What always made the bass line for "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" so interesting to me was just how insanely BUSY it is without feeling like noodling. There's a ton of rhythmic variation and non-diatonicism over each chord but it all feels very deliberate and really helps to drive the song forward. So much movement and so much motion!
Yeah I think that sense of busy-ness without it feeling aimless, and without losing the sense of support is kind of the holy grail of bass playing. True of this song, true of Jamerson, McCartney, Jaco, Ron Carter...
Andy is a crazy bass player! The 80s were a great time for bass and he was one of the best, almost all of his bass parts are technically impressive and really gave The Smiths a distinct sound. Marr sometimes performs Smiths songs live without bass, and while its impressive what Marr's guitar can do they sound so thin without the melodic bass parts to reinforce them.
The way Marr tells it, Rourke was working out the lines from Marrs chords with Marr there so I'd say they were a duo which makes it hard for me to understand why he wasn't given a writing credit. Also note that this is Rourke playing with this fingers when people are always assuming his tone is pick playing, not so!
@@ZodiacEntertainment2 I know but you find a lot of youtubers telling people the sound to get is with the pick only. Really the thing to remember is that Andy played mostly near the bridge even with this fingers, that was his comfortable playing style and it led to how he got his sound, I think people can misinterpret things like that.
Andy Rourke is one of my favorite and best bass players ever, what these guys did with The Smiths is incredible and at a very young age. Johnny Marr wrote these songs from 19 to 24 years old. Rourke (at the same age) was the perfect match between his amazing bass lines and Marr’s unbelievable melodic guitar. What a great band! Thank you so much for a video like this, just learned about your channel and subscribed. Amazing content. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Andy rourke wow!!! without his amazing bass lines the smiths wouldn't of been the same. yes we know Johnny marr is cool. R.I.P Andy 💙 great bass lesson my man😁
The 80s definitely had some wonderful bass players who flourished under the new music that was coming out. The Smiths had Andy Rourke, Elvis Costello had Bruce Thompson on the Attractions, Aztec Camera had Campbell Owen, Mick Karn of Japan, John Taylor of Duran Duran, Mikey Craig of Culture Club and countless others. So much good music and so many songs had bass lines that were indispensable
I’ve watched this video many many times. Best breakdown and understanding of this song and how amazing Rourke was. I keep a bass tuned up to F# and continuously learn more and more of his amazing bass lines. Can you do an episode on “William It Was Really Nothing?” It’s another terrific bass line and song from The Smiths. Harmonics, quick slides, and many other nuances that have to be appreciated. Thanks!!
Thanks for this great video. Bumped into it on the tragic day that Andy's death. Another hit song using 10ths on the bass that wasn't mentioned on the comments yet is Magic by Coldplay.
100%! Andy really should have gotten the writing credits on all of the Smiths songs. As amazing as Johnny and Morrissey are the band really wouldn’t sound the same without Andy. Great lessons by the way! Please keep them coming. Will hit you up on Instagram regarding private lessons.
J'ai toujours aimé les riffs de Johnny Marr mais cette ligne de basse d'Andy Rourke est un chef d'oeuvre incontestable, comment de telles idées d'accompagnement peuvent elles jaillir ? et cette guitare funky en overdub , les mecs étaient très haut... et cette tokai sonne super également
Hey great video, really appreciate all the thought you put into it. Pino Palladino uses 10ths in "I don't trust myself", John Meyer. Actually the whole album 'Continuum' is pretty interesting for bass, Ian Martin Allison (from SBL) has a vid on that. Recently I checked out the transcription of Dean Town on your website, and then stumbling on this video by chance I recognized you instantly from your awesome hair. Looking forward to your next content, thanks!
I think ‘violent femmes’ on The Crow soundtrack use 10ths on ‘color me once’ at least I heard it that way… before I even knew what a 10th was by seeing this video.
No, he played tuned up to F# B E A. I just used a capo because I didn't have the right strings to tune that high up, but still wanted the same open strings.
No. Don't know where you got that from, but regardless of how good Johnny Marr was/ is on guitar, Rourke did his own bass lines and didn't need Marr to either create or do them for him. Rourke's bass lines were incredible and as important to The Smiths as Marr's jangly guitars. I am a huge Marr fan by the way!
How to get a bass tone like Andy Rourke: czcams.com/video/x-xHhdHobU4/video.html
What always made the bass line for "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" so interesting to me was just how insanely BUSY it is without feeling like noodling. There's a ton of rhythmic variation and non-diatonicism over each chord but it all feels very deliberate and really helps to drive the song forward. So much movement and so much motion!
Yeah I think that sense of busy-ness without it feeling aimless, and without losing the sense of support is kind of the holy grail of bass playing. True of this song, true of Jamerson, McCartney, Jaco, Ron Carter...
Nicely said…
Andy is a crazy bass player! The 80s were a great time for bass and he was one of the best, almost all of his bass parts are technically impressive and really gave The Smiths a distinct sound. Marr sometimes performs Smiths songs live without bass, and while its impressive what Marr's guitar can do they sound so thin without the melodic bass parts to reinforce them.
totally agree
@@classicbasslines my man the song Mary Jane by Rick James uses them
The way Marr tells it, Rourke was working out the lines from Marrs chords with Marr there so I'd say they were a duo which makes it hard for me to understand why he wasn't given a writing credit. Also note that this is Rourke playing with this fingers when people are always assuming his tone is pick playing, not so!
