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
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 😆
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!
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.
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!
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.
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)
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!
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.
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!
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 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!
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.
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.
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.
Glad you dug deeper into Matt Freeman. Energy is one of few albums that I can legitimately say changed my life. I actually tattooed the entire cover on my back over the course of 3 years (had to take a break when my artist went to prison for 18 months). Ive only seen Matt play live twice, once at a festival, and the second time was at Pirates Press Records 15 years anniversary. It was the last night of 4 days of music, booze, blow and assorted mischief and I was beat. I walked upstairs to the show and went to grab a beer not knowing who was on stage. I remember thinking "fuck this bass player is sick" with my back to the stage. Then he started singing and I whipped around to see the legend himself not 20 ft away in this little room. He was with his band Charger but the night before had literally been in NYC opening for the Misfits at Madison Square Garden.
Matt Freeman has been my bass idol since middle school, and getting to see him play live a dozen times or more cemented it for me. I'm a huge Rancid/Op Ivy Fan, and his COVID sessions were great. Your smile during this video also made watching this worth it even more, because it was easy to see you were really enjoying into it.
Thank you so much. I legitimately am excited to get into this scene more. I’m just tickled by the happy vibes but it’s so intense. It’s almost funny, in a musical way. I wish some of the songs were a tad longer with more to dive into, but maybe a full album reaction would be fun instead… 🤔
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.
When I was starting bass I used to play along to this entire album. almost 30 years later I see a lot of Matt Freeman in my playing style. Crazy pick work and would not shy away from hitting octaves
Thank you for embracing a diverse range of bassist genres in your analysis, rather than just focusing on the mainstream ones. Your videos are not only enjoyable, but also educational in a subtle, engaging way. It feels like I'm learning effortlessly, almost without realizing it. Keep up the great work!
"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.
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.
@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.
great video! Stumbled upon this after watching your maxwell murder video. You're comment "lead bass" really nailed it. My friend (bass) and I (drums) were heavily influenced by rancid and op ivy when we formed our first bands in HS. My dad who didn't have an ear for punk would say the talent is clearly the bass and drums in that genre.
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.
This is amazing. This is the kind of stuff I cut my teeth on and what made me want to play bass in the first place. There are so many amazing punk bass players and it’s great to see them getting recognition from outside the scene because this literally NEVER happens. If you’re still taking requests, check out Steve Youth from 7Seconds. They are East Bay Area-ish contemporaries of Op Ivy, Rancid, Green Day, etc. Great songs to check out would be Still Believe (after the long synth/organ intro) or Grown Apart.
The album does not disappoint front front to back... its timeless. It's awesome that as a professional musician, you give credit where its due.. most professional musicians are light years away from scuzzy old punk.. you give it a fair listen and get it both musically and energy wise.
It makes me smile to see you get infected with the Matt Freeman bug and get so excited about his playing. As a punk bassist my whole life it’s so fun to watch a pro and vet like you get introduced to it and have the same reaction I had 25 years ago. Huge props setting the microscope of punk for a moment - there are soo many good bassists in this genre.
I'm really glad you went down the Matt Freeman rabbithole he was one of my heroes and influences in becoming a bass player I suggest you do Freeze up next or another rancid song Salvation
@@briantomcollinsAdina has a sick bassline too. Double picked crazy fast chromatic walking bass. If you only saw it tabbed out you'd think it was an advanced finger exercise, not the bassline to a song.
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.
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.
The first time i listened to operation ivy i fell in love with that entire album, i must have listened to it 20+ times, i know every single song and which one is coming up next and all the lyrics
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
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 awesome seeing your facial expressions on discovering OpIvy for the first time; when I first discovered them at 14-15 years old it was like a kid walking into a candy store; it's really like a jazz band where you can zero in on one instrument at a time and letting it take you places..
