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Offline The Fly

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Best Bass Lines
« on: June 23, 2018, 08:39:49 AM »
So I just saw U2 in DC with a couple friends of mine who both play bass. Had to endure the “Doesn’t he just play eighth notes and the root?” nonsense about Adam. Of course I tried to defend him and say there’s more than just WOWY. I ended up putting together a playlist of what I think are his more impressive bass lines. What do you think? Are there any glaring omissions? (I went for more complex, showy parts. Stuff like SDABTO, while groovy, aren’t that difficult.)

Twilight
The Ocean
Gloria
Scarlet
New Year’s Day
Two Hearts Beat As One
The Unforgettable Fire
Love Comes Tumbling
Zoo Station
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Lemon
Please
A Man and a Woman
Magnificent
Volcano
Red Flag Day
The Blackout


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Offline SwimmingSorrows

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2018, 12:06:48 PM »
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So I just saw U2 in DC with a couple friends of mine who both play bass. Had to endure the “Doesn’t he just play eighth notes and the root?” nonsense about Adam. Of course I tried to defend him and say there’s more than just WOWY. I ended up putting together a playlist of what I think are his more impressive bass lines. What do you think? Are there any glaring omissions? (I went for more complex, showy parts. Stuff like SDABTO, while groovy, aren’t that difficult.)

Twilight
The Ocean
Gloria
Scarlet
New Year’s Day
Two Hearts Beat As One
The Unforgettable Fire
Love Comes Tumbling
Zoo Station
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Lemon
Please
A Man and a Woman
Magnificent
Volcano
Red Flag Day
The Blackout


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I’d cut the Ocean, as in the current chronological arrangement it doesn’t really get going as a playlist until Gloria.

I might put Tomorrow and Seconds on there.  Bullet and the live A Sort of Homecoming are great too.  Also 40 deserves a spot (not Adam but there’s no reason they need to know that. . .)

Daddy’s Gonna Pay’s distorted bass is super cool, as is The Wanderer’s.  Also more POP, Adam’s best album.  Gone, Do You Feel Loved, Mofo, lovely baselines all.  Moment of Surrender also has good bass.

Only other thing is I wouldn’t want to torture them with Volcano.  Crystal Ballroom has much better bass anyway.
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Offline benpoke

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2018, 02:27:11 PM »
I always love a bit of Clayton.  Here are my choices:

A Sort of Homecoming
An Cat Duph
Bad
Blackout
Boomerang 1 & 2
Deep In The Heart
Endless Deep
Fire
Gone
If You Wear That Velvet Dress
Indian summer Sky
Love Comes Tumbling
Moment Of Surrender
New Year's Day
Please
Scarlet
Seconds
Some Days Are Better Than Others
Stateless
Stranger In A Strange Land
Surrender
Sweetest Thing
The Troubles
Two Hearts Beat As One
Unknown Caller
Wire
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Offline laoghaire

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2018, 05:14:54 PM »
Those are good choices, but will they listen to all that?

If it were me, I'd just say "check out Red Flag Day and The Blackout from this last album alone, and it you still need more convincing I'll give you more stuff from other albums."
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Offline The Fly

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2018, 06:43:45 PM »
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Those are good choices, but will they listen to all that?

If it were me, I'd just say "check out Red Flag Day and The Blackout from this last album alone, and it you still need more convincing I'll give you more stuff from other albums."
So I played them the new songs on the car ride, and they were impressed. This is me trying to prove it’s not just this one album.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I need to go back and listen to Pop again for the bass lines.


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Offline laoghaire

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2018, 07:04:25 PM »
I don't know if Mofo is fancy bass work or just production magic, but if the former, there's another idea.

Also TIWYCRMN showcases a different style.
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Offline Tortuga

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2018, 07:14:24 PM »
Pop era was his best!  Like the rest of the band, he’s about the song.  U2 are song writers first, instrumentalists second. 


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Offline mrsamrocks2

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2018, 03:08:58 PM »
I'm a bassplayer too and I know pretty much all of Adam's basslines. The bassline from UTEOTW is amazing. It should definitly be on the list. The Electric co has a bassline very much inspired by Peter Hook. I'd add it too. SYCMIOYO has a very interesting bassline, although it is not difficult to play. Breathe has some of Adam's most difficult parts to play. The other two I'd had are Gone and LNOE.
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Offline miracle_al

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2018, 11:30:19 AM »
I love his bass harmonics in 11 O'Clock Tick Tock.
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Offline Vox

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2018, 11:44:59 AM »
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned "Mysterious Ways" yet.  The bass pre-chorus and chorus is a monster.
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Offline Sevy2016

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2018, 12:03:09 PM »
Even better, 2 mins onwards is one of the finest bands you’ll ever hear.
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Offline SwimmingSorrows

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2018, 07:17:07 PM »
I've always liked the bass in the Wide Awake in America version of A Sort of Homecoming.
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Offline JohnMegadeth

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2018, 01:18:48 PM »
Listen to the bass line, especially the opening, for live versions of Exit. So great.
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Offline laoghaire

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #13 on: July 02, 2018, 02:06:21 PM »
The Fly, did you make any progress convincing your friends?
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Offline World71R

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Re: Best Bass Lines
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2018, 11:34:02 PM »
Like someone else posted, mofo Mofo deserves a mention. That's a great bassline.
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