Beauty & The Bass by Ellie Deane

 Beauty & The Bass

by Ellie Deane

With endless documentaries, reality series and films abound such as School of Rock, featuring Jack Black, proving to little eyes it’s easy to be successful and the envy of peers with a guitar and music at heart, I’m sure it’s no surprise to hear that I took up the guitar at the age of ten.

After six years of playing guitar, four of which I’ve enjoyed playing bass, I’ve become accustomed to standing unperturbed at - almost - the butt end of all musician jokes (second to my drummer, of course!).

However, this is not only because I am primarily a bassist, but also because I am of the opposite gender to ‘real guitarists’, and might I add, ‘real drivers’.  I am oh-so-familiar with the surprised glare when I pass a vaguely musically intellectual comment other than “Wow, it’s pretty. It’s yellow,” or “Why do you want that? It’s got loads of scratches on it.”, on the original 50’s tele hanging proudly on the wall.  I too get excited when my friend offers me a lift home in the Bentley, but more to the point, when I see an original 1940’s Martin, or the 50’s tele I mentioned before.

Alas, I’ve learnt that I am not alone – far from it. Female musicians, and in particular bassists, have been setting paths for aspiring bass players for years, in fact, if you’re a fan of American Pop from the 60’s and early 70’s, you may not know it, but you’ll be very familiar with the work of session bassist Carol Kaye.

Born in 1935, Carol took up the guitar and became proficient enough to be teaching the instrument at the tender age of 14. Carol’s guitar repertoire included the rhythm part of Richie Valen’s La Bamba, before she stepped into the breach after a booked session bassist failed to show at a recording session.

Armed with her infamous Fender Precision Bass, and a pick, Kaye soon became the session bassist of choice, and worked with innumerable luminaries of the era such as The Beach Boys, Ray Charles, Simon and Garfunkel, Elvis Presley, The Doors and Joe Cocker.

Aside from Kaye’s huge recording legacy, in 1969, she wrote one of the first – if not the first, bass guitar tutorial books. Carol’s credited for numerous subsequent publications, which provided a structure for aspiring bass players with both relevant and graded material which soon became the template for instruction for the instrument – so it’s clear that the importance of this lady is massive.

 

   Carol Kaye recording in the Studio                             Suzi Quatro on Stage at the AIS Arena      

I couldn’t discuss female bassists, without mentioning this fine figure of a woman – Suzi Quatro. Born in June 1950 to an Italian jazz musician Father, and Scandinavian Mother, Susan Kay Quatrocchio bought a 1957 Fender Precision Bass, and soon formed an all-female band called ‘Pleasure Seekers’; however, it wasn’t until she played with the band, ‘Fanny’, did she start to receive national attention.

Her repertoire included touring with the likes of Alice Cooper in the 1970’s and it continued to grow until Suzi fronted her own band.

Her second single, ‘Can the Can’ hit big in Europe and Australia. Further hits included ’48 Crash’, ‘Daytona Demon’, and ‘Devil Gate Drive’.

Miss Q is now following a more sedate life, having written her autobiography, ‘Unzipped’ - you can hear her on BBC Radio 2 on Thursdays, where her current show, ‘Wake Up Lil’ Suzi’ is aired.

These two women mentioned are two of thousands, and as it becomes more acceptable for women to front bands playing guitar or bass, there is a growing market for women specifics. Luna, for example, make guitars and basses that are lighter and shaped for the woman’s figure.

There are loads of opportunities out there, and products available on the market, so if you’re a girl, and you’re considering taking up the guitar – or any instrument for that matter, whether it’s a guitar, bass guitar, ukulele or drums – Go for it! Show those guys what we’re made of!