Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr. on Playing Bass with a Really Loud Guitarist | Reverb Bass Tricks

[@MarkusLittle]

Lou helped me look for my car keys after a Sebadoh gig at the duchess of York in leeds many years ago. Always appreciated that.

[@samuelbanya]

Did you find your keys?

[@MoPower2112]

woah didn't realize the bass took so much of a rhythm guitar role in DinoJr! super cool

[@bunerzissou]

Michael Osztertag yeah, blew my mind!

[@xander9564]

The "upright" bass is really a bass viol.

[@coffeecomics3583]

Paulo dybala - viola !

[@obscurebandfan]

Lemmy style!

[@carlfolcojr.3497]

Right you could tell bye the opening riffs chords

[@elmoblatch9787]

Saw Dinosaur Jr. in Fort Collins, Colo, on Oct 30, 2009. Barlow said something like: "You have a really nice thrift store across the street and I bought this great shirt for $5." I just loved that comment. And yeah, it was a great shirt. He might actually be wearing it right here.

[@danielstoddart]

What brand of windbreaker is Barlow wearing here? I've seen him wear this same jacket a lot lately.

[@connormorrissy3972]

@@danielstoddart a bit late but i think this is a Ruger gun jacket, i think i saw him wearing it in another interview

[@danielstoddart]

@@connormorrissy3972 Thanks, I appreciate that. I searched those terms but only came up with a bunch of Ruger firearms. At first I thought this was a thrift store windbreaker but I guess I was wrong. It looks like it has a lining inside.

[@skeletalremains8555]

Which venue was that at? Was it the Aggie?

[@bosspig746]

@danielstoddart I have the exact same jacket like the exact one it’s pla-jac by dunbrookes made in USA

[@charlessale409]

man i could listen to lou hammering on that thing all day...

[@monkmonkmonk123]

Garegh62 what are u talking about?

[@gagesuther159]

@Garegh62 wOw

[@Aguirrethewrathofgod]

To those people who don't understand.You're in the youtube right now.It's not that hard to search a Dinosaur Jr's song,and find out how great Lou is in the band. I also love some old and groovin' bassline,but there is billion ways to play your bass.The most important thing is how to let your sound fit in the band,and make the band sound perfect.

[@Thanksforaskingme]

how to cut through a loud guitarist while playing bass: step 1: sound like another guitarist

[@yelkhan2002]

May be common sense, but ignore the buffoons above. I've seen them before, they're bots

[@nicorepetto5781]

No wonder Dinasour Jr has no low end

[@ricardog.s2505]

@@nicorepetto5781 I mean, J uses a Big Muff which is notorious for it's low end so there is but just isn't as pronounced compared to a more traditional rock band imo, it reminds me of Jawbreaker because Chris (bass) uses a SUPER bright bass tone while Blake (guitar) boosts his overdriven tone with a Big Muff so it sounds more full in every frequency

[@BrentStrathdeePehi]

who needs a guitarist when u have a bass sound like that!?

[@Damage_Kase_99]

Could say the same about royal blood.

[@Jordan-hs5kf]

If it were literally any other band I'd agree with you, but J. is ace. Barlow IS amazing though.

[@LouisMinett]

Death From Above 1979 don't.

[@americangothic1313]

godheadSilo did not

[@BarnacleButtock]

Sada Meizu they use an octaver tho, he doesn't really play chords so much

[@UsTheMusicTVOfficial]

He is definitely a unique and underrated bassist. Dinosaur Jr. rules!!!

[@Blackshoveldeathgrip]

This guy is the real deal. This video shows just how hard he hits the strings. There is no pedals involved here. Just pure power. Very influential musician to me. It’s not often Mascis has competition on stage live but Lou gives him a run. Odd especially for the bass player.

[@TinkerToneworks]

He usually has a boost/eq pedal going all the time but the power is absolutely there

[@solarreturn7673]

man i never realized how cool the bass part in raisans actually was

[@stevebean1234]

Same here !! And it’s one of my favorite songs. And I was learning it on guitar. This video was a little mind blowing to me.

[@khaaleliilighntingcoronado9009]

Him and Krist Noveselic are my favorite bass players. The way they hand their bass down to the knees is so fucking cool to me.

