--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's funny: when I started playing bass…" description: "\"It's funny: when I started playing bass in 1984, you had guys like Paul Simonon fron the Clash, John Paul Jones, Lemmy, and Nikki Sixx was the head guy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/duff-mckagan-2740_bass_it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-i_2863293.jpg" --- # It's funny: when I started playing bass in 1984, you had… ![“It's funny: when I started playing bass in 1984, you had guys like Paul Simonon fron the Clash, John Paul Jones, Lemmy, and Nikki Sixx was the head guy in Motley Crue, and you had all this post-punk stuff like Magazine and Killing Joke where the bass sort of lead the way. Not that I picked it to…” quote by Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/duff-mckagan-2740_bass_it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-i_2863293.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/duff-mckagan-2740_bass_it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-i_2863293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/duff-mckagan-2740_bass_it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-i_2863293.jpg) > “It's funny: when I started playing bass in 1984, you had guys like Paul Simonon fron the Clash, John Paul Jones, Lemmy, and Nikki Sixx was the head guy in Motley Crue, and you had all this post-punk stuff like Magazine and Killing Joke where the bass sort of lead the way. Not that I picked it to sort of be a main dude, but it intrigued me.” [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bass can lead in post‑punk, shaping sound and identity. **In simple terms:** Bass often drives music in certain genres. Key Takeaway Explore bass’s leading role. Themes music leadership genre evolution Mood enthusiastic nostalgic Type observational reflective When to use this quote - band formation - songwriting - performance dynamics Key Concepts instrumental influence creative direction Questions to Reflect On - How does bass shape a song’s feel? - Can you apply this leadership concept elsewhere? A Different Perspective Not all genres prioritize bass. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Playing bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-bass/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [Three of my heroes that have gotten clean and sober that I got to ask for advice were Alice Cooper, Nikki Sixx and Zakk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-strauss/three-of-my-heroes-that-have-gotten-clean-and-sober-that-i-got-to-ask/) [Nita Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-strauss/) > [To be quite honest with you, a lot of people don't realize that Nikki Sixx and I did Brides of Destruction after the lawsuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corabi/to-be-quite-honest-with-you-a-lot-of-people-don-t-realize-that-nikki/) [John Corabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corabi/) > [Some kid gets his first iPhone, signs up to Twitter, and then tweets, 'Nikki Sixx sucks.' And I'm supposed to take that personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/some-kid-gets-his-first-iphone-signs-up-to-twitter-and-then-tweets/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [“It would be too much for me to deal with to be sitting up there next to God, Bon Scott, Sid Vicious, and Jimi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-sixx/it-would-be-too-much-for-me-to-deal-with-to-be-sitting-up-there-next/) [Nikki Sixx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-sixx/) > [“Ryon posed the question in all their minds -what the fuck is he? The love child of Criss Angel and Adam Lambert? Jaxon tossed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-tyler/ryon-posed-the-question-in-all-their-minds-what-the-fuck-is-he-the/) [J.D. Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-tyler/) > [If you're looking for a behind-the-scenes rock-n-roll biography, pick up Nikki Sixx's 'The Heroin Diaries'. If you want the world's most narcissistic high school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/if-you-re-looking-for-a-behind-the-scenes-rock-n-roll-biography-pick/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [“The Los Angeles earthquake of October 1,1987 measured 5.9 on the Richter scale. It killed eight people, injured scores more, and left 2,200 people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gittins/the-los-angeles-earthquake-of-october-1-1987-measured-5-9-on-the/) Ian Gittins > [It was an extraordinary connection, the synergy within the band. There was an area of ESP between Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, John Bonham,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/it-was-an-extraordinary-connection-the-synergy-within-the-band-there/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [So much of the time people focus on the awesome power of Led Zeppelin, the whole 'Hammer of the Gods' thing, but John Paul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-anthony/so-much-of-the-time-people-focus-on-the-awesome-power-of-led-zeppelin/) [Michael Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-anthony/) > [“I have not yet begun to fight!” John Paul Jones September 23, 1779. He said this when his ship was on fire and sinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-atwood/i-have-not-yet-begun-to-fight-john-paul-jones-september-23-1779-he/) Steven Atwood > [From meeting Robert Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones, teaming up, rehearsing, playing selected gigs outside of Britain, coming back into Olympic Studios…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/from-meeting-robert-plant-john-bonham-and-john-paul-jones-teaming-up/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [“Born John Paul in Arbigland, Scotland on July 6, 1747, he started his seagoing career as an apprentice aboard the sail ship Friendship, commanded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/born-john-paul-in-arbigland-scotland-on-july-6-1747-he-started-his/) Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One > [There will be a Led Zeppelin as long as there's a Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones and Robert Plant. This isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/there-will-be-a-led-zeppelin-as-long-as-there-s-a-jimmy-page-john/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [I was lucky enough to be down at the studio the day John Paul Jones came down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-shiflett/i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-down-at-the-studio-the-day-john-paul-jones/) [Chris Shiflett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-shiflett/) > [“whether on the battlefield or in the business world, leaders must be comfortable accepting some level of risk. As the U.S. Naval hero of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/whether-on-the-battlefield-or-in-the-business-world-leaders-must-be/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) ## More by Duff McKagan > [“On March 31, 1994, I went to LAX to catch a flight from L.A. to Seattle. Kurt Cobain was waiting to take the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/on-march-31-1994-i-went-to-lax-to-catch-a-flight-from-l-a-to-seattle/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [I think after 9/11, here in America, I saw something extraordinary. I saw neighbors looking after neighbors. I don't think anybody asked who anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-think-after-9-11-here-in-america-i-saw-something-extraordinary-i/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > ['Chip Away' is somewhat of a rail against cable news and divisive agendas... all for the almighty dollar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/chip-away-is-somewhat-of-a-rail-against-cable-news-and-divisive/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“Eventually we found ourselves in the middle of an onion field. When you’re hungry and don’t know where and when your next meal is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/eventually-we-found-ourselves-in-the-middle-of-an-onion-field-when/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“I guess we can all look back and see things in our lives that we could or should have done differently—and better—and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-guess-we-can-all-look-back-and-see-things-in-our-lives-that-we/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [Words and titles can be used as dictums and guides for all of us. A certain word can suddenly snap us back to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/words-and-titles-can-be-used-as-dictums-and-guides-for-all-of-us-a/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“We called the result “Welcome to the Jungle.” We played the song live for the first time when we opened a show at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/we-called-the-result-welcome-to-the-jungle-we-played-the-song-live/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“a couple years prior we were hitchhiking to a gig with no gear. Now we were on a fucking tour bus. We could eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/a-couple-years-prior-we-were-hitchhiking-to-a-gig-with-no-gear-now-we/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“Far fewer people know that Slash is also a world-class Russian crouch-down-and-kick-your-legs-out dancer. