Are most bass players fat?

grimmbass · Post by **grimmbass** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:32 am

All,

I've recently heard a comment from a fellow bassist that those of us who dwell on the bottom end of the rock band spectrum are expected to be a little more round all over. Now I know that guys like Nate Watts aren't exactly slim, and that Anthony Jackson was, at one time, like 1.5 men, but what gives? Where does the stereotype of the "fat person" in the band being the bassist come from?

Are bass players SUPPOSED to be fat?

I NEED to know....there's a KFC buffet calling my name! I'll we're supposed to be pudgy, I'll be working at looking more like THIS guy:

Naga · Post by **Naga** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:04 am

Look up the band As Summer Dies and send it to the person who made the comment, "all bassists are fat". Watch him or her eat their words

Victor Synn · Post by **Victor Synn** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:10 am

Not all bassists are fat. Most of the 80's hair band bassists were all rail thin. Of course, they pretty much all used supplimental weight loss methods from the Columbia area.

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:23 am

Victor Synn wrote:Not all bassists are fat. Most of the 80's hair band bassists were all rail thin. Of course, they pretty much all used supplimental weight loss methods from the Columbia area.

Haha, a classic post!

Sapo · Post by **Sapo** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:44 am

not by a long shot!

Team Transylvania · Post by **Team Transylvania** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:13 pm

When in doubt...ask Peter Steele

DickShackBass · Post by **DickShackBass** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:20 pm

I have put on weight....could it be caused by my choice of instrument? hmmmmmm......

DrumAndDestroy · Post by **DrumAndDestroy** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:26 pm

bassists are normally bigger people. that is weird.

in a lot of bands, the bass player is the pothead of the group. maybe that explains it?

Bag · Post by **Bag** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:31 pm

Does it matter? Nobody pays attention to bass players anyway. They should probably just stand off stage and play.

DrumAndDestroy · Post by **DrumAndDestroy** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:41 pm

you know...paul is skinny as a rail.

some of the fatter bass players might eat him

Post by **Jim Price** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:56 pm

On the "Backyard Rocker" 10th anniversary special two weeks ago, one Rockpager asked what instrument I would choose to play if I had the time to learn one. After considering for a few moments, I said on air that I leaned towards bass, citing Jeff Clapper of the Hurricanes' incredible skills as inspiration. Then again, I am a bit round. Coincidence? Maybe...maybe not.

VENTGtr · Post by **VENTGtr** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 4:09 pm

In an interview long ago Paul McCartney was talking about switching
from guitar to bass in The Beatles after Sutclffe left. He said when he
was a kid, no one wanted to play bass because "Only fat boys played
bass".

Wonder if that's where it all started?

Note: Sutcliffe wasn't fat...but according to Tony Sheridan, Paul used
to unplug his bass from the amp during shows because he was so awful.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:48 pm

DrumAndDestroy wrote:you know...paul is skinny as a rail.

some of the fatter bass players might eat him

When I saw Kent throw up this thread last night, I knew someone was going to bring me up as a counterpoint.

Yes, I have the heroin-thin thing going on. I've come to accept it.

...as long as I'm not Jesse Camp. If you're too young to remember the atrocity that was Jesse Camp, do some research on past MTV VJs.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:51 pm

Team Transylvania wrote:When in doubt...ask Peter Steele

I bow to the masculinity of that pic. I mean bow in the figurative sense...not bow in the "I'm going to orally service you" sense. LOL

Ventgr wrote:Note: Sutcliffe wasn't fat...but according to Tony Sheridan, Paul used
to unplug his bass from the amp during shows because he was so awful.

Pretty funny stuff. Paul's actually a HUGE influence on me. All of our heros sucked at some point.

...some still suck. LOL

VENTGtr · Post by **VENTGtr** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:56 pm

Paul,

Actually...I should have been clearer...Paul used to unplug Stu's bass.

Sorry 'bout that....

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:58 pm

Ahh okay, I understand now.

My dad use to play in a band with a drummer whose backing vocals were so bad, they turned his channel off on the PA.

EyesOfAnguishbassist · Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:00 pm

I know they are the best lovemakers.

Bag · Post by **Bag** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:10 pm

EyesOfAnguishbassist wrote:I know they are the best lovemakers.

Ewww! Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Barfight · Post by **Barfight** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:14 pm

EyesOfAnguishbassist wrote:I know we're all uncircumcised.

theavantgarde · Post by **theavantgarde** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:01 pm

bassists are normally bigger people. that is weird.

in a lot of bands, the bass player is the pothead of the group. maybe that explains it?

Dont classify us bass players

KISSES!
benny
AVG

DrumAndDestroy · Post by **DrumAndDestroy** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:25 pm

DrumAndDestroy wrote:
in a lot of bands, the bass player is the pothead of the group. maybe that explains it?

theavantgarde wrote:Dont classify us bass players

oh yeah i forgot you don't do that stuff...ever

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:41 pm

I guess I am the bulkiest band member. I always attributed it to having to carry the drummer all these years! If you believe all the the stereotypes then the bass player is also always a raging alcoholic that will hump anything that doesn't hump him/her first. (I guess all legends may be based in fact afterall).

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 5:30 pm

Are bass players SUPPOSED to be fat?

Hey...someone has to protect scrawny lead singers.

DirtySanchez · Post by **DirtySanchez** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:31 pm

At about 180 lbs. Our bassist is the smallest dude in the band.

DrumAndDestroy · Post by **DrumAndDestroy** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:50 pm

DirtySanchez wrote:At about 180 lbs. Our bassist is the smallest dude in the band.

you guys are one of the biggest bands i've seen.

Are most bass players fat?

Are most bass players fat?

Bass