Was this the GREATEST Synthpop bass line of 1983?

[@nickbeggsofficial]

You guys nailed it. Thankyou for even remembering me. Big Love. 👍

[@Dean4471]

Legend, mate. Looking forward to seeing you with Steven Wilson in May 👌🏻🙏🏼

[@jackquarantillo5192]

Love it when the subject matter of a YT vid drops into the discussion! Great tune, Nick!

[@cynnelson1]

Thanks for all the music! Hope Santa brings you "everything AND the kitchen sink"!😉

[@brexitdave8995]

Great bass line Nick - I too own a black Wal 1980 Custom Pro fretless. Gigged every week since early 80s.

[@Simon_V_RDJ]

Hey Nick, saw your TikTok video with you saying that very Wal bass was for sale...and you were thinking of buying it back... So did you manage to buy it back or stay married and get that kitchen for your wife??

[@JustinSane_555]

Best bass channel on the internet… Period

[@michakoodziejczyk3806]

definitely, I play guitar but I love this channel

[@bassplayer807]

Only other Bass sources I would recommend for Online is Joe Hubbard Bass, as far as books go I would get anything from Berklee, or both versions of Paul Westwood’s Bass Bible…… that’s pretty much all you need to study to the point of being a master in any style of music, and hone Groove/ Time/ Feel…… I think in order to have a full time income as a bassist one needs to be open to many styles and be able to play them. I always like bringing new stuff to the table with my band.

[@smithjohn383]

9:55. The keyboardist playing with mr Beggs is another 80's legend, Howard Jones.

[@KONAmustang50]

"Like to Get to Know You Well" is on my Bass Skills wish list. Love that song.

[@evanjazzista]

@@KONAmustang50 The late great Mo Foster was on fretless bass on that song, what a master he was!

[@andyunwin9260]

I saw Nick Beggs playing with Howard Jones in a function room behind a pub in Ascot. I think it was summer of 2001 and there were possibly 100 people there I think we paid £5 to get in. Nowadays These guys are on the 80s revival circuit and playing to huge crowds again. I also saw Nick Kershaw at the same place around the same time for the same money

[@1man1guitarletsgo]

@@andyunwin9260 I saw Nick with Howard at "Let's Rock Shrewsbury" during the mad Covid time. I was amazed to see such a high profile session player there, and wondered if he was taking any work where he could, due to lockdowns causing his usual work to dry up. The show was fantastic, and Nick was superb. Nik Kershaw also plays at the Let's Rock shows, which are well worth attending.

[@risingxforce]

Singing and playing that line in the chorus is absolutely nuts.

[@evilvet]

It is the best 80s bass line. I was a hardcore thrash metal guy, but still listened to many other genres... I first heard and saw too shy on Friday night videos and it just blew my mind. Nick was just otherworldly incredible. 40 years later, it's still a part of my being.

[@HerrinSchadenfreude]

I put this bass line way up towards the top, but the best one of the 80's to me is the one from One Thing Leads to Another by Dan Brown of The Fixx.

[@Reargunner-o7h]

I remember being a wee rocker who hated pop music, but being blown away by this song. I loved the bass and was mesmerised by Nick's immense ability. I still love this song.

[@grandamdrvr13]

Scott is a fantastic Bassist, and I personally am amazed at Ian's ability to pick apart tones and even notes. Together you 2 are the dynamic duo, both are amazing bassists. Just killing it for the bass community guys. Thanks.

[@gazfunk]

You should get Nick on the show.

[@devinebass]

We would love to!

[@stuartbirch7815]

YES!

[@fusionfan6883]

Nick has become the go to bassist for so many modern prog bands, a real virtuoso as well as a bit of a rebel🤘🏻

[@FreakazoidsAsteroids]

As well as being a monster bassist (singing and playing Too Shy at the same time?!) AND stick player - and like so many of the legends from that era - he’s also one hell of a character. Pleeeeeease get him on the show!

[@ruhaidai]

That Antigua is 🔥. Still not got one in my collection.

[@stephenclark7013]

Just watched an Instagram reel with Nick Beggs talking about that Wal bass he had to give it back when the band split .. Its come back on sale for £15K and he is asking for advice on whether or not he should buy it and play it again its well worth a watch a very funny man, and a great Bass player as well.. Oh thanks for this breakdown as well

[@PjRjHj]

Its great to see Nick Beggs getting some attention these days. Kajagoogoo's "White Feathers" and "Islands" albums have some cracking basslines on Wal, MusicMan, Vigier, and the Chapman Stick. Under the loose umbrella that is New Wave, i'd put Nick's basslines at the top of what the genre offered. Up there with Mick Karn work with Japan, Dalis Car, Gary Numan, and Pino Palladino's work with Gary Numan and early Paul Young. Ahead of John Taylor and Derek Forbes.