[@RIZEorDIE]

No love timmy c.

[@aavila1206]

Ben Shepherd >>> listen to King Animal

[@vanleeuwenhoek]

Dean Ween - Guitar Moves - Episode 6 on Noisey channel. Dean tells the story of his guitar teacher giving him axe holding advice: wear the guitar above your dick or below it, not over it.

[@saifa6359]

Never seen a bass played like this before. Really cool!

[@masternippleblaster]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWLKqop-mLBggqs

[@StevenMichels]

If you've never seen Lou live with Djr, you've missed something special. This guy is a brilliant beast.

[@cvanaver]

I've been a HUGE fan of DinoJr since the early 90's. J was always a god in guitar, but Lou was underrated in his absolute hardcore ability on bass. This video finally brought it together for me; how he hammers the bass like a guitar player. He is also an absolutely amazing song writer on some of the DJR albums but especially on Sebadoh. Sebadoh holds it's own against DinoJr as some of the best indie rock of the 90's.

[@TheChristafershawn]

I prefer Sebadoh.

[@coleemmersonhallman5329]

this whole band speaks with such energy

[@curtis5979]

Lou wrote my favorite song of all time. Truly great thing.

[@solwatts123]

Curtis what song

[@curtis5979]

A song called truly great thing by sebadoh it's so beautiful

[@pizzawithnofriends8970]

God raisins is such a good song, and honestly You're Living All Over Me is Lou's best bass tone out of all the albums

[@jamedonovan3555]

Lou, thanks for playing w DinoJr again. And I love, love your Sebadoh albums... Thanks!

[@RobertSpliff]

everyone saying he's a bad bass player just listen to in a jar and try to tell me he cant play bass

[@finality42069]

Rowan Barbaza-Cousineau Whoever called Lou a bad bass player is a poser in the underground community.

[@taipolar333]

who's even saying that?

[@neaituppi7306]

I can never get enough of his bass guitar. Even though I normally like high technique bass players, he makes it interesting to listen to, as is.

[@PCDisciple]

His fingers are strong af

[@rafaelcabralwilliams]

PC Disciple shorter scale

[@laundry1799]

Rafael Cabral Williams he plays a p bass a lot of the time

[@esojaloerra174]

Bass players finger better

[@Grrizo]

Good proctologist

[@stigmurder99]

@R LOLOLOL I have had this thought too many times.

[@yumakeigo9094]

He’s one of the best bass players. So underrated. Sometimes sounds like there are 2 guitars. Amazing bass player. More than only bass player, I loved his other bands, Kid(movie) sound track was amazing.

[@dtd1986]

Play your instrument in the way that fits the music. Lou playing bass "traditionally" in Dinosaur Jr. would sound nowhere near as awesome as he does playing in his own unique style. Thank god there are musicians who think outside the box, it would be boring as hell otherwise

[@XXXEspio]

This !

[@Ryan_Haydon84]

True, I don't think it's a coincidence that Dino's 90's stuff without Lou was among their worst. And J just said fuck it around 1997 and the band was done until they reunited in 2005.

[@chis5050]

@@Ryan_Haydon84 green mind was sweet tho..

[@void0094]

No Bones and Yeah We Know are very intense songs due to Lou's bass playing

[@skystudios2474]

@@Ryan_Haydon84 The 90s output was also awesome. 'Where you been' is my favorite album, and they had their biggest "hit" with 'Feel the pain'.

[@georgez5891]

I figured this out myself as a bass player but its cool to see a video actually recognising that this style of bass playing exists

[@Yokegaze]

The song at the intro is Raisans, love that one. oh and the hüsker dü song that he's playing is called Diane

[@el_wilder8860]

He plays bass like Lemmy did. Full on overdriven assault on your senses. His tone in this video reminds me of Lemmys but its like a little thinner or brighter sounding if I could describe it. I really like technical bass players like Les and Flea but I also like bass players who play bass aggressive like john entwistle and like a guitar like Lou and Lem who all think outside the norm and dont care what ppl think. 🤘

[@isetta4083]

Flea and Claypool aren't really technical players

[@gab2876]

@@nilefly Fuck wrong with that

[@josephhuether1184]

Lou and Lemmy…I call it “rhythm bass”.

