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Originally Posted by TheBig3KilledMyRainDog
I think Sting is much better than Entwhistle
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To do an "outstanding" or "revolutionary" job implies you're not doing your job. It almost implicates that person in going above and beyond their job. Some call that great, some call it wankery in this case.
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So doing even better than you're expected to do is...bad? Is that really the case you're going to make? We should all just be average? Get real.
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That being said, lets make it applicable to these two players. First I think its fair to say that they are doing very different things. Entwhistle is often playing lead bass. It certainly requires talent, but it offers no parameters. I can solo my ass off, and if thats my job I only really have to keep it in key. People aren't relying on me, they're supporting me.
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To say that all Entwistle did was go off on a tangent is stupid. For one thing, he was already competing with Keith Moon's drumming, Townshend's guitars (and later on synths) and Daltrey's vocals, so honestly play lead bass in The Who was a backing track anywhere else. Yes, he did shine through a lot, but he did just about everything else there is to playing the bass incredibly well.
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What Sting is doing, as Boo Boo stated, is akin to Michael Anthony. Van Halens bassist is notorious for doing the least possible so EVH can throw fireworks.
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Except Van Halen is terrible.
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But Sting is doing far more than, for example, Running with the Devil's one-note fiasco is, he's out of the way, but in that realm, he's maximizing his potential.
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Which is to have decent talent but not as much as the best bass players ever. Some of these guys were out of the way, just like Sting, but did a better job of it.
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Sting is operating with musical theory. He's very aware of how to push boundries from conventional western music. I don't think this matters in the scheme of things, but he's looking to work outside the realm of whats been done. When you see Sting play Bass, its a good reminder of what the instrument is supposed to do. Music, as with sports, is built upon field generals.
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And plenty of field generals in sports are regarded as simply above-average.
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Sting's the guy on the field making sure theres a win, not making sure his contract doubles for next year. He fills in where its needed, he makes sure gaps are closed and sounds are filled out. Its almost insane to compare him to Entwhistle because while they both play Bass, the both don't do with the Bass what the other does.
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Except I'm comparing the quality of their play, not the style.
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I should point out that it would be a grave oversight to compare them and thusly disparidge Entwhistle because he doesn't deserve it. But if there was a way to play "fantasy rock band" like people play fantasy football, then I don't know what reason there would be to take Entwhistle over Sting unless your goal was to recreate The Who.
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And now you're assuming the only guy to ever play really loud bass is Entwistle.