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Remembering today, on what would have been his 74th Birthday, the great John Rostill.

A great talent and a wonderful person. RIP John. Sadly missed

Stuart

Indeed, a great inspiration for me as a bass guitarist. Incidentally, he was two days older than another famous bass guitarist, Paul McCartney.

iefje wrote:Indeed, a great inspiration for me as a bass guitarist. Incidentally, he was two days older than another famous bass guitarist, Paul McCartney.

...and about a thousand times better!!!!

drakula63 wrote:

iefje wrote:Indeed, a great inspiration for me as a bass guitarist. Incidentally, he was two days older than another famous bass guitarist, Paul McCartney.

...and about a thousand times better!!!!

Agreed, Paul McCartney is not a bad bass guitarist, but kind of average. John was much more adventurous. As John Entwistle would have put it, Paul McCartney is a bassist and John Rostill was a bass guitarist.

Reading this and listening to and thinking about another great Bass Guitarist. Thanks to both of them for a lifetime of inspiration, musically. May they both have the Peace they so richly deserve.
Love to all,
Mart

Thinking of the above inspired me to go back and watch last week's episode of Britain's Best Part Time Band. Having just listened to The Caffrey's brilliant 3-part harmony, Peter Hook had something to say about playing in a band which, I think, speaks for most, if not all, of us here. Check it out on i-Player, round about 35 minutes into the programme. What he said caught me smack in the heart, and I must confess I broke down, thinking of all the fun we had playing this wonderful music. Please take a minute to check it out at http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... nd-2-north See if he's right, and thank your/our lucky stars we can still do it.
Love,
Mart.

Paul is an okay bass player but i can't really remember any outstanding bass lines he's played but for John Rostill there has been many, such as Naughty Nippon Nights, Scotch on the socks and Dean's Theme.

Drive My Car, With a Little Help from my Friends, Taxman, ...to name three. Stuart is great at reminding us every year to remember John's birthday and the anniversary of his tragic death. Paul McCartney is a great bass player/bass guitarist too.

BTW...in an interview around the time that Licorice left the group, Hank jokingly referred to the possibility of recruiting Paul; then he said, "Come to think of it, he won't do - he's from Liverpool. We need more Geordies in the band"!

Although I'm not sure if it is John Rostill playing it (he is on a couple of tracks at least on the album), the version of 'Paperback Writer' on Shades of Rock has a really great bassline - certainly as good as, if not better than, the McCartney original. Yes, Paul was an 'OK bass player', but John Rostill was much better and more imaginative. Brian Bennett, by the way, has often said that, in his view, John was the best bass player the Shads ever had.

Says it all Mart!! Very lucky!!

Stuart