Quincy Jones Talks With Vulture

Hahahah Quincy you savage!

 

Musical principles exist, man. Musicians today can’t go all the way with the music because they haven’t done their homework with the left brain. Music is emotion and science. You don’t have to practice emotion because that comes naturally. Technique is different. If you can’t get your finger between three and four and seven and eight on a piano, you can’t play. You can only get so far without technique. People limit themselves musically, man. Do these musicians know tango? Macumba? Yoruba music? Samba? Bossa nova? Salsa? Cha-cha?


PREACH, QUINCY.

 

I absolutely loved this.

"People limit themselves musically, man. Do these musicians know tango? Macumba? Yoruba music? Samba? Bossa nova? Salsa? Cha-cha?"

Just about any form of Latin music is some of the hardest shit in the world to play on any instrument. The grooves implemented, and more importantly the feel, will throw you off balance in a way that no other form of music does. That's why it kills me when so much of modern music is about going the easy route. We're capable of discovering so much more.

 

Super interesting read. He went all in with the honesty, huh?

 

"Is there innovation happening in modern pop music? Hell no. It’s just loops, beats, rhymes and hooks. What is there for me to learn from that? There ain’t no fucking songs. The song is the power; the singer is the messenger. The greatest singer in the world cannot save a bad song. I learned that 50 years ago, and it’s the single greatest lesson I ever learned as a producer. If you don’t have a great song, it doesn’t matter what else you put around it."

I need that Citizen Kane gif.

 

That's a fun interview.

Be a Pisces. Jam.

 

Quincy Jones doesn't give a fuuuuuuuuuck hahaha great read

 

on one hand, quincy jones' interview in GQ was gross. but the other hand, i love drama

 

"Rock ain’t nothing but a white version of rhythm and blues, motherfucker"

I'M GONNA TATTOO THIS ON MY FACE

 

Mars Volta know what Quincy is saying :). As far as the beatles comment, paul was a damn good bassist.

 

Yeah, I wasn't really following that bit about Paul. If you go back and listen to the isolated bassline for "Something", it's an objectively great bassline. Sure, it's not James Jamerson but it's creative, fun and does a good job of moving the melody along.

 

Maybe because he uses a pick lol? I play bass and am a purest in i refuse to use a pick, even for metal (cliff burton ). Maybe because he plays it more like a guitar than a typical bass? Idk, but paul has some real intricate riffs that alternate and aren't repetitive AND he sings while playing them!

 

Not to change the subject but if he were still alive, I'd love to see a metal bass duel between Cliff Burton and Steve Harris.

 

Yeah that would be dooooope. Two best metal bands of all time have 2 of the best bassists of all time, coincidence??? I think Cliff would win but both were SUPER innovative in their own ways. Cliff would shred like a mother fucker and use distortion and Steve did a lot with galloping and using 3 or more fingers in cool patterns (im really not taking the time i should to explain myself but those r a few distinctions that come to mind). You take those guys, throw in a little acid and crack and you get Les Claypool.

 

This interview was fucking amazing, and (most of) the GQ one too in as far as the level of truly insane stories he has. Guy has lived like, 10 lives in one - a true legend of music.

 

Didn’t Les Claypool audition for Metallica after Cliff died? The idea of Les as their bassist is oddly fascinating to me