What happened to bass solos?

Practically every Strangler's song was a bass solo, the same goes for Marillion - and try Stanley Clarke!

Bass solos abound, especially in the field of prog - but generally we like to keep ourselves to ourselves, as bassists - and what's all this about 4-stringers? Clive Mitten of Twelfth Night played a 6-string bass - and there's some nice bass soloing on "Live at the Target". Lemmy played an 8-string, or G-String bass, as he affectionately called it.

There's even some bass soloing on Dave Lee Roth's "Skyscraper" album, curteosy of Billy Sheehan, and Metallica's Cliff Burton was partial to letting that baby rip - with fuzz and wah-wah!

I'm sure there are hundreds of others - these are just the first I thought of!

Geddy is the ONE guy who made me actually listen to what was going on, basswise. Before that, it was just about the keyboards (and earlier than that, guitar, in my early high school years before I got into Tangerine Dream and other groups that totally changed the way I regarded music in general).

There are many great bassists out there; some get mentioned frequently, and some don't (and some seem all but forgotten, sadly). Kenso's Shunji Saegusa is a fantastic bassist who plays with both fingers and a pick. He takes some killer solos, but anybody who listens to Kenso would know that, already. And to those who don't already listen to Kenso...whaddya waiting for?!

5 minute solo wrote: It's just that people want to see a guitarist do a big shred solo and sure if they can pull it of great but nobody ever sees the bass a melodic instrument, it just seen as a rythum tool.

Actually "shredding" generally bores me to tears. I say generally, because some guitarists can make it interesting and dynamic - and in the case of Angus Young, downright fun (although I will concede that Angus is not really a shredder).

Steve Vai is the only guitarist I've heard that can keep me interested AND perform technical pyrotechnics at the same time. I guess it's personal, but normally I just like a good tune. All that widdly nonsense usually sends me straight to the bar - so kudos to my fellow bass players - don't become victims of "fret envy", as it's just not worth it!

IMO bass is the all-important drive behind any song, and Pete Trewavas is living proof that a bass line can be pure joy as a tune, part of the vertical harmonic structure, part of the horizontal counterpoint and a significant part of the overall texture of any piece of music.

Solos on any instrument are rarely anything more than self-indulgence, and should be properly composed, orchestrated as they were in the concerti of the great composers of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries IMO.

I see the error in my way of thinking. I will now go and weep in a corner for I am scum.

5 minute solo wrote: I see the error in my way of thinking. I will now go and weep in a corner for I am scum.

What?

This is a great thread idea. The bass is a often overlooking soloing instrument. Just because one or two members don't care for bass solos, so what, it's all meat and poison. Personally, I like to hear a bass solo. Geddy Lee's solo on Show Don't Tell from Presto was rather refreshing.

If you like bass, what about Chapman Stick or Warr Guitar? Tony Levin, Sean Malone and Trey Gunn have taken those instruments to incredible levels. They can have the range of a piano (Various number of strings 10-12....) and a played by tapping the strings. Each fret acts as a pickup. These guys play some wild solos in the lower ranges through standard guitar pitches. Very innovative, IMO.

Cheers 5MS- Good thread idea. 

I've no idea about 4 stars..... One for the Admin, I suppose.