They sound SO nostalgic! Bass Teacher REACTS to "Chick Magnet" by MxPx

[@OnyxSkiesXIX]

Back in the late 90’s, this was mandatory learning for every punk bassist. Even as a guitarist I couldn’t help but learn it as well. Not the hardest or most complicated, but it’s just so fun!

[@LowEndUniversity]

Right?! I kept wanting to join in.

[@phxdwn121]

I learned it

[@isaacescalera9643]

As a guitarist, this is my go to bass line I play whenever I pick up a bass lol

[@lostmotel6156]

@@isaacescalera9643 Haha…yep. Same. This and Ska Sucks 😂

[@phxdwn121]

@@isaacescalera9643 For me it's Journey to the End of East Bay and What Was I Thinking lol, but we won't get into 311 lol

[@strangefame81]

Mike Herrera is the best dude in punk rock. Such a positive guy, it’s infectious.

[@dellebelphine-moralez3510]

Even when he’s no longer a Christian he still keeps a more professional demeanor about him. I rarely hear or see him cuss in videos or interviews. Either way, he seems like a pretty cool guy without any drama attached to him like most celebrities.

[@bennyc409]

First The Living End, now MxPx. You're hitting this 40 year old right in the sweet spot! Legend!

[@notabandicoot5227]

Just turned 39 and I agree!

[@DeathMetalDerf]

Same!! WHAM!!! Right in the old nostalgia!

[@zacatkinson3926]

43 and yes

[@whooptyhell4407]

If you want to know the back story on this, in the very early days of MxPx the guitar player Tom would always break his strings. This bass line is something Mike made up that he would play while Tom changed his strings to kill time, he’d tell stories and stuff to the audience while playing this line. After doing that for awhile they decided to turn it into a song. Source: “It came from Bremerton VHS documentary”

[@ejkenezuroff]

I saw that live happen at the Capital Backstage in Oly, WA back in 96'.

[@DeathMetalDerf]

I not only have that VHS, but I've seen it happen first hand. Yeah... I'm old.😂

[@ahabshell3571]

It's the Smoke on the Water for punk bassists of a certain era!

[@bushleague3472]

Exactly, for a period of several years you'd hear this riff in guitar stores all the time. You could make a fair argument this might be the most iconic, recognisable punk bassline of all time.

[@andrewholem793]

Mike Herrera is a punk bass legend. Check out “rolling strong” and “theme fiasco” as well, they’re both great bass lines

[@reighner990]

Theme Fiasco! I remember that being the sickest bass playing I've ever heard back in the day

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

+ 1,000 for Rolling Strong and Theme Fiasco!!!!!

[@d_a_crofty]

Great to see MxPx on your channel. I have been listening to them since their first album release in 1994.

[@toughfff712]

Thank you, today is my 43rd birthday. Watching you get excited for this song has made my day. Your smile, was the same I had 28 years ago.

[@mikekristin7201]

I had the honor of brewing a beer for Mike and Mxpx many moons ago. He came and did a live acoustic set at my brewery. Nice guy and total professional. He was doing his warm ups and prep the same he would have for thousands of people and we were only 200.🤙

[@isetmfriendsofire]

I am so glad you did this. Nothing hard or mind-blowing, but so much fun! This band is still really good live, too. They practice a lot, and did a series of live performances during covid when everyone was trapped inside. Also you were missing the hammer-ons when you were playing along with the bass intro. Makes it just a tad bit funner :) There is one for the first phrase which you got, but also the second phrase. I'm also glad that you mentioned their use of the minor. Their use of minor notes and chords would eventually become pretty signature to their sound, particular in their later albums.

[@disparity-bit]

Fuck yes, MxPx. Side note, MxPx did a really spectacular job adapting to the pandemic. They were early on the Livestream concerts thing with a series called Between This World and the Next. The live stream gigs were super interactive with the band taking requests via chat. I'm pretty sure some of those gigs are now just up on their KZbin channel.

[@isetmfriendsofire]

They did so many deep cuts too.

[@joshuajones1171]

mxpx, gold finger, and ronnie radke kept me alive during covid!