[@gwensciora8516]

It's been my pleasure to interview Nick and meet him several times!! He played with MARILLION on Cruise to the Edge! WAXX TRAXX TO THE MAXX ON WUSB FM NY

[@simonwhenlock]

Nick Beggs, one of the most underrated bassists ever!

[@The_Clint_Beastwood]

best hair of the 80's

[@Reargunner-o7h]

Hardly underrated. the man's a legend!

[@blamejez]

When you’re Steven Wilson’s go-to, you’re not underrated.

[@1man1guitarletsgo]

@@Reargunner-o7h "Underrated" is a word that gets bandied about on KZbin, often used to describe people who are anything but. In Nick's case, I think he was a slow-burner, and it's only in the last decade or so that he's come back to prominence, so while he's not underrated, he was under the radar for a while.

[@JonGreen_UK]

Not by bassists! The man's a marvel! (And also nutty as a fruitcake!)

[@dennisc2154]

I hope you will also feature Mick Karn of Japan 😀

[@moskusviagra]

Oh yeah, they should definitely do a breakdown of "Visions of China"

[@seamusthebogman]

Maybe if they do that again, they can run an actual photo of him and not someone else.

[@ablestringer9063]

Yes he was definitely influential to many bands of the 80s including Kajagoogoo. The opening "dissonant" piece of this song was textbook Karn

[@scottptolomey3498]

Definitely Mick Karn influenced I’d say John Taylor of Duran Duran was also heavily influenced by Karn’s style too

[@ulash12344321]

The most peaceful and joyful part of the 21 century is the communication between the bass players and I'm proud of being a part of this. In this channel I witnessed legendary bass players who are interacting in the comments for many times like Nick Beggs did a few hours ago. Even I personally experienced this kindness with him and some other bass heroes of mine like David Ellefson, Tony Franklin... So that I'm writing here again: We the bass players are the most harmless underground organization of the world! :)

[@cassisbrook]

Another good Kajagoogoo tune where Mr Beggs sings (after Limahl left) and plays bass, is 'Big Apple'.

[@nunofernandes4501]

Ever since I started playing 35 years ago, my dream bass has been a fretless Wal MKI like Mick Karn's.

[@WePlayTheBeatles]

I was 17 in 1983, my last year at high school, plenty of massive hits, from McCartney to the Police and there came Too Shy on tv. I remember spending hours in my room trying to figure out the bass line that I thought was played on a synth. Thank you guys!!!!

[@telekonarmy]

I saw Howard Jones on tour in 2020. Last concert I attended before the world shut down for Covid. Nick Beggs was a very pleasant surprise. Pretty sure that’s the tour your clip came from. I was simply awestruck watching this played live.

[@tomowens7499]

That's nothing! Check out his bass line on 'ooh to be aah'! That one stumped me for years! Great video...

[@edennard1]

@tomowens7499 That was a serious bass line

[@M.to.the.L]

One of my favorite songs from the 80s! Thanks for covering it.

[@MattMcQueen1]

Nick Beggs is brilliant. The pre-chorus reminds me a little of Thomas Dolby's "Dissidents" intro. Good to see him performing there with Howard Jones as well.

[@Jibblyjab]

Thank you SBL for putting this back out. I hope Nick gets this Wal bass back. 🫡

[@paullawson8610]

Nick Beggs is a legend

[@RastaSaiyaman]

Nick Beggs' bass playing is almost as epic as that thermal explosion hairdo of his. The song "ooh to be ah" is another must listen. During the eighties, he and Mark King were inspiring playing to stick out their thumbs and start slapping.

[@johnhmaloney]

Too Shy came out a couple of years before I started learning to play any string instruments. As soon as I understood enough about bass to have any clue what Nick Beggs was doing on the track, it absolutely blew my damn mind.

[@capriboy2o]

Finally....Credit for Beggs and this ultimate bassline. If I ever needed a bassist, this would be my audition piece for them. What happened to the outro?? My fave part!!

