A. Weiss

This is gonna be my farewell blog on Blogger. My goal was to write about some of my bass heroes and that goal was accomplished, yet its questionable the interest was shared. 'Unheralded' is where a lot of bands and musicians find their destiny... history will show, I guess.

Even so, enjoy my finale! And don't forget to check out my articles at www.bassmusicianmagazine.com. The month of October I catch up with Fieldy from Korn. Have fun reading this last (and most controversial) blog entry. Thanks!



When I mention to people that Henry Rollins is one of my favorite musicians/entertainers, I get a varied reaction. I think its fairly universal that a person either hates old Hank-- or they believe he is the last word on everything!

I lean towards the positive side because I have an affection for both his music and live "spoken word" shows. His books are pretty well thought out too- but they are an acquired taste. The honest approach of his music, spoken word and venomous writing is an anomaly in the pop world and popularity contest that Rollins seems to disdain.

My main reason for initially liking his music was the bass work of Andrew Weiss on the bludgeoning 1992 release "The End of Silence". The bass-lines are drenched in 'wah-wah' effect and overdrive- a thick assault throughout the release that features some impressive right hand finesse. Weiss's approach could be looked at as "lead bass" instead of the guitar work of Chris Haskett, who has a style that was bluesy and minimal.

From the opener "Low Self Opinion", you may get a feel of what direction the album will be careening towards; especially as Weiss draws out the heavy bass slide down the E string with that distorted 'wah' sound, commanding the listeners attention. Tracks like "Tearing" and "Blues Jam" (w/ the lyric- "Life will not break your heart- it'll crush it!") feature such bass dominant jams, that omitting them would alter the song's heaviness and impact. Weiss wrote the majority of the music, so his lines relied on being very busy at times, or as melodic as the song allowed.

Some of the strongest bass work comes during the guitar solos when Weiss moves in counterpoint to the guitar, almost pulling off solos himself (underneath the actual guitar solo!?). The initial root note is mostly a stepping stone and Weiss moves about most bridge sections with wild pentatonic flourishes and pulls and bends (check out the song "Obscene"). He sometimes pumps through songs recklessly and for me at least-- it works! It's amazingly unorthodox, but it works on every level.

Like Rollins himself, a lot of bassists might complain that Andrew Weiss is out of the pocket and way too busy for the majority of "Silence", but I think that he is making a statement. The bass is meant to be heard, appreciated outside of the the basic root-3rd-5th, and you're goddamn going to hear it on this album. The dissension between Rollins and Weiss was well documented in Henry's See a Grown Man Cry, Then Watch Him Die. Sad really, as Rollins would go onto replace him with chord heavy bassist Melvin Gibbs and then later; nimble fingered Marcus from the LA blues rock band Mother Superior.

Pitted against Rollins glaring self-effacing lyrical content, Sim Cain's technically-sound drumming and Haskett (probably wishing he was in on the mix of this album); Andrew Weiss flails the music with boldness and tenacity. 

The glaring, tempestuous bass-lines on "The End of Silence" remain a standout illumination of my youth. 

It was a pivotal record for me to see what could be accomplished with four strings in the context of a stripped down four-piece rock band. 

Check it out!


Often unheralded, but no longer overlooked...

Cluster-Fuck

Anyone who’s been part of a live show, at any level, knows what the word cluster-fuck means. Whether abusing the back line of questionable gear and sharing amps or dragging your own onto some stage 30 feet off the ground (why?!), and those mountainous amplifiers that never seemed to be designed to go anywhere--- you absolutely have to experience the magic for yourself! And with so many artists & groups expanding line-ups way past the point of “overflow” at shows, either at an outdoor festival or some *all ages* show up the street, bands perennially get lost in the shuffle. So do entire clusters of bands within genres. Some artists are stifled within range of modest success, when others pop up out of the woodwork and find immediate and unending fan support and commercial decadence. 

Over the years, your once favorite band is virtually AWOL on Google searches.

‘Shoegazer’ acts like Catherine Wheel and My Bloody Valentine, ‘Progressive Rock’ like King’s X, Galactic Cowboys and Fates Warning and ‘Alternative Radio” rock like the Pixies or Jawbox-- so many acts have bypassed the flaming nucleus of success while eventually being credited by fledgling bands for “influencing" their current style. Ahh, the kiss of death…

Catherine Wheel

Grunge and post-grunge also had its share of casualties and localized bands were either part of the scene (for example: that place where a popular coffee conglomerate spawned?), or they bucked the trend and played what influenced their own musical catharsis! Many bands in the era of grunge, regardless of alternate guitar tunings, suffered the fate of “guilty by association”—and not being guilty of copying but helping mold the sounds that they also were part of.

There were a lot of good sounds going around and not enough room for everyone to be part of the fiery maelstrom. Some groups sparked enough flammable material that could drift through a forest with gradual shifts in appreciation, eventually gaining praise and respect some years later- embers that refused to go out.

