Nick Beggs from Kajagoogoo eventually earned his recognition. He's Steven Wilson's (of the neo-prog band Porcupine Tree) bass player on his solo material and has also played with Steve Hackett and Marco Minneman.
Not sure I agree entirely with this. I mean, Mark King is consistently recognised as a pioneer of the bass. Plus, John Taylor is considered once of the better bassists to come from Britain. I think “overlooked” is excessive.
One of my favorite tunes! I always lay that down on the five. Bugger to sing over though , almost a difficult as finding another musician that knows Level 42 songs
Thanks' Troy, you did a great job on "Something About You". Also, thank you for the break down afterwards, I really appreciate it as I'm sure many others do when you do that. "Happy New Year" my friend!
Thank you for covering my favorite song by my favorite band!! I have really enjoyed your previous covers. You make it look so much easier. I am merely an amateur bass player and wouldn't have considered attempting to learn to play this song or other Level 42 songs before now. I could totally do this after your demonstration! Thank you for this!! Blessings!
Love it! Great job you've done. Maybe because I spend a lot of time listening to various year Rewind Festivals on you tube. Thanks for the big grin I'm now wearing. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Awesome Troy this song is still on my play list right after leaving me now and lessons in love great job that low B sounds awesome! It’s amazing how well you learned that like Mark sat and went over it with you!👌
Played guitar for years, thinking about getting into bass. I’ve watched pretty much all your vids and really enjoy them - especially (but not only) the ABBA tracks. Hadn’t realised how killer some of their bass lines are
Awesome as always!! Thanks for throwing in the four sting version, I was going to ask in the comments how it would be done, no need now. Happy New Year to you too!!
@@TJH3113 Hey Troy!! in the video you said you initially learned it on a 4 string (7:10) and were going to do it on a 4 string, but because the low C and D yo were hearing on the keyboards you switched to the 5 string. After the playthrough without the backing track you showed what you were doing to play it on the 4 string (13:30). I could sit and watch you play for hours!! I can only hope that someday I have about a thimble full of the talent that you have!! You're the BEST!!
@@richoliver2217 Well, he plays it on a four string so it made sense initially. A couple of factors led me to use the 5 string. One was, like I said, I was hearing the low notes played by the keyboards. Also, since I'd made a few other small modifications to the bass-line, that the 5 string would work in that spirit. Probably the biggest reason I use the 5 string was because I had it out to do the video for the "Bass Collection". Just keep playing as much as you can and play the bass-lines played by the people you most would like to sound and play like and you'll get there... and beyond.
Omg yes I love this song 🎵 wow 80s was the best bass songs ever such melody and soundtrack thankyou for your playing bass 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸and also love that Tina turner song amazing 👏 have a happy new year.
Happy New Year to you and yours, Troy. This was a great cover and reminded me to mention to you one of my favourite ever bass lines that I was listening to again recently. It's the song Burlesque by the band Family. Bassist on it is the late great John Wetton who later went on to King Crimson. Maybe you know this song. If not, check it out please! I know you'll love it.. Hopefully cover it! ☺️
Incredible Mr Hughes!!! Great to you covering some Level 42. I’ve never been much of a fan myself, but I will always acknowledge Mark King and his playing as pretty damn great. I don’t really like using the term “underrated”, because it is very thrown around especially within musicians, but in my opinion, Mark actually is quite underrated as a bass player. And it’s great to the see Stingray back making appearances, still sounds great😀👍.
Thank you Master Daniel! Great point made. Mark King truly is "underrated". It's funny when you hear people say that Paul McCartney or John Paul Jones are underrated.
YouTuve Level 42 playing this live and watch the pure joy on Mark Kings face, and when they do Lessons in Love. Gonna go do that now, be right back Troy. A++ as Usual!
Thank you for covering this great song. Mark King is such an inspirational and important figure for bass players. His work is exquisite. Great job Troy!
The ‘little crap that drives you crazy’ is why we keep coming here🤣. We are your tribe! I always played this on a 4 and found myself craving that low C.Sounds real satisfying. Great work Troy.
Buddy ❤ Perfectly Amazing! Slap is not my Forte. I tried to learn this a long time go. Your approach is perfect with I was thinking. Thank you for posting!