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've never watched any of your videos before and am not even a musician, but it's really fun to watch you enjoy Matt Freeman's playing which i've been enjoying since the early 2000s. The Minutemen (Mike Watt) and Fugazi (Joe Lally) would be great places to turn next. I recommend Double Nickels on the Dime and The Argument for albums from each of them, respectively.
Just gave me more gray hairs finding out you haven’t heard Fugazi, Minutemen, and Operation Ivy before. But stoked they are about to become part of your journey. It’s like that saying, I would love to go back in time and hear Op Ivy again for the first time
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.
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.
Just found your channel. Not a huge reaction channel guy but I enjoy your personality and for what ever reason seeing a person get introduced to music that i love is so enjoyable for me and honestly much needed right now. I see you have a reaction to Streetlight and NOFX too. Oh hell yea man, subbed and looking forward to seeing you found more awesome music in the genre. Catch 22 is Streetlights precursor and they have and amazing song called Keasby nights, on top of a bunch of other good stuff. So much punk can be super fun and uplifting. Fugazi is a whole other topic, awesome in a completely different way. Minutemen are great.
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.
I'm sure you've picked up on it/been told already, but Journey to the End of the East Bay is about Op Ivy. It's a great song musically and the lyrics are so bittersweet when you know the story
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
"Jazz, swing, bebop with teeth on it", more like with razor blades and dog chains on it! Matt Freeman is just the man! Glad you dig it and get it! also, ska, doesn't HAVE to have horns (check out Life Won't Wait - the album or just the title track - from Rancid) and Op Ivy is widely considered the best Ska Punk band of all time. and also also, yes! Do check out Fugazi and Minutemen, and like I mentioned on the last video, please, please, please do Hot Water Music - blackjaw or turnstile to start would be good!
Matt Freeman was still a teen in this if I’m not mistaken. He did a series during 2020 called Matt Freeman Bass Bunker where he played along to his own songs during lockdown. You can see how much fun he has playing.
![Twenty One Pilots - “The Line” (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E2Rj2gQAyPA/mqdefault.jpg)
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
@DestroyerOfWombs "you can construct your obligations, and try to be different from you peers
But responsibility is your future!"
"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"
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
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!
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.
"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 😆
One of the best albums of all time.
100, EAASY
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
Always listen to suicide machines when I’m late for work somehow makes you drive faster
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
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!
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!
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.
Oh man, I love Operation Ivy.
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.
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.
Yes! Do the minuitemen! Mike Watt is my favorite bassist!
As much as people love this sound there are many who just don’t understand it. You absolutely get it! 🔥
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
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!
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.
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%
YES! This is my childhood! Soooooooooooooooo good!!
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!
Dope breakdown
Much appreciated!
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.
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.
Matt Freeman is a beast. If you have time you have to check Streetlight Manifesto. The basslines are sick!
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 don't know Rancid much but I just watched this guys video on "Al capone" and just commented that Freeman reminds me of Enthwistle...cool
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!
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.
Matt has mentioned many times how his biggest influence was Entwistle. Especially the Live at Leeds album
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!
I'd love to see you do "Detroit" by Rancid. Fantastic bass work in that song.
Matt Freeman is the truth. Please do more. Love your insights. He will too. ❤
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.
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.
Glad you dug deeper into Matt Freeman. Energy is one of few albums that I can legitimately say changed my life. I actually tattooed the entire cover on my back over the course of 3 years (had to take a break when my artist went to prison for 18 months). Ive only seen Matt play live twice, once at a festival, and the second time was at Pirates Press Records 15 years anniversary. It was the last night of 4 days of music, booze, blow and assorted mischief and I was beat. I walked upstairs to the show and went to grab a beer not knowing who was on stage. I remember thinking "fuck this bass player is sick" with my back to the stage. Then he started singing and I whipped around to see the legend himself not 20 ft away in this little room. He was with his band Charger but the night before had literally been in NYC opening for the Misfits at Madison Square Garden.
Matt Freeman has been my bass idol since middle school, and getting to see him play live a dozen times or more cemented it for me. I'm a huge Rancid/Op Ivy Fan, and his COVID sessions were great. Your smile during this video also made watching this worth it even more, because it was easy to see you were really enjoying into it.