[@ebeep]

I spent my late teens full-on obsessed with Sentridoh/Sebadoh. Sebadoh III is an absolute masterpiece, but the Sentridoh cassettes on Shrimper were no less important. #6DaysWithoutShaving I spent months calling my local record store hoping for the Bubble and Scrape release date. I was sadly disappointed when it was finally released, but that may be as much to do with the fact that Sebadoh III is so untouchable as any Sub Pop fueled shortcomings. I heart Lou.

[@starshineraiser6729]

That tone is so sweet.

[@corvetteshorts4670]

Just saw them last week at the Grog Shop in Cleveland, what an awesome show. J is cool to watch, but Lou and Murph are just nuts, Lou plays with the intensity of someone a 1/4 of his age.

[@benlogan100]

Amazing player. Cool guy. Great to see Lou and J together again. Both fantastic bandleaders.

[@ZJMcdougall]

I just gotta say good on you for ripping chords on those two first albums on a Ripper, that shit is just impressive to hear. LOU BARLOW FOR PRES

[@freeecountryy]

One of the best songwriters of our generation.

[@Les537]

Let's not get carried away.

[@tonysalas99]

crush537 they really are tho😒

[@dreamerweaver]

Im wound tighter than a magnets coil.

[@derangedQuiver]

@@Les537 Sebadoh is prolific

[@Augrills]

Plays the bass like a guitar. Sounds badass

[@lapinus]

We need more bassists like Lou, Cliff, or Lemmy.

[@dwebus5958]

Listen to Boris… their bassist Takeshi is very lemmyliken

[@teetoys76]

Lou is a legend of a musician.

[@dduuddeechil]

I love how he started with a song off my fave albums of theirs

[@EliBinhak]

These guys were awesome musicians

[@down7unedpc740]

everyone in dino jr seems so depressed

[@MrSammyTeee]

they are

[@TheGoldDragon100]

NasonJewton That's why we listen to them

[@_j.s.d_homies8799]

NasonJewton aye lmaoo

[@SeeSawMassacre]

You people can't read people.

[@Samizsm23]

NasonJewton funny how most of j's lyrics are about love or being to shy to approache a girl

[@mindbodylightsound10]

want that flying v bass

[@gdouglasdavidson9995]

Lou is brilliant. Listen to "Get Me," his base elevates Jay's solo to another level. You just don't want it to end. Add Murph's punch and man, what else do you need?

[@pete3767]

Lou had left the band a few years before then - the bass parts on that song would be either Mike Johnson or J 🙂 I think Murph left around then too but can't remember for sure. You're right though, the bass on Get Me is great, whoever made it

[@scottdavis0801]

When he played with Sebadoh, in the early 90ies, him and the band stayed at our house in Knoxville. Lou. was one of the kindest individuals I have ever met!

[@randomguy8969]

most underrated bassist of all time

[@giulatesta4283]

His catalog is huge through sentrido, sebadoh, folk implosion, losing losers, and countless collaborations. Great songwriter too. Funny, weird, sourly inverted and butt rockingly fun.

[@shruggzdastr8-facedclown]

Yeah, kool and well-timed name-drop of HuDu 'cuz in his demo of how he approaches playing bass when playing with J. on guitar he kinda sounds like how Bob Mould might've played bass in his own way of attacking lead guitar.

[@drnemoali]

Diane and We are the road crew are my favorite songs by the respective bands. Id love to play guitar with Lou.

[@chrisconklin873]

I saw them years ago at 9:30 club in DC. I now have tinnitus.

[@littleteethkeith]

Cool band. One of all time favorites.

[@nocuh]

Legend

[@ramonrojas5816]

Goddam, mic is so sensible that even captures Lou's headscratching 01:41

[@angelacasein7059]

He really seems like a genuinely nice guy

[@SGTMcCmuffin]

When did Lebowski start playing bass?

[@RhythmGrizz]

SGTMcCmuffin you mean The Dude. the older guy was the big Lebowski.

[@youtert]

Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

[@iunnox666]

"I'm not Lebowski, YOU'RE Lebowski. I'm The Dude, so that's what you call me, man"

[@Dan__W]

I can attest that J Mascis' guitar is one of the loudest I've heard at any show. 🙀

[@emmakirby8979]

So... He plays like Lemmy? Edit: He said it himself, this comment was useless.

