11.16.2005
Talking Tina
A brief note (busy again), no songs...but, inspired by digging out "Artists Only" last week, I've been relistening to the first four Talking Heads albums (and tempting me to buy the damned Brick thing) - and being reminded that Tina Weymouth is a highly underrated bassist. Her lines often really make the songs work, not only in the expected rooting and rhythmic ways but also by adding nice little countermelodic cells. Two excellent examples: "Found a Job" and "Air."
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Tom Petersson, right? Anyway: I'm not much of a poll-watcher - but I just recall people babbling, after Weymouth was playing less bass and extra bassists were playing on Talking Heads albums, that oh it's good that the band has a "real" bass player now - and I thought they were so utterly full of shit. If indeed she's gotten her due, well good! But it seems like most of the polls I recall lean toward sheer technique (esp. prog, metal, jazz) or busy funkiness (faux and genuine).
I've always had a great admiration for Tina's bass playing, and not just because I had the requisite crush on her. She definitely quickly rose above her "drummer's girlfriend taught to play an instrument by the lead singer" beginnings. Listening to the Brick, watching the videos on it, and re-perusing the Stop Making Sense DVD have given me an even greater appreciation of her talents. I don't know how responsible she is for actually writing the bass lines and how much of that was composed by Bryne, but there's some awfully cool counterpointing going on in most of her stuff.
opxvongl! opxvongl!
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