Another fantastic bass player in the realm of punk music is Karl Alvarez of the Descendents and ALL he does some interesting things in a lot of their songs, and has some really fantastic melodic bass lines.
Ive met him ! Though their original bassist probably deserves even more credit for being a pathbreaker in punk, Karl is one great guy. He told me he’s a fellow Marxist , like his namesake ! He’s on the side of the workers and the oppressed, no doubt about it
As a gigantic Matt Freeman fan of many many years, I so enjoy watching you experience these songs for the first time. Love the positivity, joy, and enthusiasm you bring to this. Also, really digging your bass tone in this video.
Mike, thank you so much for the nice words. I love getting into new artists and having you all hang out with me! Appreciate you stopping by. Much love!
The Suicide Machines is also something you might want to check out. songs like "Hey" from their Destruction by Definition album also feature walking bass lines and justscool stuff in general. And also brass!
Saw OP IVY April 1988 at the Electric Banana in Pittsburgh, PA. Not many ever got to see this band outside of CA, but those who did, you know who you are. OP IVY = Legends
Holy hell the electric banana. That place is only talked about when someone brings up ludic or the metro. P.S how’s your lower back because that shit has to hurt now
Wow, I was maybe still shitting in diapers then (est. 1985) but although their run was brief it's great that there's actually some recordings out there of Gilman. Can you imagine if someone actually recorded this PA show and it was finally revealed? Cross fingers 😆
I can't express how great Scott David Shiflett's bass work in Face to Face is. So underrated. Along with Jesse Buglione from Lagwagon. Rust is a great example of Jesse's bass lines!
Rancid is amongst a tiny handful of punk bands that really netter and most of their influence comes from Tim’s excellent songwriting and Matt’s unique bass style. I’d suggest going through their whole catalog of albums. Many many brilliant and timeless songs Thanks for the video and kindest regards for a Merry Christmas to you and your audience.
You might be the first person i've seen do OPIV. Thank you. That one album did more for punk and ska than almost any other album. A better one and done than the Pistols, for sure.
@@croulantroulant3082 they definitely re-lit the traditional style ska fire. That's a fact. I love The Specials and The Selector. But i can't think of a band that did the ska/punk think before OPIV. After that you had bands like Falling Sickness, AAA, lately bands like LOC and CV, but i can't think of a band like that from pre 87'. If you got one, drop it. I'd legit love to hear it.
@@briantomcollins I tend to think of the Specials as ska-punk.... But they are less punk than OpIv, sure! As for a pre 87 band, check out spanish band Kortatu. La Mano Negra in France came out right after. Both are classics out here (yeah I'm a Euro dude, and maybe as a consequence, I had never heard of Falling Sickness and the other bands you mentioned! will check them out, cheers)
The Suicide Machines is amazing punk-ska. Royce Nunley is a fantastic fingerstyle bass player with some blistering melodic lines. New Girl or Break the Glass.
Now do Nofx- the decline Face to face-bent but not broken The living end-carry me home You’ll find bunches of wildly impressive punk bassist’s without even looking hard
It's crazy to imagine anybody hasn't ever heard OPIVY or Rancid before.. but it's really fantastic watching your fresh first take on something so special and iconic to so many of us old punks. Matt Freeman is god-tier bass legend status. Glad to share this big first with you. Keep digging!
Glad you enjoyed it! I legitimately skipped over this scene growing up, aside 1-2 of the groups. Really is a blast getting up to speed from everyone’s suggestions!
I’m loving your vids! Props for doing Rancid and OpIvy back to back. As a Ska drummer I feel I’m somewhat qualified so say the that horns have little to do with whether or not a genre is Ska. It’s more characterized by the rhythm section. Particularly guitar playing on the up beats, reggae drum beats such as the “one drop” and “steppers” beats and walking bass lines. Although many of the modern Ska bands have a horn section (my band included) it’s not the defining characteristic of Ska. A lot of the early ska bands didn’t have horns on a lot of their tracks. Check out Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytell’s, Symarip and even some of the early Wailers stuff. Much love, keep doing these. They’re enjoyable. 🤙
That skinhead moonstomp!! Played a show with Monty a few years ago he was a super nice dude, still bummed I didn't get to see Roy Ellis play at PRB. Don't forget prince buster too!!
Thank you for all the insight! I’m learning a lot here. As a horn player, I’m just super biased and I guess Less Than Jake generalized that for me early on. If you play ska, those shows have to be such a blast!
When you mentioned "lead bass", I instantly thought of Ned's Atomic Dustbin. They are an early '90s indie-rock band from Stourbridge, England, who still play on occasion. What makes them different is their two bass players. Check them out, something like "Kill Your Television" or "Not Sleeping Around" would be great.
I discovered Neds when I found their cassette in the parking lot of the grocery store in Clinton, Mass. I always imagined that the person who bought it just through it out of their car because they did not like it.