TROY - "see what i can do" - and you come out nailing it like this. Awesome as always. Always said - just want 1% of the skill that Geddy has in first finger and 1% of Mark's thumb. Saw them when they finally got a promoter for USA dates in 2010. Even better live, but sadly heard they lost money on it and hard to get back. Know your not a large fan of Slap - but maybe a cover of Dune Tune. Best way to start new year was finding this. Happy New Year to you and family!
Excellent as always! The mix is spot on as well! This is such a fun bass line to play! Also, will the Guild Starfire be featured in your bass collection videos? I’m thinking of buying one! Happy New Year to you, your wife and your family! 🎉
Thank you Emilio! Yes, I was thinking of doing the Guild with my other hollow body, but I think I'll include it with the rest of the Guilds. It's a great bass, though the bridge is a bit wonky. The new model (with the Precision style p/u) looks really interesting and has a more solid bridge on it... and they are really well priced.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for covering such an awesome song by a virtuoso bass player like Mark King in fine fashion. This song takes me back to my college years. Thanks Troy and all my best to you and yours in the New Year.
Yes Troy!! I'm a huge Level 42 fan , and the reason I took up bass playing watching endless videos of Mr King ... Great cover 👌 maybe you could do some more L42 covers?! 😉 Try Starchild , a great bassline and one of my favourite songs ..
Am hoping that the older Bowie song is Ashes to Ashes, which has some very interesting slap and pop riffs integrated into it in a song that one wouldn't think would necessarily have that in it. Plus I just like the vintage BC Rich bass that I've seen played in some live cuts of the song...
Nice touch as always Troy!! I think you have hit just about every bass player I have admired...so no need to make requests ....you always get to them eventually!! I had a couple of level 42 CD's back in the day and was kind of uncharacteristic music for my tastes but I really liked the music. BTW I am still in awe (but not surprised) that Dave Hope used your videos to relearn his songs!!! Happy New Year!!
Thanks Jack! Sometimes you can move them up the queue quicker if you ask for them... sometimes. Yeah, that Dave Hope thing was so surreal. Same to you.
Not your finest work? Still better than I can accomplish! Maybe one day.... Thanks for the cover, and showing it can sound good without all the slapping. All in all a great cover, Thanks!!
Excellent video Troy. Can I suggest "Leaving Me Now". In my humble opinion, one of the most overlooked ballads of the 80s..fab bassline as well. Wishing you and everyone here a very happy and safe New Year.
I really like this coverband your playing here! Nice sound from this bass to. I’ve heard some Level 42 songs but not too many. I got a suggestion of a song that also would fit great for this bass If you’d like to. ”Call Me” by ”Go West” which originally is played on a fretless bass by Pino Palladino and recorded in 1985 (from what I read)
Nice playing and thanks so much for all of the work you have put in to shortcut the work I have to do - my reading is sub-par - so your efforts save me a of time. I do have a question though - I notice in your splash screen image of your basses, a white PJ bass with maple neck and block markers. That makes me wonder if this has anything to do with the old Ibanez silver series basses of the late 1970s, and in particular any nod to Graham Maby's early work with Joe Jackson. And speaking of Graham Maby, I would welcome anything of his early work you have the time for. Perhaps I'm the Man, Got the Time, On Your Radio. They are all pick-based played songs with black tape-wound strings, but I'm interested in your treatment. Any Bruce Thomas lines from Elvis Costello would be interesting too. Lipstick Vogue etc. Only if it takes you and time permits. Cheers
Thank you and, as always, it's my pleasure. I'm happy to hear when anyone finds one of my videos helpful. I actually have that bass sitting behind me. It's part of the next video I'm doing on my collection. It is a "Classic 70's Precision" that Fender came out with around 2009 or '10. They weren't around for long. It was a Precision with a Jazz neck. I had the bridge p/u put in after I got it. I've done a few Joe Jackson songs, but not the ones you mentioned, though I do have "I'm the Man" put off to the side to upload at some point in the future. As for Bruce Thomas, I've done a bunch of his stuff.
