[kj] gash/slap bass

[ade]

Cheers Todster. Over here in the UK, slap bass still has a bad name due to
shit such as Level42, et al. Still, The Chilli Peppers seem to cope
perfectly well with less toppy slap (than the 80's sound) & sell a few
records too!
  -----Original Message-----
  From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net]On
Behalf Of fluw
  Sent: 09 May 2006 17:50
  To: Alex Smith; A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)
  Subject: Re: [kj] gash/slap bass


  slap bass was invented in new orleans by pops foster and a small group of
bass musicians playing in new orleans' '"the district" somewhere between
1900-1905.  it was in this era 1890's - 1905 when church and plantation
field music was evolving into blues, hot music and rag-time at the lawn
parties, fish fry's and rent parties and the bass player originally playing
tuba switched to gut string upright bass and decided that a arco (bow) and
pizzicato (pluck) would not be loud enough to keep up with the ever more
intense performing styles of hot music (jazz). this slap style, was
incorporated by using the open palm of the picking hand to smack, grab and
pop a string, or stings, depending on whether the stroke is a single hit,
double slap or a raked triplet, continued to evolve within this music as it
became jazz for a few decades until the time bebop evolved and slap
technique was considered passée.  before bebop killed the slap popularity,
the slap style had been picked up in other forms of music, first string band
swing, then big band swing, followed by, later blues styles: Rhythm and
blues, western swing, and finally early rock and roll (rockabilly) where the
style disappeared for a number of years after being revived in the 70's and
still evolves to this day.

  however alex is correct in referencing the modern electric bass thumb slap
style and crediting larry graham with it's introduction when larry switched
from guitar to bass and was backing his mother in church minus a drummer.
hence necessitating larry to hit and pop the stings in order to generate
more rhythm in the small ensemble.

  but as to where larry's influence comes from... you can bet it comes
directly from the 2/3's of a century that the slapped upright string bass
dominated his culture's musical paradigm.




  Alex Smith wrote:
    Oh for cryin' out loud, Level 42 did NOT invent the slap bass.The slap
bass style had been around since the late 60's courtesy of Larry Graham of
Sly & the Family Stone.

    Alex in NYC



      -----Original Message-----
      From: iPat
      Sent: May 9, 2006 9:27 AM
      To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"
      Subject: Re: [kj] reasons why BTATS is gash


      Im with you on this one bluce
      The slap bass was very fashionable at the time. Level 42 were big at
the time - before BTAS mind you. Stanley Clark was influencing many around
me with their bass playing.


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