and the way High Anxiety is produced. I think the sound on HA is the best ever; it’s coherent, you hear a band in stead of individual musicians and there absolutely is a hell of a lot of bass on this record!

Michael has improved his playing over the years and his bass lines have become better and don’t sound like guitar riffs anymore. Today I consider him one of the best.

However, I think his sound improved too; Music Man just sounds better and plays easier than any bass I ever tried. (I know you disagree tatty, never mind;it’s just a matter of preference)

I agree with you :)

In most of the pre-Troublegum stuff I think Michael and Fyfe really complimented each other (not that the didn’t on Troublegum and IL, just more noticable earlier). I was watching some old live vids tonight and on a version of Meat Abstract it really struck me that Michael was keeping the rhythm and Fyfe’s drumming was the tune - if that makes sense, I don’t quite know how to explain what I mean and I’m drunk which isn’t helping. Maybe that belongs in the ‘Fyfe vs Graham’ debate anyway…

I know exactly what you mean about them complimenting each other. I think it’s very noticeable on Disgracelands in particular. And the drumming in that song is the best EVER.

3ddo-on-the-balcony wrote:

Neither has it got anything to do with Martin playing guitar as well; listen very carefully to Nurse, Troublegum and Infernal Love and you’ll find that almost every song has two or more guitar parts.

Can’t say that I agree with you. An extra guitar player means another personality to deal with. There may have been loads of guitar on Troublegum but since it was only one player I think that the balance was spot on. Where as on HA, Shameless etc the extra person on guitar means that its 2 against 1, you know what i’m getting at?

As for Michael’s being better these days? ya ain’t been honest.

Kill_Hill wrote:

As for Michael’s being better these days? ya ain’t been honest.

Oh yes I am :D. And I honestly don’t know what you mean by that. Michael has absolutely improved his bass playing over the years; just compare the earlier records to the last two / three. (I’m almost sure even tatty agrees with me on this.) It’s just ridiculous to imply that Mike stood still for about ten years or even got worse. No way!!

Furthermore I think the 2 against 1 item is nonsense: from the moment Martin joined T? as a guitarist, the sound became more coherent ans solid, and in my humble opinion left more room for both the bassist and the drummer. Off course you may disagree, but that can also mean that you prefer the T? sound before Martin (and Neil?) joined the best band in the world. But that’s cool, you’ve got a right to your opinion ;)

INNOCENT X!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES!!!!!!!!!!! When i play it on my bass its like a tribute to redhaired girls *lol*

I think Innocent X is close up to TURN … really great bass line there! Also my second tribute to redhaired girls with pony tails *g*

I like Mike´s Basslines till IL! After that album it became more of a typical bass line on the songs …
Perhaps it has something to do with fyfes druming, graham new drumming at that time and the second guitar Martin brought in …

As i said often before, Mike should also consider to play Status Bass again, as for you hear the sound of the bass more. Like on troublegum. Really characteristic!
STATUS - THE ONLY BASS TO BE!

Yes! :)

Well actually redhaired and blackhaired … *meow* :)
Well the best would be some blackhaired girl with some red touch in it *g*

I would play “Innocent X” and “Turn” on my bass guitar. Just to make this girl happy!