[@kittysox8463]

No tone control stingray wired directly to volume; Mike is a legend. Give Bouncing Souls a shot, Apartment 5f is a gnarly bass sound.

[@flibbidyx2]

Life in General is such a killer pop-punk record.

[@wretchedknave5740]

I remember someone describing MxPx as prep-punk back in the day - whatever that meant. I was 14 when I heard Teenage Politics - and Moneytree is still my favourite Mxpx song. Been a fan ever since and I am glad to see the band is still making music and not changing their sound that much to conform to the current status quo. Mike is also an extremely versatile musician and he is kinda like Travis Barker in a sense, always making cameo appearances for other bands - the energy and enthusiasm is incredible - definitely one of my role models as a youngster.

[@OpunktSchmidt1301]

Wow! Yes, Mxpx are really great! „Life in general“ and „Going the way of the buffallo“ are still some of my 90s-favs! 😃👍🏻

[@Ddeamorin]

Some magnified plaid eh? This guy keeps the jams coming.

[@LowEndUniversity]

All sorts of jams coming up. I think…🤓

[@Silkysime]

Pretty sure Mike used to play this during times to fill space during a set when a guitar string breaks etc.... then turned it into a song

[@jaredthenuhn]

Yes! I read the same thing in the past.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Interesting. The whole track has a really fun innocence to it!

[@juliusseizure324]

@@LowEndUniversityYou just summed up MXPX’s whole style and image. They’re legit Punk Rawk but on the Positive end of it all.

[@davenalette]

Yea. Tom used to break strings CONSTANTLY.

[@derekfematt]

This song is what got me to play bass at the age of 12. Great video!

[@idiotsavant123]

This was an instant click for me. MxPx was the first band I ever got into, and Mike Herrera was the reason i changed from playing guitar to playing bass. This is not representative of their music at the time, which was a lot more thrashy punk, but they had one of these kinds of songs on every album, something that shows their range. The Theme Fiasco is another one of those incredibly inventive bass parts that drives the song if you're looking for another listen.

[@mxpxguy79]

Love, Love, Love that you covered some MxPx, Happy 32 years MxPx !!!!

[@LaBambaMan]

A couple of more underappreciated MxPx songs with great bass licks are Bass So Low and Sad Sad Song off their album Secret Weapon. Absolutely great songs (hell, the whole album is a banger).

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

So true! I love Sad Sad Song, and Theme Fiasco!!!!!

[@TheFinalAfterword]

Mike Herrera has some awesome bass lines. This is the iconic song for sure.

[@JasonAnarchyGames]

MxPx is one of my all time favourites and Mike's bass playing doesn't get talked about enough. Great video!

[@joelwing1433]

In terms of Ska it was created in the early 1960s in Jamaican by Jazz session musicians many of which became known as the Skatalites. That's where the walking bass came from which was used in later Rock Steady and Reggae. In the 1980s 2 Tone began with bands like The Specials The Selecter and Madness and they continued on with the walking bass because many started doing covers of Jamaican Ska tunes. They had a big influence on Matt Freeman of Operation Ivy/Rancid and is a main reason why he does the walking bass as well. One of the people that shaped his playing was Horace Panter the bassist for The Specials.

[@kmarkusaurelius]

Never clicked a video so quickly in my life! I love your videos, and l’ve loved MxPx since I first discovered them in 1998. Mike Herrera is one of the biggest reasons I chose to pick up a bass some 20 years ago. Great video, man!

[@mathiasf.8749]

You should really do The Theme Fiasco, also by MxPx. Great bassline.

[@JaKamps]

I was going to suggest that too.

[@Dampier32]

Totally agree. If you're going anywhere with mxpx and bass, you're starting there

[@deadringerfpv6412]

I covered it on my channel and its the only mxpx song i would have even respectfully considered. Every other mxpx song lacks any kind of complicity. I love them dont get me wrong. I went watch some live goldfinger performances to see if mike could even handle performing goldfinger.. he did not let me down.

[@Dampier32]

@deadringerfpv6412 totally agree. Solid cover too

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

@@JaKamps @LowEndUniversity - THEME FIASCO!!!!