[@sandylman8219]

Great video guys. Nick Beggs is awesome. I've been lucky enough to see most of my favourite bass players live: Squire, Levin, Lee but I've yet to see Nick Beggs live. So looking forward to seeing him with Steven Wilson next May.

[@gunn777]

This song made me pick up the Bass guitar after a years on my 6 string guitar. Now I play bass exclusively for my band. Thanks Nick Begg. Bless you Scott, love this channel . God bless 🙌 🙏 ❤️

[@davejones7475]

What impressives me, is these guys are earning a living with their passions!

[@carljohnson6337]

This is one of my favorite 80's bass lines along with Rick Anderson's bass work on The Tubes "She's a Beauty"! I love the 80's!!

[@seaninness334]

That was a LOT of fun. So awesome that it appears Nick actually responded in the comments. I was 17 when this song came out. ❤

[@jiujitsubassist]

8:28 - What I'd really like is to hear Mr. Scott Devine sing Too Shy while playing it on bass like Nick Beggs did. 🤣🤣🤣

[@devinebass]

😅😅😅

[@williamkohrman1033]

​@@devinebassLet's start a petition! 😂

[@ericmailer6722]

Great video breakdown as always. For info if anyone’s interested, the Wal Pro2E had an early version of the Wal preamp. The 5th knob is a master volume which is quite handy, but they discontinued in the later model. Also there are no push/pull switches, three small sliders just below the pickups control the filters.

[@aregularjoe6781]

This bass line has haunted me for years! Nice job breaking it down into digestible segments. Nick Beggs is a beast!

[@escommentss]

What's freaking me out about this is I've never actually paid attention to the bass line on this until now! Amazing. I'm going to check out more of his stuff!

[@domlisboa4024]

As usual Scott an amazingly informative video. Thanks so much for your dedication.

[@jimmywhyte7181]

Neck Beggs rules !, Kaja is epic.

[@rationalmuscle]

Scott and Ian - the best teachers ever. Great job guys - and Scotty hope that shoulder is better mate.

[@d.a.6608]

I’ve been hearing some killer bass lines from these 80’s pop songs recently. This person at work plays this style of music at work. Some of the bass lines are killer.

[@iljaursweitzel6870]

Great content! A feast for anyone who loves playing bass. It's not easy to always offer something new and interesting. Good stuff!

[@bodowen]

Saw him in Steven Wilson’s band a couple years ago. He played a Stanley Stick. Amazing, of course.

[@andrewpinner3181]

Thanks guys, great vid & explanation, Nick's bass line is indeed inspired ! I love Scott's Wal bass too !

[@SevansDog-ju4fb]

Great job guys! What a bassline! Only improved an a STEINBERGEEEERRRR!!!

[@malphadour]

Love to see you guys have a look at some of Derek Forbes bass lines from early Simple Minds, in particular off Empires And Dance, Sons & Fascination, and Sisters Feeling Call albums. His bass lines are simply incredible.

[@mackymaca]

Such a great bassline. Growing up in the 80s and hearing this song, the pre-chorus and chorus always hit me hard and funked me up. Nick Beggs is truly a master.

[@onefrequencydown]

I was 10 years old when this was released, brought up on Adam and The Ants and Electro. Later in life I was into dance, rock, metal, indie, Goth...this bassline is just the most amazing bassline I have ever heard and it just oozes 1980s with the synth layer behind it. Incredible art.

[@Vykk_Draygo]

I love 80's pop (and new wave). So good.

[@Slone]

So weird ! This song popped back in my head like two or three months ago, after more than 20 years of absence, and for no apparent reasons... And now you make a video about it ! Very cool and creative bass line.

[@TrueCompanionMusic]

Without Nick this video wouldn’t exist. Buy him back his Wal as a thanks!!

[@mikeorr8041]

Nick Beggs is awesome. A couple of years ago, I saw him live with Steven Wilson (Nick has gone full prog!). Check out his work on "The Raven That Refused to Sing". Luminol has an awesome bass intro.

[@devinebass]

The line up on that record was absolutely stellar, and Steven's writing for them was spot on!

[@IanMatthewsuk]

I thought he was going to prog when I saw with Iona back in the 90s - mainly playing the Chapman Stick.

