The Greatest Synth-Pop Bass Line EVER
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ม.ค. 2023
- #bass #history #analysis #transcription #newwave #nickbeggs #paulthompson
In this video, I'll revisit an iconic bass line that has haunted me since childhood and the brilliant bassist that wrote it and played it and blew us all away in the process. Diving into 1983's "Too Shy" by Kajagoogoo and the amazing bass line that made Nick Beggs a giant among men!
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This is very kind and thoughtful. Thanks for remembering me. x
Wow, it's great to see you on youtube and commenting. I *love* telling people about how great you are as a bassist and use this song as an example. You definitely inspire me as a bassist!
😍🤩
Love you with Steven Wilson , He's no fool . You are a amazing part of the band !
One of the best memories of my tween years.
Thanks for helping me survive my childhood. ❤
Nick Beggs and John Taylor are two of the most overlooked musicians, probably just because they play for pop groups, but they are amazing.
Absolutely!
I'm a big Duran Duran and John Taylor fan, and a bass player but, technically, he's not in the same league as Nick Beggs.
I've seen Nick Beggs play with Iona ( Jazz / Celtic / Prog / Fusion ) a few times. Great musician !
JT, divine! 💜
I taught him everything he knows about bass 🔊 😌
Just like John Taylor from Duran Duran , that bass line from Rio was written when he was only 22 . Incredible
I just discovered this channel today, and I was just going to comment about John Taylor but you beat me to it.
I remember reading that Bernard Edwards of CHIC was his biggest influence and if you don't know the bass riff from GOOD TIMES by CHIC, then you just don't care about a good bass line. I also think Bernard Edwards willed one of his favorite basses to John Taylor after he passed.
Love love love John Taylor. The bass line on Rio is truly epic
@@babybear9740 I was about to say the same.
That is a MEAN and epic bass line. The bass makes the whole song.
Whenever people talk about pop / yacht rock bass lines from the 80s, it's either this one or Rio that they mean.
Thanks for this. Nick Beggs is amazing. Because people don’t listen well and write off New Wave as just synth music, he and John Taylor are criminally underrated.
Probably because the music as a whole was quite corny.
This track rather sucks, except for the good bits focused on here in this video.
The musicians in many synth based bands are top quality. All of Duran Duran are accomplished musicians. I don't like all their stuff but Ordinary World has a unique, complicated chord structure rarely found in rock music. It's amazing.
Don't forget Mick Karn of Japan!
@@forwardsdrawkcabyou're crazy. This song is crazy dope.
@@forwardsdrawkcab I disagree I think the song is great and catchy. You think too technical and not enough emotionally, which is how a song should relate.
The fact that Nick Beggs was voted best bass player in Prog for 5 years running tells you everything about his ability and he's such a likeable guy too.
Absolutely right. If you HAVE to play some pop... Start on pop when you're very young. Then NEVER look back. Never play it except for a laugh: remember when we played this? Pop is poison. Classical is the growth medium, Prog is the goal.
@TheUprightLuthier-1959 what a laughingly and disappointingly small minded view
@@phillymopwater Your fallacious observation was proven false over 2000 years ago. Reductio ad absurdum is one of several apagogical arguments with too many exceptions to count rendering the statement false without additional claims. I'm laughing at you. Pop is short for popular (in case your small mind lacks the prerequisites) Popular is the lowest common denominator (same) where music is made for the expressed purpose of appealing to the most different people with different tastes and different cultures. You have to remove elements of composition, that are too complex for the simple-minded (like you) to appreciate. Remove anything; from alternate time signatures, discordant melodies, counter melodies, progressions. You have to stick to cookie-cutter recipes, with familiar form and chords, add a hook and throw it against the wall to see if it sticks. Make a thousand more and you might have an album. We call it "selling out". Prostitution. OR: The music biz. My view is that of a retired professional, my advice is normally expensive, only an idiot would not appreciate it for free. I was in what is now called a boy band in college, I played in an american philharmonic for 30 years, I am now in a symphonic metal band. The structure still has me learning, practicing, getting better, and enjoying the music. If I had to play ANYTHING LESS, I would drink bleach. Pop is determined by the ignorant. They wouldn't know QUALITY if it bit them on the ass.