In the 90s rolling down the neighborhood streets in my friends bronco listening to this... those were the good old days! and it's so fun to see younger people reacting to the stuff I grew up on.
If you're wanting to hear more punk bass, try NomeansNo - 'Big Dick' (from the album Wrong). NMN started as two brothers playing Bass/Drum. They added a guitarist later, but Big Dick gives the guitarist a chance to rest during the show. Also, one of the best drummers in any genre.
Matt Freeman is the reason i start to learn bass guitar. Try to review Fat Mike's playing in the band NOFX. His style is quite unique; he often incorporates ska and reggae rhythms into his songs. The sound produced by his bass is very distinct; I've noticed many attempts to cover his bass lines on TH-cam, but none seem to come close to the tone produced by Fat Mike, who consistently starts with upstrokes. This is highly unconventional, as bass players typically begin and primarily use downstrokes naturally.
I love the way he plays, I've got that upstroke-first from him, it is much better to play along with that fast beat of the punk hardcore drums th-cam.com/video/3FnVLvE4Y8o/w-d-xo.htmlsi=lovWzyCxpTNo_Pqi&t=100
Matt's biggest influence is John Entwistle. He said in an interview that as a kid, he turned the ballance on his stereo to the right just to get the bass listened to Live at Leeds learning every part.
I base my bass playing off Matt Freeman, Less Than Jake, Jazz and The Specials. Ever since I picked the instrument up and began learning songs to help with my abilities, I've fallen in love with his playing. He's helped me really listen to music, again. Not just as a full band, but individual instruments and appreciating what's actually going on. It's like the world of music opened up after getting into this. I love it.
"Night Letters" by Propagandhi is a must-hear for the bass line. Propagandhi in general is one of the best punk bands around. Todd Kowalski is a beast on bass.
People are coming around on Robert Deleo, the bassist/co songwriter of stone temple pilots. He created melodies that are very different from the guitar. If you havent done a stp view yet, i recommend the soulful bass of the song Big Empty
Thanks for taking our suggestion! I recommend NOFX next! Fat Mike is one of the top bassists of punk and they have many great recordings where the bass really shines. I recommend “The Decline” a punk rock opera masterpiece. Great bass moments on that track. Also the album “The War on Errorism”, which is probably my top album by them. Fantastic bass playing on those tracks too. Specifically the last track “Whoops I OD’d” which I believe is just pure bass and vocals.
Started in '87 ended in '89 You got a garage or an amp, we'll play anytime It was just the four of us, yeah man the core of us Too much attention unavoidably destroyed us Four kids on tour 3000 miles in a four door car not knowing what was going on - Rancid, “Journey to the End of East bay” Pretty much sums up Operation Ivy. Kids that grew up on the og punk and second wave ska scene, creating something really special.
Matt is left-handed but plays a right-handed bass. That means his dominant hand is on the neck, giving him more finger speed, dexterity, and accuracy on the neck. I have an old copy of Bass Player magazine from 2003 (indestructible just released). He says with his right hand, he holds a pick with his thumb and index and strums while using his middle, ring, and pinky to pluck. He says that way, he can go back and forth between strumming and plucking in the same song.
I am so stoked to see Operation Ivy and Rancid being reacted to. I was introduced to Op Ivy in the early 90's and jumped to Rancid after that and i have been a fan ever since. They rarely feature horns but Op Ivy's "Bad Town" has some so you should check that out. And I was also a Less Than Jake fan. Cheers!
Rancid would later go on to write a song about Operation Ivy called Journey to the End of the Bay (From the album ...And Out Come the Wolves.) It's a great song and a great bassline straight out of the gate.
OpIv did feature a saxophone in their song “Bad Town” and a horn section in an alternate version of “Unity,” but those tracks aside they were a very straightforward punk band with strong ska influences - “ska punk,” if you will.
If I remember correctly, the guys were like 18 when they put this out and the entire album was recorded in one go. I couldn't even clean my own room at 18. Thanks for the video, my friend! you have an incredible gift for deciphering bass lines. Great video!
Whoa yeah! Ska's not my jam, but I can get down with some OpIvy. Pretty great album. As I said in the last video, Matt also just completely dominates the first Rancid album. When I got that way back in the day, I didn't even know you could play bass like that. It's just complete bass lead madness start to finish. It's also a super aggressive punk album in general with fantastic songs. So even if you don't feature anything on the channel, just give it a listen for your own enjoyment. You won't be disappointed.
@Low End University, because Matt Freeman is one of the best overlooked bassists of all time. He desperately needs more recognition for his bass skills.
Your friend is right, Fugazi and Minute Men are awesome. You should also check out a lesser known band named Cigar. They have 2 albums, Speed is Relative and The Visitor. Awesome punk rock bass lines.
Fugazi basslines are some of my favorites to play, check out Waiting Room, the song uses a lot of lead bass but not in the same way as Rancid or Op Ivy. It’s closer to like a jazz bass line in the foreground with the groove it has.