Thank you so much. I legitimately am excited to get into this scene more. I’m just tickled by the happy vibes but it’s so intense. It’s almost funny, in a musical way. I wish some of the songs were a tad longer with more to dive into, but maybe a full album reaction would be fun instead… 🤔
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.
Lead bass yes. Matt has been on record saying that his biggest influence was John Entwistle. Explains alot lol.
Check out "Long Division" by Fugazi. It's on their alnum, "Steady Diet of Nothing. The bass line in that song is so smooth.
Idiots are taking over by NoFX has nuts bass. And I'm so stoked to see you cover both rancid and Op Ivy.
When I was starting bass I used to play along to this entire album. almost 30 years later I see a lot of Matt Freeman in my playing style. Crazy pick work and would not shy away from hitting octaves
Thank you for embracing a diverse range of bassist genres in your analysis, rather than just focusing on the mainstream ones. Your videos are not only enjoyable, but also educational in a subtle, engaging way. It feels like I'm learning effortlessly, almost without realizing it. Keep up the great work!
Jawbreaker "want" from the "unfun" record, such an iconic 90s punk rock bass line.
"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.
Minutemen! Mike Watt is the craziest bass player. Aggressive jazz
My favorite Matt Freeman bass line is Journey to the End of the East Bay off ...And Out Come The Wolves
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!!!
This album was mandatory listening every day when i was in high school. All day every day lol
Hell yeah! 2 videos in a row from you regarding Matt Freeman! It really is Christmas!
😘🙏🏼
Hell yes! Matt is one of the guys that made me want to pick up the bass in '98. Love watching you experience his awesome playing!
“All my best friends are metal-heads” has one of my favorite less than Jake bass line, definitely worth a revisit.
@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.
great video! Stumbled upon this after watching your maxwell murder video. You're comment "lead bass" really nailed it. My friend (bass) and I (drums) were heavily influenced by rancid and op ivy when we formed our first bands in HS. My dad who didn't have an ear for punk would say the talent is clearly the bass and drums in that genre.
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" :)
This is amazing. This is the kind of stuff I cut my teeth on and what made me want to play bass in the first place. There are so many amazing punk bass players and it’s great to see them getting recognition from outside the scene because this literally NEVER happens. If you’re still taking requests, check out Steve Youth from 7Seconds. They are East Bay Area-ish contemporaries of Op Ivy, Rancid, Green Day, etc. Great songs to check out would be Still Believe (after the long synth/organ intro) or Grown Apart.
The album does not disappoint front front to back... its timeless. It's awesome that as a professional musician, you give credit where its due.. most professional musicians are light years away from scuzzy old punk.. you give it a fair listen and get it both musically and energy wise.
It makes me smile to see you get infected with the Matt Freeman bug and get so excited about his playing. As a punk bassist my whole life it’s so fun to watch a pro and vet like you get introduced to it and have the same reaction I had 25 years ago. Huge props setting the microscope of punk for a moment - there are soo many good bassists in this genre.
Hoboken would have been nice to see you talk about. That song is a masterpiece.
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 🤘
There are a handful of Matt Freeman playthrough vidoes he recorded during lock down. Alot of fun to watch him pull this stuff off in a continuous shot
Any song from this album is guaranteed to put a smile on my face. After all these years I still listen to it a lot.
Great videos. Operation Ivy and Rancid changed the trajectory of my life. Don't miss out on all the amazing punk and hardcore out there :)
The song bad town has horns, also a particular favorite of mine
I'm really glad you went down the Matt Freeman rabbithole he was one of my heroes and influences in becoming a bass player I suggest you do Freeze up next or another rancid song Salvation
First rancid album was only a 3 piece, Matt plays lead bass through the whole record to fill in the sound…amazing stuff
That's a monster album. Any song off that would be sick... Hyena has my vote tho...
