We have had various favorite guitar/drums//vocals posts lately.. so now for the sometimes forgotten instrument/member of the band. A classic sentence that usually describes many bands Freddie, Rodger, Brian and "the bassist of the band" or a classic Jimmy Page the guitar god, John Bohemian the monster on drums and Robert Plant the lion's roar and a mane to match.....
What is your all time favorite or some of your favorite bass lines from the "the man of the four strings" and your favorite all time song for bass...?
Cant Beat the opening 1.55 of millionaires waltz
I love that first opening bass line on we are the champions
around 55sec into seven seas of rye "I swear that you will be mine" that little bass run
3.30 father to son
Ogre Battle march 74 after "keep a look out"
and I love that piece almost at the end of lap of the gods when the camera is focused on John as he plays that highest note on the bass and you have to admit.. he is totally in the "zone" man
and song wise I love slightly mad for bass
A interesting quote from Dave Mustaine
A band is like a hierarchy. You have the lead singer the leader of the band then you have the Guitarist then next down you have the drummer and at the bottom you have the Bassist. Besides the bass isn't a difficult instrument to play. It's one step up from the kazoo isn't it?
I love the bass and think its an amazing instrument. Along with John Deacon, there are many artists out there such as the likes of John Paul Jones, Steve Harris, Billy Sheehan and Cliff Burton that can make the bass just as interesting and sound as amazing as the guitar. It is also an instrument that can be easily lost to the untrained ear ie someone new to music and for a band like Queen, there is so much going on in the background. John does an amazing job at not treading on anyone's toes and some of those very delicate bass parts easily get lost.
I hope all you guys share some of those lost bass lines and for all the newbies to Queen and music, I hope this helps train your ears to that amazingly fluid bass line that glues all those Queen song's together and for all of you seasoned Queen listeners... Get your Taringa's out (your Maori word for the week!!) go back to those songs and enjoy that bass
ITSM · Member since
The Millionaire Waltz
Cool Cat
Another One Bites the Dust
My Baby Does Me
Under Pressure
Back Chat
You Don't Fool Me
mooghead · Member since
I always wanted to hear You're My Best Friend isolated and now I have! And its ace!
tomchristie22 · Member since
The bass part in the section before the 'family song' part of Father to Son is awesome.
Starting at about 1:31
http://youtu.be/Gf3RhDBUUTs?t=1m31s
cmsdrums · Member since
I just love listening to John's superbly melodic and 'vocal' basslines - he was never a 'thrash and plod away on the root note' type of bass player. He always left room for everything to breathe, whereas others would have filled the gaps with inappropriate low end. His absence was prominent on 'The Cosmos Rocks'.
The Millionaire's Waltz, Play The Game, Jealousy, Cool Cat all spring to mind, but the whole of A Day At The Races and Jazz are just fantastic examples of his playing.
Vocal harmony · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]cmsdrums wrote:[/b]
I just love listening to John's superbly melodic and 'vocal' basslines - he was never a 'thrash and plod away on the root note' type of bass player. He always left room for everything to breathe, whereas others would have filled the gaps with inappropriate low end. His absence was prominent on 'The Cosmos Rocks'.
The Millionaire's Waltz, Play The Game, Jealousy, Cool Cat all spring to mind, but the whole of A Day At The Races and Jazz are just fantastic examples of his playing.[/QUOTE]
All very true. The thing I'm listening too, or should I say, I've really got into is the little tail off just before the fade out of Sail Away Sweet Sister, it's one of those that's left hanging and makes me wonder where he went with it and how much more was recorded.
Pingfah · Member since
Dave Mustaine is a fucking idiot. He should try telling that to Steve Harris, Iron Maiden band leader, primary songwriter... and bassist. Or Charlie Benante, Anthrax band leader, primary songwriter... and drummer.
The hierarchy in band is nothing to do with who plays what instrument, or sings, unless you're an egotistical nutbar Singer/Guitarist/Frontman like Dave Mustaine.
gerry · Member since
I love the bass opening to "Bohemian Rhapsody"
as john stands next to Freddie playing piano.
The bass melts into freddies playing its amazing.
Also love the bass on "Don't try suicide" and "Dragon Attack" is magnificent bass playing by Deacy.
John is certainly underated in this country.
Mr.Mouth · Member since
My opinion is that he developed his own style..Now if you know what I mean and you know all songs from Queen like me,than you will know that in the song These Are The Days Of Our Lives bass line and in Mother Love are the sam lines its for me his best drama i will call it ,drama and virtuoso sound,if you know what i am tryng to say.
Sorry for my poor language.
Non the less all bass lines above you named are also great and his greatnes for playing bass guitar.
For me no one can match John in playing style and those bloody (how do you call it) licks?
Cheers my fellow Queenzoners and friends.
Pingfah · Member since
I have quite a few friends who are not really big Queen fans, but they all agree that John Deacon is an amazing bassist.
I don't know about him being underrated, I would say he is one of the most recognisable and respected names in the world as far as bassists go, probably because several of Queen's biggest hits are famous specifically for their basslines, not something you could say about most bands.
gerry · Member since
Mr. Mouth : you are a lot like me and tell it as it really is! lol
respect to John Deacon!
I have quite a few friends who are not really big Queen fans, but they all agree that John Deacon is an amazing bassist.
I don't know about him being underrated, I would say he is one of the most recognisable and respected names in the world as far as bassists go, probably because several of Queen's biggest hits are famous specifically for their basslines, not something you could say about most bands.[/QUOTE]
I would call him underrated..........his name rarely if ever comes up in discussions of 'best rock bassists' or 'most influential' or whatever like that..................(but should more often!!!)
Anyway, I thought of a few of my favorite Deacon basslines that I dont think have been mentioned.............Fairy Fellers Master Stroke..............and Liar..........
waunakonor · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]fras444 wrote:[/b]
A interesting quote from Dave Mustaine
A band is like a hierarchy. You have the lead singer the leader of the band then you have the Guitarist then next down you have the drummer and at the bottom you have the Bassist. Besides the bass isn't a difficult instrument to play. It's one step up from the kazoo isn't it?
[/QUOTE]
Haha! Dave Mustaine is an asshole who just needs to keep his mouth shut. No way is the bass not a difficult instrument to play. He probably thinks he's some kind of musical god for being able to sloppily go "widdily widdily widdily" in every single one of his solos with little to no melody or emotional interest.
How has "I'm Going Slightly Mad" not been mentioned yet? Deaky's just going nuts, especially during the verses and the outro. Easily more groove and finesse throughout that song than Mustaine's ever been able to do in his life.
ili · Member since
there are several that stand out and I love his playing. my favorite would be the bass solo in live version of Liar. besides that I like the bass solo in Dragon Attack. other bass favorites include:
Death On Two Legs
Ride The Wild Wind
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Scandal
Breakthru
I'm Going Slightly mad
Delilah
The Hitman
Under Pressure
The Millionare Waltz
Keep Passing The Open Windows
Heaven For Everyone