I’m feeling your version and felt the exact same way about trying to play along. It’s impossible to play just the bass guitar and sound exactly like the track, excuse there is A TON going on there, as with so many of my favorite 80’s bass lines, one coming to mind being Madonna’s “Like A Prayer”, which I struggled with for years, until Covid lockdown happened and big time musicians started putting out videos to soak up some time, and I had honestly never heard of Guy Pratt. Good god. How? We’ll be does a commentary on how it came to be and what went into that sound where he played on the original studio track. Octave pedal?! Dammit, you cheaters! Not really, but that explained a lot of where my head was. I would play the low part and know I. Was missing something. Then the upper part and the same. For years and years. Never felt right. So he explained it all and played some of it, and even he seemed to not really play certain flourishes the same each time, but that’s art. So I patched in my X32 Rack, put the SubOctaver on my bass, and rest of what he described, some chorus, but I made my shallow and slow, and stereo delay, which I made fast and short kind of a slap delay but enough feedback to hear it on 1/4 notes. Ultimately it sounded so damned good that my house couldn’t handle it. I’m a live sound engineer so my rig in my Room Over the Garage is ridiculous, complete with two down firing double 12” subs set up in a sub gradient array cancelling out about 8-12db of subs behind the array, meaning the rest of the house, which allows me to have fun and basically get away with murder. When the wife texted me saying that usually the bass is subtle at most but over the last twenty minutes it was making pictures in the walls on the opposite end of the house resonate, I told her it was Guy Pratt’s fault and Madonna approved and that I needed to buy a Boss OCII or something very close, as regardless of manipulation, the emulator I was using just didn’t have “IT”. Anyway, same with this song, and there is a shitload going on, but regardless, one of those epic baselines where the simplest little part just sticks in my head not for a day, or a couple of days, but decades, just like the galloping part of “Big Time” by Peter Gabriel with Tony Levin smacking the strings with freaking drumsticks taped to his fingers. Whatever. Gimmick. Or the melodic part of “Please Please Tell Me Now” by Duran Duran. “Feel For You” is right there, synth or no synth, if I am drawn to it, it doesn’t matter the source, and the funny thing is that I really can’t nail down the notes that well unless I nail down the tone pretty well, and that’s across the board. Turns out I hear TOO much, and have a hard time removing harmonics, but at least I hear them, and lots of people don’t really either hear them or maybe just don’t absorb it, I don’t know, but I’ve defiantly got an excellent ear, as 27 years of live sound experience and countless demands for my live mix prove out. Now as far as being a bass player, if I can hear it, I can play it, but that’s the problem, as I often end up playing the low part of the guitar chord or the vocal line if the bass is buried in the mix. Oh well, as long as I’m having fun. I desire to be accurate and often have an inner struggle between accuracy and fun. I’ll record myself sometimes and on playback, if I was “on”, sometimes I like my version better. Something About You is one of those where I sometimes take great creative liberty just like Mark does and go off and have fun and the playback is very cool but not as angular as he is, more funk/jazz type runs all over the scale, keeping it expressive and heartbroken and twisted and longing for lost love that I’ll never reclaim and then angry at the end and ultimately possessed. Just like the video. Then it’s over and it all is released and I am in awe of that band’s one incredibly beautiful and expressive and percussive and driving song. That’s art. It just comes out of you. I, not sure if I’ll ever be able to play as accurately as people like Mark King or Les Claypool as far as what is going on in my head where the percussive aspects of the song are just begging me to emulate with alternate and syncopated notes on the bass. Oh the struggle. How does a painter convey to canvas the depth of their intent? Over, and over, and over, amd maybe never. I mix musicians all the time, and it always seems to be the church guys, especially the gospel bass players who just floor me. Just magic stuff and they make it look like it’s nothing. I get so jealous. And then I blame my bass setup, because when I pick up an especially well set up bass, I suddenly can play very much that way. Ill never get that, as my bass feels great, but……..oh, the variables. Mad professor here signing out.
So many great bass players in the 80’s that were largely overlooked. Kajagoogoo, Level 42, Duran Duran, The Smiths etc…
Definitely!!!
The Music Man 5 string bass has the best B string tone!
Nick Beggs from Kajagoogoo eventually earned his recognition. He's Steven Wilson's (of the neo-prog band Porcupine Tree) bass player on his solo material and has also played with Steve Hackett and Marco Minneman.
