Jeff in this month's "Bass Player" mag

Sarah · Status: Offline

Jeff in this month's "Bass Player" mag

monoxyde · Status: Offline

Many thanks for the input!

I used to subscribe to that magazine but got tired of it after a couple of years. But, I miss the Jeff articles by not subscribing anymore, so, I'll go and get it and keep you all posted on what it's all about.

I'd call James Jamerson a legend, he was the god-bassist of Hitsville USA in Detroit in the Motown era, I'd call John Paul Jones (Zep), Paul McCartney legends, that's 60' and 70'. It's odd that Jeff would be mentionned as a legend... already. It kind of worries me personally that Jeff would be called a legend, because I feel that you give that "title" to someone from the past, someone at the end of his/her career. I guess that the people in general don't see Jeff/PJ like I do, like so many others, as contemporary. We've been reading all over the place in the medias that PJ is early 90', something from the past, as when we listen to the radio, they play Alive. I think that the fact that PJ didn't want to do too much media appearences (and radio hit songs), actually backfires in a way, they are not seen as a contamporary band anymore, or it so seems. But as long as they're at peace with that, I will be too. It also tells me that I'm not contemporary myself, a thing of the past??? Already??? But isn't it a little early for that?

But I'm happy to see that Jeff gets such recognition though! I know he's my personal legend!

monoxyde · Status: Offline

Hello Sarah,
I went to get Bassplayer's September issue yesterday and there is nothing on Jeff in there. Are you sure it's that issue?

Too bad, I would have love to read what they had to say about Jeff's ..."legacy".

Sarah · Status: Offline

Hey there,

Funny you should mention Jamerson in this discussion, as the last issue of Bass Player with a significant Jeff interview actually had Jamerson as the cover subject (December 2002).

I agree with your choices of "true legends", and I get the impression that Jeff himself would likely never consider himself to be in the same class as those men. I also think what you're saying about PJ being considered a vintage act versus a contemporary one by the public to be (unfortunately) true, however I see that as being perhaps symptomatic of their influence upon other bands, the way they approach music, the overall quality of their output, and the far-reaching commercial success of their earlier records. IMHO, this day in age, if you're not all over the place in the press or on television or aren't part of some ridiculous personal/commercial empire a la J.Lo, you kind of fall by the wayside... Casual music fans and young people likely won't know about you unless you're the real "flavour of the month" or are the real centre of attention, and I think that's what the hallmark of being "contemporary" might be -- it's not so much about whether a band is still presently active and still putting out great music. In that sense, I think PJ is (and always will be) "stuck between worlds", almost. Unless their stance(s) on the commercial side of things become drastically changed while they at the same time reach some kind of commercial apex (A "Last Kiss" phenomenon, part two, for example), they're never going to be a group that the tastemakers and the Top 40 followers really have any regard for... They won't be "the band of the moment". And really, I think even at their root, and for all the flack PJ used to take for sounding a little too "radio friendly" or too "classic rock", they're a challenging band, in terms of song content, offstage values and so forth. It's stuff that's not easy to swallow, especially if you're a 16-year-old kid who wants some rock 'n' roll to crank up in their car. Personally speaking, I find something more inherently "wrong" about hearing Pearl Jam in between Good Charlotte and The Strokes on so-called "modern rock" stations than I do when I catch one of their songs on classic rock radio along with the likes of Zep or The Beatles. To me, it's far more "accurate" and far more honourable for them to be placed alongside the real greats of rock -- even if they are the "infants" or "modern classics" of that format -- than for them to be placed among the landscape of the watered-down stuff that's out in the mainstream right now. I don't think that makes them a "dinosaur band", because IMHO, what's on classic rock stations currently is hugely timeless.

Sarah · Status: Offline

Hello again, monoxyde...

Sorry you couldn't track down the magazine. Admittedly, I haven't looked on the newsstands, so this issue could either have already been pulled, or it may not be out yet. I would have no idea; sorry. But -- and this is just my humble opinion -- I really wouldn't spend money to buy the magazine if you've already read everything else BP has done on Jeff. This article is literally a word-for-word question-for-question reprint of selected quotes from his August 1998 and April 1994 cover stories, featured under the umbrella of this particular "Legends..." column. It's not worth actually picking up, I don't think.

