Larry Graham plays funk bass
December 30, 2011 8:48 AM Subscribe
A legend of the instrument, it goes without saying. But for converting Prince into a Jehovah's Witness, he's still in my doghouse.
posted by Trurl at 9:11 AM on December 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Trurl at 9:11 AM on December 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
If you look up "funky" in the dictionary, this is what you find.
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:29 AM on December 30, 2011
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:29 AM on December 30, 2011
By the way, your link to part 2 is incorrect. here is the right one.
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:34 AM on December 30, 2011
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:34 AM on December 30, 2011
A legend of the instrument, it goes without saying. But for converting Prince into a Jehovah's Witness, he's still in my doghouse.
However, as a result, this is still the best JW, door to door story, I've read.
posted by DonnyMac at 9:42 AM on December 30, 2011 [5 favorites]
However, as a result, this is still the best JW, door to door story, I've read.
posted by DonnyMac at 9:42 AM on December 30, 2011 [5 favorites]
Pow! Was the one I was going to say. How many blood blisters did I get trying to learn and play that one...
posted by Trochanter at 10:02 AM on December 30, 2011
posted by Trochanter at 10:02 AM on December 30, 2011
For those who aren't aware of Graham's significance, start here.
posted by googly at 10:05 AM on December 30, 2011
posted by googly at 10:05 AM on December 30, 2011
The phrase "Larry Graham plays funk bass" is like saying here's Alexander Graham Bell talking on the phone, or Shuji Nakamura using a blue LED flashlight, or Elisha Otis taking the elevator to the top floor.
posted by euphorb at 10:17 AM on December 30, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by euphorb at 10:17 AM on December 30, 2011 [7 favorites]
If you've never heard his short-lived band, GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION, (see the link called "POW!") do yourself the favor. It kicks ass nine ways to Sunday. And the album had the TOWER OF POWER horns to boot!
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 11:40 AM on December 30, 2011
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 11:40 AM on December 30, 2011
If you look up "funky" in the dictionary, this is what you find.
Incorrect! THIS is what you'll find.
posted by to sir with millipedes at 11:42 AM on December 30, 2011
Incorrect! THIS is what you'll find.
posted by to sir with millipedes at 11:42 AM on December 30, 2011
I misread it as Lindsey Graham... but this was much cooler.
posted by starman at 11:56 AM on December 30, 2011
posted by starman at 11:56 AM on December 30, 2011
POW!
Aw shit slap bass, LASERS, yodeling, and harpsichord!
posted by ignignokt at 12:02 PM on December 30, 2011
Aw shit slap bass, LASERS, yodeling, and harpsichord!
posted by ignignokt at 12:02 PM on December 30, 2011
Yes. YES! This is awesome!
posted by hellslinger at 1:00 PM on December 30, 2011
posted by hellslinger at 1:00 PM on December 30, 2011
Your part one and part two links are both to part one.
Anyway, this is great. I wasn't that impressed with the first song, but after that...
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 1:08 PM on December 30, 2011
Anyway, this is great. I wasn't that impressed with the first song, but after that...
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 1:08 PM on December 30, 2011
Haven't seen that before. Can anyone list all the song titles of the tunes he was playing? The end of part 1 sounded like out-Zepping and out-BOCing Zeppelin and Blue Oyster Cult.
posted by Listener at 1:29 PM on December 30, 2011
posted by Listener at 1:29 PM on December 30, 2011
well, look, he's awesome - but he's responsible for all those kids at guitar center slapping and popping with no sense of tone or rhythm
that needs to stop
posted by pyramid termite at 1:42 PM on December 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
that needs to stop
posted by pyramid termite at 1:42 PM on December 30, 2011 [2 favorites]
A legend of the instrument, it goes without saying. But for converting Prince into a Jehovah's Witness, he's still in my doghouse.
Although his conversion to the faith did inspire the best album he recorded since "Sign O the Times".
Thanks for the vids; I've sometimes dismissed slap-style playing as stunt theatrics, like the four-string equivalent of a weedly-weedly hammer-on guitar solo, compromising the tone of what's otherwise one of the best sounding instruments in rock/funk/fusion/etc. It's good to see a master and innovator putting the style to work.
posted by metaman livingblog at 2:51 PM on December 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
Although his conversion to the faith did inspire the best album he recorded since "Sign O the Times".
Thanks for the vids; I've sometimes dismissed slap-style playing as stunt theatrics, like the four-string equivalent of a weedly-weedly hammer-on guitar solo, compromising the tone of what's otherwise one of the best sounding instruments in rock/funk/fusion/etc. It's good to see a master and innovator putting the style to work.
posted by metaman livingblog at 2:51 PM on December 30, 2011 [1 favorite]
well, look, he's awesome - but he's responsible for all those kids at guitar center slapping and popping with no sense of tone or rhythm
that needs to stop
Guitar store guy to my friend when we were 16: "Just because you're hitting the bass doesn't mean you're playing slap bass."
posted by ignignokt at 2:57 PM on December 30, 2011
that needs to stop
Guitar store guy to my friend when we were 16: "Just because you're hitting the bass doesn't mean you're playing slap bass."
posted by ignignokt at 2:57 PM on December 30, 2011
What if the crappy bass players and the crappy guitar players joined forces? At every guitar center you'd hear a fumbling "Stairway to Heaven" accompanied by arhythmic bass farts.
I don't want to live in that world.
posted by Saxon Kane at 5:25 PM on December 30, 2011
I don't want to live in that world.
posted by Saxon Kane at 5:25 PM on December 30, 2011
At every guitar center you'd hear a fumbling "Stairway to Heaven" accompanied by arhythmic bass farts.
i haven't heard stairway to heaven in guitar center for a long, long time - and i go there fairly frequency
what i do hear from the fumbling kiddies is endless cascades of tap wanking - add that to the arhythmic bass farts and ...
unfortunately, i don't have to imagine it, as i do live in that world
posted by pyramid termite at 6:55 PM on December 30, 2011
i haven't heard stairway to heaven in guitar center for a long, long time - and i go there fairly frequency
what i do hear from the fumbling kiddies is endless cascades of tap wanking - add that to the arhythmic bass farts and ...
unfortunately, i don't have to imagine it, as i do live in that world
posted by pyramid termite at 6:55 PM on December 30, 2011
Looks like Moon don't do a Larry Graham model any more, but this will get you close.
posted by Wolof at 10:26 PM on December 30, 2011
posted by Wolof at 10:26 PM on December 30, 2011
Or start your bidding at a mere you've-got-to-be-joking $8699 on ebay!
posted by Wolof at 10:34 PM on December 30, 2011
posted by Wolof at 10:34 PM on December 30, 2011
Ha, I was bowled over by this when I came across it by coïncidence.
So I wanted to share. Even though I had recently learned that slap bass is frowned upon by the cognoscenti.
But grooving to awesome funk makes one impervious to social disapproval.
Glad some others thought it as great as I did.
posted by joost de vries at 2:23 AM on December 31, 2011
So I wanted to share. Even though I had recently learned that slap bass is frowned upon by the cognoscenti.
But grooving to awesome funk makes one impervious to social disapproval.
Glad some others thought it as great as I did.
posted by joost de vries at 2:23 AM on December 31, 2011
So, it has come to this: I am actually stealing a Youtube comment.
"This is how sex sounds like when you're doing it right"
posted by thelonius at 8:47 AM on December 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
"This is how sex sounds like when you're doing it right"
posted by thelonius at 8:47 AM on December 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
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posted by joost de vries at 8:51 AM on December 30, 2011