[@saint_double_k]

Great choice for MxPx. Missed this train in high school, but I hopped on as soon as I heard it.

[@stanventure5279]

such a fun song. always loved the Bass in this song

[@strydersound]

So glad you had MXPX on here. So much more to explore beyond this tune!

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

Rolling Strong and Theme Fiasco are great, and also Sad Sad Song, and their Vacation cover.

[@alextinu8841]

Man, you opend that door! We were just kids, but after all this years now we're still kids in our souls! So yeah, noatalgia! Cheers! ❤

[@LowEndUniversity]

It keeps ya young! I’m all for it. 😎

[@groverXIII]

Man, this takes me back. These guys were the first punk band I ever listened to, and even though it's been many, many years since I last heard this song, I remember it as if it were yesterday.

[@kitcorpse]

Takes me back to my high school years... Teenage Politics was one of my favorite albums growing up.

[@gregoriusadhe316]

The scatting parts is actually the loudest crowd singing moment 😂

[@LowEndUniversity]

That’s pretty rad actually!!

[@phxdwn121]

@@LowEndUniversity the music video is pretty funny and cool too. You should check it out.

[@reighner990]

Seen them a little over 8 times in my life and it's always the funnest part to sing with the live crowd.

[@jamesfrankiewicz5768]

That's always an awesome part of their shows!

[@dieseldawwgg1998]

Mxpx - The Theme Fiasco. Mike shreds the bass

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

+1 for Theme Fiasco!!!

[@thecolorhero1078]

Oh yeah- subbed!

[@BOOSTkdv]

Great video! You should check out 311 “Come Original”. P-Nut is the bassist and does some really cool slap bass lines in that song.

[@stuwattsaudio]

This whole album has ridiculous bass, and most of it he fingerpicked. It’s nuts

[@JabaLeeJones]

I think The Clash with "Jimmy Jazz" opened the door to incorporate jazz into the punk scene... Another great bass line that contains a "jazzy" bass part is Sublime - STP, a must listen.

[@apeescapeguy]

jimmy jazz fucks

[@Davidgtza2]

good call

[@njlwag]

I hope you dig into some other songs too. The Theme Fiasco, My mom still cleans my room, Let it Happen... All perfect songs to analyze. This is a great song.. but Mike shines on other songs too.

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

+ 1,000 for the Theme Fiasco!!! That song is tough to understand, but it sounds so good!!

[@mynocksoup]

Such a great song. Great bass line, great to sing along to in the car. So good.

[@dauls]

This got me to pull out my vinyl of the album, such a classic record.

[@lastedain450]

MxPx made some fun music back in the '90's.Blast from the past.

[@Sneed_formerly_chucks]

Mad Caddies for ska jazz punk :P Mary Melody maybe or The Dirge, or Road rash, or Last Breath?? There's a million great songs by them

[@LowEndUniversity]

They’re coming soon!! Promise!

[@Sneed_formerly_chucks]

@@LowEndUniversity Nice, can't wait!

[@tonightweareone]

it’s simple punk is just an evolution of jazz, your description of jazz can be said word for word about punk

[@jonathanbarb5516]

"obligatory" that's a great way to put it. Man, I remember feeling so cool when I figured this baseline out in high school

[@sayonara9377]

Let’s go!! Another fun song by Mxpx is do your feet hurt? On the same album

[@jamesorange5434]

I can tell you really enjoyed this one. One of my favorites back in the day!

[@danc7251]

My youth right here

[@jaredgruttadauria9445]

I think Mike Herrera was still playing finger style on this album and didn't start using a pick regularly until the album after.

[@dprivetts]

Absolutely loved this! Someone shared the link in a FB group and I love your analysis. I’ll sub once I make this comment. You said “that’s such a raw stingray tone”. That’s because Mike has all the guts removed. It’s straight passive. Pickup direct to output jack. No volume pot, nothing. It’s all there on the outside cosmetically. But internally it goes straight to the jack.

[@gcolunga]

Gold! I knew from the title you'd love the snapping-a capella part. Mike Herrera is a bass genius.