@@tmage23 wasn’t aware of that. I’ll be sure to check that out.
Not sure I agree entirely with this. I mean, Mark King is consistently recognised as a pioneer of the bass. Plus, John Taylor is considered once of the better bassists to come from Britain. I think “overlooked” is excessive.
Great bass line and great video! Mark King is one of the best bass players of his generation.
Thanks Vincius!
Mark king was beyond belief live
I'm sure!
Sweet cover 😊
Thank you!! 😁
One of my favorite tunes! I always lay that down on the five. Bugger to sing over though , almost a difficult as finding another musician that knows Level 42 songs
Mine too! I couldn't imagine actually singing over it.
*The basslines in this track were so simple, yet prominent when you heard this played on the radio, even back in the great 80's!❤👍*
Definitely!
NICE! I absolutely love Level 42. Mark King and Phil Gould were so good together! Gary Husband is no slouch either! Great job sir!
Thank you Rob! Happy New Year!
Perfect slides, perfect timing - just perfect. This is one my top 20 favorite songs ever.
Thanks so much Doug!
One of my favorites to jam out to growing up in the 80's. Thank you for sharing 👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it
So many glissando moves on this song! So 80s, so awesome!
Yes, more slides than you can shake a stick at.
Mark King!🤩
Nice job Mr. Troy!
Thanks Patrick! 😃
Thank you for all your videos this year Troy, and a Happy New Year to you and Lynn.
It was my pleasure Wim. Same to you!
Great work! Love that 5 string sound
Thanks Robert!
Happy New Year Troy. great job showing this
Same to you Larry, and Thanks!
Thanks' Troy, you did a great job on "Something About You". Also, thank you for the break down afterwards, I really appreciate it as I'm sure many others do when you do that. "Happy New Year" my friend!
Thanks so much Destin! Same to you!
Hey man, your bass covers are always appreciated. Thanks for an awesome 2021. Here's to a better year!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
Man this was cool. I forgot how much I like this song and never noticed the fantastic bass line. Well done!
Thanks Dan!
Great Troy! Ya know I KNEW you would do this song before too long, it's a great one! Oh yeah, Happy New Year to you & your wife...
Thanks Jeff! Same to you!
Thank you for covering my favorite song by my favorite band!! I have really enjoyed your previous covers. You make it look so much easier. I am merely an amateur bass player and wouldn't have considered attempting to learn to play this song or other Level 42 songs before now. I could totally do this after your demonstration! Thank you for this!! Blessings!
Thank you so much Teresa!!
Mark King - Certified Badass 🤘. Happy New Year to you and yours Troy. Thanks for all the great tunes & videos this year.
Truth! Same to you! Take care!
Love it! Great job you've done. Maybe because I spend a lot of time listening to various year Rewind Festivals on you tube. Thanks for the big grin I'm now wearing.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Wow, thank you Mike!
Awesome Troy this song is still on my play list right after leaving me now and lessons in love great job that low B sounds awesome! It’s amazing how well you learned that like Mark sat and went over it with you!👌
Thank you so much Jas!
Thanks Troy, another in my list !
You bet!
Played guitar for years, thinking about getting into bass. I’ve watched pretty much all your vids and really enjoy them - especially (but not only) the ABBA tracks. Hadn’t realised how killer some of their bass lines are
Very cool! Thanks so much... I really love playing the ABBA stuff.
IMHO that bass sounds better than any bass you have. And Mark King is just phenomenal
I'm very glad you liked it! Yes, he is!
Finally! Someone does a great cover to this amazing song! Love the masks tho! 😀🔥
Thanks so much! Most of the masks are from Death Studios.
This song has great groove T. Great job, and love the pickup growl on this bass.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!
I can see why you need the fifth string on certain songs. Amazing cover x
It comes in handy once in a while. Thanks Sue!
Whoa! Troy on a fiver.
Impressive!
GREAT tone and GREAT song choice...
Thanks Sean!
Another awesome job Troy. Mark King is def one of the best bassists in my lifetime. You rocked this bro
Thanks so much!
It was Mark King's bass playing that got me into playing the bass
Awesome!
The timing is very impressive on this one
Thanks.
Awesome as always!! Thanks for throwing in the four sting version, I was going to ask in the comments how it would be done, no need now.