That’s because there’s like 7 prog bass players in total….
@@and321now Throw Beggs Chapman playing into the mix!
Many musicians from the 80’s new wave scene were not given enough credit like the drummer from Simple minds and lest not forget the bassist/singer from Level 42🙏🏼💜🇨🇦
On point with those 2....although most people with a little more than average interest in music would recognize Mark King's bass skills as phenomenal.
Simple minds' drummer.....oh hell yes he's great! Never heard him get much credit....but he's a beast.
I remember reading an article a out mel gaynor from simple minds in the 80s describing him as the best drummer in the world at that time
Mark King is a Legend all across the world!! Facts!
Yeah, no-one forgot Mark King and his incredible thumb.
Ah yes - Level 42 - if memory serves, Mark (King) was one of the (very) few to be offered/given an Alembic. Sweet!
Nick Beggs was one of the best bass players to come out of the 80s
He still is! ❤
I can only think of Mick Khan from Japan he was quite good Glen Matlock Pistols solid bassist don't forget Mr Beggs was at the age of too young for the 70 s he was of his age 21 early 1980 s excellent to hear he still plays well
@@65Antonis… for example with the mighty Steven Wilson!
I'm not a musician and I don't play guitar or bass, but watching you play those riffs helps me hear it so much better. It brings a new appreciation for a song I grew up with. Thank you for that.
Well said, Rob. And I agree.
And this was from a teeny bopper band lol. They as well as lots of other British pop bands from the 80s were schooled in music. Can't say the same when we hit the 90s lol
100 THIS
Along with Duran Duran’s John Taylor, Nick Beggs is underrated because of his “too pretty to be stuntman” feature.
Both are such hell-of-a-good bassists.
I agree. Nick Beggs, John Taylor, Mark King, and also the Stock Aitken Waterman trio made fantastic bass lines.
Man. I’ve never heard anyone analyze Too Shy so deeply!!!! Mad respect!!!
I've been playing bass for 32 years. I remember seeing the "Too Shy" video over and over on MTV when I was a kid, and I went out and bought the single. I always loved that baseline in the intro, and when I figured it out for the first time and played it, I was like... yeah, this is sick lol. Bravo Mr. Beggs... Bravo.😎
I think Nick was severely underrated at that time. I didn't know till seeing this, how good he was. Speechless here. 😮.
Not because you didn’t know him that he’s underrated, simply.
Nik Beggs Has always been overlooked, and a fabulous singing voice as well.
Could you imagine having this guy for a teacher? He's a pretty amazing dude.
Hah! I actually contacted him for lessons
Whereabouts is he?
it's pretty dope!!
He is, I love him ❤
That’s what he’s doing with these videos
I'm a life long metal head, but I must admit this song was a guilty pleasure. The bass is just so good! Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Beggs is extremely underrated. Great you cast some light on this very talented bassist.
Really? What’s his rating??
@@jumpinjojo 98
So if I rate him high does that still make hime underrated? Stuppid remark
Nick Beggs is a consummate professional. Some of his contributions to Steven Wilson's music are the epitome of understated genius.
I love the bassline in the live version of Index.
Came here to say this. Love his stuff with Wilson!
Nick Beggs is a monster player. He used to live up the road from my uncle, and I used to see him around Leighton Buzzard a bit - really nice guy who would always say 'hello' when you saw him. It's quite remarkable what he came up with for such a young player. You don't get to play with the likes of Steve Hackett or Tony Levin without being a virtuoso.
It’s such an iconic bassline with that driving power. And Nick continues to produce sublime material to this day. We thank you Nicholas!
The man is a musical genius. As a 70’s classic rock follower I have to admit that the 80’s brought about some fantastic bassists.
This breakdown of the bass line makes me appreciate it even more. Hard to think it was released 40 years ago this month.
Oh... why... oh.... why... did you remind us of THAT!!!??? Cruelty I say!! Cruelty!!
@@keithmurray9241 Reminds me of back when they started playing the 80's stuff on the "oldies" station. It was a slap in the face as to how much time had gone by.
