Wanderings of a Lost Moose

Welcome to part 2 of the creation of my Ultimate Band. Last time around, we looked at drums. Now, I will be saving the final lineup of my ultimate band for the end of this quest. I will announce the members of my band in one single post. One more things, in creating my ultimate band it is important that I think about what kind of band I will create. My band will be a rock band, but with a progressive rock lean. Odd time signatures, long songs with many different movements, you know.....progressive. So this will figure in to my decision of who gets in my band. Also remember, no member of RUSH is eligible because it is not fair. They are my ultimate band!!! So once again. No Alex, No Geddy, No Neil.

Alright.......the nominees for Bassist in my band are :

Frank Bello (Anthrax) : How about this choice. Didn't see this one coming did you?? I love Anthrax, and I love the sound of Frank Bello's bass on all Anthrax tracks. Unlike Metallica, where you can't hear the bass very well, Frank Bello's bass in very prominent in the mix, and it sounds great. Plus, he alwasy wore those great 80's shorts and a tank top. How cool is that!!!

Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth Band, Mr. Big, Steve Vai, Etc.) : This guy shreds, so he deserves to be on this list for that reason alone. But, one listen to the 1st Mr. Big album, and you will know exactly why he is one of my nominees. The bass work on that record is amazing. At times he shreds right along side Paul Gilbert, but then he lays down these big, fat, amazing bass lines that support some incredible songs. A great bass player who can do some much more than shred.

John Myung (Dream Theater, Platypus, The Jelly Jam) : Dream Theater Live at Budhakon..........nuff said. This guy is sick. Give a listen Platypus and the Jelly Jam as well. I can't describe what he does. It is too cool.

John McVie (Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers) : Put on some headphones and listen to Fleetwood Mac song. Any song at all, and you will understand why he is on this list. He just lays it down. So very, very solid. If you are starting off on the bass, listen to Fleetwood Mac (Try the song Dreams) and you will learn what it means to be great bassist. You can't call yourself a drummer if you don't know Steely Dan, and you can't call yourself a bassist if you don't love the tones of John McVie. So Good!!!!

Mario Cipollina (Huey Lewis and the News) : The guy is just too cool with the glasses and all. That's it. Too Cool!!!!

Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) : When your fingers move that fast, and carry a steady rhythm, you get to be a nominee for my band. I love Maiden, and the bass is such a huge part of their sound that he has to be on this list. Long Live the Gallop!!!

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) : John Bohnam and John Paul Jones. How good are these two??? Well how good are Zeppelin's songs??? Yeah, they rock. John Paul Jones is another guy that lays down the coolest bass lines. Once again put on some headphones and listen to what is happening underneath the guitars and vocals........it is crazy how good the bass lines are. So subtle and so down right frigid (because the adjective cool is cool enough to describe what this guy does.)


Mark King (Level 42) : The bass on Level 42 songs are great. I mean, what else can I say. He is a great bassist. Probably the first bassist that really caught my attention as a young lad.


Les Claypool (Primus) : Jerry Was, Is, and Will always be a race car driver. Anyone that knows me knew this guy was going to be a nominee. My Name is Mud indeed. No one sounds like Les. He is his own creature, and I love it. He plays and makes the music he wants, and does not apologize for it. Guy is a crazy, funny cat as well. And, he has played with them members of Rush. I mean that alone gets him a nomination. Long Live Tommy the Cat!!!!

Chris Squire (Yes) : ROUNDABOUT!!!!! That is all I need to say to justify his nomination. I will say it again.....ROUNDABOUT!!!! IF you like Yes, you like Chris Squire. Just a great bass player. The bass on each Yes song is present and great. Steve Howe does not play a lot of heavy chords so Mr. Squire needs to hold down that bottom end. Listen to Siberian Khatru and you will realize why he is one this list. Heck, just listen to any Yes song and you will know why he is on this list. Once again.......say it with me......ROUNDABOUT!!!!!

John Entwhistle (The Who) : I think he was the first bassist to play the way so many other bassists (the fellows up above) play today. The 1st "lead" bassist. I don't know how The Who could have sounded like The Who without his playing. Simply remarkable.

There you have it........the finalist for the bassist of my ultimate band. Let me know what you think. Did I leave of you favorite??? Let me know. Sound off. These are my favorties though.
Coming Next: Lead Singer (Otherwise known as "Person who wouldn't be caught dead on American Idol.")

A few weeks ago a friend of mine asked what would be my ultimate band. As a music lover, this was a difficult question. I like a lot of music of all different styles (except Reggae, not into that, but my friend said he would make me a CD of reggae that I would like. I welcome the challenge) but anyway. So I played the game, MY ULTIMATE BAND. I came up with a band that night, but I thought it would make a fun post. I will play it like any awards show and start with the nominees. First rule though.....as a huge fan of the band RUSH, Geddy, Alex, and Neil are not eligible. I mean, they are the perfect, ultimate band already. So for purposes of this discussion, we will leave them fully intact and out of the conversation. I also wanted to create a band that would actually work. So I will try to steer clear of the "Supergroup" mentality. Now if I write down all the nominees we will be here all day, so I will do each post by instrument. Let's start with the foundation.......The drums. Now as far as drummers go, I want a guy who lays down the beat, but adds a little "pizazz" to the mix. That is what I like. Solid with some flare. So here we go.

The nominees are:

Keith Moon (The Who) : Moonie (may I call him that) is amazing. He's a nut on the drums. Lotta flare. But it is rooted in keeping the time. His drumming is very interesting to listen to. It's very free, liberated, and spontaneous. It just flows out of his personality. Big, Loud, and above all else, FUN!!

Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) : Guy doesn't use a click. He is able to change the speed of a song on a dime, and make it work. Amazing. Once again, the guy is crazy, funny, full of life. I like that is my drummers. I love the way he plays drums, and that is that.


Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen) : I love the mighty, mighty Max. It is funny watching him the whole show, watching Bruce like a hawk. And everyone else in the band is watching him. He is great. Just lays it down. Seems like the perfect drummer. He is ready for anything. "Where we going Bruce?" as he's there. The mighty, mighty Max!!!!

Rick Allen (Def Leppard) : Guy is on the is list for one reason. He lost his arm and came back to play drums........WELL!!! End of discussion.


John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) : Are you kidding me!?!?! This guy was a monster. Jackhammer. As far as I am concerned, he was Led Zeppelin. Without him, there is and was no Zeppelin. I don't really care for any Zeppelin song that does not have drums.

Stewart Copeland (The Police) : Here's the deal.......Sting may have written all the Police songs, but he was the least important person in that band. Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland make those songs come to life. Stewart made that band sound the way they did. The reason people liked The Police...they thought it was Sting. NOPE, it was Stewart. I mean, You know Stewart Copeland when you hear him. I like Sting as a solo artist, but if Stewart played those songs (and Andy played guitar) they would be so much better.

Bill Bruford (Yes) : I love Yes, and his drumming is great. So very interesting. Weird times, off hits, fun to listen to.

Anyone that has ever played drums for Steely Dan : It is no mistake that when I went to a recent class on drumming, the instructor was queuing up some Steely Dan. They always have the most amazing drums on their songs. There were a few kids in that class I took that had never heard a Steely Dan song. How on earth can you call yourself a drummer and not heard a Steely Dan song!?!?! YOU CAN'T!!!! If I want to hear great drums, I put on a Steely Dan album, and there it is.......Great Drumming.

Those are the Nominees. I am quite certain I left some great drummers off, but those are my favorites. Let me know who yours are. Let me know if I left off your favorite drummer.

Coming Next : BASS (Otherwise known as "In search of Geddy Paul Jones")