Happy New Year to you too!!
Thank you Rich! Did I say in the video that I was originally going to do it on a 4 string. I changed my mind at the last minute.
@@TJH3113 Hey Troy!! in the video you said you initially learned it on a 4 string (7:10) and were going to do it on a 4 string, but because the low C and D yo were hearing on the keyboards you switched to the 5 string. After the playthrough without the backing track you showed what you were doing to play it on the 4 string (13:30). I could sit and watch you play for hours!! I can only hope that someday I have about a thimble full of the talent that you have!! You're the BEST!!
@@richoliver2217 Well, he plays it on a four string so it made sense initially. A couple of factors led me to use the 5 string. One was, like I said, I was hearing the low notes played by the keyboards. Also, since I'd made a few other small modifications to the bass-line, that the 5 string would work in that spirit. Probably the biggest reason I use the 5 string was because I had it out to do the video for the "Bass Collection". Just keep playing as much as you can and play the bass-lines played by the people you most would like to sound and play like and you'll get there... and beyond.
Yes 👏 great tune and as always you killed it 🤘
Happy New Year 🎆🎇
Thanks!
I love this song! You did a great job, but that wall behind you is insane! I love it! 🤘
I’m glad you liked it, thank you. Most of the masks are from Death Studios.
Level 42! A blast from the past! Thanks Troy!
Any time! I hope you liked it, Emm.
You never disappoint. Thanks for covering this slapper!
Thanks! My pleasure!
Great bass line, not too busy but just enough. Well done.
Agreed. Thanks Bob.
Watching you gives such more perspective on the role of a bass player…especially on this piece…these lines are so well composed…awesome Troy….👍
Thank you very much Dave! The fact that it probably started out as a keyboard line might have something to do with it.
Nick Beggs was ABSOLUTELY INSANE!
Still is!
Thank you for this. One of my favorite songs ever.
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
Happy new year Troy. What a wonderful bass line. The 80s produced so many sweet and iconic sounds and melodies, thanks for posting.
Same to you Sam! Totally agree!
Omg yes I love this song 🎵 wow 80s was the best bass songs ever such melody and soundtrack thankyou for your playing bass 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸and also love that Tina turner song amazing 👏 have a happy new year.
Awesome! I'm glad you liked it. Thanks Nelson.
Nice to see someone playing a 5 string that actually uses the B. Most don’t need it they don’t it’s there
I rarely use it myself... both the bass and the B string.
Happy New Year to you and yours, Troy. This was a great cover and reminded me to mention to you one of my favourite ever bass lines that I was listening to again recently. It's the song Burlesque by the band Family. Bassist on it is the late great John Wetton who later went on to King Crimson. Maybe you know this song. If not, check it out please! I know you'll love it.. Hopefully cover it! ☺️
Thanks and same to you! I'm not familiar with the song or the band but I'll try to check it out. Thanks for the suggestion.
Incredible Mr Hughes!!! Great to you covering some Level 42. I’ve never been much of a fan myself, but I will always acknowledge Mark King and his playing as pretty damn great. I don’t really like using the term “underrated”, because it is very thrown around especially within musicians, but in my opinion, Mark actually is quite underrated as a bass player. And it’s great to the see Stingray back making appearances, still sounds great😀👍.
Thank you Master Daniel! Great point made. Mark King truly is "underrated". It's funny when you hear people say that Paul McCartney or John Paul Jones are underrated.
Love the sound! I always liked the ray5, very nice played
Thanks Sergio!
YouTuve Level 42 playing this live and watch the pure joy on Mark Kings face, and when they do Lessons in Love. Gonna go do that now, be right back Troy. A++ as Usual!
Yeah, he’s great, isn’t it? What surprised me most was how he finds the time to fuss with his tone controls in between playing.
This is a fantastic bass cover have a wonderful happy new year
Thanks, you too!
Uaal beautiful bass happy 2022bass life
Thank you!
Thank you for covering this great song. Mark King is such an inspirational and important figure for bass players. His work is exquisite. Great job Troy!
It was my pleasure. Thanks for watching! I’m glad you liked it.
Making a 5 string sound like it was meant to sound. Not easy. Mark King is a master and underrated. Glad to hear you say it was challenging.