@@scottdaniels8129....no time has gone by......😂
We are moving, changing, adapting but time is eternal....
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Nick Beggs is also a killer Chapman Stick player.
While singing, of course!
Tony Levin left his Chapman Stick at my house a week ago and I think I could give them both a run for their money now.
Nothing about my comment is based in truth.
My wife tossed a bra at Nick Beggs at a Steven Wilson concert while he was playing the stick and singing backing vocals… he smirked and didn’t miss a note
@@finnmcginn9931 A Great Joke that I will pass on to Tony Levin if/when I see him again at one of the local Bars here in Kingston NY where I live about 25 blocks or so from Tony Levins nice old Colonial House. Tony grew up here and is just another local yokal. A very nice educated Man. People who grew up in small towns are more grounded in life I should think.
@@finnmcginn9931 of course Tony Levin is a colossus player in his own right. Besides the Chapman Stick, there's the Funky Fingers
@@finnmcginn9931 you're Tony Levin's barber, aren't you???
THANK YOU for highlighting this bass line, and artistry of Beggs. Wow. How many times I’ve tried to convey the genius of this song and it fell on deaf ears. You rock, pdbass. Funk on.
This song made me want to learn how to play the bass. So many cover bands could never play this song because of the bass line. One of the greatest pop songs ever.
Finally this one gets it's deserved recognition. Cheers to Nick Beggs!
He was voted best bass Prog rock musician for 5 years straight. Wake up.
"The dude was 21 years old!" Man, I felt that.
I remember hearing Too Shy for the first time back in 1983 when I was 9 years old and that opening bass line just absolutely blew me away and still does to this day! Fantastic musician Nick Beggs and he doesn't get the credit that he deserves. Thanks for sharing this with us and best wishes to you. Greetings from North Wales, UK ❤🙂👍
Same for me.
The other band of that era that deserves JUST as much praise is Level 42. Extremely underrated band with a badass bassist who also sang at the same time 🤯
That was Mark King wasn’t it.
@@kevinstoneham1245 yep!
Ahhhhhh yes...Something About You..,another killin' it bass line from the 80s. This was one of my favorite songs from that era. Used to think myself "dancing my azz off" to this song back then🤣😂Mark King was the f'ing man in those days. 👊🏾👍🏾
Level 42 weren't underrated! They were the dog's bollocks at the time! Mark King was a household name.
Worth noting that Nick Beggs sang while playing too and he was pretty bonkers at it. Huge Mark King fan too.
I think that John Taylor is the quintessential 80s bassist, but this one IS sublime. Fun fact - Kajagoogoo was discovered & produced by Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran, so the sound similarities are no coincidence.
Exactly the comment I was checking for, before making it myself 😊. No doubt great bass player but the Taylor/Rhodes sound is all over it.
Synth sound similarities from Steve Askew, yes. Probably...but similarities from the bass? Nope. Nick's bass was nowhere near John's. I'm a Duran Duran fan too...the fact that Nick Rhodes found this group was simply because they're different.
CMIIW, Wally Badarou was also present right? He's also present in Level 42 album productions.
Nick Beggs said once that they wanted to sound like Duran Duran, in terms of musical maturity. Their blueprint.
I did not know this.
Colin Thurston also produced Whits Feathers.
He's the nicest guy. I made a training video for a multitack recording device. He came and found me at an exhibition to thank me as he'd been using the hardware. I was blown away.
There were big buggles but no troubles.
This is a very technical breakdown. The intricate details are caught by someone who must really love music!! I remember this tune kinda grabbed me and I didnt know why. Thanks to this video, dude!! You broke it down. Impressive bass composition and ARRANGING!!!
This was such a sublime video! Thank you for your passion and the breakdown of Kajagoogoo’s most iconic song. I was jaw dropped. We all love John Taylor but this was illuminating!
The Too Shy baseline gives me chills every time I hear it! It’s phenomenal… AND he’s singing!! 😎👏👏👏
I love those first two chords
Same here lol! I thought I was the only one! It immediately brings me back to Summers of’82 & ‘83 Ocean City MD with my high school sweetheart Becky! Almost makes me cry sometimes! lol OK, I’ve never admitted that to anyone before lol! Nick is badass!
