Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

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FAVEHOUR
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Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by FAVEHOUR »

Excellent conversation with Bruce on Mark Caro's podcast, as thorough and positive as I've heard. Even alludes to personal reconciliation between Bruce and EC. Great overview by Bruce of his wonderful work.



Dave
sweetest punch
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by sweetest punch »

Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.
JPadoo
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by JPadoo »

Listened to the Bruce interview, and as usual, he’s more than just a tad dismissive (of Davey’s bass playing and Blood and Chocolate, of course)….and a bit smug. However, nice to hear that he and Elvis have possibly begun to patch things up, and for a change, was, at times, occasionally complimentary about Elvis. I wouldn’t be holding my breath waiting for that invitation to reunite the band anytime soon. Stranger things have happened, I guess. Well, maybe not.
Hawksmoor
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by Hawksmoor »

JPadoo wrote:Listened to the Bruce interview, and as usual, he’s more than just a tad dismissive (of Davey’s bass playing...
Davey's a fine bass player and a great musician - and he brings live backing vocals to the table, which is something the Attractions could never provide. But he's a conventional bass player - rock steady, perfectly in time, holds the sound together, but doesn't do anything fancy to make the bass stand out. Which - according to rumour - is just the way Elvis likes it.

Bruce is a very unusual type of bass player, which is partly what made the Attractions such a lightning-in-a-bottle combination. His bass work
on the 1978-1986 LPs...there are very few bass players who can get anywhere near that, even the good ones. I can't find it in me to blame him for being a bit dismissive of Davey's playing.
JPadoo
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by JPadoo »

Oh I don’t disagree that Bruce’s playing is superior. He is absolutely one of the most original bass players I’ve ever heard. His work on Get Happy!! alone is truly sublime, as it was pretty much throughout all of the records. I just don’t see the point of the story he shared about Pete being almost embarrassed about Davey’s live playing of Human Hands. What is the point of even going there? That’s where he loses me.
Neil.
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by Neil. »

Haven't listened to that interview yet but I'm not into him trying to drive wedges between band members, as happened in 'Rough Notes'. Not admirable behaviour!
IbMePdErRoIoAmL
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by IbMePdErRoIoAmL »

I enjoyed the interview & I'm a huge fan of Bruce's bass playing but, every time I hear him speak, I'm reminded that I find him extremely unlikable. He not nearly as clever as he seems to believe & sounds like an old prat blathering on about Bernie Sanders' "commie bullshit" or Costello's use of "Nigerian noseflutes." :roll:
FAVEHOUR
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by FAVEHOUR »

JPadoo wrote:Oh I don’t disagree that Bruce’s playing is superior. He is absolutely one of the most original bass players I’ve ever heard. His work on Get Happy!! alone is truly sublime, as it was pretty much throughout all of the records. I just don’t see the point of the story he shared about Pete being almost embarrassed about Davey’s live playing of Human Hands. What is the point of even going there? That’s where he loses me.

Yeah, I posted my initial impression about 4/5 of the way through before I got to the part about Davey. Not cool.
fred darden
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by fred darden »

don't know about bruce being superior. davey on "mr and mrs hush" is one of the coolest basslines i've ever heard. as good as anything bruce did on get happy. pete has been playing with davey long before the imposters (vonda shepherd, jack shit, lots of studio sessions). doubt he would have said anything derogatory about davey's playing. i'm sure ec wouldn't have chosen davey if he thought that davey was not worthy. mr farragher is an accomplished musician in his own right and could copy bruce if needed. maybe all the negativity is one of the reasons for elvis cutting with bruce.
Hawksmoor
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by Hawksmoor »

I'm sure I remember Elvis saying something like (I'm paraphrasing from memory here): 'he can call me whatever he likes - we all behaved badly from time to time, I'm sure. But what saddens me is to learn, years later, that for all those years we were on the road, that he wasn't having a great time. Because I was having a blast, and I thought he was too'.
Standstobeinsulted
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by Standstobeinsulted »

Has Bruce, despite all his bitching and whining ever claimed that he's due a song writing credit? Nuff said
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by verbal gymnastics »

Can I ask what you’re alluding to?

Not quite Nuff said - I need you to say more :lol:
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
Standstobeinsulted
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by Standstobeinsulted »

Apologies for the tardy response, I attempted to post a prompt reply but was thwarted by to the system. Does anyone else have to the same problems using this site or am I the only technosaurus?

Anyway to return to the subject at hand I will put my cards on the table and say that the number 1 reason I am an EC fan is because of the songs. I don't think I am alone in this. Meanwhile Bruce continues to refer to EC as 'the singer'. This is obviously a calculated insult designed to belittle EC's core genius (and I am sorry but if you don't believe he is a genius song writer why are you here?). Beyond this Bruce also claims that Elvis was intimidated by his on stage charisma (sic) and implies that the best EC&A albums were collaborative efforts (which is undoubtedly true on a certain level). Nevertheless Elvis does not seem to have ever been someone who turns up in the studio with half baked ideas (just ask Brian Eno) and regularly gives due credit (just ask Sargeant Matthew Harding) to collaborators. Bruce undoubtedly enhanced the songs upon which he played but no more so than Pete & Steve (at least his equal in their own contributions) but you never hear them bitch and moan like Bruce Almost Lee
Neil.
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by Neil. »

Great interview - the interviewer is very good at pressing a point, though he should have kept on at Bruce about why he thinks 'I Hope You're Happy Now' is about Prince - that seems baffling!

And he got a new bit of news out of Bruce about why he decided to turn his back on the Attractions - very very interesting!

Bruce was very wrong to share Pete's view of Davey, though. Totally out of order! I hope Davey doesn't hear it, and it seems designed to cause trouble within the band he's no longer in. Not impressed. He did a similar thing in Rough Notes.
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Re: Bruce Thomas interview on Caropop.com

Post by thepopeofpop »

Neil. wrote:Great interview - the interviewer is very good at pressing a point, though he should have kept on at Bruce about why he thinks 'I Hope You're Happy Now' is about Prince - that seems baffling!
I'll have to listen to this interview. There's a "Minneapolis connection" that I suppose most people don't know about. Bruce may be correct, or he may just be guessing.
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