[@UphillGardener-ly5sh]

I once had hair like Nick and on his advice I used to condition my hair with Lenor, and now I have hair like Scott........ lawsuit incoming! :o)

[@tuftynuts]

Likewise, but the maintenance is so much lower with the new sleek look I find :-)

[@devinebass]

🤣🤣🤣

[@jasonbelldata]

Hands down the best breakdown I've seen of the bassline I vowed never to go near. :)

[@RicardoArce]

@nickbeggsofficial The bass line already adds another layer a hypnotic sound to the song. I have the beginning bass line to "Too Shy" looped in a 10 minute mix. Thank you Nick for THE GREATEST Synthpop bass line of ALL TIME!

[@Erbay16]

As a long-time recreational bassist and die-hard-tragic fan of this song, I thank you both so much for this breakdown, fellas. I've watched so many other versions and had that uncanny-valley sense of 'nup, close but something's off'... Watched your analysis and the intuition went 'yes, they've nailed it, bang-on'... What a team, keep up the great work...

[@trevornever27]

always felt like this is one of those unsung bass performances that only real musicians can appreciate. most ppl cant even hear the bass or pick it out in the mix so bravo for shedding some light on this banger. Another new wave hit that would be cool to see is a breakdown of the Fixx's "One Thing Leads to Another", originally performed by Alfie Agius. Its so sneaky good in support of the repetitive guitar riff, the bass line really keeps it moving while still holding it all down. I got to see the Fixx at the MIM in Phx, AZ, in an acoustically perfect room, it wasnt Alfie Agius since he left the band decades ago, but still one of the best shows Ive seen

[@r3ality1]

Damn right! Love Nick Beggs!

[@marcoghiotti7153]

Too shy was a pure harmony masterpiece. The 80s could at times produce absolute magical sounds

[@cjslox]

LOVE me some Nick Beggs. He’s killing it with Steven Wilson these days.

[@MWC1968]

Chorus has to be the best advice given....it took my bass to the next level.

[@GeoffByrdMusic]

It's "cold funk" the same way the Revolution was funky and yet so musical underneath it all. The same way Queen's bass player was funky with Another One Bites the Dust. Cold funk is my favorite type of syncopated bass lines. Genius bass line and killer song. I grew up in the 80s and I always cranked this tune whenever I heard it!

[@LiquidAudio]

Always loved this tune and that bassline, great work guys!

[@joevanderessen7541]

I just recently saw a video of Howard Jones playing live and Nick Beggs was on bass and they did Too Shy, so you can see how he plays it. Pretty good shots of Nick playing.

[@hubertried19]

this intro slide are 4ths of a- phygian scale. just great and it doesn't sound disonant to me at all 🤔

[@SamBrockmann]

This is how I learn to write my own bass lines. I am a guitar player, who writes bass. And lines like this: they help me become a better writer.

[@craigjamroz7585]

Dissonance, my favorite word, My favorite bass player, Les Claypool. 🤓 To defy the laws of tradition is a crusade only of the brave.

[@dicard2010]

Great bass line and you should definitely get Nick on the show. I meet him when he was playing with John Paul Jones and he said he wrote this bass line on the Chapman Stick 😊

[@devinebass]

We would LOVE to have Nick in for an interview!

[@twoi5764]

Thanks, guys! Crazy stuff! 🎉

[@flynod]

Nick Beggs!! Yeah! 🤟 One of the greatest! Thank you guys, great job as usual! SBL rulez! 😉

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@GregTudor]

Nick's bass is for sale on Reverb as of the publishing of this video!

[@GarethSchofield-y8k]

And he's attempting to buy it back

[@jamesk.bishop105]

Great breakdown guys!

[@devinebass]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@darrennewcombe7841]

BRAVO GUYS. VERY ENTERTAINING. AND OF COURSE NICK !

[@Karola9787]

My heart is full!! Thanks for this guys 👍

[@andypullega5479]

Thank you so much guys for breaking that down! I can remember trying to learn that song back in the day when I was a teenager and it was too hard for me then. After watching you do it, I might be able to do it now. Thanks again

[@pipes7120]

Facts, that bassline to THIS DAY is iconic

[@isashax]

Nick is a legend, so absolutely amazing! These 80's musicians are sometimes underrated, but they were highly original and talented! The slide part reminds me a bit to Mick Karn. Probably because he also played a Wal and did it a lot.

[@elrafa782]

A pleasure to hear This hit again, for that, thank you 🙏 but not only, always a good time to hear from you guys

[@christee5772]

Great breakdown, never going to be able to play it though. Remember buying this as a single when it came out, that bass sound just blew me away.

[@RobertJMitchell2012]

Awwww!! Nick Beggs is a beast of a bass player. White Feathers is one of the first LPs I owned.