Limahl is singing. Beggs is doing some backing vocals. Later when they stupidly fired Limahl he took over as singer.
Wicked tune
One of my all time favorite songs...
💯 I always thought this was a catchy tune, but didn’t appreciate how dope this baseline was until I heard somebody else breaking it down and playing it like this. Respect
SAMEZIES
Yay, we’re all besties.
Same!
Totally agree "most unique and creative line you'll ever hear". The intro is a mental time machine - iconic. So thankful for the band, and the good memories they were the center of.
You really do a good job of helping us actually understand what's going on when you play the bass line with the backing music. I can't think of any way to improve the way you're doing it. Thank you !
I never appreciated how rad this bassline was until I heard some other people cover it. It's freaking awesome. Nick Beggs is also great in Steven Wilson's band and I thoroughly recommend checking that stuff out.
Thanks for the heads up! I thought this guy was a producer, but this band smokes.
Nick’s a great dude too. You can’t go wrong with anything he’s played on.
I was looking for this comment. Mr. Beggs amazing Chapman Stick right into Guthrie Govan's guitar solo on 'Regret #9' is the stuff of legends.
Re: Steven Wilson, I was thinking the same thing.
It didn't quite get it exactly but it's certainly nice. Here is Nick playing it live you can see some differences. Still a great review.
th-cam.com/video/xNVylTCe5MY/w-d-xo.html
"Ooh to be Aah" from the same album has a killer bassline also, the dude has extreme good taste and chops. The band as a whole was fire too
Frayo has a mind-bendingly good bass solo as well
Yessss!!
One of the best bands ever, pity they didn’t continue recording together. Nick Beggs is astonishing!
Another really underrated bassplayer imo is Mick Karn. His way of playing fretless was really unique.
Now he was a bass god!!!
Where do I know that name from ?
@@rottweilerfun9520 He played in a band called Japan.
Couldn't agree more
Was just about to say!
i kept telling people how Kajagoogoo is a great band with great musicianship. but people always looked at me like i was stupid. Islands is an excellent album. the instrumental The Loop is an incredible track. such an underrated band, and Nick is criminally underrated.
I think they were promoted as a "boy band" or whatever the term was back then but I can remember Nick Beggs being interviewed in serious music magazines. Nick Kershaw was popular around the same time and he's a very proficient musician but the music press ignored that.
@@geoffpoole483 yes, Kershaw, too. agreed.
I keep telling my friends that Kajagoogoo had an avant garde edge, but they insist that they are a generic sounding 80s pop band, and that I’m just trying to be unique. Too bad that they can’t see what we see.
Image was the BIG thing at the time. It was crucial a band looked outrageously glamorous on stage. This was at the precise moment in time when it started to become too exaggerated to the point of ridiculous. It may have fed the pop-star mania but it also turned people off the musicianship. Nick's look was too much for many, I'm sure he wanted fame and fortune over being recognised as being a good musician. I did think at the time, this guy was talented.
Howard Jones is a great musician as is Nick Kershaw.
Nick Beggs is a phenomenal musician.
It's a masterpiece and a beautiful song, after so many years i searched it last night and found something I'd never heard before in any other song😎😍👍
Kaja gaa gaa
Kaja goo goo?
I fell in love with this song because of that bass intro. Thanks for covering it.
Back in 1984 I was helping out with the Lighting on a large outside Concert here in the UK. Most of the audience had gone It was late at night and the Stage was being cleared and Lights always the last to start coming down. Then by complete surprise and he didn't have to, looking great wearing a really smart suit after wading through up to his knees in mud was Nick Beggs. That didn't bother him as he wanted to take the time to come, hang round for a chat and thank us all behind the scenes personally for all the hard we had all done. Really nice bloke. Just goes to show the power of "thank you" as although that was some decades ago, to this day that really meant a lot.
I'm consistently amazed at the topics and spotlights on this channel. It present an understanding of the bass I have yet to see elsewhere on TH-cam. Paul just gets it. Well done once again.