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/far-fewer-people-know-that-slash-is-also-a-world-class-russian-crouch/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [I think you can tell stories and give perspectives and yet still keep stuff for yourself, too. I keep a lot of my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-think-you-can-tell-stories-and-give-perspectives-and-yet-still-keep/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“At the end of the European leg, our lead guitar player pulled a knife on our bus driver in England. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/at-the-end-of-the-european-leg-our-lead-guitar-player-pulled-a-knife/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [If you don't have a good rhythm section, your band is toast; you're a bar band. Good rhythm section, you've got a chance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/if-you-don-t-have-a-good-rhythm-section-your-band-is-toast-you-re-a/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [I had a column for the 'Seattle Weekly' for five years, and there was one column that was called 'How To Be A Man,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/i-had-a-column-for-the-seattle-weekly-for-five-years-and-there-was/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“we did an acoustic set at CBGB on October 30, 1987, where we debuted “Patience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/we-did-an-acoustic-set-at-cbgb-on-october-30-1987-where-we-debuted/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [One of my first memories is marching with my mom. I was in kindergarten with with the Catholic ladies when Martin Luther King Jr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/one-of-my-first-memories-is-marching-with-my-mom-i-was-in/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) [Explore all 152 Duff McKagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) ## More Bass quotes > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [In life's orchestra, the bike is the double bass. Hard to forget it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fournel/in-life-s-orchestra-the-bike-is-the-double-bass-hard-to-forget-it/) Paul Fournel > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I'm 12 years sober, so I don't have beer! When I used to drink I really liked Bass Ale!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-davis/i-m-12-years-sober-so-i-don-t-have-beer-when-i-used-to-drink-i-really/) [Kristin Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-davis/) > [The kind of fishing that I do is pretty much bass, trout or freshwater fishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-steyn/the-kind-of-fishing-that-i-do-is-pretty-much-bass-trout-or-freshwater/) [Dale Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-steyn/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I was never much of a bass player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-was-never-much-of-a-bass-player/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I've always been playing with other people, and that's how I learned. I got a kit of drums I couldn't play, but I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ringo-starr/i-ve-always-been-playing-with-other-people-and-that-s-how-i-learned-i/) [Ringo Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ringo-starr/) > [I grew up on the pirate radio scene which started out as drum 'n' bass music. U.K. garage picked up and got bigger on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/i-grew-up-on-the-pirate-radio-scene-which-started-out-as-drum-n-bass/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [Close to the Edge by Yes. Such a fun tune to play on bass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-acton/close-to-the-edge-by-yes-such-a-fun-tune-to-play-on-bass/) [Brian Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-acton/) > [I've been in a band, so I understand the politics. Sometimes the bass player doesn't like what the guitar player is doing, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ric-ocasek/i-ve-been-in-a-band-so-i-understand-the-politics-sometimes-the-bass/) [Ric Ocasek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ric-ocasek/) > [That's what Joe Don Rooney and I do. He plays guitar and I play bass - and there's no reason to call it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/that-s-what-joe-don-rooney-and-i-do-he-plays-guitar-and-i-play-bass/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [I've always said the bass just happens to be the crayon I picked out of the box. I'd still be drawing the same pictures...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-claypool/i-ve-always-said-the-bass-just-happens-to-be-the-crayon-i-picked-out/) [Les Claypool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-claypool/) > [I was a guitar player in a band that had two keyboard players, sometimes two other guitarists, a bass player, and a drummer, four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-was-a-guitar-player-in-a-band-that-had-two-keyboard-players/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [I live a different way today. I have a family, and they are a priority for me. These days, I no longer wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/i-live-a-different-way-today-i-have-a-family-and-they-are-a-priority/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) Browse all 722 Bass quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's funny: when I started playing bass in 1984, you had guys like Paul Simonon fron the Clash, John Paul Jones, Lemmy, and Nikki Sixx was the head guy in Motley Crue, and you had all this post-punk stuff like Magazine and Killing Joke where the bass sort of lead the way. Not that I picked it to sort of be a main dude, but it intrigued me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Duff McKagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-in-1984-you-had-guys-like-paul/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bass" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-in-1984-you-had-guys-like-paul/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/duff-mckagan-2740_bass_it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-i_2863293.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/duff-mckagan-2740_bass_it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-i_2863293.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/duff-mckagan-2740_bass_it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-i_2863293.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's funny: when I started playing bass in 1984, you had guys like Paul Simonon fron the Clash, John Paul…” — Duff McKagan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Duff McKagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's funny: when I started playing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-in-1984-you-had-guys-like-paul/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/it-s-funny-when-i-started-playing-bass-in-1984-you-had-guys-like-paul/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```