[@oversqueezedstressball8183]

What was that motorhead song he was playing?

[@georgeg5390]

Oversqueezed Stressball we are the road crew

[@stevebean1234]

@@oversqueezedstressball8183 Dianne. He said it himself. This comment was useless

[@jdhightower]

@@stevebean1234 Nope. Diane was the Husker Du song.

[@jonathanwebster7091]

@@oversqueezedstressball8183We Are The Road Crew (off the Ace of Spades Album).

[@williamgwillam3908]

Love that flying v.

[@connorpark2744]

definitely an interesting way to play bass. I get the vibe that he still wants to play guitar but nevertheless very interesting. I love the flying V. I should have gotten one when Gibson Released the cherry one a couple years back.

[@adamproductions4529]

One of the best live bands around

[@arnieslab]

It’s so funny to watch J and Lou. They’re like polar opposites when they talk

[@hellowhirled]

Lou talks a lot and J says three words

[@DanielDanger420]

Forget the Swan! Fuck, yeah!

[@SomeJustice19k]

That bass is amazing.....

[@dlawlis]

I saw Sebadoh at the Sun Club in Tempe AZ back in the early 90s. Lou kept getting shocked by the mic during soundcheck. There was a Christian funk metal band there and the lead singer kept making fun of him and holding his nose while they played. I don't remember the name of the Christian funk metal band.

[@mwagliardo]

He must be on to something to generate such a wide disparity of comments ; ) I think it is very cool and original, appreciate hearing the origin of Lou's style and sound. Had the pleasure of hearing Dinosaur Jr live with Lou, proof is in the pudding so they say..... ;)

[@imthegrk]

Lou is the perfect bass player for Dinosaur. Does anyone have love for Mike Johnson? He was a pretty bad ass bass player for dinosaur Jr. too.

[@jetcheneau5811]

Mike Johnson is an amazement in and of himself. Fucking spectacular riff-writer, guitar player, record producer, etc -- without him we wouldn't have had those first few Mark Lanegan albums, he was basically Lanegan's own John Oates for 10 years.

[@Embowaan]

incredible playing. I love lots of the Lou songs on the last couple albums, Love Is.. , Left / Right

[@carlfolcojr.3497]

Savage.... my uncle drilled the importance of Lemmys music as a major influence for his music and I still have not tapped into motorhead yet. I got into the mainstream because it was forced upon us in a way that we could only get what was printed and copy of vynal or cassettes back in the 80s we still had the big screen 8trk big cassettes. your 1 in 7 hundred trillion baby.

[@zachballard970]

YES

[@bif3578]

zach ballard .

[@nathanwalsh3028]

Lemmy and Mike Watt should get a thank you card in the mail for every bass player that has that type of tone/style..

[@gregmoss8253]

And the guy from the Stranglers.

[@predeterminedmeat5024]

Mike watt actually played for dinosaur in the early 2000's

[@predeterminedmeat5024]

​@@gregmoss8253J J Burnel

[@HazardousMidget]

That Flying V Bass is too sexy!

[@jacksonpage1580]

I love how all these people are like "wow this didn't help at all thanks" like ??? Do you think Lou owes you people a fucking bass lesson? Did you pay for him to do this? He can talk about whatever the fuck he wants; it's a free video on the internet.

[@simonthecucumberenjoyer1042]

Jackson Page Well it says "bass tricks" in the title.

[@TheOverlordOfProcrastination]

Sounds fuckin awesome

[@TheChadPad]

That Flying V bass is so cool. I want one

[@a.fritoaxecheeto6052]

So fuckin epic, Lou, thank you, for all the years of great music, keep them coming, sebadoh, dinosaur, fuck yes

[@rohanhowarth7846]

I love him

[@blackeagle5446]

Lou is badass!!!

[@MelloSav]

They have barely any bass tricks videos. Do MORE. Lou is awesome by the way

[@influxxmedia]

Geez how many strings does he go through in a set playing like that. I rip on my bass that hard and strings are thwanking all over the shop. Great style, great sound

[@dezionlion]

well stop thwanking then you bloody thwanker

[@jonnieve2483]

This guy is insane

[@notsusan]

The greatest moment of my high school life was going to a Sebadoh gig in like 97 and catching a horrible sinus infection from shaking Lou's hand

[@starshineraiser6729]

Indie rock legend! I love early Folk Implosion and Sebadoh. He should form a supergroup with Ash Bowie.