Watching someone hear one of your favorite bands for the first time is amazing. His face around 2:45 was perfect. Reminds me of sitting in my best friend’s bedroom in high school discovering this for the first time.
They don't make bands like these anymore. That's why bands like NOFX, Rancid, Green Day play for decades.... They don't have horns. Its punk not ska. Just has ska elements. You can hear what Tim provided but also was Lars brought to Rancid
Simply listen to rancid self titled album from the year 2000. It's insane 100mph stuff, but probably my favourite ever. The bass is just next level stuff...
Hey Bass Teacher. Tim and Matt had a band called Downfall, which was only around for a few months post Op Ivy, pre Rancid. There’s a leaked demo with a bunch of songs that somebody posted on TH-cam. Not sure if the early gen tapes is on here but it shouldn’t be too hard to find. Check ‘em out!
Check out Scott Shiflett of the skatepunk band Face To Face, he would start playing with them starting with their 3rd Self title album. Since you like Matt Freeman you'll like Scott's style, pick player with some cool accents throughout the song's. He started on guitar and uses that to his advantage.
awesome video -- i basically learned to play bass by learning this album, love Matt Freeman if you're looking to do a 3rd Matt Freeman vid.... White Knuckle Ride (i think it's on their C-Sides album) or for Fugazi -- And the Same, Shut the Door -- fantastic bass on both
The Rezillos - Flying Saucer Attack - a much overlooked amazing bassist in a much overlooked early punk band from the 70's, they have a b-52's vibe but they predate them and they're from the UK
If you like horns, transitions and consistently surprising bass 100% The Decline by NOFX has to be next on the list. It looks like a long runtime, but it's actually a full album in one song. I believe the story goes they recorded the original in 3 parts and have performed it in full live the last few years including with Baz's orchestra at Red Rocks.
I'm SOOOOO grateful to of grew up in the Bay Area in the 80's and 90's and was a regular fixture of 924 Gilman St in the mid to late 90's and saw some of the greatest bass players on earth IMO at the Gilman, seriously. Punk rocks bass players are usually WAY underrated. I've been in a lot of punk bands as a bassist, my biggest influence by far is Matt here. I'm "primarily" a guitar player, but love both instruments and play drums. I just love playing music period. If anyone here is from the mid 90's Gilman scene, shoutout to me here!! I was in that regular there band Subincision for a second, was kicked out the night of their old drummers last show when Rob Halford, yea THE Rob Halford from Judas Priest showed to watch us play. I had some of the best times of my life at the Gilman, Bottom Of The Hill in SF, The Cocadrie, Fillmore, Burnt Ramen, etc...lastly, you have to check out Fugazi, my fav band. Best all around solid powerhouse of a bass player that could play in about any band out there. TY for doing this, and BTW, Im friends with Dan, "Mr. Precision" from 88 Fingers Louie that you just did a vid on, ty for that. I gotta dig out the old 6 string and work on Rancid (1993) record songs on it for fun. THAT RECORD IS INSANITY...YOU HAVE TO CHECK OUT RANCID'S 1993 SELF TITLED
I would love for you to review All or The Descendants! They are the most skilled punk musicians by far in my opinion. I would suggest the song "Just like them" on ALL's album Allroy Saves.
Ska often has horns, but not always. Examples of classic ska pieces without horns are "Who Feels It (Knows It)" by Bob Marley and the Wailers, or "You're Wondering Now" by Andy & Joey. The history of ska is an amazing rabbit hole to explore. Originally called "Jamaican Blues," its roots are in a blending of classic R&B music from the US, with Calypso and Mento sounds. Later spin-off genres include reggae and rocksteady, as well as subsequent "waves" of ska, each with their own distinct sounds. They're often blended together, resulting in some truly fun and unique styles. I'd like to recommend "Carry Go Bring Come" by Justin Hinds and the Dominoes for an example of classic ska bass. The walking bass lines of ska are often a prominent feature that drives its sound. Punk and metal made me want to learn guitar; ska made me want to learn bass.
Op Ivy did a mixture of ska and hardcore punk and this is definitely more hardcore leaning. For one of their ska songs I’d check out Take Warning, Sound System, or Healthy Body. You found a gem!
Your buddy who recommends Minutemen is right, Mike Watt is the best punk bass player for your nickel…. Dive into fIREHOSE, one of his other projects, especially Brave Captain!
Something You said, "Lead Bass", made me think of an Underrated and Under Appreciated Bass Player named, Steve Youth (from 7 Seconds). 7 Seconds are a "hardcore" punk band, but in the late 80's int to he 90's branched out a bit, and Steve Youth became the lead, and really through out some fantastic bass playing with a great drummer. Check out the albums "Soulforce Revolution", "Ourselves", and "Out the Shizzy". Also, the later 7 Seconds albums(back to Hardcore), had crazy baselines as well. Check them out
Mike Herrera from MxPX is insanely good but their music didn’t make much of a wave on charts and they were too poppy for most punk fans. But, THAT DUDE CAN PLAY A BASS.