Thanks so much Jordan.
The ‘little crap that drives you crazy’ is why we keep coming here🤣. We are your tribe! I always played this on a 4 and found myself craving that low C.Sounds real satisfying. Great work Troy.
Thanks Mark!
Love the cyclops mask by the way. From Sinbad. Awesome.
I got that one many years ago from Jeff Keim at DeathStudios. I believe it was his personal copy. Thanks!
Very clean the way you play. Excellent video.
Thank you very much!
Buddy ❤
Perfectly Amazing!
Slap is not my Forte.
I tried to learn this a long time go.
Your approach is perfect with I was thinking.
Thank you for posting!
Thanks so much.
Wicked job, I really enjoy this playing this song on bass!! ✌️😙
Thank you Daniel. Awesome!
@@TJH3113 No problem, it’s quite easy compared to most of Mark King’s other bass lines. ✌️😙
What an innovative bass line. Well played Troy.
It is, isn’t it? Thanks a lot Eric!
What a great song and what an interesting bass part. Thanks for reminding me how good Level 42 is- amazing!
Glad you liked it! Thanks Emilia, for watching and taking the time to comment.
TROY - "see what i can do" - and you come out nailing it like this. Awesome as always. Always said - just want 1% of the skill that Geddy has in first finger and 1% of Mark's thumb.
Saw them when they finally got a promoter for USA dates in 2010. Even better live, but sadly heard they lost money on it and hard to get back.
Know your not a large fan of Slap - but maybe a cover of Dune Tune.
Best way to start new year was finding this. Happy New Year to you and family!
Thanks so much! While I'm not a huge fan of slap, I'd say that Mark King is one of the more tasteful slappers around. Take care!
Love this tune...Thanks Troy...Happy New Year to you and your family!! Hope Mom is well...give her hugs from us...
Great to hear, Billy! Same to you! I will!
Great cover as usual Troy and happy new year to you and Lynn!
Thank you very kindly!
Lets complicate things by playing a super involved bass line....AND singing over it. Forgot about the talent in this band. Well done sir, as always!
Well said!
Great song. Mark King gave me superwound bass strings in 1988
It is, isn't it? How cool is that?!
Loved it! Great way to end the old year and to start the new one. Happy New Year, Troy!
Glad you enjoyed it
Old school Bowie? I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to that!
Well, it's off his 5th album but, for him, that's still fairly early.
@@TJH3113 - Mmm. An album I know very well (obviously). It has to be Hang On To Yourself then?
Thank you for covering this, I love this song and bass line keep. up the good work
It was my pleasure. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Thanks Art! Same to you!
Happy New Year everyone! 🎆🎆🎇🎇🧨🧨
Thanks!
Happy New Year .... 👍👍👍👍
Same to you!!!
Excellent as always! The mix is spot on as well! This is such a fun bass line to play! Also, will the Guild Starfire be featured in your bass collection videos? I’m thinking of buying one! Happy New Year to you, your wife and your family! 🎉
Thank you Emilio! Yes, I was thinking of doing the Guild with my other hollow body, but I think I'll include it with the rest of the Guilds. It's a great bass, though the bridge is a bit wonky. The new model (with the Precision style p/u) looks really interesting and has a more solid bridge on it... and they are really well priced.
I love it ! Just love it !
I'm glad to hear that! Thanks James!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for covering such an awesome song by a virtuoso bass player like Mark King in fine fashion. This song takes me back to my college years. Thanks Troy and all my best to you and yours in the New Year.
My pleasure Mike! Thanks and take care!
Amazing
Thank you Adrian
Level 42. Yes!!
Thanks Tim!
Awesome interpretation ✨🔥
Thanks Syd!
You are awesome brother!
As are you! Thanks a lot!
Troy that was outstanding!!
Thanks Todd!
Yes Troy!! I'm a huge Level 42 fan , and the reason I took up bass playing watching endless videos of Mr King ...
Great cover 👌 maybe you could do some more L42 covers?! 😉 Try Starchild , a great bassline and one of my favourite songs ..
Very cool! I'm glad you liked it. We'll see...
Goose bumps Troy. You know I love the sliding!!! Happy New Year to you, Lynn and your mother!!!!!!!!!!!1 Marvine :-)
Thanks Marvine!