At the time that Nirvana, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains flourished; there simply wasn’t enough room or commercial viability for others. They were destined to produce good music that would be eclipsed by other equally decent recordings. So, I'm paying them their due. Now is as good a time as any other.

Kansas produced a lot more than corn (and more corn) in the early nineties. The band Stick, after going through a significant line-up change as well as several name changes, struck up a deal with Clive Davis’s Arista Records and put out one of the most stripped down rock records (call it Midwest hardcore if you like) of the early nineties. “Heavy Bag”- their debut, would be rife with dense, drop-D guitar riffs, tight drumming and Mark Smirl’s enigmatic and politically charged vocals; the band also had bassist Darrel Brannock pocketing a thick and overdriven bass tone. 

Gloriously deep, and often sounding like James Jamerson discovering stoner rock bass overdrive.

Lead track “Grind” portends what would be one gritty song after another: no frills meat & potatoes guitar & bass driven rock. Midway through the disc, the radio friendly “Fuel” presents Darrel the opportunity to lay down a funky moderate tempo opening line, proving bass is always a good way to start. The closer, and one of the moodiest tracks, “Taught to Lose” again proves gnarly as Brannock lays down the bottom for guitarist Mike Tobin’s octave piercing melody shift in the verse section. The song broods along into a syncopated but simplistic bridge, where Tobin’s descending guitar solo eventually rockets the tune back into the sing along chorus.

Stick’s “Heavy Bag” was an early nineties gem and not to ever be confused with their peers- as they had very few in their genre.

 STICK

Come back and visit again as I will update Cluster-Fuck pt. 2 – 100. Ok, maybe Pt. 2 and 3 at least! Bye for now.

Often unheralded, but no longer overlooked…

The Hobbyist

I've been brewing up a few articles on "clusters" of bassists and pivotal albums from brief time periods (Like 94-95'). There is a lot of good musicianship that was deserted when Grunge or Rap Rock decimated the scenery like a bad Godzilla picture!

Stay tuned in the next week and in the interim, check out my articles on www.bassmusicianmagazine.com and look in the staff section for: Tim Risser (that's me!). Below is a "reject" of mine that I thought would fit better here than for their awesome site.

*And keep playing the bass because it gets lonely sitting in the corner...

Imagine this: YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. You get up every morning at 5am (that’s being generous) and you start your day--- your hectic non-stop day! Amidst the signing of legislation, meetings with the higher ups and sending texts to the first lady (you know he does!); he has to find some time for himself. We all have hobbies and ways to release the pressure and in his ‘free time’ (ha!) Mr. Obama enjoys reading, golf and oh yeah- BASKETBALL!!

So like anyone with a busy schedule, the president does find ways to let off steam and do some of the things he loves. And he enjoys music…

As you rifle through Obama’s IPod you’ll find icons like Stevie Wonder and “The Boss”, there’s a nod to contemporary with Jay Z or the fundamentals of jazz like Coltrane or Miles Davis. Well rounded and culturally diverse and not a trace of Judas Priest or Slayer! But that’s probably in his CD collection…

Not every politician becomes president, but here’s a secret they won’t tell you: all of them desire the highest level of political success and power that they can attain. If they tell you otherwise then they are…well, a politician!!

The echelon of musicianship with respects to fame and integrity hold all kind of players in various degrees of fame, fortune and critical grandeur- all of these jockeying for position or choosing a-la-carte. Some artists exchange critical success for monetary gain with no real intention and others look for the rainbow and make adjustments to get there. I could poke a few holes in here and name-drop but one look at the Grunge movement and the subsequent fleecing of Drop-D guitar riffs left many palates a little dry. And you get the point.

So set in your mind for a moment that you’re only allowed one: fame and more money than you can make use of or playing for the love of it with all the accolades that follow in its wake. Most bands with critical success will say that they are glad they stayed the course, while others would have given an arm to get the kind of unlimited wealth that some musicians/artists achieve. And then there’s the “hobbyists”.

If you’re like me and you have given “it” a shot, then you are probably in a very silent majority. The low (or no) paying gigs, the label giving no support- if you were “lucky” enough to get signed, endless gigs with a dozen people standing indifferently at the bar, viewing you as background noise to get drunk to; and let’s not forget the countless hours of rehearsal.

No one said it’d be easy-- but really, does it have to be this hard??

Zzzzzzz… you still with me? Admittedly, I started writing about music and bass playing because at my age, there is absolutely no way I can keep up with the digital age of playing in a band, hunting down gigs on Craigslist and well, playing in front of a dozen people again! I’ve been there and done that, and writing is an independent venture and more rewarding because you can’t see if only 12 people read your article. Paying your dues has a particularly harsh definition when you are watching a handful of people sit at a bar exchanging Jager shots, as you bleed onstage and open the void that was once your soul. Even golf is a satisfying hobby compared to that- and you’re not trying to make a living doing it either!?!