I picked up bass for the first time a couple of years ago, after twenty of playing guitar and dabbling in keys, and this is probably the channel that most influenced me in realizing it is, hands down, the coolest instrument. The understated passion in every video is compelling.
Agreed!!
I started taking bass seriously in the early 90's and was lucky to know a bassist whose approach to music was as wide and deep as pdbass. As a rock bassist, that guy I met inspired me to go way beyond playing the root notes & fifths. And it's also good to know that pdbass' name is Paul. 😅
His name is Nick Beegs,…I’ve been studying him for years,…If you want to here some Madness,..get the album White Feathers,…only above average bass players can handle those songs!
Fantastic breakdown. Nick Beggs is as impressive behind the scenes as on stage. Another favorite from the '80s is Paul Denman, a frustrated jazzman if ever there was one.
Bro I love your presentations, your passion for bass is unmatched
I just discovered the video for “Too Shy” on TH-cam last week, and was blown away by what I saw going on on Nick Begg’s bass. One week later, I discover this video analyzing it. The happiest of coincidences! Love it. Thanks as always. I love your love of the instrument.
When i was a teenager and heard Kaja's White Feathers album, I almost got discouraged from playing bass cause Nick Beggs was so damn AMAZING, I thought I could never do that. John Taylor was my Hero but Nick was a god.
Bro, it was the contrary for me! Nick Beggs started me up on picking up the bass! He's got the smoothest basslines ever.
(the guitar and piano was a bit confusing to me at the time. With all those chords and all...Lol)
So glad I found your video. Just amazing talent, years and years of listening and I now have a new appreciation. THANK YOU
No need to remember Nick, you were never forgotten! You are very much alive and here in our hearts, souls and ears! Another amazing video, thank you!
Nick Beggs from Kajagoogoo and Mick Karn from Japan were two of the best bass players I ever heard together with Wooten, Joco, Flea or Squire. All amazing bass players.
Everyone you listed is great, but Mick Karn has always stood apart from many other bassist. No one sounded like him before, during or really after. His sound and technique was in my opinion truly unique and instantly recognizable.
@@carriersignal Bang on!
My bass idol...
and John Taylor
Karn - greatest pop bassist of all time.
Check out Bassist John Ferrara from Consider The Source, and more recently doing some solo releases and side projects too.
Awesome funky tune from the wonderful 1980's. So glad I was there. Even the rockers loved this tune. A great song is a great song, no matter the genre!
The interlude would’ve sounded better if he played a double octave.
I saw Nick playing with Howard Jones earlier this year (2023), in the UK. Yes ,he is THE BEST bassist I’ve ever seen live. He is incredible.
I must say, your TH-cam video is really great. I learned something new and to my surprise I never noticed how absolutely great this bassline is. Certainly because I was one-sides/prepossessed as I considered the band to be very shallow and thus forgot to listen to the details. Absolutely great bass playing and creation. I’m impressed.
Literally listen to this jam daily on Spotify. 80s had some phenomenal music…. ABC, Howard Jones, Depeche Mode, New Order…. To me this bands stand up there with Zeppelin and such it’s just a different vibe
Did you catch Nick playing with John Paul Jones a while back? That was cool.
80's reigns supreme!!
ABC "Lexicon Of Love" is a phenomenal album with some incredible basslines by Mark Lickley (fretted) and Brad Lang (fretless),,,,its a near perfect pop album - like a dance-pop version of ELO's "Eldorado" lol
@@Rib13Bass I don't often find myself saying this, but I completely agree. It was a masterpiece of music and music production, not least due to the efforts of producer / engineer extraordinaire, Trevor Horn.
Joy Div/New Order, some Depeche Mode (personal Jesus & l feel you are great)..
But Kaja Gugu?
The joke use to be..
If U wore jeans that are so tight.. itd KajaGugus
I'd understand Killing Joke, Cave etc.. but not the sugar coated droll shite dished out weekly.
Usually, when I watch this kind of video, they take 20 minutes to break down the song. This is short, sweet, and to the point. I like it
Great job with the video. Not long at all. Perfect. Great analysis and isolating bass parts. As a classic rock and blues musician,I always wondered why I liked this song when it came out. And you’ve shown me why.it’s the bass. Thanks and keep up the good work.