Am hoping that the older Bowie song is Ashes to Ashes, which has some very interesting slap and pop riffs integrated into it in a song that one wouldn't think would necessarily have that in it. Plus I just like the vintage BC Rich bass that I've seen played in some live cuts of the song...
No, it's older than that, but I did cover "Ashes to Ashes" a long time ago. Let me know if you have trouble finding it.
Nice touch as always Troy!! I think you have hit just about every bass player I have admired...so no need to make requests ....you always get to them eventually!! I had a couple of level 42 CD's back in the day and was kind of uncharacteristic music for my tastes but I really liked the music. BTW I am still in awe (but not surprised) that Dave Hope used your videos to relearn his songs!!! Happy New Year!!
Thanks Jack! Sometimes you can move them up the queue quicker if you ask for them... sometimes. Yeah, that Dave Hope thing was so surreal. Same to you.
Happy New Year Troy!!!! I was just wondering when you would do a Level 42. You know I hate to ask you for stuff because you get that all the time!!!!
Thank you Francis, same to you! It never hurts to ask and I really don’t mind.
Very nice cover and explanations. Thank you Troy ;-)
Thank you Jonathan, for watching and taking the time to comment.
Not your finest work? Still better than I can accomplish! Maybe one day.... Thanks for the cover, and showing it can sound good without all the slapping. All in all a great cover, Thanks!!
I seemed to be a little off beat in a few spots. Thanks Daniel and take care!
Happy New Year!! Kinda surprised to see you doing this one. Sounds great though!! Happy music yay!!!
Same to you! Me too! Thanks shorty.
@@TJH3113 LMAO!!
Always loved this song! Thanks for showing a different way to play it. Sounds fabulous.
And…Happy New Year!
Thank you kindly!
Happy new year, Troy!! Greetings from Brazil 🤘
Thanks and same to you Nathan!
Excellent video Troy. Can I suggest "Leaving Me Now". In my humble opinion, one of the most overlooked ballads of the 80s..fab bassline as well. Wishing you and everyone here a very happy and safe New Year.
Thanks! A few people have suggested that song. I'll check it out!
Bravo!!!
Thank you!!!
Always thought this song is the shit...and of course you slayed it per usual. 😉
Thanks Jennifer!
Really nice my friend. Very good.
Thank you very much.
i love your cover, the best of all youtube
Thanks so much, Cristian.
I really like this coverband your playing here! Nice sound from this bass to.
I’ve heard some Level 42 songs but not too many.
I got a suggestion of a song that also would fit great for this bass If you’d like to.
”Call Me” by ”Go West” which originally is played on a fretless bass by Pino Palladino and recorded in 1985 (from what I read)
Thanks Julius. I'm not terribly familiar with much of Level 42's material either. I'll try to check out your suggestion.
Great selection!! One of the reasons I went straight to bass guitar instead of the guitar then bass route!!
Thanks Frank!
Nice playing and thanks so much for all of the work you have put in to shortcut the work I have to do - my reading is sub-par - so your efforts save me a of time. I do have a question though - I notice in your splash screen image of your basses, a white PJ bass with maple neck and block markers. That makes me wonder if this has anything to do with the old Ibanez silver series basses of the late 1970s, and in particular any nod to Graham Maby's early work with Joe Jackson. And speaking of Graham Maby, I would welcome anything of his early work you have the time for. Perhaps I'm the Man, Got the Time, On Your Radio. They are all pick-based played songs with black tape-wound strings, but I'm interested in your treatment. Any Bruce Thomas lines from Elvis Costello would be interesting too. Lipstick Vogue etc. Only if it takes you and time permits. Cheers
Thank you and, as always, it's my pleasure. I'm happy to hear when anyone finds one of my videos helpful. I actually have that bass sitting behind me. It's part of the next video I'm doing on my collection. It is a "Classic 70's Precision" that Fender came out with around 2009 or '10. They weren't around for long. It was a Precision with a Jazz neck. I had the bridge p/u put in after I got it. I've done a few Joe Jackson songs, but not the ones you mentioned, though I do have "I'm the Man" put off to the side to upload at some point in the future. As for Bruce Thomas, I've done a bunch of his stuff.
excellent !
