So I'm watching VH1 Classic the other day and they're showing a bunch of videos from 80's hair bands (Def Leppard, Warrant, Dokken, etc) and it strikes me as odd that the bass player and the keyboard player, spend too much time front and center of the stage 'rocking out'.
Obviously the singer needs to move around and work the crowd, but I really think that everyone else should pretty much stay put unless they're shredding a solo or something.
Drummers are stuck where they are, but I subscribe to the John Entwhistle/Bill Wyman school of bass playing where they don't move. ever. You're playing the bass, it's an important instrument, but you don't get to show it off. The bass should be heard and not seen.
Keyboard players really piss me off, especially in the 80s with that lame-ass keytar. While the keyboards may be necessary sometimes, the keyboard player is not, and he should be behind his piano or keyboard rig and that's it. I saw Bad English open a concert for Bryan Adams around 1989 and fucking Jonathan Cain spent a good two or three songs running around stage playing his little keyboard mixing it up with the crowd.
On a positive note, I saw Bare Naked Ladies when their regular keyboard player was out fighting cancer and his replacement wasn't even lit. He was off to the side, and you could just see a little light on keyboard so he could see what he was doing. They rarely even lit him up.
Guitar players playing a solo is another story. Eddie VanHalen, Jimmy Hendrix, etc. play with a flourish and they have every right not move around and show off during a solo. Flashy guitar solos just look weird when the guy is standing there (Eric Clapton). However, when they're just playing a rythm part, they should stand still.
I know this is a stupid post, but it's been bugging me lately.
Good day.
Obviously the singer needs to move around and work the crowd, but I really think that everyone else should pretty much stay put unless they're shredding a solo or something.
Drummers are stuck where they are, but I subscribe to the John Entwhistle/Bill Wyman school of bass playing where they don't move. ever. You're playing the bass, it's an important instrument, but you don't get to show it off. The bass should be heard and not seen.
Keyboard players really piss me off, especially in the 80s with that lame-ass keytar. While the keyboards may be necessary sometimes, the keyboard player is not, and he should be behind his piano or keyboard rig and that's it. I saw Bad English open a concert for Bryan Adams around 1989 and fucking Jonathan Cain spent a good two or three songs running around stage playing his little keyboard mixing it up with the crowd.
On a positive note, I saw Bare Naked Ladies when their regular keyboard player was out fighting cancer and his replacement wasn't even lit. He was off to the side, and you could just see a little light on keyboard so he could see what he was doing. They rarely even lit him up.
Guitar players playing a solo is another story. Eddie VanHalen, Jimmy Hendrix, etc. play with a flourish and they have every right not move around and show off during a solo. Flashy guitar solos just look weird when the guy is standing there (Eric Clapton). However, when they're just playing a rythm part, they should stand still.
I know this is a stupid post, but it's been bugging me lately.
Good day.