[@x-raybravo1990]

or Axl Rose

[@hauntedhose]

1:29 that’s the one!

[@angelocatapang6054]

lou barlow's there with the late great lemmy kilmister of hawkwind and motorhead infuckingdeed.pummeling,crushing,throbbing,smashing as fuck 'bass guitar' sounding a lot like a full 6 string guitar more so than a 4 string bass guitar.

[@uncooldispatch5438]

Lou plays Diane ! ❤️

[@iancoulson1692]

I dreamt of the day I'd hear Low Barlow playing We Are the Road Crew.

[@clintwilson6380]

Barlow is a beast.

[@handicappedhoods]

Eh, regardless of whether it's bass or not (it is), let's take a second to marvel at his pick work.

[@fastsavannah7684]

He played with Josh Homme for a bit in the very beginning of QotSA, right?

[@analogdistortion2906]

Dinosaur Jr is my favorite two guitar band :)

[@davidh1156]

Ever since I saw Dinosaur Jr live in Chicago, I decided I needed to get proper hearing protection because I had really bad tinnitus for the next week. Probably the next 3 days everything I heard was muffled and as a musician, I was scared.

[@wiltree6504]

My tinnitus is still with me 15 years later...but well worth it.

[@adamsmith13real]

What's the song he's playing around 1:30?

[@rezaervanda3871]

Raisans

[@adamsmith13real]

@@rezaervanda3871 Thanks, as a somewhat casual fan, that question bugged me for a while.

[@Mudhoney1991]

Love ya Lou. Love ya J.Love ya Murph

[@audibletapehiss3764]

It's not how "loud" the guitarist is per se that makes it hard to cut through. It's when they're clogging up the low mids with what seems like a great big awesome sound by themselves.

[@user-xw6uh3yp7g]

Someone please tell me how to get that sweet crispy tone, my chords sound shit

[@BudderB0y2222]

This dude is playing bass like a rhythm guitar, so buy a guitar

[@jameswoods3316]

Guitar won't sound like that. First thing to do is what he said at the beginning - hit the strings REALLY hard with a hard but flexible pick. Second, just have a little bit of drive at the input of your amp, not full on fuzz or distortion. Also think about what notes you're putting in the chord - sometimes the fifth sounds good in a bass chord, sometimes you just want the octave.

[@AndreaPapaioannu]

Obviously you can't resist playing through a B15 when one is available, but does this tone really *need* it? In other words, Jamerson is turning in his grave tonight...

[@serdiezv]

It sounded awesome. If it sounds good screw what it was supposed to do.

[@AndreaPapaioannu]

My idea of "awesome" is pretty different, but your point is well taken anyway.

[@pennywiseRJ]

so the winner is the b15, because sounds amazing for funky music and agreesive rock rock n roll!!!!!

[@gamby16a]

While it's far from traditional bass, a jazzer like James Jamerson wouldn't fit into the Dino Jr. aesthetic. Jamerson is too good. I think Lou's point is that Jamerson's subtleties and nuances would get lost in the wash of J's Marshalls.

[@dezionlion]

do we really need your comments?

[@EtcEtcAndEtc]

are you allowed to tune and intonate your instrument for this technique?

[@viniciusduraes4067]

2:02 Greg Norton ficou orgulhoso.

[@DemonSlide]

I fuckin love this.

[@gustavttt4148]

Which song around 1:25?

[@michaelthompson3401]

Lou is so underrated.People should listen to his Sebadoh music.I love Dino but I'm a right sider and Lou's my guy.Amazing musician.

[@nicorepetto5781]

1:23 song name: Raisans

[@Viper-dz2kw]

So is the bass in his tone just like gone? I see him playing chords on his low e and it sounds fine and not muddy

[@EdwardCashin]

I wonder whether he tried to get sound techs to mic the amp. When I played like that and they used a direct input there was audible clicking from the heavy attack, especially with a Rickenbacker 4001.