Weekend Arts: Bass, the forgotten instrument in rock

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I’m an avid 80’s music fan and as I’ve been listening over the last couple of months, it has occurred to me that the bass is the forgotten instrument in Rock.

The bass player doesn’t have the glamour of the vocalist or lead guitarist, nor the notoriety of the drummer.

They say, to be counted as a *real* fan of a band, you need to know the name of the bass player. And for good reason, because the bass player is usually ignored by all those except the genuinely interested.

Like the water in your morning espresso, bass often goes unnoticed. Yet when it’s not there Rock loses much, possibly even most of its power.

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Without much recognition, the bass adds to the melody, guitar riffs, and rhythm, and forms the structure which undergirds the drums. Without a strong bass, the drums and beat will utterly lack the body and power that a bass guitar can give it.

So today, have a think about the unnoticed things in your world, without which your life would be depleted like a record player with a broken bass speaker.

Bass guitar, this Rock fan salutes you.