[@99FXR]

I’m so happy you’re finally covering Mr Jellyfish haircut!😂😂 dude is a MONSTER bass player

[@jurgenhuman8417]

MAN!! What a cool verse and pre-chorus! I'm about half way through the Slap Accelerator and I'm gonna print the tabs and give this a go. Such a creative way of playing the common I IV V progression in the verse 😍

[@devinebass]

Have fun with it!

[@Kouros-t6d]

White Feather and especially Islands from Kajagoogoo are two GREAT pop-funk albums!!! Pop music was even better than rock back then....we all need great pop-disco-funk-soul music to rule the charts again...REAL Music played by REAL Musicians yet popular .

[@PjRjHj]

Couldn't agree more

[@mattwilson317]

That bassline is simply exquisite

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@_Olorin]

2:07 obligatory Adam Neely quote, quoting his professor: "Repetition Legitimizes"

[@jackfrost6983]

Thanks for the breakdown of the bass lick. Fantastic. Pls check also the bass of "Oh to be ah". Hell of a bass intro lick

[@MrKiwiJack]

Awesome. Love you guys. Now, back up the time machine to 82 and give us a breakdown of Rock the Casbah :)

[@BlackJackLopez]

It's amazing work. This however reminds me the time the song was playing on my cellphone, and my singer friend absolutely laughed at me liking "Too shy" (I ignore why, she has 'squarer' tastes than me!). And of course, my response was: "Hey, the bassist was a BEAST!" 😂

[@stevem-h3562]

And to think, Kajagoogoo were all proggers as well before EMI changed their s**t up and tried to make them teen idols. Beggsy is a great bassist and has always been seriously talented, which is why he's made such a serious reputation as a sessioner. I nearly nearly nearly managed to pick up a Wal from the Bass Cellar in Denmark St that once belonged to Alan Spenner from Roxy Music after he'd passed away in the mid 1990s... I just found it too heavy at the time and bought a Spector instead. Probably just as well as I'd have probably ended up selling it for a lot less than what I should have done when I left music for 5 years in the late 1990s....

[@joelonsdale]

Man, I loved Kajagoogoo... I was young when they came out and couldn't afford the album, so went to Camden Lock and bought a pirate cassette instead, with a hand written track listing... That bassline is etched into my mind...

[@talesfromthetoiletseat8295]

That wal your playing is awesome.

[@axgunner6060]

7:21 this part is only played i think once or twice every other time he goes up I think on the 9th fret B then back and forth on G and A ending on g i think then slides up to the 14 the and back down to some low note I know it’s nerdy but for anyone that wants to play it correct 👍

[@johnt71]

In a one word answer to your question, YES.

[@thilobraun3440]

A Wal Bass. Those are rare. Great sound and good explanation

[@chriscoxofficial]

7:18 Sounds like he is starting to play the changes from “Don’t Look Any Further” by Dennis Edwards, which came out a year later.

[@myopicautisticmetal9035]

Most of my favorite 80's bass lines are Rush, Power Windows has Grand Designs and Marathon to name a couple or Hold Your Fire has Turn the Page and Time Stand Still which both have amazing bass lines in my opinion. Or Grace Under Pressure has Between the Wheels and Red Lenses or Kid Gloves. Amazing songs and bass playing. Signals has Digital Man and Analog Kid or Chemistry are all amazing!

[@dcoffey666]

This was awesome. I have always wanted to know how to play that song.

[@majorsynthqed7374]

I saw Nick when he toured with Steve Wilson after the release of The Raven That Refused to Sing. His playing is amazing.

[@devinebass]

🧡🧡🧡

[@FingalPersson]

Scott has healed! You were in for a surgery not long ago weren't you? 🙂 Welcome back and also wohooo!

[@RonnyC72]

Thanks! what a great bassline!

[@pizzagogo6151]

That was great !! as far as 80s go probably my fav guitar bass,🥰 amazing breakdown. Dont know if youre looking for any more (obscure) but great 80s bass lines but look at the almost forgotten band "The Quick" lot of their songs really strong bass lines, most well known being " rhythm of the jungle"

[@kieran0000]

This Bassline is my best memory of the 80's ....With Rio of course 🤩

[@devinebass]

🔥🔥🔥

[@conradfarrar477]

Love you guys to do a breakdown of 'Ooh to be ahh' by Kajagoogoo. Very gorgeous, unique playing by Mr Beggs.