Bassiste Magazine numéro 97

Even if our instrument has its stars, it must be admitted that few bass players are known to the mainstream audience and almost none of them as simple musicians. It must be recognized, playing the bass is above all an exercise in humility, even if from time to time, people like Lemmy, Paul McCartney or, closer to us, Victoria De Angelis light up the screen. However, what would hits like “My Generation”, “Another One Bites the Dust” or “Money” be without their bass line? In another register, how to imagine the intro of “Woman in Chains” by Tears For Fears, “Vultures” by John Mayer or “Wherever I Lay My Hat” by Paul Young without the incredible groove of Pino Palladino? This discreet musician redefined the role of the bass in the 80's then, twenty years later, put it back at the center of the game by accompanying D'Angelo.
However, if his discography has something to envy, it is almost certain that the general public will never know his name.
The problem is exactly the same for Valérie Picard, who continues to perform in the musical the Lion King. In an isolated room under the stage, she keeps the whole thing together and thrills thousands of spectators without them being aware that ultra-seasoned musicians give the best of themselves. This is a cultural problem and unless there is a reversal, we will have to get used to it.
Choosing the bass therefore amounts to giving up fame in a mechanical way and finally, wouldn't it be the assurance of being able to devote oneself fully to music? In this period when nothing seems really certain, except that disasters follow one another, the love of art for itself would almost put on clothes of transcendence. If in passing we get a little glory, why not...
To improve your skills, why not dive into our educational sections and to sound better, our gear tests offer you the opportunity to discover the new features that will allow you to move your contemporaries' balls, which is a quite laudable goal, let's admit it.