That interlude with Begga and Limahl harmonizing diminutive to a crescendo is heavenly! The classic "Too Shy" is brilliant (I love "Hang On Now Too" the rest of the LP filler songs)!
your hunger, and passion for all things bass, throughout multiple genres, and eras is clear to see, and you sharing that with us is a gift I'm most grateful for. Cheers from the UK!
I couldn't have said it better mate. Cheers from the States! Happy New Year.
Bass player lead singer from Level 42 is great. I’m sorry I forgot his name.
@@markusantonio4866 Mark King
I first became aware of Nick Beggs when I heard him on Steven Wilson's solo work (the song "Luminol" is a spectacular example). I looked him up and was like, "Wait, the guy from Kajagoogoo?" I went back and listened to "Too Shy" and only then realized how incredible this bass line is. Thanks for putting some focus on it!
whoa, didnt know the steve wilson connection...
Same here!
Very well said!
I love this analysis - really makes me appreciate the artistry of Nick Beggs. Thank you!
Whew! That bass line is epic! Probably one of the sexiest basslines ever!
Saw him play with Steve Hackett in the UK. Fantastic musician and fit in perfectly, never overplaying or overstepping his mark in the band but still being a stand out performer amongst the talent on stage.
I also saw him on tour with the Steve Hackett band in Norway a few years ago. My friend spent the first half of the concert asking me who the leggy blonde with black leather skirt and bass guitar was. (We had seats a good distance from the stage - I'll give him that 🤣 ) I held him in suspense until he googled the band members ... But it was a great gig, and I have listened to quite a lot of Nick's solo work after that. A really brilliant musician, and as you say; his great performance suited the old Genesis classics as well as Steve's solo material without being "flashy" and trying to show off in any way. A concert to remember!
The way he sits at the bass pedals playing them with his fists during Shadow of the Hierophant was so damn cool
@@JohnnyTronny19841 I don't think he used that trick on the gig I saw - that must have been on an earlier tour ... But I've seen it later on video and have to agree it looks pretty cool (and a bit "flashy" as well, I have to admit .. 😅)
@@attepotterrmmefiremerkersm68 yeah! To me it just added to the dramatic feeling of that track - felt like it went along with how I feel about the track...ominous, heavy, foreboding, majestic, etc
As a 56 year old lifelong Bassist this song is one of the reasons that made me pick up the instrument. Always thought it was the coolest and still listen to this song constantly. Huge influence. I really enjoyed the breakdown here.
same here, 52yo and still rocking with a 5 strings! Thanks to Nick Beggs, among others (John Taylor but also Geddy Lee or Johnny Myung...) Cheers from a swiss bass guy
Ok...we all know that white boys can't jump.
However, white boys can thump the crap out of a bass line if your name is Nick Beggs. I'm 68 years old, Black and I've been playing bass with a pick and my thumb for 53 years. After hearing "Too Shy" back in the day, the only thing I could pick was my ass and thumb my nose to people.....
....."Badass Beggs"!!!
a word that screams 80s? I say: gay-ass-sex
I’m delighted you highlighted this. The bass playing on Too shy is some of the best I’ve ever heard. A standout 80’s track.
Very underrated song! amazing bass playing! thank you for breaking this bass line down!👍🏻😎
I think Nick Beggs is one of the most underated bass players of his time. It's amazing that 40 years after his biggest hit that his spectacular talent is finally getting recognised by other musos.
He was playing in the type of band whose musical abilities were often overlooked. He's also pretty good at playing the Chapman Stick.
He’s rated exactly where he belongs.
@@jumpinjojo 100 times better musician than you, that's for sure!
@@RARDingo Oh course. I’m not a bass player. 🤣🤣
Nick Beggs had his bass strapped higher than anyone back in the day for slapping and pinch-plucking. "Too Shy" really does have a killer bass line! It's been years since I heard it.
Just now saw this. Gotta admit I did not think about what Nick Beggs was doing, not just with this song but his entire career!. Phenomenal talent. My bad, his work is incredible.