@@ewetoo He did play with his fingers often, but he also played quite a few songs with a pick. It depends on the song and the sound he was going for.
@@ZodiacEntertainment2 I know but you find a lot of youtubers telling people the sound to get is with the pick only. Really the thing to remember is that Andy played mostly near the bridge even with this fingers, that was his comfortable playing style and it led to how he got his sound, I think people can misinterpret things like that.
Andy Rourke is one of my favorite and best bass players ever, what these guys did with The Smiths is incredible and at a very young age. Johnny Marr wrote these songs from 19 to 24 years old. Rourke (at the same age) was the perfect match between his amazing bass lines and Marr’s unbelievable melodic guitar. What a great band!
Thank you so much for a video like this, just learned about your channel and subscribed. Amazing content. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
That Tokai precision is a beauty, restoring a Tokai flying V right now. Can't wait, great video,my pal Andy would be happy.
Andy rourke wow!!! without his amazing bass lines the smiths wouldn't of been the same. yes we know Johnny marr is cool. R.I.P Andy 💙 great bass lesson my man😁
Thats a great bass line
Thanks bud
The 80s definitely had some wonderful bass players who flourished under the new music that was coming out. The Smiths had Andy Rourke, Elvis Costello had Bruce Thompson on the Attractions, Aztec Camera had Campbell Owen, Mick Karn of Japan, John Taylor of Duran Duran, Mikey Craig of Culture Club and countless others. So much good music and so many songs had bass lines that were indispensable
I’ve watched this video many many times. Best breakdown and understanding of this song and how amazing Rourke was. I keep a bass tuned up to F# and continuously learn more and more of his amazing bass lines. Can you do an episode on “William It Was Really Nothing?” It’s another terrific bass line and song from The Smiths. Harmonics, quick slides, and many other nuances that have to be appreciated. Thanks!!
My favorite smiths Bassline hands down
😮so I finally (close enough) learned the entire song on guitar, didn’t focus on bass lines. Thanks for this
Fantastic analysis
thank you 🙏
Hey man please do more of Andy's great basslines!
definitely will! he's one of my favorites
Yes please!
Thats cheered me up no end Dave.
Thanks Peter! Glad you said "no end"...because when I finished this one I realized it was pretty long 😅
Rest in peace, Andy.
Your videos are the best. You carefully show how to play and the analysis and info about the songs are great.
Thank you!!
Thanks for this great video. Bumped into it on the tragic day that Andy's death.
Another hit song using 10ths on the bass that wasn't mentioned on the comments yet is Magic by Coldplay.
100%! Andy really should have gotten the writing credits on all of the Smiths songs. As amazing as Johnny and Morrissey are the band really wouldn’t sound the same without Andy.
Great lessons by the way! Please keep them coming. Will hit you up on Instagram regarding private lessons.
Andy and Johnny and Moz together are what made the smiths special. Either one of them missing would’ve resulted in a way lesser band
Epic Bassline !
Isn't it?
Great bass playing👍👍
Thank you Andy!
Check out my bass covers,Andy Jefford,thanks
During the guitar solo in Calirfonication, Flea is using 10ths for part of it
Tiger Tiger by Duran Duran, and Lost In Japan by Shawn Mendes also uses 10ths on the bassline.
🔥🔥🔥
J'ai toujours aimé les riffs de Johnny Marr mais cette ligne de basse d'Andy Rourke est un chef d'oeuvre incontestable, comment de telles idées d'accompagnement peuvent elles jaillir ? et cette guitare funky en overdub , les mecs étaient très haut... et cette tokai sonne super également
Big Jamerson vibes
Hey great video, really appreciate all the thought you put into it. Pino Palladino uses 10ths in "I don't trust myself", John Meyer. Actually the whole album 'Continuum' is pretty interesting for bass, Ian Martin Allison (from SBL) has a vid on that.
Recently I checked out the transcription of Dean Town on your website, and then stumbling on this video by chance I recognized you instantly from your awesome hair. Looking forward to your next content, thanks!
Oh damn that's some nice bass playing! Will check out the whole record. Thanks for watching!
great video!
thanks Noah!
The Smiths are as important as the Beatles.
nice
Valeu!
I think ‘violent femmes’ on The Crow soundtrack use 10ths on ‘color me once’ at least I heard it that way… before I even knew what a 10th was by seeing this video.
I had no idea that the bass for this song was so amazing... thank you!!!
Did Andy use a capo out of curiosity?
No, he played tuned up to F# B E A. I just used a capo because I didn't have the right strings to tune that high up, but still wanted the same open strings.
Could you post the tabs?
Didn't Johnny Marr play & record it when Andy went to the pub?
No. Don't know where you got that from, but regardless of how good Johnny Marr was/ is on guitar, Rourke did his own bass lines and didn't need Marr to either create or do them for him. Rourke's bass lines were incredible and as important to The Smiths as Marr's jangly guitars. I am a huge Marr fan by the way!
A capo?
A lot of Smiths bass lines are in F# tunning
You need to smile