Factual statements and Gushing

[glint]

There isn't anyone that does the flanger/oscillation "swooshing" effect better than Robin. I mean Fuel's "Wildfire" or A.R. Kane's "Butterfly Collector" can literally blow you around the room for a while. There's also Lush's "Ocean", or "Superblast"......Dif Juz....(goes on like this for some time since there's finally a bunch people who can appreciate it as well) :cool:

[badjumper]

Hi glint

Sorry to say I appreciate Dif Juz, AR Kane etc but don't know those tracks. I do recognise the innovative and brave musical statements made by the Cocteau Twins in what has always been a macho guitar muso environment.
I can't imagine walking into a guitar shop and saying "I want a pedal that makes me sound like Robin Guthrie on cico buff"

It's always been the bass lines that have intrigued me. I can't make out if Simon plays chords or overlays extra tracks on the recordings to boost those key moments in the choruses or going into the bridge.

Now I sound like a sad muso bastard!

BJ

[simon raymonde]

in the old days of 8 and 16 track i used to play mostly chords, three note mostly, like strumming a guitar really, Pearly Dewdrops for eg, is kind of a chord with a melody at the same time. Then I got a 5 string bass which made life easier, and with Iceblink Luck, Carolyns Fingers etc, i think I did both chords and a hi note melody too, though when i did it live i managed to incorporate the two, a challenge but kept my fingers slender!
then when i felt it was becoming a bit cliched to do it and every one else in the world seemed to be playing chords I went the other way and used very minimal dub-by kind of bass lines, occasionally enhanced by a counter melody with a hi bass.

That was quite boring wasn't it?

[ScottL]

No, fascinating really...I too came to love the base techniques...esp. once I realized how much they influenced the sound. I watched some of the old live video footage where you did some of that chordal stuff on Dewdrops and Spanglemaker among others..I think it was an excellent touch.
On iceblink luck...I thought there were actually 2 bass tracks...the low one that starts in and then high-neck riff with the phaser-like sound comes in around 40secs...or am I off there? However it was made, that moment has always sounded soooo cool.. I always loved the bass sound in I Wear Your Ring too.

And then the times where you do that fat-low-bass sound in songs like Theft and Wandering Around Lost, Smile, Seekers Who are Lovers...always was quite cool too..

[seeingtree]

It was interesting.

I was inspried to buy a bass by a mix of Simon's playing and Ali McMordie of SLF.

Both made the bass something other than that dim sound somewhere in the mix.

[etc etc]

Simon,
I have to say I think your bass work kept improving with each release...definitely much more melodic, walking style as time went on..I think some of your best CT playing was on Flock of Soul (glissando's galore..sounds like a fretless), I agree with Scott on Smile and I would add Calfskin Smack, Ups and Touch Upon Touch as they always worked for me too. I think your technique got more fluid..I also think there are some standouts on HOLV.....was the Russel Fong bass the main one used on those M&K era tracks? Your sense of rhythm and groove was really blossoming at the end..I think you guys went out on top of your game. Good to see you paying all of us diehards a visit or two!!

[glint]

The Bass line on "Primitive Heart" makes that song a gem!!

[steven]

Glint, I totally feel the same way about 'Primitive Heart.' I absolutely love that song and the way the bass carries the main melody. Such a simple song and very moving.

Steven

[zed]

well............

howsabout the fabulous bassline form calfskin smack, on the live from the beeb.....
ooowwhhh.....yeah....big fat butter bass...mm-mm.good!

:) Z

[mmmender]

i must say i do love the violaine bass line!

[simon raymonde]

funny that ms mmmender, out of all the ones mentioned, Violaine was a song where we swapped, and I played the note-y melody guitar parts and robin played the bass, so just goes to show...nothing for granted.

simon xxx

[mmmender]

fancy that.
i suppose now is as good a time as any to mention that my other favourite bass line is wax and wane which was heggie and not you either!! i'm not trying to tell you anything here.....honest!;)

[glint]

Simon, you could have Russell build you a MIDI Bass, go back to playing chords using a piano voice....No? Just a thought.....

[mmmender]

*bump*

[Hlegister]

Simon...I don't care who was playing ...your (Cocteau Twins) music is just the epiphany of my musical experience!!!

Sorry Guys...Dif Juz..."No Motion"...(Lonely Is an Eyesore)...one of the many reasons I bought that disc!!!

Not to mention the (Throwing) Muses, DeadCanDance, This Mortal Coil!

You are all entitled to enjoy whatever...without judgement...:)

[curetwins]

Originally posted by ScottL
No, fascinating really...I too came to love the base techniques...esp. once I realized how much they influenced the sound. I watched some of the old live video footage where you did some of that chordal stuff on Dewdrops and Spanglemaker among others..I think it was an excellent touch.
On iceblink luck...I thought there were actually 2 bass tracks...the low one that starts in and then high-neck riff with the phaser-like sound comes in around 40secs...or am I off there? However it was made, that moment has always sounded soooo cool.. I always loved the bass sound in I Wear Your Ring too.

And then the times where you do that fat-low-bass sound in songs like Theft and Wandering Around Lost, Smile, Seekers Who are Lovers...always was quite cool too..

iceblink luck... yeah i always thought there were two basses being played also, standard bass and six string bass (FENDER BASS VI)..

-jeff:)