You gotta review some Crimpshrine songs! Amazing bass player for that band..Pete Rypins.. Similar to Op Ivy and both bands came from Berkeley, Ca. Played together many times.
Who here immediately went right into "There's a war, going down, between my brothers tonight, I don't want no war, going down, going down tonight"
Me
🙋♂️
Back in school you ever get busted for trying to walk and have some administrator tell you, “SON……”
Bankshot!
Stop this.....waaaaaaaar
Dude you're awesome for immediately doing a second Matt Freeman song. I'm such a huge fan of this series!
Thanks man, I just have never gotten a specific explosion of the same request and I do my best to follow that when I do! Cheers!!
@@LowEndUniversitythese are leading me to subscribe. Good stuff!
"Waiting Room" by Fugazi is iconic. Give it a listen...actually, that whole album (13 Songs) is great.
My fav band
Legit surprised there haven't been more calls for "Bed for the Scraping"
The Decline by NoFX is a must listen. Fat Mike, in my opinion, is a grossly underrated bassist.
Yes this. And anything off so long and thanks for all the shoes.... Or even idiots are taking over, that double pick is ridiculous!
@@timmytwotone666 Yes!
Also Sticking in my Eye
Hunter from AFI is underrated as well. I think they’re so vocally driven than you don’t really notice the subtle complexity of his parts
Yes sir.
Another fantastic bass player in the realm of punk music is Karl Alvarez of the Descendents and ALL he does some interesting things in a lot of their songs, and has some really fantastic melodic bass lines.
Bill Stevenson is a seriously good drummer. My personal punk favorite
Yes! Probably in my top 5 of punk bassists! Karl can play some fast moving melodic bass lines that really drive the Descendents and ALL’s songs
Their old bassist, Tony Lombardo, was pretty amazing as well. Milo Goes to College has some awesome bass lines throughout.
Yes! Got to be a live video as I swear he goes off the rails live, so damn good.
Ive met him ! Though their original bassist probably deserves even more credit for being a pathbreaker in punk, Karl is one great guy. He told me he’s a fellow Marxist , like his namesake ! He’s on the side of the workers and the oppressed, no doubt about it
As a gigantic Matt Freeman fan of many many years, I so enjoy watching you experience these songs for the first time. Love the positivity, joy, and enthusiasm you bring to this. Also, really digging your bass tone in this video.
me too! i echo that
Werd...
What do we have to do to get him to do more Matt freeman songs?
I'm requesting he do " backslide" and " not to regret"
Mike, thank you so much for the nice words. I love getting into new artists and having you all hang out with me! Appreciate you stopping by. Much love!
Oh man, watching you react to Matt's style makes me feel like my first time, all over again. BE GENTLE WITH ME.
The Suicide Machines is also something you might want to check out. songs like "Hey" from their Destruction by Definition album also feature walking bass lines and justscool stuff in general. And also brass!
Thats a solid recommendation.
The first time I heard Suicide Machines it felt like a continuation of what Op Ivy started. Same fast energy and I was hooked
Insanely agreed yor recomendation
"The Crowd" by Operation ivy is also an amazing song👍🏻
AMAZING song
Saw OP IVY April 1988 at the Electric Banana in Pittsburgh, PA. Not many ever got to see this band outside of CA, but those who did, you know who you are. OP IVY = Legends
Also showing my age, as I graduated high school the year previous.
Jealous.
Holy hell the electric banana. That place is only talked about when someone brings up ludic or the metro. P.S how’s your lower back because that shit has to hurt now
2 years before l got into punk. Did you see Rancid, Avail, Pink Lincols and Bad Genes for 5 bucks at Bellfield Hall on Pitt Campus?
Wow, I was maybe still shitting in diapers then (est. 1985) but although their run was brief it's great that there's actually some recordings out there of Gilman. Can you imagine if someone actually recorded this PA show and it was finally revealed? Cross fingers 😆
If you wanna study Matt Freeman YET AGAIN you can check his newest band called "Charger". It's like Motorhead but with these crazy bass solos
And badass album art! Cheers!
One of the best albums of all time.
100, EAASY
Detroit from Rancid's first album is amazing too. Lots of amazing stuff from Matt Freeman!
I agree!
That was my suggestion too. Love that song.
that whole record is bass fire
The OPERATION IVY SONG you wanna hear is SOUND SYSTEM and please do RANCID the song RADIO RADIO RADIO
I can't express how great Scott David Shiflett's bass work in Face to Face is. So underrated. Along with Jesse Buglione from Lagwagon. Rust is a great example of Jesse's bass lines!
He’s bringing out all the punk fans and I love it!!
That dude is a monster bass player. And guitarist
I love Resolve from Lagwagon, and Hang
@@189vans resolve is an awesome album for sure. Joe Raposo, who took over bass duties for Jesse, is one of the sickest bass players ever.