Thank you!
I’m feeling your version and felt the exact same way about trying to play along. It’s impossible to play just the bass guitar and sound exactly like the track, excuse there is A TON going on there, as with so many of my favorite 80’s bass lines, one coming to mind being Madonna’s “Like A Prayer”, which I struggled with for years, until Covid lockdown happened and big time musicians started putting out videos to soak up some time, and I had honestly never heard of Guy Pratt. Good god. How? We’ll be does a commentary on how it came to be and what went into that sound where he played on the original studio track. Octave pedal?! Dammit, you cheaters! Not really, but that explained a lot of where my head was. I would play the low part and know I. Was missing something. Then the upper part and the same. For years and years. Never felt right. So he explained it all and played some of it, and even he seemed to not really play certain flourishes the same each time, but that’s art. So I patched in my X32 Rack, put the SubOctaver on my bass, and rest of what he described, some chorus, but I made my shallow and slow, and stereo delay, which I made fast and short kind of a slap delay but enough feedback to hear it on 1/4 notes. Ultimately it sounded so damned good that my house couldn’t handle it. I’m a live sound engineer so my rig in my Room Over the Garage is ridiculous, complete with two down firing double 12” subs set up in a sub gradient array cancelling out about 8-12db of subs behind the array, meaning the rest of the house, which allows me to have fun and basically get away with murder. When the wife texted me saying that usually the bass is subtle at most but over the last twenty minutes it was making pictures in the walls on the opposite end of the house resonate, I told her it was Guy Pratt’s fault and Madonna approved and that I needed to buy a Boss OCII or something very close, as regardless of manipulation, the emulator I was using just didn’t have “IT”. Anyway, same with this song, and there is a shitload going on, but regardless, one of those epic baselines where the simplest little part just sticks in my head not for a day, or a couple of days, but decades, just like the galloping part of “Big Time” by Peter Gabriel with Tony Levin smacking the strings with freaking drumsticks taped to his fingers. Whatever. Gimmick. Or the melodic part of “Please Please Tell Me Now” by Duran Duran. “Feel For You” is right there, synth or no synth, if I am drawn to it, it doesn’t matter the source, and the funny thing is that I really can’t nail down the notes that well unless I nail down the tone pretty well, and that’s across the board. Turns out I hear TOO much, and have a hard time removing harmonics, but at least I hear them, and lots of people don’t really either hear them or maybe just don’t absorb it, I don’t know, but I’ve defiantly got an excellent ear, as 27 years of live sound experience and countless demands for my live mix prove out. Now as far as being a bass player, if I can hear it, I can play it, but that’s the problem, as I often end up playing the low part of the guitar chord or the vocal line if the bass is buried in the mix. Oh well, as long as I’m having fun. I desire to be accurate and often have an inner struggle between accuracy and fun. I’ll record myself sometimes and on playback, if I was “on”, sometimes I like my version better. Something About You is one of those where I sometimes take great creative liberty just like Mark does and go off and have fun and the playback is very cool but not as angular as he is, more funk/jazz type runs all over the scale, keeping it expressive and heartbroken and twisted and longing for lost love that I’ll never reclaim and then angry at the end and ultimately possessed. Just like the video. Then it’s over and it all is released and I am in awe of that band’s one incredibly beautiful and expressive and percussive and driving song. That’s art. It just comes out of you. I, not sure if I’ll ever be able to play as accurately as people like Mark King or Les Claypool as far as what is going on in my head where the percussive aspects of the song are just begging me to emulate with alternate and syncopated notes on the bass. Oh the struggle. How does a painter convey to canvas the depth of their intent? Over, and over, and over, amd maybe never. I mix musicians all the time, and it always seems to be the church guys, especially the gospel bass players who just floor me. Just magic stuff and they make it look like it’s nothing. I get so jealous. And then I blame my bass setup, because when I pick up an especially well set up bass, I suddenly can play very much that way. Ill never get that, as my bass feels great, but……..oh, the variables. Mad professor here signing out.
Wow! That is a lot to digest. I thank you for watching and taking the time to leave such an extensive and positive comment. Take care!
Great song great band Awsome cover.
Thanks!
@@TJH3113 Happy New Year
That was great. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you very much!