So...what did Paul actually play on?

[Kory]

Technically they didn't have a name.

Or any great songs!

PS they did have one song I liked on that first album can’t remember what it was called but the rest was dull. A big disappointment.

I liked the first single "Herculean" but after that meh.

I never hated them anyway just some tracks are boring but not all.

This implies more than one! ^

Why am I here?

To EET.

[daredevil]

This thread reminded me, I have never listened to TGTBTQ or whatever. Perhaps I should give them a spin.

I like their album. It has three good (almost great) tracks, History Song, Herculean and Three Changes. I posted a long time ago, if It had a couple of rockers the album might've been more popular.

[Marky Dread]

Or any great songs!

PS they did have one song I liked on that first album can’t remember what it was called but the rest was dull. A big disappointment.

I liked the first single "Herculean" but after that meh.

I never hated them anyway just some tracks are boring but not all.

This implies more than one! ^

Why am I here?

To EET.

[WestwayKid]

I went through a sampler of tracks on my drive home from work. I'm willing to accept Paul played bass on the first 3 albums. We know he didn't play on all S! tracks...but I think he played on Combat Rock.

I watch a guy like Wyatt Scott play something like White Riot - and Wyatt is great deciphering these great bass and guitar parts - but I think there is something to the fact that he is trying to figure out what someone else played/created.

One might say Paul could never play the bass track on White Riot - but one could also argue that the bass track on White Riot was what it was because Paul created it in his style - even his limited style.

He was an untrained musician. Okay, he's not Geddy Lee (thank god)...but he has his own style. I think maybe we sell him short based upon his sometimes rough live recordings...but those were live. He was jumping around and being the crazy Simmo. In the studio - I really can believe he knuckled down and learned/created his parts. Sure - Mick might have recorded a few of his own...but I think Paul needs some love! He was/is better than many of us (including me) have given him credit for.

...and he looked mad cool on stage!

[Kory]

I think maybe we sell him short based upon his sometimes rough live recordings...but those were live. He was jumping around and being the crazy Simmo. In the studio - I really can believe he knuckled down and learned/created his parts.

This is an interesting point. It would be nice to have a Peel session or something to compare with. A quick studio recording that wouldn't have allowed time for much re-recording.

[Marky Dread]

I think maybe we sell him short based upon his sometimes rough live recordings...but those were live. He was jumping around and being the crazy Simmo. In the studio - I really can believe he knuckled down and learned/created his parts.

This is an interesting point. It would be nice to have a Peel session or something to compare with. A quick studio recording that wouldn't have allowed time for much re-recording.

Those early Polydor demos tell it like it is for me.

[Flex]

Those early Polydor demos tell it like it is for me.

I'd love a "live in studio" recording circa '81.

[Kory]

I think maybe we sell him short based upon his sometimes rough live recordings...but those were live. He was jumping around and being the crazy Simmo. In the studio - I really can believe he knuckled down and learned/created his parts.

This is an interesting point. It would be nice to have a Peel session or something to compare with. A quick studio recording that wouldn't have allowed time for much re-recording.

Those early Polydor demos tell it like it is for me.

Yeah, but Paul was objectively a better player 4 years after that. I just wanna know by how much.

[Marky Dread]

I think maybe we sell him short based upon his sometimes rough live recordings...but those were live. He was jumping around and being the crazy Simmo. In the studio - I really can believe he knuckled down and learned/created his parts.

This is an interesting point. It would be nice to have a Peel session or something to compare with. A quick studio recording that wouldn't have allowed time for much re-recording.

Those early Polydor demos tell it like it is for me.

Yeah, but Paul was objectively a better player 4 years after that. I just wanna know by how much.

I think Paul was an excellent reggae and rockabilly bass player. Not so much a rock one.

[bazarboy75]

Paul learned to play bass during his clash s years
Has he said he wanted to be pete towshend to jump around.
So he played bass as a guitar player do. Which worked well with this rnr band.
Even reggae was played this way
But notice that at the us festival he played with his fingers. Which change your sound and the way you play bass.

[Marky Dread]

Those early Polydor demos tell it like it is for me.

I'd love a "live in studio" recording circa '81.

So you can listen to the arguments about the level of the bass on "Know Your Rights"? "Rat Patrol from Fort Bragg" is that document surely.

[JennyB]

"Couldn't play bass for shit, but what a strap length!" - Walter Cronkite.

[punkmocker]

On `The Clash` i read somewhere that Paul played all the bass apart from the middle eight of White Riot. A musician friend of mine reckons Paul would not have had the chops to play on quite a lot of `Rope`.

[Dr. Medulla]

"Couldn't play bass for shit, but what a strap length!" - Walter Cronkite.

[Marky Dread]

"Couldn't play bass for shit, but what a strap length!" - Walter Cronkite.

Give 'Em Enough Length. What an album.