@@189vans you should also checkout the albums Hoss and Trashed! Also Blaze is a solid release.
Rancid is amongst a tiny handful of punk bands that really netter and most of their influence comes from Tim’s excellent songwriting and Matt’s unique bass style.
I’d suggest going through their whole catalog of albums. Many many brilliant and timeless songs
Thanks for the video and kindest regards for a Merry Christmas to you and your audience.
Right on! I can’t wait to hear more. Thank you for that, and Merry Christmas to you as well!!!
You gotta check out Axiom, Journey to the end of East Bay, Rejected, and Not to Regret. Some of my absolute favorite Matt bass lines.
Rejected is so good. And Matt takes care of the vocals which is crazy to be able to play like that and sing.
Second vote for Axiom. That self titled album doesn’t get enough love, and that song is one of Matt’s finest work ever
You might be the first person i've seen do OPIV. Thank you. That one album did more for punk and ska than almost any other album. A better one and done than the Pistols, for sure.
I couldn’t resist! I can’t thank everyone enough in the comments for steering me there. Cheers!!
as much as I love Op Ivy, the Specials and other 2 tone bands were there first.
@@croulantroulant3082 they definitely re-lit the traditional style ska fire. That's a fact. I love The Specials and The Selector. But i can't think of a band that did the ska/punk think before OPIV. After that you had bands like Falling Sickness, AAA, lately bands like LOC and CV, but i can't think of a band like that from pre 87'. If you got one, drop it. I'd legit love to hear it.
@@briantomcollins I tend to think of the Specials as ska-punk.... But they are less punk than OpIv, sure! As for a pre 87 band, check out spanish band Kortatu. La Mano Negra in France came out right after. Both are classics out here (yeah I'm a Euro dude, and maybe as a consequence, I had never heard of Falling Sickness and the other bands you mentioned! will check them out, cheers)
@@croulantroulant3082 i'll check em' out. Always love to find new bands.
The Suicide Machines is amazing punk-ska. Royce Nunley is a fantastic fingerstyle bass player with some blistering melodic lines. New Girl or Break the Glass.
Hey. He should def do a vid of that one!
Ooooooh hell yes!
Now do
Nofx- the decline
Face to face-bent but not broken
The living end-carry me home
You’ll find bunches of wildly impressive punk bassist’s without even looking hard
I wish I could upvote this 10x.
Bent but not broken has one insane bassline and is not talked about enough!!
I agree. Scott is a beast, definitely top 5 punk bass player.
It's crazy to imagine anybody hasn't ever heard OPIVY or Rancid before.. but it's really fantastic watching your fresh first take on something so special and iconic to so many of us old punks. Matt Freeman is god-tier bass legend status. Glad to share this big first with you. Keep digging!
Glad you enjoyed it! I legitimately skipped over this scene growing up, aside 1-2 of the groups. Really is a blast getting up to speed from everyone’s suggestions!
I always think so too. And Sublime, weirdly enough. I also grew up on the West Coast in the '80s and '90s so...
Loving this punk journey from you! This era meant a lot to me. Are you ready for Suicide Machines ??
Lead bass yes. Matt has been on record saying that his biggest influence was John Entwistle. Explains alot lol.
Minutemen! Mike Watt is the craziest bass player. Aggressive jazz
Yes! Do the minuitemen! Mike Watt is my favorite bassist!
I’m loving your vids! Props for doing Rancid and OpIvy back to back.
As a Ska drummer I feel I’m somewhat qualified so say the that horns have little to do with whether or not a genre is Ska. It’s more characterized by the rhythm section. Particularly guitar playing on the up beats, reggae drum beats such as the “one drop” and “steppers” beats and walking bass lines. Although many of the modern Ska bands have a horn section (my band included) it’s not the defining characteristic of Ska. A lot of the early ska bands didn’t have horns on a lot of their tracks. Check out Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytell’s, Symarip and even some of the early Wailers stuff.
Much love, keep doing these. They’re enjoyable. 🤙
That skinhead moonstomp!! Played a show with Monty a few years ago he was a super nice dude, still bummed I didn't get to see Roy Ellis play at PRB. Don't forget prince buster too!!
Thank you for all the insight! I’m learning a lot here. As a horn player, I’m just super biased and I guess Less Than Jake generalized that for me early on. If you play ska, those shows have to be such a blast!
Just remember, Matt Freeman was about 20/21 years old when he played this.
When you mentioned "lead bass", I instantly thought of Ned's Atomic Dustbin. They are an early '90s indie-rock band from Stourbridge, England, who still play on occasion. What makes them different is their two bass players. Check them out, something like "Kill Your Television" or "Not Sleeping Around" would be great.
Dude, YAAASSSS! Love Neds, saw them in 93 I think it was. I think it was on the Are You Normal tour. ❤
Or "Happy" maybe. Anything off God Fodder would be great
I discovered Neds when I found their cassette in the parking lot of the grocery store in Clinton, Mass. I always imagined that the person who bought it just through it out of their car because they did not like it.