[@tjolsonmcse]

Just saw them live end of June in their hometown. They played this as the encore.

[@howdisturbing]

There are absolutely snaps there. I've listened to this song more than any other human being.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Yeah! Missed them at first. My subconscious summoned them 😅

[@kcd485]

One of the first songs I learned on Bass back in 2000 at age 15. The Theme Fiasco is another great bass track.

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

So many votes for The Theme Fiascooooooooooooo! 💥

[@atomicwest995]

Not a complex song, but man I loved it when I was 15 back in ´97. Brings back memories. And yes, as a guitar player this song was the first thing I’d play every time I picked up a bass… still is.

[@JustinSane_555]

My top 3 must watch channel… I love your content and energy

[@ninadaggett]

Hell yeah! I know a lot of other people are saying this too but when I pick up my bass this is song I warm up or just immediately play first. I knew you’d love that scatting part I was watching your face waiting for you to notice haha

[@Karaoke_em_HD]

I think a song that can surprise you is "NO ONE KNOWS" from greenday. An old song no one talks about ..

[@TheWrnglr]

it's so cool that this bass line was just something Mike played while the guitarist fixed his broken strings and it turned into one of their most popular songs.

[@chrf65]

that era is what I call the swing influence era. Movies Like swingers influenced the hot rod, bar, music and brought rockabilly back to the norm

[@phxdwn121]

Zoot Suit Riot and Jump Jive and Wail came out during that time. Royal Crown Revue with Hey, Panchuco too. And Hell by Squirrel Nut Zippers,

[@chrf65]

@@phxdwn121 all great stuff!

[@andhedrewbees]

Great video! I always think it's cool when punk bands play non traditional punk grooves, and "Chick Magnet" is a fine example of this. It's a super fun track and Mike's a stellar bass player for sure. Also, there's an MxPx song called "Inquiring Minds Want To Know" from their "Teenage Politics" album with a pretty jazzy little section towards the end. Might be worth a reaction or at least a listen.

[@gregorychristensen5165]

Heard this song for the first time in 1998ish time frame (don’t know quite exactly, was a longgg time ago) what a turn back in time that was for me. Thank you for the video and glad to see you enjoying all these awesome bands for the first time.

[@jamesperry9197]

Nice, Mike Herrera rocks, have seen these guys live more than once. Also the MxPx stands for Magnified Plaid, not sure if anyone ever mentions that anymore

[@wickid_chyld]

"sad sad song" by mxpx has an interesting and leading bass line too.

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

Yes: Sad Sad Song!!!!

[@richardturzua1785]

Cheers. Awesome Video.

[@VanSavesLivesDude]

Gotta do The theme fiasco!

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

+ 1,000 for the Theme Fiasco!!!

[@mattholdzkom5929]

We sang this at karaoke a couple months back...we had forgotten about the scatting. 😖

[@LowEndUniversity]

Dude I just lol’d so hard 🤣

[@Roland-v4x]

Slowly going the way of the Buffalo is a good record you may enjoy more matured band at the time, they're still killing it

[@JoeK627]

The bass/drum into bass/drum/guitar has that cool dynamic shift that Longview has. MxPx managed to fly under my radar back in the mid-late 90's, but I dig this song.

[@manny8309]

One of the first riffs I’ve ever learned!

[@JaKamps]

The 1st bassline intro I ever learned! Fun fact, this began as “the tuning song.” This is the band that got me INTO music & the underground music scene. Without I wouldn’t have operated my own (late) venue for yrs, & might not play bass.

[@Josejohnst-b9v]

You should listen to Know It All by Lagwagon

[@normaleehi]

my theory is that this song was inadvertantly influenced by the song Bitchin Camaro by The Dead Milkmen. i remember DM were a prime influence on MxPx,, Dave Blood's bass sound is iconic

[@ricardomoraes9624]

Thanks for doing this, Mike. I truly love going down memory lane with all the punk and ska bands that you have been covering! If you covering classic bass lines from punk songs, you might want to check Guilty by Association from H2O. It is simple, but very catchy, or Stepdown from Sick of it All

[@21merllo21]

Amazing content!!! Love this channel!!! I know you did a video about it a while ago, but you should definitely take another shot at Less Than Jake... the bassist is a ninja. Greetings from Colombia, all the best!!"