@@briantomcollinsAdina has a sick bassline too. Double picked crazy fast chromatic walking bass. If you only saw it tabbed out you'd think it was an advanced finger exercise, not the bassline to a song.
Great series, i lofe to hear that you're enjoying punk music! i'd love a short or a part 2 to see how you liked the whole Op Iv album
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.
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.
P.s. Do it! Binge the album and it will be a great half hour!
Op Ivy at Gilman was amazing glad to have experienced that. Matt is a machine.
Omg someone hearing Op Ivy for the first time, this is Amazing 😁😎
The first time i listened to operation ivy i fell in love with that entire album, i must have listened to it 20+ times, i know every single song and which one is coming up next and all the lyrics
Loving this punk journey from you! This era meant a lot to me. Are you ready for Suicide Machines ??
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
My fav record from when I was a kid. It’s cool to see the reaction from a different perspective
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 awesome seeing your facial expressions on discovering OpIvy for the first time; when I first discovered them at 14-15 years old it was like a kid walking into a candy store; it's really like a jazz band where you can zero in on one instrument at a time and letting it take you places..
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.
Bass in Streetlight Manifesto and Reel Big Fish is great, too. Mute, a French-Canadian punk band has a lot of fun technique in their songs, too.
I've never watched any of your videos before and am not even a musician, but it's really fun to watch you enjoy Matt Freeman's playing which i've been enjoying since the early 2000s.
The Minutemen (Mike Watt) and Fugazi (Joe Lally) would be great places to turn next. I recommend Double Nickels on the Dime and The Argument for albums from each of them, respectively.
Just gave me more gray hairs finding out you haven’t heard Fugazi, Minutemen, and Operation Ivy before. But stoked they are about to become part of your journey. It’s like that saying, I would love to go back in time and hear Op Ivy again for the first time
I’m sorry 😅 - I’m catching up quickly!!
Love that band!!
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.
Cereal Wars by AFI is some shredddding bass. Most of all of AFI’s first 3 albums have super intense and amazing bass
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.
Just found your channel. Not a huge reaction channel guy but I enjoy your personality and for what ever reason seeing a person get introduced to music that i love is so enjoyable for me and honestly much needed right now. I see you have a reaction to Streetlight and NOFX too. Oh hell yea man, subbed and looking forward to seeing you found more awesome music in the genre. Catch 22 is Streetlights precursor and they have and amazing song called Keasby nights, on top of a bunch of other good stuff.
So much punk can be super fun and uplifting. Fugazi is a whole other topic, awesome in a completely different way. Minutemen are great.
Means a lot friend, thank you!!
Just remember, Matt Freeman was about 20/21 years old when he played this.
Op Ivy used horns on the song Bad Town. It's also just a great song. Love your content man!
I’ll have to check that one out. Appreciate the nice words, Eric!!
@@LowEndUniversityyou should listen to the whole Energy album imo it’s one of the best albums ever made
God damn I wish I could go back and listen to that album again for the first time. This man has no idea how lucky he is 😂
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.
I'm sure you've picked up on it/been told already, but Journey to the End of the East Bay is about Op Ivy. It's a great song musically and the lyrics are so bittersweet when you know the story
This is one of my perfect albums. I can listen to energy from beginning to end and not skip a track!
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
"Jazz, swing, bebop with teeth on it", more like with razor blades and dog chains on it! Matt Freeman is just the man! Glad you dig it and get it!
also, ska, doesn't HAVE to have horns (check out Life Won't Wait - the album or just the title track - from Rancid) and Op Ivy is widely considered the best Ska Punk band of all time.
and also also, yes! Do check out Fugazi and Minutemen, and like I mentioned on the last video, please, please, please do Hot Water Music - blackjaw or turnstile to start would be good!
Matt Freeman was still a teen in this if I’m not mistaken. He did a series during 2020 called Matt Freeman Bass Bunker where he played along to his own songs during lockdown. You can see how much fun he has playing.