John Deacon using popping technique

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Space#.22Cool_Cat.22

This article claims that Cool Cat "possibly" is the only segment with John using popping. It's quite easy to prove that false:

https://youtu.be/A1NzE1cyes8?t=2m20s

Another instance is, probably, a few of John's little fills in Get Down Make Love. 

Does anyone have any more examples? Maybe on The Game if you look hard enough?

Possibly on GAGA but the entire thing is "coated" (encoded rather) with dynamic changes so it's hard to tell where synth ends and bass begins.

Football fight has a touch of plucking

Let's not forget CRAZY LITTLE THING. ..

Don't Try Suicide?

I always felt that John's use of this style was very much because it was flavour of the month at the time and he felt he had to go with it. I really don't think his use of the technique made a huge difference to the songs and he could have played within his usual style, as apposed to a band like Level 42 where Mark King's bass playing style is very much the anchor or riff around which many of the songs are built.

Matt z: I only hear fingerstyle on the latter two.

cmsdrums: Yeah, either he has very hard fingers, or he's indeed using his thumb bone a bit on that one. Strictly speaking I guess that's slapping rather than popping.

Vocal harmony: I agree that it didn't have a huge impact on their songs. I don't fully agree with the theory that he felt like "he had" to use it, I think he was listening a lot to soul and funk and played around with it. He was never one to play certain things to show off technique or just for the sake of it.

On football fight i meant prior to the cheesy synth ...but it could just be a swift grainy slide down the neck

He pops in Bicycle Race. Hard to hear due to the vocals but on the isolated tracks you can hear it. During the ''ýou say black, I say white etc' parts.

liam wrote:

He pops in Bicycle Race. Hard to hear due to the vocals but on the isolated tracks you can hear it. During the ''ýou say black, I say white etc' parts.

Ah of course! I'd forgotten about those little trills and flubs. Funny since the rest of the bass line is melodious. THAT DEACON! FANTASTIC BASS PLAYER

I was thinking about Deacon being integral to the sound of different albums. From the busy 'classic' style of the mid 70s, through the heavy use of the vamping slides of Jazz, to switching to rhythm guitar on Hot Space. I'm sure there's more distinct Deacon eras.

dysan wrote:

to switching to rhythm guitar on Hot Space

He switched to rhythm guitar on one song, and did both bass and rhythm guitar on two others. Would you say Brian 'switched to' synthesisers on The Miracle?

You know full well I was talking generally - his role on those songs directed the sound more so than him on acoustic on Misfire.

Also, that's him on funky guitar on Party isn't it? Can't say I ever noticed it before having a listen yesterday.

liam wrote: He pops in Bicycle Race. Hard to hear due to the vocals but on the isolated tracks you can hear it. During the ''ýou say black, I say white etc' parts.

Well I did provide a YT vid with timestamps in my OP. :)

dysan wrote:

You know full well I was talking generally - his role on those songs directed the sound more so than him on acoustic on Misfire.

Not really - Misfire is mostly driven by acoustic strums and electric harmonies, all of which were played by John (except for the bits Brian added in the end). That's arguably a more significant 'leading' role than what he did on 'Back Chat' and 'Cool Cat.'

'Staying Power', on stage, featured him more or less prominently, but in the studio he only did a few double-stops here and there and that was it. Roger's tambourine on ''39' was featured far more than John's rhythm guitar on SP.

I was referring to Misfire dictating the sound of the album. His roles on ALBUMS was my point. AS YOU WELL KNOW.

ALBUMS SEBASTIAN. ALBUMS!!!!!!!