Does anyone besides myself miss Bruce Thomas' bass work ???

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 12:56 pm

A new interview with Bryce , sorry , Bruce -

http://fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=198

July '07

Bruce Thomas

A Fender News Q&A with one of the bass worldâ€™s elusive main Attractions

Wanna learn to play bass guitar with impeccable phrasing, rock-solid groove and an adventurous sense of melody? Go get any of the great albums by Elvis Costello & the Attractions and immerse yourself in the beyond-belief bass work of Bruce Thomas. Everything you need to know about pop bass is right there.

From 1977 to 1987 and from 1994 to 1996, Thomasâ€™s agile Duck Dunn-meets-Duck Dodgers prowess on an oddly colored Fender Precision BassÂ® lent muscle and finesse to the Attractions, one of the most versatile pop commando units ever to storm stage and studio and with whom Thomas was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003. Examples of his highly lyrical bass expertise aboundâ€”marvel at how he treats each verse of â€œBig Tearsâ€

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 2:38 pm

[quote="johnfoyle"]Other than that, my interests are directed towards Manchester United, who are currently the best football team on the planet, although Barcelona are quite good, too. If you were to see the current wearer of the number seven shirt, Cristiano Ronaldo (check him out on YouTube), then youâ€™ll realize why weâ€™re quite happy to let you have Beckham (via way of Real Madrid, of course). Iâ€™ve installed software that allows me to see pirate broadcasts of MU games via Hong Kong (when English TV channels are not showing them) so I never miss a game. Our arch rivals are Ch***** (I still canâ€™t bring myself to say their name), which makes it all the more satisfying that one of my better bass lines was on the song â€œI Donâ€™t Want To Go To Ch*****,â€

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:18 pm

Best bits -

[quote]Weâ€™ve also done some new age-chill out type CDs, one of which, Silent Circle, has sold well. I played live bass on an album for Tasmin Archer a while back. There are two or three good tunes on it from the bass-playing point of view. At the time, Tasmin was also recording vocals on a new version of â€œReelinâ€™ in the Yearsâ€

sulky lad · Post by **sulky lad** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:20 pm

Seems to me Bruce is a bit of a turncoat ! he wrote a couple of songs for West London mighty football team Queens Park Rangers including the mighty Loftus Roadrunners (a track reflecting the name of the stadium where QPR play) and also his first pro band
However, despite wandering football affinities ( and as an Arsenal fan, I particularly despise anyone who turns into a Man Utd fan from anywhere else), I have to say that Bruce is an infinitely better bass player than Davey or indeed virtually any other bass player you care to mention, though Paul Bryan of the Allen Toussaint band comes very very close. His rhythmic invention and ability to "find the groove"was very similar to Bruce's - maybe Bruce just has a bit more skill at improvisation and I'd have loved to have heard his playing on Button My Lip, Bedlam and Episode of Blonde

Lester Burnham · Post by **Lester Burnham** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:20 pm

johnfoyle wrote:A new interview with Bryce , sorry , Bruce -

Haha, I noticed that too on the sleeve for A Case For Song. Sheesh...

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 5:58 pm

[quote="johnfoyle"]Other than that, my interests are directed towards Manchester United, who are currently the best football team on the planet, although Barcelona are quite good, too. If you were to see the current wearer of the number seven shirt, Cristiano Ronaldo (check him out on YouTube), then youâ€™ll realize why weâ€™re quite happy to let you have Beckham (via way of Real Madrid, of course). Iâ€™ve installed software that allows me to see pirate broadcasts of MU games via Hong Kong (when English TV channels are not showing them) so I never miss a game. Our arch rivals are Ch***** (I still canâ€™t bring myself to say their name), which makes it all the more satisfying that one of my better bass lines was on the song â€œI Donâ€™t Want To Go To Ch*****,â€

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:35 pm

That's strange. He strikes me as an even bigger ass than before. Can't work out why.

thepopeofpop · Post by **thepopeofpop** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:46 am

What a great rhythm section they were: Bryce Thomas and PatÃ© Thomas! So great, in fact, that we are barely worthy to even spell their names correctly.

Ah, interesting to read in that interview that Pete basically got Bruce into the Attractions (because Pete had been a huge fan of Quiver). As we know, legend has it that EC was opposed to Bruce's inclusion initially.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:58 am

Who Shot Sam? wrote:So Elvis is Liverpool, Bruce is ManU and Pete is Sheff Wednesday? I imagine Steve isn't the least interested in football.

You imagine correctly.

Maybe Elvis/Bruce's musical (or whatever) differences in 1996 were actually football related.