@The-River good find! I prefer to think that it was in the door pocket of the car and got caught by someone's Dr Martens as they were getting out!
Matt Freeman is a beast. If you have time you have to check Streetlight Manifesto. The basslines are sick!
My favorite Matt Freeman bass line is Journey to the End of the East Bay off ...And Out Come The Wolves
In the 90s rolling down the neighborhood streets in my friends bronco listening to this... those were the good old days! and it's so fun to see younger people reacting to the stuff I grew up on.
If you are headed down this road and want to hear some very different and amazing punk rock bass check out Hot Water Music
Matt has mentioned many times how his biggest influence was Entwistle. Especially the Live at Leeds album
If you're wanting to hear more punk bass, try NomeansNo - 'Big Dick' (from the album Wrong). NMN started as two brothers playing Bass/Drum. They added a guitarist later, but Big Dick gives the guitarist a chance to rest during the show. Also, one of the best drummers in any genre.
I love "Big Dick"....oh that sounded so "Wrong" :)
Matt Freeman is the reason i start to learn bass guitar.
Try to review Fat Mike's playing in the band NOFX. His style is quite unique; he often incorporates ska and reggae rhythms into his songs. The sound produced by his bass is very distinct; I've noticed many attempts to cover his bass lines on TH-cam, but none seem to come close to the tone produced by Fat Mike, who consistently starts with upstrokes. This is highly unconventional, as bass players typically begin and primarily use downstrokes naturally.
Lots and lots of NOFX requests - they’re on the list in just a couple weeks (I may move it up!)
I love the way he plays, I've got that upstroke-first from him, it is much better to play along with that fast beat of the punk hardcore drums
th-cam.com/video/3FnVLvE4Y8o/w-d-xo.htmlsi=lovWzyCxpTNo_Pqi&t=100
Also, I think that some of his tone comes from almost shutting down medium tones, putting up the hIgh and low tones
I'd love to see you do "Detroit" by Rancid. Fantastic bass work in that song.
Matt's biggest influence is John Entwistle. He said in an interview that as a kid, he turned the ballance on his stereo to the right just to get the bass listened to Live at Leeds learning every part.
Makes sense
I base my bass playing off Matt Freeman, Less Than Jake, Jazz and The Specials. Ever since I picked the instrument up and began learning songs to help with my abilities, I've fallen in love with his playing. He's helped me really listen to music, again. Not just as a full band, but individual instruments and appreciating what's actually going on. It's like the world of music opened up after getting into this. I love it.
Idiots are taking over by NoFX has nuts bass. And I'm so stoked to see you cover both rancid and Op Ivy.
As much as people love this sound there are many who just don’t understand it. You absolutely get it! 🔥
Descendents and Face to Face are also great. Karl Alvarez and Scott Shifflet - both very different styles, but are awesome punk rock bassists!
Face to Face as a 3-piece band is pretty amazing. Scott Shifflet rules 🤘
Check out "Long Division" by Fugazi. It's on their alnum, "Steady Diet of Nothing. The bass line in that song is so smooth.
If you’re getting into punk bass players, you should absolutely check out karl alvarez of Descendents and ALL!
"Night Letters" by Propagandhi is a must-hear for the bass line. Propagandhi in general is one of the best punk bands around. Todd Kowalski is a beast on bass.
First time I heard Night Letters I got chills, sick ass song
So many Propagandhi songs give me chills. Todd is an absolute MONSTER on bass. And he does it while singing.
Check out Rob Wright aka Mr. Wrong from NoMeansNo. His bass playing is tremendous.
Check out BANKSHOT on the same album... It has an awesome groove, catchy as hell.
You should do Matt Freeman's side project next. Devils Brigade, he sings and plays double bass in this. Darlene is the most popular song.
Um what rock were you under the past 30 years that you never heard op ivy/rancid? Thats like a guitarist claim they never heard jimi hendrix🤐🍻
People are coming around on Robert Deleo, the bassist/co songwriter of stone temple pilots. He created melodies that are very different from the guitar. If you havent done a stp view yet, i recommend the soulful bass of the song Big Empty
Good to see you discover Op Ivy and Rancid. Freeman truly is a freak, and can teach a lot.
There's so many good bassists in this scene, fr.
It’s a new treasure chest I’ve opened! Haha. His playing is relentless, I just am so drawn to it.
100%
P.s. Do it! Binge the album and it will be a great half hour!
Yes please do fugazi "waiting room " first of course, you won't regret it repetitive but the bass riff is spicey
Thanks for taking our suggestion! I recommend NOFX next! Fat Mike is one of the top bassists of punk and they have many great recordings where the bass really shines.
I recommend “The Decline” a punk rock opera masterpiece. Great bass moments on that track. Also the album “The War on Errorism”, which is probably my top album by them. Fantastic bass playing on those tracks too. Specifically the last track “Whoops I OD’d” which I believe is just pure bass and vocals.