Wood-shedding in your early days as a musician had so much value because you are initially doing it to satisfy yourself. And then one day you see a music video of a band looking cooler than you could imagine or walk into an amphitheater to see an ageless icon like Rush and you think that:

You are capable of anything!

                                        

                  

     Mr. Writer sir, could you please define: Anything??

The “hobbyist” has no limitations and the ‘spirit’ of music has nothing to do with radio anymore; or a ‘record deal’ or even getting into Spin magazine! None of those things are relevant at all in this day and age.

What it is relevant and significant is what trajectory a person follows to get to where they are satisfied with the course they followed, regardless of success and an endless flow of publishing royalties. Here are a few lessons I learned along the way, the hard way:

•   DIY is the most important acronym you’ll ever know. Forget WTF, because that will come later out of frustration. The most important thing to remember as a bassist, playing and writing in a group, is that no one gets a free meal. Work hard at the basics, know the guitar player’s chord progressions and learn where to fit within the groove. Make the drummer your best friend! 
•  Wear your humility on your sleeve. This is self-explanatory but here’s an example: If you’re playing on a show with numerous local bands and you are one of them---- make friends and kill them with kindness!! Then destroy them onstage with all you’re musical skills and stage presence & showmanship! Nobody forgets an awesome performance, and foul attitudes, ego and bravado will just get you run out town.

·     The landscape is different than it once was. There will probably never be another Grunge, College Alternative, Early hip-hop or Nu-Metal explosion. Never again will we see the mass success from the ground up by artists like R.E.M. or Wu-Tang Clan, with record labels outbidding each other for their services and a mass underground following that would eventually evolve into millions of fans worldwide.

Use predecessors as a reference point--- avoid being derivative, earn your originality and stick to doing what you love. Here comes my lesson of the day, or lifetime, depends on how long you suffer for your art!? Play with conviction--- its either going to happen or it won’t! You can’t shape music fans predilections; only influence the opinions of those who care for what you’re offering! I loved that I got even a small taste of the success that was hard fought, creatively honest and not easily forgotten. 

                                                          

                                                              Well, not forgettable to me! 

                                           

                                  

                                                                  GET A REAL JOB!!!

                              

My “hobby” of writing has exchanged hands with my love for playing music and given me a real creative outlet. And yeah- you’re damn right I still play the bass every single day…

Love what you do.

*The comment section at the bottom is where you tell me I reek, or that you think I'm neat. Use your freedom of expression!! Suggestions mold the process...

I Don't Know Nothin'!

Beginning this piece with a double-negative pretty much guarantees you can disregard me as a professional writer. That being said: I don’t do this for YOU. Well, that’s not entirely true- not even remotely. I really believe that we push ourselves to succeed on some level that initially makes us happy, and then of course we attempt to “share” under the guise of improving others. Yeah, right. The dog will run to fetch you the chew toy and he requires a good head rubdown and ear scratch every time!

So, I’m not a professional writer and am no longer a “professional” recording artist (that doesn’t even sound like it makes sense!); so what exactly makes me an expert in anything?

The key here to realize anyone’s value is to understand their *POV, otherwise known as point of view or *Perfect Opportunity (to) Vent. Let’s not derail this train right away- I don’t mean to vent mercilessly towards others; I just mean to pass on the goodness that someone shared with you once. This is the value system and center of gravity that is not just a perception, but your own solid ground to stand on. Here’s a few of mine that keep me from steering of course:

•        The world is round and I am not the center of it! The truth is that 100’s of years ago, people believed we would certainly fall off our ‘flat’ world, but eventually that myth was squashed. I am not the owner of the only opinion in the universe.
  

•         I take time and others for granted. Believe me, I have better things to do with my hours- I just like Grumpy Cat memes or watching episodes of Family Guy I’ve already seen! My friends are important, but I haven’t always made that opinion clear either.        

•        I don’t know nothin’! When it comes to music and musicianship, I think my opinion is the only one that matters, but I know that is a seismic pile of steaming dung!

My son reminds me that my love for hummus isn’t universally shared and he’s only 8, so I guess that not everyone is going to think the first two (and only) Quicksand albums are the greatest thing ever. I also realize that if I had the money, I’d easily buy untold amounts of music gear and I would have a more well-rounded view of what was good; NOT JUST WHAT I CAN AFFORD. Also, I am the slowest typist on Earth and the difference between knowing and not caring becomes apparent. Dear Santa, I would like Dragon software for X-mas; a Zon bass, Markbass 2x12 cab, that barista at the coffee shop downtown…

I welcome you and your POV to my ‘flat’ world. The comment section below is where to vent. Enjoy.