[@jaktharipper2768]

You need to check out some Voodoo Glow Skulls

[@jaredolson4305]

Love Mxpx, thanks for doing this one!

[@dmvancorbach]

Washington State native here- thank you for finally checking out MXPX!

[@joshuajones1171]

Not a native here but I took move to Bremerton seriously almost 20 years ago!

[@666thsense]

this is like everyones first learned bass line for those who grew up with skatepunk

[@nicholasreese7856]

Good stuff. The 90's were so great

[@tommycarotenuti3901]

You need to check out a million bucks by All!

[@byronromig1]

love those old mxpx songs! he's one of the players that made me want to play bass. he's also the lead singer.

[@th3suffering]

i was growing up in Bremerton when this album came out. MxPx went to Central Kitsap High with my older brother. Theyll always hold a place in my heart.

[@JVon76]

Inquiring Minds Want To Know by MxPx. You'll love the bridge. Even if you don't make a video about it, take a listen! Great review today!

[@deadbeats4894]

Operation Ivy- Freeze Up or Hoboken

[@Space_Rooster420]

Yes bro!!! Thank you for yet again giving me a deeper appreciation of another one of my all time favorite jams! I love your videos. Please do "Bonin' In The Boneyard" by Fishbone next! 👌🤙🤘🤘😎

[@stephenthompson9956]

This is the song that made me want to learn to play the bass

[@wddrs]

Teenage Riot by The Ataris has a similar vibe but a bit later on.

[@swempthebemp]

Ahhh love this bassline - iconic! For more jazz punk, El Hefe of nofx is jazz trained - "Straight Edge" is a great example with a nice walking bassline. And Refused, the Swedish punk hardcore band's 1998 album "The Shape of Punk to Come" is filled with jazzy influence, down to the title and album cover. Bit heavier and maybe up your alley? I don't think anyone would be upset if you explored any of these

[@PuntoCeroOcho]

THANK YOU MAH MAN!!!

[@deadringerfpv6412]

this was one of the first bass lines i learned back in like 1997

[@broccoli919]

You said you would of latched on to this 15-20 years ago. This album is the better part of 30 years old 🤯 Keep up the good work. I enjoy your content. Cheers.

[@andarchy1386]

I can hear a The dead milkmen influence in the beginning another great one for you to check out I'm thinking of Bitchin Camaro

[@Karaoke_em_HD]

you could have pick "my mom still cleans my room" the riffs are powerfull. Chick magnet was the first song I learned to play in bass

[@JaKamps]

I still listen to that track, more now than I did then!

[@Karaoke_em_HD]

@@JaKamps if you're insterested I made a karaoke of this song, it's in my channel

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

My Mom Still Cleans My Room is a much more interesting (and more emblematic of the band’s more typical speed). But all of them are such good baselines. I love Rolling Strong and the Theme Fiasco too!!!

[@RomesThe59]

First song I learned on bass in 1998

[@ALightShiningInDarkness]

Why do I know the scatting part, it's been twenty-years since I heard this. Lol.

[@alexandremorin11]

Putting a jazz take in a rock thing : Walking away by Catch 22/SM! Bass in front again but definitely more challenging to play!

[@caioperes4004]

Cool to see MxPx here, but hey, check the bass solo in theirs The Theme Fiasco. It is fire!

[@LowEndUniversity]

I sure will!

[@MattGoodmanIsVirtual]

Another vote for The Theme Fiasco! 🔥

[@Thehorsechoker]

Man! Now I'm gonna be humming this all day. Thanks a lot! Seriously, though, great video

[@LowEndUniversity]

Glad you enjoyed it! ☺️

[@xthekrakenx]

Love the videos! Got two punk/ska suggestions for future videos. Anti-Flag - “A New Kind of Army” and Less Than Jake - “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads”. Both songs have awesome bass parts that would be worthy of a reaction video