Hoboken would have been nice to see you talk about. That song is a masterpiece.
Jawbreaker "want" from the "unfun" record, such an iconic 90s punk rock bass line.
Started in '87 ended in '89
You got a garage or an amp, we'll play anytime
It was just the four of us, yeah man the core of us
Too much attention unavoidably destroyed us
Four kids on tour
3000 miles in a four door car not knowing what was going on
- Rancid, “Journey to the End of East bay”
Pretty much sums up Operation Ivy. Kids that grew up on the og punk and second wave ska scene, creating something really special.
Matt is left-handed but plays a right-handed bass. That means his dominant hand is on the neck, giving him more finger speed, dexterity, and accuracy on the neck.
I have an old copy of Bass Player magazine from 2003 (indestructible just released). He says with his right hand, he holds a pick with his thumb and index and strums while using his middle, ring, and pinky to pluck.
He says that way, he can go back and forth between strumming and plucking in the same song.
Very cool! I've never really experimented with hybrid plucking like that.
Rancid's "Jounrey to the end of the east bay" is more bass orientated than this, the bass intro is long and good
I am so stoked to see Operation Ivy and Rancid being reacted to. I was introduced to Op Ivy in the early 90's and jumped to Rancid after that and i have been a fan ever since. They rarely feature horns but Op Ivy's "Bad Town" has some so you should check that out. And I was also a Less Than Jake fan. Cheers!
Im sure you are gonna move on from Rancid now, but just give a quick listen to Rancid's song "Detroit" it's my favorite bass line of ALL TIME
Agreed!
This album was mandatory listening every day when i was in high school. All day every day lol
Rancid would later go on to write a song about Operation Ivy called Journey to the End of the Bay (From the album ...And Out Come the Wolves.) It's a great song and a great bassline straight out of the gate.
Fell in love with op ivy when I was 14… Matt & Tim are such a powerhouse
So cool! They write with such energy in these tunes.
Matt plays a wicked upright too...
OpIv did feature a saxophone in their song “Bad Town” and a horn section in an alternate version of “Unity,” but those tracks aside they were a very straightforward punk band with strong ska influences - “ska punk,” if you will.
Operation ivy has a another cd called seedy.🍻
If I remember correctly, the guys were like 18 when they put this out and the entire album was recorded in one go. I couldn't even clean my own room at 18. Thanks for the video, my friend! you have an incredible gift for deciphering bass lines. Great video!
You bet man, I appreciate the nice words and thanks for joining me!
Whoa yeah!
Ska's not my jam, but I can get down with some OpIvy. Pretty great album. As I said in the last video, Matt also just completely dominates the first Rancid album. When I got that way back in the day, I didn't even know you could play bass like that. It's just complete bass lead madness start to finish. It's also a super aggressive punk album in general with fantastic songs. So even if you don't feature anything on the channel, just give it a listen for your own enjoyment. You won't be disappointed.
NoMeansNo is a bass driven punk band from Canada.
Matt Freeman makes me want a Fender Super Bassman 300 😂
YES! This is my childhood! Soooooooooooooooo good!!
The song bad town has horns, also a particular favorite of mine
@Low End University, because Matt Freeman is one of the best overlooked bassists of all time. He desperately needs more recognition for his bass skills.
Your friend is right, Fugazi and Minute Men are awesome. You should also check out a lesser known band named Cigar. They have 2 albums, Speed is Relative and The Visitor. Awesome punk rock bass lines.
Fugazi basslines are some of my favorites to play, check out Waiting Room, the song uses a lot of lead bass but not in the same way as Rancid or Op Ivy. It’s closer to like a jazz bass line in the foreground with the groove it has.
Fugazi is post-punk, for whatever that means; so a somewhat different sound.
For more fun walking bass in punk music check out The Descendents
“All my best friends are metal-heads” has one of my favorite less than Jake bass line, definitely worth a revisit.
Watching someone hear one of your favorite bands for the first time is amazing. His face around 2:45 was perfect. Reminds me of sitting in my best friend’s bedroom in high school discovering this for the first time.
I've been a huge fan of op I've and rancid for a very long time, it's really cool to see someone's first impressions of them.
Excellent choice on the Matt Freeman video(s).. that man is the reason I bought a Precision in the first place.
They don't make bands like these anymore. That's why bands like NOFX, Rancid, Green Day play for decades....
They don't have horns. Its punk not ska. Just has ska elements.
You can hear what Tim provided but also was Lars brought to Rancid
Simply listen to rancid self titled album from the year 2000. It's insane 100mph stuff, but probably my favourite ever. The bass is just next level stuff...
