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Who Came Up With The Bassline For UP

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John Deacon was the clever guy behind the bass line for "Under Pressure"
Who else would think of a great bass line like that when they do not play bass apart from John.
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eh
· Member since
There's a difference between the bass-line and the bass-riff. I tend to side with John on this one: after all, he was the one who played it, he probably knew who came up with it.

Moreover, John's quotes come from 1982 and 1984, respectively, IIRC, back when the song was quite fresh in his mind. Roger's and Brian's quotes come from three or so decades after the fact.
John hated Hot Space. Frederick's favourite singer was not Paul Rodgers. Roger didn't compose 'Innuendo.' 'Bohemian Rhapsody' hasn't got 180 vocal overdubs.
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I have a feeling John may have distanced himself from it for three possible reasons 1) due to the alleged drug taking whilst the song was being made and Bowie's overall controversial reputation at that time of his career, 2) he was starting to get very disillusioned / depressed about being in Queen and wanted to play down any success, 3) John's memory was / is very poor due to his depression, boozing and (probable) drug taking.
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Well, if that's the case, we could also put down Brian's and Roger's memories and say they're bound to fail considering they didn't like those sessions (Brian in particular seemed to have been disappointed with the way the song was ultimately made, and Roger's claimed it's his favourite song but not his favourite record), considering over thirty years have passed and considering there may have been alcohol (in Brian's case) and drugs (in Roger's case) involved too. Brian's also dealt with depression - should we disqualify his claims as well then?
John hated Hot Space. Frederick's favourite singer was not Paul Rodgers. Roger didn't compose 'Innuendo.' 'Bohemian Rhapsody' hasn't got 180 vocal overdubs.
· Member since
Anything is possible and memories can be very unreliable, but I think it's unlikely that everyone has false memories that give John credit for the riff. My personal opinion is that John played the riff originally, but because of the exchange with Bowie, he either falsely remembered it as Bowie's riff. Or, John's memory was perfect but because of a change made to the riff by Bowie - John didn't consider it his anymore. Maybe John played the Vanilla Ice version, originally.

However, I think Dysan made a good point, about having the tape running while they were jamming. Maybe there's audio that answers everything.
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[QUOTE] [b]Katby wrote:[/b]

I think it's unlikely that everyone has false memories that give John credit for the riff.[/QUOTE]

In fact that's very easy to happen: person A is influenced by person B, person C thinks that's gotta be the case since both A and B agree on it, etc.
John hated Hot Space. Frederick's favourite singer was not Paul Rodgers. Roger didn't compose 'Innuendo.' 'Bohemian Rhapsody' hasn't got 180 vocal overdubs.
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[QUOTE] [b]Sebastian wrote:[/b]

[QUOTE] [b]Katby wrote:[/b]

I think it's unlikely that everyone has false memories that give John credit for the riff.[/QUOTE]

In fact that's very easy to happen: person A is influenced by person B, person C thinks that's gotta be the case since both A and B agree on it, etc.[/QUOTE]

As I said, memories can be very unreliable. However, we're not just talking about a general shared memory like, "Oh yeah, John wrote the riff." Roger has a specific memory of John forgetting the riff, and Brian has a separate, specific memory of Bowie talking to John about it, etc. I think my best bet is to assume that the majority of people in the room, have at least somewhat accurate memories - but you're free to think differently, of course.

If they were all drinking and taking drugs, it's possible that their memories are all totally wrong - including John's. Maybe Brian and Roger hallucinated the entire situation, while Freddie and Bowie were singing the bass riff during some improvisation. Maybe John was unconscious in the corner with Mack at the time. It's all possible.
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'Bowie's overall controversial reputation at that time of his career'

He'd just had his biggest hit album in about 4 years and was curating a good family entertainer vibe via appearances on The BIng Crosby Show, narrating a children's book and starred in a very well respected off Broadway play culminating in becoming a genuine global superstar in 1983
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[QUOTE] [b]K770i wrote:[/b]

John Deacon was the clever guy behind the bass line for "Under Pressure"
Who else would think of a great bass line like that when they do not play bass apart from John.[/QUOTE]

Being as you're so knowledgeable on the subject maybe you'd like to give us your top ten John Deacon written, played and recorded Bass lines.
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@Vocal Harmony Cut the sarcasm and stop stirring the shit (yet again)
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[QUOTE] [b]K770i wrote:[/b]

@Vocal Harmony Cut the sarcasm and stop stirring the shit (yet again)[/QUOTE]

It wasn't sarcasm, I was genuinely interested in your view.

Actually I'm also interested in the fact you claim him to be a great bass player yet in the post I replied too you claim he doesn't play bass.

Yet again please feel free to share your vastly superior knowledge on the subject.
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@Vocal Harmony : I never said John does not play bass i said the "Under Pressure" bass line must have came from John as the other three in Queen would not think up a bass line to invent a song. That was Johns thing.
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[QUOTE] [b]K770i wrote:[/b]

@Vocal Harmony : I never said John does not play bass i said the "Under Pressure" bass line must have came from John as the other three in Queen would not think up a bass line to invent a song. That was Johns thing.[/QUOTE]

He is making fun of your inability to write a coherent sentence.
Socialism: There's one for you, nineteen for me Should five per cent appear too small Be thankful I don't take it all
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He though makes sense to prefectly me so