The bass lines are funky as hell and the guitar fills are nice as well.

What did Rick actually play?

I'm currently listening to his anthology and the music is awesome.

Oscar Alston
One of my favorite bass players.

Rick mostly did the vocals on his albums. He knew how to play various instruments but he didn't play enough to have refined technique.

The guitarist on James' albums is Tom McDermott

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Every single one?
super freak
mary jane
give it to me baby?

antichrist said:

Yup

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Damn; so what did rick play?
How can it be music and words by rick james if others are coming up with the riffs?

antichrist said:

Rick came up with ideas as to how the bass part for example might sound like. For example, in the case of Super Freak, Rick came up with a bassline for it. It was D-C-B-A-B-G-B-A. He thought something was still missing and after Alston modified the riff to D-C-B-A-C-F-C-A Rick was happy with it. Rick even promised the guys co-writing credits... but as we know, that never happened
Rick didn't want people thinking he didn't write his own stuff.

FuNkeNsteiN said:

o.k so basically alston elaborated on rick's bass lines becuase he was a more advanced player?
Did rick ever play guitar?

Thanx alot for the info, FuNkeNsteiN

Most of the stuff I have from Rick are either from compilations or downlouds. So you know I'm not that hip to his sidemen.

Was wondering about that myself,,,he said that Quincy Jones borrowed the bassline from "Give It To Me Baby" for MJ's "Thriller". Kinda intersting.

Harlepolis said:

You're most welcome

antichrist said:

If you'd ever seen Rick live you wouldn't see him playing bass or guitar thoughout an entire song. He's self-taught and never really knew enough technique to play beyond the melodies or rhythms he created. Rick usually took credits for guitar keyboards and bass on studio recordings, but the tributes really go to the axemen in his road band who worked under his directions.

In 1971, he recorded for RCA and the band featured guitarist Stan Endersby and bass player Denny Gerrard (also in the Great White Cane band). The first version of Stone City Band up to 1972 featured Peter Hodgson (bass), Danny Marks (guitar) and the 1977 version had Tom McDermott on guitar, Oscar Alston on bass.

Harlepolis said:

Actually that was Louis Johnson (of Bros Johnson fame) who copped the riff.

FuNkeNsteiN said:

Esepcially if he was trying to contend with Prince for funk supremacy in the waning years of Parliament-Funkadelic.

PFunkjazz said:

Yes I know,,,,but Quincy is the one who produced the session.

Harlepolis said:

Sure Louis was on Q's timeclock. It's a matter of mythmaking and ego whether Q told Louis to cop the riff or if Louis was just messing around and Q gets his lightbulbs flashing. In any case, it wasn't Q doing the work.

PFunkjazz said:

It really doesn't make a damn difference to me who came up with the idea of that riff I'm just quoting Rick James from his "Anthology" liner notes.

The point I'm trying to make is, "Give It To Me Baby" made some kinda influence on MJ's "Thriller",,,once again, according to Rick himself

Thats it.
[Edited 1/29/07 9:17am]

OK. It's time for coffee.

PFunkjazz said:

you guys are liars Rick James played all that stuff,came up with the basslines, and all that funky music.

and to leave it at that even if he didn't he is still better than the most overrated musician in history "Purple Ferry aka Prince"

KingKrazy said:

oh oh...we have a new "identity" in the lurks

origmnd said:

antichrist said:

That's a pretty common scenario. Someone writes a song (the chords & melody for example) and the players often have some freedom to embellish upon their parts. They don't usually get songwriting credit for that because it doesn't change the basic structure of the song.

I think it's pretty rare that the band comes up with songs all together, like how Red Hot Chili Peppers are basically four equals, each responsible for 25% of the song.

KingKrazy said:

KingKrazy said:

mistermaxxx....is that you?

wait a minute that bassline sounds wrong! I thought it was

D-C-B-A-G G A B-C

alphastreet said:

Well, D-C-B-A-C-F-C-A is what Alston himself says he played
(I also tried out your line and it's not correct )