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Everybody has influences, of some sort or another. When I
started playing a twangy instrument as opposed to a piano, which is where I
started, I was a rather crap guitarist. I was also messing around playing keys
on some early synthesizers. I learned how to play other people's
stuff badly, but I got away with it. I wasn't really interested in being a
guitarist, but all the bands I knew of had bass players and I didn't own a bass
anyway. So I contented myself trying to sort out the guitar bits of Hugh
Cornwell, Robert Smith, Steve Jones, Captain Sensible and John McGeogh, to name
but a few of the guitarists from the post-punk punk groups around at the time
(1978-79 ish). Eventually I decided that trying to play the guitar well was too hard. I could do chords and a bit of melody but could I solo? Could I
bollocks. Time to give it up.
Anyone can play bass badly, and
only a few can do it correctly.
I borrowed a bass and got on with learning to play it
properly, not the AC-DC style of plodding tonic notes (although it suits them
down to the ground, why bother competing with Angus?) more the 'playing bass like
a lead instrument' approach, using melody and harmony and getting a bit more pyrotechnic
with it. This obviously takes time, and you need to listen to people
who do that sort of thing. So Mr. Novice Bass Boy concentrated on those he knew that
could pull off this feat of derring-do, learning their stuff and ripping them
off wholesale. I should acknowledge the influence of my
friend Mr. John Smith in some way. It was his self belief in his own brilliance
as a player that always made me want to outdo him in any way I could. John is
very technical and precise in his approach, whereas I'm not. In fact I can be a
bit slapdash, but if it works, why knock it?
What follows is a list of ten people who I robbed blind for
influence, and then in two cases, nicked their jobs too. What a complete
bastard! Tip of the hat to all these fine fellas, without them (two in
particular, again) I would have had no career. Also a nod to the great session
players like James Jamieson from the true era of Motown and Atlantic Soul.
Robert Heaton shovelled these guys at me for five years hoping to make an impact.
I always made out like I was disinterested, but after I left New model Army I
realised I'd taken in a lot more than I thought I had. I also learned to play
the bass properly, just moments too late.
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