Poor Deportee · Post by **Poor Deportee** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:55 am

Bruce is an AMAZING bass player, the best in mainstream pop since McCartney.

However, check out the bass on 'Button My Lip' - that's not exactly shite.
Besides, the 'Attractions sound' really ended with Blood and Chocolate anyway. ATUB has little to connect it with the earlier stuff...so I doubt that Bruce's presence would make any fundamental difference.

What bugs me about EC's recent albums is not the bottom-heavy aspect but the way the vocals are push way up in the mix, but that's another story.

BTW, I LOVE the little insights into how various EC tunes were sculpted...I wish we had more of that sort of thing in pop writing/journalism, instead of gossip and other garbage.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:37 am

This file sharer has some groovy stuff from Bruce's past -

http://chrisgoesrocks.blogspot.com/2007 ... um-uk.html

Peter Barden - The Answer (1st Album UK Progressive 1970)

(extract)

The Answer was his chance to step out of the shadows, and while his skills as a keyboardist were formidable, his songwriting just wasn't up to carrying an interesting album of his own. Devoted to a half-dozen lengthy tracks varying in duration from five to 13 minutes, Bardens offered a blues-progressive stew that, despite some flashy licks, lacked focus. It's a shame there wasn't better material to work with, for some quite talented musicians were among the supporting cast, including Love Affair singer Steve Ellis, session vocalist Linda Lewis, Bruce Thomas (later to back Elvis Costello in the Attractions), and most of all his old friend Peter Green. In fact, Green offers some of his best playing as a sideman on this record, which both makes it better than it could have been, and makes it worth checking out for serious fans of the guitarist. In common with some of Green's own solo work, however, it's a meandering record, bits of promising ideas swirling around before they've been honed into something cogent. Against the odds, however, the 13-minute "Homage to the God of Light" is the highlight, its mesh of Latin-esque rhythms, burning organ, and bluesy guitar recalling some of early Santana's more jammy grooves.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 3:28 pm

So that's the answer!

thepopeofpop · Post by **thepopeofpop** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:18 am

That's a fairly naff album cover, even for 1970. Shades of Electric Ladyland with a smirking git in a chair added for effect.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did the lady on the right dress somewhat carelessly? Or is she wearing a flesh-coloured top?

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:01 am

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did the lady on the right dress somewhat carelessly? Or is she wearing a flesh-coloured top ?

After examining an enlargement I can report that , from the waist up, all she is wearing is a facial expression that suggests severe indigestion.

thepopeofpop · Post by **thepopeofpop** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 5:27 am

johnfoyle wrote:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but did the lady on the right dress somewhat carelessly? Or is she wearing a flesh-coloured top ?
After examining an enlargement I can report that , from the waist up, all she is wearing is a facial expression that suggests severe indigestion.

I suspect that she just gave Mr Bardens "The Answer"; and the answer was:

"Not if you were the last smirking git in Britain"

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 8:17 am

If Peter Barden's The Answer what was the question?

thepopeofpop · Post by **thepopeofpop** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:58 am

verbal gymnastics wrote:If Peter Barden's The Answer what was the question?

Q. What was the winner of the "Stupidest Album Cover of The Year - 1970" award?

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:47 pm

The Sept. issue of Bass Player magazine has a feature on Pump It Up . A Chris Gabrin photo is used , showing, perhaps, a early example of a Bruce/Elvis tiff-

Love the threads, Elvis!

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:45 pm

Is that the closest Elvis has come to a porn shot?

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:12 am

Is that the closest Elvis has come to a porn shot?

If so, what is happening here?

thepopeofpop · Post by **thepopeofpop** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 8:16 am

johnfoyle wrote:
Is that the closest Elvis has come to a porn shot?
If so, what is happening here?

Oh, if there was ever a contender for a caption contest it would that photo!

I imagine something like this:

PETE: Wipe that smile off your face Bruce, it's your turn next.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:02 am

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Is that the closest Elvis has come to a porn shot?

When the director said "Steve, show me your organ" I don't think that's what he had in mind!

StrictTime · Post by **StrictTime** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:22 pm

....Once my friend Brit searched the interweb for naked pics of Elvis....I don't know why....

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:19 pm

Any joy?

Fishfinger king · Post by **Fishfinger king** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:53 pm

Who Shot Sam? wrote:That's strange. He strikes me as an even bigger ass than before. Can't work out why.

Spot on.
I always liked Bruce's playing and expected the EC insults, but really, insulting Pete is the thin end of the wedge.
And as for supporting Manure...........it explains a lot.

Elvis Costello Fan Forum

Does anyone besides myself miss Bruce Thomas' bass work ???

My friends are strange...