#4 
Name: Bob Hardy
Associated Bands: Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand have never been completely a rock band or completely a dance band. They’ve always occupied a sort of strange middle ground that usually derails lesser bands, but Franz Ferdinand have always made it work. I credit Bob Hardy for most of this success. His bass playing is perched precariously on the divide between the dance floor and the indie rock club, sometimes leaning one way or the other but never completely picking a side. His playing has the strong sound and forcefulness that characterizes rock music, but he also incorporates all kinds of octave jumps and rhythms that create dynamic, dance-friendly music. He may be the quietest member of the band, but his basslines absolutely dominate most of their music. Plus, he has two other things going in his favor: one, the first Franz Ferdinand album is the only album I can play beginning to end on bass and two, Hardy is a big pretzel fan. I approve wholeheartedly.
Required Listening:
“The Dark Of The Matinee”, “This Fire”, “Outsiders”
#3
Name: David Wm. Sims
Associated Bands: The Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Rapeman
It’s amazing that David Sims has survived playing behind two of the most volatile frontman in rock for the past twenty years. He’s been behind David Yow in both the Jesus Lizard and Scratch Acid, while he took a break of sorts in the late 80s to work with Steve Albini in Rapeman. Yow and Albini are both, for lack of better words, crazy, psychotic fuckers. And I say that with love. So, how has Sims played with these lunatics for years? Well, it helps that his bass playing suits them perfectly. When your frontman has a tendency to scream and jerk and drool all the time, the band better be rock solid to keep everything from falling apart and David Sims is as solid as they come. His style is defined by two things: precision and aggression. You’d be hard pressed to find another bassist who plays with the absolute control that Sims does. At the same time, though, that control doesn’t blunt any edges. Rather, Sims’ lines have a brutal, grinding quality to them. Most of the time, they aren’t that complicated at all, but Sims plays with such force and conviction that they have an astonishing amount of power. In every band he’s played in, David Sims has been the strong backbone, holding the music together in the face of chaos.
Required Listening:
Name: Bob Hardy
Associated Bands: Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand have never been completely a rock band or completely a dance band. They’ve always occupied a sort of strange middle ground that usually derails lesser bands, but Franz Ferdinand have always made it work. I credit Bob Hardy for most of this success. His bass playing is perched precariously on the divide between the dance floor and the indie rock club, sometimes leaning one way or the other but never completely picking a side. His playing has the strong sound and forcefulness that characterizes rock music, but he also incorporates all kinds of octave jumps and rhythms that create dynamic, dance-friendly music. He may be the quietest member of the band, but his basslines absolutely dominate most of their music. Plus, he has two other things going in his favor: one, the first Franz Ferdinand album is the only album I can play beginning to end on bass and two, Hardy is a big pretzel fan. I approve wholeheartedly.
Required Listening:
“The Dark Of The Matinee”, “This Fire”, “Outsiders”
#3
Name: David Wm. Sims
Associated Bands: The Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Rapeman
It’s amazing that David Sims has survived playing behind two of the most volatile frontman in rock for the past twenty years. He’s been behind David Yow in both the Jesus Lizard and Scratch Acid, while he took a break of sorts in the late 80s to work with Steve Albini in Rapeman. Yow and Albini are both, for lack of better words, crazy, psychotic fuckers. And I say that with love. So, how has Sims played with these lunatics for years? Well, it helps that his bass playing suits them perfectly. When your frontman has a tendency to scream and jerk and drool all the time, the band better be rock solid to keep everything from falling apart and David Sims is as solid as they come. His style is defined by two things: precision and aggression. You’d be hard pressed to find another bassist who plays with the absolute control that Sims does. At the same time, though, that control doesn’t blunt any edges. Rather, Sims’ lines have a brutal, grinding quality to them. Most of the time, they aren’t that complicated at all, but Sims plays with such force and conviction that they have an astonishing amount of power. In every band he’s played in, David Sims has been the strong backbone, holding the music together in the face of chaos.
Required Listening:
Bob Hardy's basslines are brilliant! Franz Ferdinand songs are really fun to play on bass.
ReplyDeleteAlso, was just wondering, how did you find out he's a pretzel fan?