It's All About the Bass (Number Ten)

CJ's note:  This is the first in a series of eleven or twelve posts.  Please refrain from commenting until the final post! 

The early 90s were a period of experimentation (musically) for me, as I've noted previously.  During my high school years, I listened to my parents' music (50s-70s), classical music, AM radio, and was really into the band Dire Straits... a decent but safe mix of music.

In my late teens and early twenties, I began to emerge from my shell and started listening to things outside of my comfort zone, mostly rap, commercial metal, then punk.  From punk, I branched out to goth, industrial, and eventually to electronica.  My favourite bands tended to be the people who blended different styles and genres... sounding sort of like one genre and not quite another.

One such band was the Infectious Grooves, a funk-influenced side project of Suicidal Tendencies' front man Mike Muir and bassist Robert Trujillo.  It was this band that taught me an appreciation for the bass guitar, and one track in particular stood out.

Ladies and gentlemen, coming in at the number Ten spot is Do the Sinister!

My theme song for a few years, Do the Sinister was prophetic in a way, as my musical explorations led me to a number of sinister places (some of which I still visit on occasion).  Join me for a drink tomorrow to see one of the more interesting places.

It's All About the Bass (Prologue)

I had a great deal of fun writing my Ten Famous People series back in September.  While it was chiefly an experiment in writing and scheduling and less about the content, it still managed to garner some degree of praise.

But what do I do for an encore?

While waiting for my connecting bus this morning, I found myself groovin' along to the bassline of one of my favourite songs... I had to suppress my natural urge to play "air bass" in order to avoid embarassment!  I say "natural urge" because I've always found myself strumming along to the bassline of my favourite songs (unless there's a superior guitar or synthesizer riff), which has prompted a number of friends to tell me I'm a natural bass player.

(Despite my never having learned to play)

While reliving these happy memories, I thought to myself, "CJ, why don't you write a new series showcasing your favourite bass lines?"

A fine idea!  Please join me over the next twelve days as I do just that.  My musical tastes are varied, to say the least, so there may be a few surprises on the list!