I can’t tell you how much I loved Too Shy in HS. I had no idea how much musicality went into making this pop song; I seriously underestimated the talent of my musical idols in the 70s & 80s, as I’ve learned by watching this channel. Thank you for reminding me of so many treasures from my past, and increasing my appreciation for their bassists.
Always admired Nick Begg’s bass playing. This track was so cool and catchy. Beautifully explained and demonstrated as usual Paul. The 80’s produced some great bands. Would love you to feature Mick Karn from Japan. As with so many of these gifted bass players, Jaco was such a huge influence ❤
Agreed! Mick Karn was a beast!
Mick Karn was amazing. The stuff he did with David Torn was awesome. However, I'm pretty sure I read that Karn didn't even know who Pastorius was until after Japan had become well known. I think he has acknowledged Percy Jones as an influence.
@@davidevans6514 He really was a great player and this can often be the case, not knowing musicians like Jaco, until later. Just depends on your musical exposure. I was into everything, it helped having an older brother who turned me onto all the great bands and musicians. I saw Japan live twice, fantastic. Percy Jones is a tremendous player.
@@matthew4694 without doubt. He had the cool movements on stage too. I wonder if that was anything to do with Jaco’s cool swagger and dance style.
Mick Karn was exemplary, such an understated man and gifted as a sculptor too. I really like his work with Pete Murphy in Dalis Car, for me even better than Japan.
I was a teenager of the 80s who started playing then, and could never figure out how he played that intro. The hammer-on idea never occurred to me because I thought it was in Bb. Thank you so much for that.
This is one of the best videos I have seen recently. Thanks so much for recovering this lost memory of mine! And the best part - you played it and I really fully got the greatness of it for the first time. You present really well man. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
As a huge fan of Kaja/Kajagoogoo, I'm thrilled to see Nick, who was the creative force behind the band, get some love.
Wow, this was totally unexpected, but a well deserved feature. Thank you for reminding me of this classic 80's tune and highlighting the brilliant musicianship of the bassline. Definitely going to the shed with this one, much love and respect from the Central Coast of California!
Òrale two more !, just make’m Bohemia or Pacifico or even betta’ , 805s !, not piss H2O corona!….😂
stay dry , but not thirsty ma’frend !
greetings from san miguel .
@@leonidasrosales9315 salud!
As a 80's metal guitarist in his 50's I can confirm that this is a SICK bassline. SICK!
Too Shy is still on my ultimate play list!!! And Nick, I stop whatever I'm doing when you play..... Thank you!
I am a drummer. So, I absolutely love the bass guitar. This is a really impressive, well down video. Of a very exceptional, impressive talent. His bass playing is badass. Thank you.
You forgot that a drummer and Nick Beggs on Chapman were the ensemble chosen by none of than the most legendary JOHN PAUL JONES of Led Zeppelin for his "Zooma" solo album world tour. Saw that tour 4 times in 3 cities: IT WAS THE STUFF OF LEGEND! Those two legends together were almost universe-collapsing in terms of gravity of the moment!
Saw them in NYC opening for King Crimson
@Mark T Collins that was the :thunder thief" tour
I recorded the boston show and shared it everywhere on all the cdr trading sites.
‘Too Shy’ bassline was FUNKY!🔥💛🎶
I've always been a bass guy and this one definitely caught my attention.
Damn, you nailed the description. So complex yet flows like butter.
That opening line has lived in my head for 35 years. Brilliant.
You've done it again Paul. I've now been enlightened about an older song, but this time it's one that I've actually hated all these years. I've gotta go back and listen to 'Too Shy', only with this new information in mind. Thanks for a great video. 😎
Thank you! I knew I was right about this song! My friends are always "why do you like that old song so much" And I'm like; the _bass, man_ the *BAAASSSSSS*
Great choice of video subject, I've always thought he never got the broader attention he deserves. Smooth and tasteful to the max!
British musicians from the 80's had learned a lot from soul records of the 60's and 70's and it showed in their music. Brit pop was far funkier than US pop of the 80's for that reason. Beggs is fantastic and he kills it on this song, another great track is Ooh To Be Ah, the funk bass on that is incredible too.
