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Articles by Tim Fletcher - Page 3


Bass Transcription: Jean Millington’s Bass Line on “Ain’t That Peculiar” by Fanny
Transcriptions

Bass Transcription: Jean Millington’s Bass Line on “Ain’t That Peculiar” by Fanny

Tim Fletcher’s fourth entry of the “Unsung US Bassists” bass transcription series focuses on Jean Millington's Bass Line on “Ain’t That Peculiar” by Fanny.

Bass Transcription: Phil Upchurch’s Bass Line on “Misty” by Donny Hathaway
Transcriptions

Bass Transcription: Phil Upchurch’s Bass Line on “Misty” by Donny Hathaway

Phil Upchurch has played on over two hundred albums, and is highly regarded for his guitar work. He is less well-known as a bass player, but he’s contributed some excellent work as well. Check out Tim Fletcher’s transcription and analysis of Upchurch’s line on Donny Hathaway’s “Misty”

Bass Transcription: Dave Hope’s Bass Line on “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas
Transcriptions

Bass Transcription: Dave Hope’s Bass Line on “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas

This is the second entry of the Tim Fletcher's “Unsung US Bassists” series, with his transcription and analysis for Dave Hope’s bass line on “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas.

Bass Transcription: Doug Haywood’s Bass Line on “Late for the Sky” by Jackson Browne
Transcriptions

Bass Transcription: Doug Haywood’s Bass Line on “Late for the Sky” by Jackson Browne

We’re thrilled to welcome back Tim Fletcher, who is starting a new bass transcription series on the “Unsung US Bassists.” Tim is kicking things off with his transcription and analysis of Doug Haywood’s bass line on “Late for the Sky” by Jackson Browne.

Bass Transcription: Noel Redding’s Bass Line on “Come On (Part One)” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Transcriptions

Bass Transcription: Noel Redding’s Bass Line on “Come On (Part One)” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

With producer and mentor Chas Chandler in control, and holed up in Olympic Studios in London, the early sessions for the album had been relatively straightforward, and the band had recorded basic versions of “Crosstown Traffic” and “All Along the Watchtower” before setting off on their early ’68 North American tour. On a break from their schedule, a short recording...

Bass Transcription: Ewan Vernal’s Bass Line on “The Wildness” by Deacon Blue
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Bass Transcription: Ewan Vernal’s Bass Line on “The Wildness” by Deacon Blue

Ewen Vernal was born in 1964 into a musical family in Glasgow, Scotland. His mother was a vocalist, and his father played saxophone and also led a local choir. Ewen’s early musical experiences focused on playing the piano and singing, but this changed during his teenage years after he found an old acoustic guitar in his loft. Although only the...

Bass Transcription: Bruce Foxton’s Bass Line on “Start!” by The Jam
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Bass Transcription: Bruce Foxton’s Bass Line on “Start!” by The Jam

The Jam was a very successful British band that achieved considerable chart success, with 18 top 40 singles and four number ones. They also released six top 20 albums and gained wide critical acclaim for their song-writing. Although their early hits were considered New Wave, the band blended a wider range of influences into their material than many of the...

Bass Transcription: Mikey Craig’s Bass Line on “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” by Culture Club
Transcriptions

Bass Transcription: Mikey Craig’s Bass Line on “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” by Culture Club

Culture Club is a very successful British band that had immense popularity around the world, selling over fifty million records. They were formed in 1981 and were led by vocalist Boy George (George O’Dowd) whose flamboyant androgynous style and sharp tongue attracted huge media interest. The band was considered to be part of the British “New Romantic” movement of the...

Bass Transcription: Horace Panter’s Bass Line on “Ghost Town” by The Specials
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Bass Transcription: Horace Panter’s Bass Line on “Ghost Town” by The Specials

The Specials were perhaps the defining band of the late 70s British Ska movement, and they had a run of hit singles and albums between 1979 and 1984. Their band leader and principal songwriter Jerry Dammers was also the founder of Two-Tone Records, an independent label that helped to push the genre into the mainstream. The Specials were a multi-racial...

Bass Transcription: John Giblin’s Bass Line on “Babooshka” by Kate Bush
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Bass Transcription: John Giblin’s Bass Line on “Babooshka” by Kate Bush

Kate Bush came from a very musical family, and at eleven she taught herself to play the piano. Soon after this she began to write songs and at sixteen she recorded a demo of fifty compositions and sent them to prospective record companies, but this did not lead to any offers. However, a family friend had a connection with Pink...

Bass Transcription: Andy Fraser’s Bass Line on “Mr. Big” by Free
Transcriptions

Bass Transcription: Andy Fraser’s Bass Line on “Mr. Big” by Free

Free was formed in 1968 in London, and they followed in the footsteps of bands such as Cream and Fleetwood Mac, who grew out of the British Blues Explosion of the mid-sixties. By moving away from some of the restrictions of the genre, Free (alongside Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple), helped to define British heavy rock music of...

Bass Transcription: The Jackson 5’s “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
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Bass Transcription: The Jackson 5’s “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

Once The Jackson 5 had been signed by Motown in March 1969, they were very quickly put to work in the label’s legendary “Hitsville” studios in Detroit. However, label owner Berry Gordy was only happy with a few of the recordings, and he decided to relocate the band to work out of their Los Angeles headquarters. The new Jackson 5...