This may be a bit of unneccesary whining, but it seems to me that the "flaky bass player" syndrome is more than just an idle stereotype. I'm finding that bassists are more often unmotivated, lazy and uncommital.

Right now I'm in difficult situations with two different bassists from two separate bands. (the rest of the bandmembers are noticing it too, so it's not just me.) Is it too much to ask that a bass player...

1. give a valid reason why he can't seem to make it to practice, other than "I've got plans"?

2. show up on time?

3. know the names of the songs rather than ask "how does that one go again?"

4. participate in the business aspect (which the rest of us do) and not just expect others to do it all?

Sorry, I guess this is random whining. The problem is that I'm dealing with immensely talented performers, but who either are uninterested or argumentative when you try to get them motivated. I guess I'm wondering if there really is a personality type for bassists, and (more importantly) how I can get one motivated in a way that doesn't lead to a fight? They're a very sesitive species, these bassists.

A majority of the bassists that I have played with have these same problems.  Why?  Hell if I know!  That's just the nature of the beast I guess.  

Drummers:  Generally decent people with a reputation for being the crazy ones.  In reality, drummers are probably the most down to earth individuals in the band.   Willing to openly share their ideas with other drummers.  Are kind to animals.
 
Guitarists:  The 'real' musicians -or so they would have you think.   Not to be trusted with your money; woman; feeding your pets while you're on vacation, etc.  Will not share their ideas with other guitarists.   Will quit a band cold and call it 'musical differences' when in fact it's because the drummer is hooking up with more ladies than they do.   Unfortunately this is rarely a reality  -guitarists are mirror-loving, heartless, remorseless whores.

Keyboard Players:  Skinny tie lovers.   Not sure about much to do with them, but I've always kinda liked them just the same.   Never get to really know them though.   They seem pleasant enough on the outside but harbor terrible personal secrets.  

Singers:  Not the sharpest crayon's in the pack.   They have a tough job smiling and singing every night....it helps to be a little on the slow side -except when ducking bottles and insults.   They have only one comeback,  "Hey buddy, I don't come to MacDonalds to bug you when you're at work."   After this one, it's no more than a battle of the wits with an unarmed man.....feel free to insult at will.   I always end up friends with the singer.  I don't know why.   Probably because I like the trail of hot but broken hearted women they leave in their path.

Bass Players:  Schizophrenics; Manic Depressives;  Borderline Personality Disorders.   A necessary evil on this Earth.  If you can find a great one -keep them shackled and chained in your basement before they get a better offer from another band.  Feed as directed.
 

You know how you end up in a band where the music sounds good, but really is not that interesting?  Everything is standard 4/4, standard form, all about 110-125 bpm, all straight with no swing, all 2 and 4 back beats, all the same lame song endings, all of the same intros, most of the tunes are mysteriosly in the key of E, everything is just 99-100% PREDICTABLE.  You know these situations?  I'm sure most of you do.  If so, then you know how after 10 min -3 rehearsals(depending on your patience, etc) this gets quite boring.  Sure, the gigs are fun, and might make some dough, but the rehearsals are boring.  You don't feel like you personally need to be there so the vocalist can learn the chorus section of that one tune she continually screws up, or so the guitarist can figure out how to start a song that is C instead of E.  At this point, you start to not want to rehearse much, or at all.  You are only interested in doing the gigs.  Let's face it, there really are some situations that don't warrant much rehearsal.  

I think the bassist fall in to these EXACT problems just as often, if not more often than us drummers.

I can think of a couple of exceptions, but usually I find bass players to be real nice folks.   Some of my best friends are bass players I've worked with or are working with.  Maybe it's the "support" role of the instrument that attracts that kind of personality, so you get friendly, cooperative people instead of assholes.

As for how they stand the simple pattern playing they are often called on to do,  I think they simply get into grooving, just like we do when we're called upon to play like that.  Just like with drums, there's a lot more to that "simple" stuff than you might think.  Quality bass playing takes a lot of talent and work, just like any other instrument.

You can tell the really good ones.   All of a sudden, getting into the pocket is a piece of cake.

Now, if you want talk egomaniacal lead guitarists or singers,  that's  a whole 'nother matter.........

LOL .......


It's hard to find a good bass player. The really good ones won't stay on bass and will move to guitar out of boredom ... or they will just overplay all the time.

Actually drummers can be the same way.

True musical maturity is when you've got the chops, but also have the knowledge of when and when not to use them (chops that is).

So, often times, the guys with no drive to be a great musician, lack the desire to practice, or have a key segment of their DNA strand ... wind up playing bass.

Perhaps we should bring some of them over here to start defending themselves!    There are the drummer stereotypes as well ... which we are all too familiar with.

563, you're totally right about the marriage thing. Only I was one of the luckey few.
Once I met a guy in the local bar, and somehow we started to talk, and he said hey, I play bass and I said Hey I play the drums. SO we deceided to play sometime and then we found out that oure houses where just 100 metre out of each other, and the guy is over motivated and surely not a gitarist who couldn't play the guitar, he always talks about the "fact" that bass player are superior to guitar players. And he thinks that his best friend should be the drummer, so there I was

Jeez...either I've' been incredibly blessed in terms of the bass players I've worked with, or you guys are hanging out with all the wrong bass players...but most of the bassists I work with are rock-solid musicians, with strong but humble personalities (kinda fits the role they play in the band, no?)...and two bass players I know in particular (Craig Brandt in Chicago - Bart, he's the bassist on my CD, FWIW), and Dave Anderson out here in Connecticut, are two of the most complete musicians I've ever met - "complete" to the point that I would often call them up to run musical or creative ideas past them, even if it wasn't a bass-related issue, just to get their perspective.

Eastman...humble...DOES NOT COMPUTE!!!!  

Just kidding...I do actually know of one or two other Eastman grad's who are also humble...
It's not Tony Levin, is it??