Cereal Wars by AFI is some shredddding bass. Most of all of AFI’s first 3 albums have super intense and amazing bass
Hey Bass Teacher. Tim and Matt had a band called Downfall, which was only around for a few months post Op Ivy, pre Rancid. There’s a leaked demo with a bunch of songs that somebody posted on TH-cam. Not sure if the early gen tapes is on here but it shouldn’t be too hard to find. Check ‘em out!
Check out Scott Shiflett of the skatepunk band Face To Face, he would start playing with them starting with their 3rd Self title album. Since you like Matt Freeman you'll like Scott's style, pick player with some cool accents throughout the song's. He started on guitar and uses that to his advantage.
awesome video -- i basically learned to play bass by learning this album, love Matt Freeman
if you're looking to do a 3rd Matt Freeman vid.... White Knuckle Ride (i think it's on their C-Sides album)
or for Fugazi -- And the Same, Shut the Door -- fantastic bass on both
The Rezillos - Flying Saucer Attack - a much overlooked amazing bassist in a much overlooked early punk band from the 70's, they have a b-52's vibe but they predate them and they're from the UK
If you like horns, transitions and consistently surprising bass 100% The Decline by NOFX has to be next on the list. It looks like a long runtime, but it's actually a full album in one song. I believe the story goes they recorded the original in 3 parts and have performed it in full live the last few years including with Baz's orchestra at Red Rocks.
Long live punk rock forever got op ivy on my back with a purpose for a reason
That's why I deck out my wallet and phone on punk music stickers and patches!!
I'm SOOOOO grateful to of grew up in the Bay Area in the 80's and 90's and was a regular fixture of 924 Gilman St in the mid to late 90's and saw some of the greatest bass players on earth IMO at the Gilman, seriously. Punk rocks bass players are usually WAY underrated. I've been in a lot of punk bands as a bassist, my biggest influence by far is Matt here. I'm "primarily" a guitar player, but love both instruments and play drums. I just love playing music period. If anyone here is from the mid 90's Gilman scene, shoutout to me here!! I was in that regular there band Subincision for a second, was kicked out the night of their old drummers last show when Rob Halford, yea THE Rob Halford from Judas Priest showed to watch us play. I had some of the best times of my life at the Gilman, Bottom Of The Hill in SF, The Cocadrie, Fillmore, Burnt Ramen, etc...lastly, you have to check out Fugazi, my fav band. Best all around solid powerhouse of a bass player that could play in about any band out there. TY for doing this, and BTW, Im friends with Dan, "Mr. Precision" from 88 Fingers Louie that you just did a vid on, ty for that. I gotta dig out the old 6 string and work on Rancid (1993) record songs on it for fun. THAT RECORD IS INSANITY...YOU HAVE TO CHECK OUT RANCID'S 1993 SELF TITLED
I would love for you to review All or The Descendants! They are the most skilled punk musicians by far in my opinion. I would suggest the song "Just like them" on ALL's album Allroy Saves.
Ska often has horns, but not always. Examples of classic ska pieces without horns are "Who Feels It (Knows It)" by Bob Marley and the Wailers, or "You're Wondering Now" by Andy & Joey.
The history of ska is an amazing rabbit hole to explore. Originally called "Jamaican Blues," its roots are in a blending of classic R&B music from the US, with Calypso and Mento sounds. Later spin-off genres include reggae and rocksteady, as well as subsequent "waves" of ska, each with their own distinct sounds. They're often blended together, resulting in some truly fun and unique styles.
I'd like to recommend "Carry Go Bring Come" by Justin Hinds and the Dominoes for an example of classic ska bass. The walking bass lines of ska are often a prominent feature that drives its sound. Punk and metal made me want to learn guitar; ska made me want to learn bass.
Op Ivy did a mixture of ska and hardcore punk and this is definitely more hardcore leaning. For one of their ska songs I’d check out Take Warning, Sound System, or Healthy Body. You found a gem!
Matt uses a pick
Oh man, I love Operation Ivy.
Just wait until he discovers the song "Black Derby Jacket" by Rancid where Matt actually SINGS!
React to "the crowd" next
Your buddy who recommends Minutemen is right, Mike Watt is the best punk bass player for your nickel…. Dive into fIREHOSE, one of his other projects, especially Brave Captain!
Something You said, "Lead Bass", made me think of an Underrated and Under Appreciated Bass Player named, Steve Youth (from 7 Seconds). 7 Seconds are a "hardcore" punk band, but in the late 80's int to he 90's branched out a bit, and Steve Youth became the lead, and really through out some fantastic bass playing with a great drummer. Check out the albums "Soulforce Revolution", "Ourselves", and "Out the Shizzy". Also, the later 7 Seconds albums(back to Hardcore), had crazy baselines as well. Check them out
Mike Herrera from MxPX is insanely good but their music didn’t make much of a wave on charts and they were too poppy for most punk fans. But, THAT DUDE CAN PLAY A BASS.
You gotta review some Crimpshrine songs! Amazing bass player for that band..Pete Rypins.. Similar to Op Ivy and both bands came from Berkeley, Ca. Played together many times.