Bass guitar comment

September 25, 2015 11:36 AM

Hey all. I could swear that I read a sad comment on this site not so long ago from a female Mefite that ran along the lines of "When I was a kid I wanted to play bass guitar but I was told I couldn't because bass was 'only for boys'. I gave up the bass."

But I can't find it, and neither could LobsterMitten who I contacted about this and who approved this post.

Anyone know what I'm talking about? It's driving me nuts at this point. I've searched my favourites, my browser cache, checked the other sites that I normally go on, but to no avail. I'm beginning to think that I dreamt the comment.

Any ideas?

posted by urbanwhaleshark to MetaFilter-Related at 11:36 AM (20 comments total)

I feel like it was in that thread that was either directly about or tangentially about gender based color coding in toy aisles?
posted by poffin boffin at 11:52 AM on September 25, 2015

Huh, when I was a kid I asked for a bass guitar but my dad told me "you can't play songs on bass!" so I got a guitar instead -- I might have brought up that anecdote here for some reason but I realize it doesn't totally fit your recollection...
posted by capnsue at 12:06 PM on September 25, 2015

I remember the comment, maybe in the thread about shitty things people have said to women in the music industry? My phone is not cooperating or I'd search and link it but it was within the last month I think.
posted by skycrashesdown at 12:14 PM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

skycrashesdown, I don't think it was a comment in the post, but one of the tweets in the linked article. I'll go check that out, and thanks for the heads-up.
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 12:23 PM on September 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

And here it is. Thanks, skycrashesdown.

I wanted to find it because my friend M is an wonderful bass player and the band with whom she plays has been getting some good play on BBC radio recently. I told her about this comment a couple of days ago but couldn't find it.
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 12:37 PM on September 25, 2015 [2 favorites]

ooo ooo what's the band?
posted by andrewcooke at 12:47 PM on September 25, 2015

I'm not going to tout them on Mefi because that wasn't what the question was about and it would irk me to do so because it would look like astroturfing, and while they might like the attention, I'm also not their manager. Check your Mefi mail.
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 12:54 PM on September 25, 2015

thanks!
posted by andrewcooke at 1:09 PM on September 25, 2015

two words - carol kaye - she not only played bass guitar but along with james jamerson of motown, she damn well invented it
posted by pyramid termite at 1:14 PM on September 25, 2015 [3 favorites]

Thanks for reminding me of Carol Kaye pyramid termite, led me to finding this interview/masterclass on youtube. She’s a motherfuckin’ national treasure.
posted by nenequesadilla at 7:00 PM on September 25, 2015 [3 favorites]

Could you (or someone else) MeMail me the band's info as well? My three year old daughter is OBSESSED with the bass guitar lately and I'm trying to expose her to as many female bass players as I can. Thanks!
posted by saladin at 4:15 AM on September 26, 2015 [1 favorite]

Sarah Lee

Gail Ann Dorsey
posted by Mr. Yuck at 8:31 AM on September 26, 2015

Leah Buckareff of Nadja.

Marceline.

(You could ask that as an ask.me question saladin, I bet you would get tons of answers.)
posted by advil at 11:49 AM on September 26, 2015 [1 favorite]

Jawbox
posted by Potomac Avenue at 4:19 PM on September 26, 2015

The thermals
posted by Potomac Avenue at 4:25 PM on September 26, 2015

Tal Wilkenfeld
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 10:34 PM on September 26, 2015 [1 favorite]

Ooh, an opportunity to plug Liines (who I've had the pleasure of sharing a bill with a few times). Their bass player is my favourite bassist ever.
posted by Dysk at 7:22 AM on September 27, 2015

We've gotten this far without anyone mentioning multiple grammy winner Esperanza Spalding? (previously on MeFi in 2008, 2010). Even people who don't keep track of great jazz musicians may remember her from when she won Best New Artist in 2011 and Justin Bieber's fans went ballistic.

Julie Slick is another personal favourite, but she does a lot more experimental stuff so may be a bit less accessible to a 3-year old. Unless they like wearing silly moustaches and making noise, of course. And seriously, who doesn't?

(see the wiki for more musicians)
posted by effbot at 8:02 AM on September 27, 2015 [1 favorite]

The Warning (linked recently on Neatorama or Buzzfeed), three young sisters (9-14) and their metal band.
posted by Glinn at 1:09 PM on September 27, 2015

Michele Temple holds down the bass line in the legendary art rock combo Pere Ubu.
posted by mykescipark at 2:07 PM on October 2, 2015