Great point. 2.10 short bass breakdown - 'Don't look any further' - Greg Edwards ; )
Spot on and this was due to the melting pot of the big cities. Can't fault Kajagoogoo at al. The bridge bass line and the chords mmmmm!
Old comment but to call Brit pop funkier than the US at any point in history is laughable. British waves (of many genres) owe *everything* to the US (specifically Black Americans). Funk, Disco, Jazz, RnB, House, Blues, Rock and Roll would not exist in the world without the US.
@@Abolas452 -- Dude, you missed the guys point. He said rightfully so that Brit pop was more funkier in the 80's than US pop, and said they owed it to the soul records which of course came from the US.
@@Abolas452 They are masters at selling Americana music back to Americans. British blues invasion case and point. Who listens to that anymore?
What a great analysis on so many levels. Too Shy really shaped my musical taste back in '83 - 40 years ago and just light years ahead of what kids have today. I laughed out LOUD when you gave Limahl the shout-out.
Brother, this is a beautifully done video! Thank you so very much! Nick Beggs, wow!
Man you are a brilliant musical story teller, it's always a pleasure to listen to you break things down.Keep up the great work!!!!!!
There were some 80s pop songs with killer bass lines. "Too Shy" is one of my favorites. Some other great examples are:
Duran Duran - Rio
Paul Young - Come Back and Stay
Level 42 - Something About You
The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
Intro to Don't look Down Girl....Go West
Pino Palladino
The Fixx - One Thing Leads to Another (and just about everything else they've done) - why isn't their bassist a household name???
@@vixapphire
Wow....I totally forgot about the fixx
I was in a band in Ireland in the 80s...
My bass player was Crazy about them
Duran and Japan too
@@vixapphire One of my all-time fave bass riffs for sure. Like this one from Beggs, it sounds like it comes from some other reality.
@@judgedredd3568 Really underrated album, that one - I love it. Palladino did great work on it.
Nick is such an awesome bass player and such a humble and complementary player as well. I remember one gig in San Diego a few years back with Howard Jones when Nick's bass amp went dead. Howard picked up the bass line seamlessly on the organ until Nick's bass amp came roaring back to life and they picked right up where they needed to be - no ego, no big deal, they just made it work and we all loved the magical moment together. Real musicians making real music. ✨
True musicians
That’s such a great story. Love that HoJo and Beggs have played together for years, I saw them at a free outdoor gig in Cardiff in probably 2007, fantastic musicians
I know absolutely nothing about playing music, but your explanation in this video was super entertaining!
I was a hard-nosed metal head back then and I missed all this great music. I’m basically just discovering 80s pop.
OMG SIR, you are the best music explainer. LOVED that you dissected, deconstructed & gave visuals on the keyboard!!! Your style of teaching & interpretation is clear, comprehensive and concise to those of us that play by ear. Best music teacher award. 🏆🎸🎹. You're damn right I subscribed. ⚡☝🏼
This was illuminating. Thank you! It was Limahl who stole my 8 year old heart way back then, but I loved that song, and have never ceased to re-visit it. Can't believe 2023 is the 40th anniversary of its release. It was, as you say, a strange fusion of synth and funky jazz. I hear this a lot on other tracks from the same years. Tears For Fears' 'Change' (1983?) has a comparable bassline that drives the song's energy in the middle 8. Also, Duran Duran's 'Rio'. I love that you give Kajagoogoo worthy praise, as people tend to disregard them a bit in retrospect. Howard Jones is another of my '80s faves, though I didn't discover him properly until i grew up. All the best from England.
UK was very blessed to have such amazing talent in that era.Too many to mention.
Kajagoogoo were quite teeny/poppy at the time but you couldn't help notice nicks funky bass style.
tears for fears were uttely jaw droppingly amazing,and gary numan/depeche mode/new order were really pioneering on the electronic scenet at the time
Love your good energy, my man! Thank you !!
for encouraging us all to stretch those boundaries :)
Nick Beggs is a high class bass player for sure! Plays brilliantly live ,would fit in to any band with ease!!!