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Unspoken and very much plugged

And here’s Glenn Hughes performing a bass playthrough for the Dead Daisies single Unspoken.

Thanks to BraveWords for the info.



8 Comments to “Unspoken and very much plugged”:

  1. 1
    Uwe Hornung says:

    Someone has to take that bass distortion stomp box from him – there is only one Lemmy. ; – )

    It’s exquisitely played, but WAY TOO MUCH OOOVVVEEERRRDDDRRRIIIVVVEEE.

    I do like the harmonies though, good song.

  2. 2
    Yvonne says:

    @ Uwe – maybe this is more to your liking.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO3agnf0-JM

    David Lowy is a bit more laid back.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPxCpDVMQ1c

    Terrific song, I think I’m going to love the new album. Du auch? 😉

  3. 3
    stoffer says:

    nothing new here!

  4. 4
    Uwe Hornung says:

    I have no issues (except admiration!) with Glenn’s bass playing, he was one of my role models when I started out playing bass in the 70ies. It’s just his sound specifically on this track … Ever since he began playing and endorsing Orange amps (the old iconic 70ies brand was resurrected some years ago), whose trait is a very gnarly sound, bordering on permanent distortion, his bass sound has become a bit too distorted for my taste. And it really is only a question of taste, there has been a tendency for more distorted bass sounds in the last, say, 15 years or so. So Glenn is going with the fashion – and I’m not! ; – )

    I like his sound better when it’s cleaner, think of Stormbringer, Play Me Out, Hughes Thrall or Feel (among his most underrated solo works).

    But whether distorted or clean into the mixing desk: Glenn’s bass playing with lots of panache is always worth a listen. His bass playing is a bit like his singing: He’s no shrinking violet scared to be heard! : – )

  5. 5
    Tommy H. says:

    @ Uwe:

    Roger played distorted bass guitar way before both of them. Listen to In Rock or remember that bass solo in Fireball? The bass sound in Ace of Spades for instance is way more distorted than Glenn’s in the video above. Just do a side-by-side comparison, you’ll see – it’s really a different ballpark.

  6. 6
    Uwe Hornung says:

    True, Roger played the bass solo on Fireball with distortion – that was ok. It was a solo. His bass sound on In Rock is overdriven, like everything else on that (production-wise flawed) album, I find it painful to listen to on CD, especially that ’95 remaster (all 70ies DP work needs proper und fresh remastering in my ears, it’s a shame that we still have to listen to these old remasters). Roger’s on record for never quite liking his bass sound even on Machine Head, MIJ und WDWTWA – when in my eyes (and ears) he ruled the world with his Rickenbacker sound – because he thought it had “too much distortion, I always wanted it to sound more like the bass guitar sounded on US productions”.

    I don’t mind a little overdrive – Geezer Butler, Mel Schacher (Grand Funk), Jim Lea (Slade), Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash), Alan Lancaster, Jack Bruce and even Chris Squire and John Entwistle all had it to various degrees, they’ve all been sources of inspiration for me. In the 70ies, there were really no bass rigs that could offer lots of volume (to compete with a Marshall stack) without overdrive in a live setting. But Glenn’s sound on that particular Dead Daisies track is abrasive to my ears (though not as abrasive as Lemmy’s, true, an it will probably sound different in the end mix) – I should know as I have an Orange bass rig myself (among others) and it is not called “Little Terror” for nothing. It’s noisy by design. : – )

    But it’s a matter of taste and you can trust Glenn to never stick to one thing too long! That said, I like to hear Glenn play bass distorted or not.

  7. 7
    MacGregor says:

    Regarding the distorted bass comments, Didn’t Robert Fripp bestow upon John Wetton ‘the bass beast of terror’ title? From the glory days of Crimson’s mighty trio of bastions to rock music, Lark’s Tongue in Aspic, Starless & Bible Black & Red! I like a punchy distorted bass sound, as long as it fits in with the other music. Chris Squire is my favourite player & sound, wonderful! I do agree with Uwe in regards to the In Rock production. Although I do enjoy the other MK2 albums sound. Cheers.

  8. 8
    Uwe Hornung says:

    Wetton circa the Red album had a real abrasive sound with Crimson. But then Crimson never made an effort to sound “nice” or “warm”. : – )

    Any UK (the Prog outfit) fans here? I loved Danger Money and saw them on their reunion tour some years ago.

    And I spoke to Wetton once backstage at an Asia gig (a friend was a rock journo) and he didn’t remember what Heep albums he had played on: “Was it Demons & Wizards?” : – ) (He played on Return to Fantasy and High & Mighty.) A very nice, down-to-earth man. As was Carl Palmer.

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