I found the article transcribed on another BBS, so if anyone really wants to read it, lemme know and I will post it here.

monoxyde · Status: Offline

Hello Sarah,
You are quite astute about your thoughts on the tue subject of current rock (music scene) versus classic. Altough I don't like PJ being played all that much on classic rock station because they constantly rehash Ten. To me it's like if they played only the Beatles "I wanna Hold You Hand" or "Twist 'n Shout", disregarding their best years. Although I must say, they rehash everyone anyway! I don't like when people limit PJ to that. I take it personal, hahaha! I'm sorry for the kids in highschool right now, they will be a generation without music, it's my opinion. I just wish that this trend that we see in the medias thatl depict them as passed or old won't hurt them though, not personnaly as individuals but rather in the business area. We know what marketing can do.

I do have that issue of Bassplayer you mention, with J. Jamerson on the cover. Jeff pictured with an old weird Ovation bass.

And yes, is would be fun to read that little thing, if it's no trouble to you. I'll go read your other posts now.

Sarah · Status: Offline

Here's the new BP article, blatantly stolen from elsewhere...

Legends of Rock Bass
Artists

Jeff Ament -- Pearl Jam

634 words
1 September 2004
Bass Player
12
1513
English

Few bands have weathered shifting public taste as well as Pearl Jam. As one of the vanguard bands of the grunge movement, Pearl Jam first helped define a subculture and then go onto become a lasting musical force. without Jeff Ament's intelligent, tasteful bass playing, none of the success would have been possible. Whether it's contributing a melodic 12-string bass hook to "Jeremy", anchoring a hard-charger like "Evenflow" with growling fretless, or simply grooving hard with a fretted 4, Ament consistently demonstrates remarkable versatility and superior skill.

Both live and on record, Pearl Jam reaches moments of incredible intensity. How do you get to that point?

It basically comes down to us getting into the songs as much as possible-just closing our eyes and finding our places in the tunes. The bottom line is that each of us figures out what it is about the song that touches us, and then we add to that, making it more intense. There are so many different ways to do it, and a lot of times it's not a mathematical thing at all-it's purely emotional, where you don't know why you came up with your part, or even why you decided to play your instrument to begin with.

What were your intentions for the first record?

We knew we were still a long way from being a real band at that point, and that we needed to tour. So essentially Ten was just an excuse to tour. We told the record company, "We know we can be a great band, so let's just get the opportunity to get out and play."

How have you grown as a musician in the last few years?

I'm probably most excited about songwriting right now. I've always written pieces of songs, but two or three years ago I started finishing them and writing lyrics. Now I actually record songs at home and give tapes to the band, which is the best way to articulate musical ideas.

When you play live do you now find it easy to critique each other's performances?

The band is a lot better at it. One of us might say, "What were you doing on the bridge of 'Corduroy'? It seemed a little strange from my side of the stage." That's the only way you can present it, because maybe the person was trying something new, and you can't be too critical of that. We'll also talk to our sound guy or some of the crew members and ask how things sounded. It's important to understand that you have only a small perspective of what's going on, based on what you're hearing from your place onstage.

Do you think it's harder for bass players to communicate, since we're used to being supportive and staying in the background?

I think that's buying into the myth of what we bassists are all about-that we're stuck in the back next to the drummer. It's just not that way anymore. If you think about the frequencies we play at, our instrument adds a critical element to rock music; it creates the groove and makes the music heavy and powerful.

---

ESSENTIAL GEAR

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http://www.bassplayer.com

monoxyde · Status: Offline

Thanks Sarah, I agree with you, it's a rehash of previously released stuff. They could have done far better! I was trying to find where it was from but I can't place it. Nonetheless, you graced us again with its posting here!

At least, now I know what I have been hunting for and won't have to anymore.

Sarah · Status: Offline

This Bass Player column and the ensuing discussion reminded me of the following quote...

“Maybe after we’re all dead, some of our music will have a little bit of a life, but I can’t imagine people, other than my family, really giving a ****. I think how you live and the things that you do that help preserve the Earth or preserve a good way of living, those are the things that you want to be remembered for. And the music is part of that, too. But I don’t get too hung up on the immortality thing. It’s weird when you hear people who are alive talking about wanting to secure their place in history.” - Jeff Ament, Missoula Independent interview, May 22/03.

(For the sake of posterity, the censored cuss word is "sh*t". )

-- Edited by Sarah at 23:07, 2004-09-26