First Time Hearing THE JAM! Bass Teacher REACTS to “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight”

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➡️ I feel like I’m discovering some classic bands lately, and I feel guilty for not having heard of them yet. BUT - I am now - and it’s better late than never! While many of you have requested The Jam, one of our patrons urged me to check out “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight” from their 1978 release “All Mods Con”, which is a nod to the band’s association with the “mod revival” musical subculture. Bassist Bruce Foxton dominates this song with full-velocity bass grooves, odd syncopations, walking bass lines, and even some sneaky harmonics. I love how he almost "ignores" the standard prescribed ways of serving a song, and just hammers through it relentlessly. I discuss his tone, some of the musical idiosyncrasies in his bass lines, why bass harmonics are so ****ing cool, his unexpected choice to simplify the bass line as the song progresses, and much more! 🤓✌🏼🇬🇧
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0:00 Intro
1:06 Reaction / Analysis
12:48 Final Thoughts
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Mark Michell is an internationally-touring and recording bass player known for his work with Scale the Summit, Tony MacAlpine, Tetrafusion, Watermox, and more. Michell is a published educator and author for Hal Leonard, the world's largest music publisher, and has taught bass clinics around the globe for many years. He founded Low End University in 2015, and has since enrolled over 2,500 students through his lessons program. Alongside his educational endeavors, he played on many Billboard-charting album releases and is sponsored by Jackson Basses, EMG Pickups, and Dunlop.
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👉 Original Video from ‪@thejam3552‬: • The Jam - Down In The ...
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#TheJam #BruceFoxton #AllModsCon #TheJamBand #DownAtTheTubeStationAtMidnight #PaulWeller #ModRevival #ReactionVideo #LowEndUniversity
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Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair Use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational, or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. The original work played in this video has been significantly transformed for the purpose of music education.

[@richgates]

Bruce Foxton is criminally underrated.

[@robertcaple2607]

He’s the real MVP in that band

[@richgates]

@@robertcaple2607 He definitely is the highlight in most of their songs, but I really do love all of Paul Weller's projects.

[@B0K1T0]

oh wow is this "criminally underrated" bs still a thing on youtube?

[@richgates]

@@B0K1T0 Apparently so. Have a great day.

[@sidsuspicious]

@@richgates Underrated by whom?

[@jenscee7679]

The Jam ended up being the biggest British band up to their end in 1982. They are the sound of my youth.

[@liminalzone909]

Same. Going underground was the main song in my head for over a decade.

[@gh-vi9tk]

Sound effects is a cool LP. Liza Radley, man in the corner shop, Monday..... 😎

[@thomasrae9730]

Me too. First band to release three singles that went straight to Number 1.

[@LouisL1963]

Same here - Bruce was my first playing influence. Told him that when I met him at the LBGS in 2013. Really nice guy - very humble about his ability.

[@salkdhfpoahergpoahre1534]

@@liminalzone909 My dad had friends at Musician Magazine and got a bunch of press copies of albums from he 80s, and one of them was Sound Affects. Took me years to realize there was also a Going Underground 45 in it!

[@lookandlisten5740]

Bruce Foxton ( the Jam) and JJ Burnel ( the Stranglers)....that's all you need to know when it comes to Bass Brilliance.

[@jameshalley5467]

You are forgetting the best of all ....mick karn

[@pedge66]

Rattus Norvegicus The stranglers 4. Side 2, 20 odd minutes of brilliance

[@colinstobbart599]

Jane munroe of Au pairs as well.

[@TheGamingJewYT]

Agree with this entirely. Bruce is the greatest, nobody else is even relevant 🙏

[@jalmarirantala6059]

Don't forget Paul Gray from The Damned

[@JackSlider-hf1jb]

imagine knowing nothing about late 70s punk/new wave music, the absolute musical goldmine awaiting you

[@LowEndUniversity]

Better late than never!

[@johnnywarnerperfectroad66]

Political protest/ punk late 70s aggressive sound ... I was there and more a greb.. what was the Mod aside from clothing..I saw Mod but somehow oblivious...A real melting pot time Mötorhead were best mates with the Damned and often had more in common with punks than Heavy metal. What about Two Tone Scar influences

[@alexanderwilliams3955]

@@LowEndUniversity I envy you coming to this stuff fresh! Pretty Green and Funeral Pyre are two more Foxton lines well worth investigating

[@jonathansteadman7935]

​@@johnnywarnerperfectroad66 SKA, NOT SCAR😊

[@fritzwalter1540]

Especially if you re not only focussed on certain instruments. So many wonderful and timeless harmonies waiting. As much as I love Ramones or Clash, there were so many unique Bands around. Though Pistols and Damned, at least at the start, were raw RocknRoll, later so many gems were written as well. Buzzcocks with Ever fallen in love? Or The Boys with Brickfield nights. Nothing in my life blew me away like these harmonies Press labeled as punk.

[@mikemccarthy1287]

You will love ,a town called malice, by the jam

[@somersetfan1]

If you ever watched Billy Elliott...

[@C.Baumann]

@@somersetfan1 I was going to say the same exact thing. My favorite Jam song, and it's nothing like the rest of their stuff!!!I It has a total soul vibe. It seems like it could be very influenced by "You Can't Hurry Love" by the Supremes.

[@davidfilcher]

I was going to say exactly the same thing

[@srodgers66]

Town Called Malice is the only Jam song americans seem to know. But the Jam's peak was around the time of "Eton Rifles' and "Strange Town".

[@GiT5UM]

Check out its B' side, a tune called 'precious' absolute blaster. Weller was heavily influenced by motown.

[@lanceaxt7476]

Reason why they never took off in the US: Paul Weller didn't want to put the time in to make The Jam as big here as they were in the UK. The band specifically spoke to the British working class and Downing Street politics, and Weller didn't feel that such issues would translate. Same with his follow-up band The Style Council, which took the soul and jazz from the Mod movement and combined it again with British socialism. Simple fact is The Jam was almost too British for America. But those who saw them live saw one of the most ferocious live acts of the late 70's and early 80's, maybe more so than The Police.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Great read, thanks for the insight!

[@lynnejamieson2063]

The Jam and Paul Weller in general have maintained the kind of respect here in the UK that The Police and Sting could only dream of. I’ve both read about and known people who have met Weller and Sting (though no-one that has met both) Sting had a sense of entitlement and expected/demanded free drinks and Weller after receiving a compliment on his top, literally took it off and gave it to the person.

[@deargdoom8743]

The Police were static live. Crap live act, in fact. The Jam were superior in all respects.

[@paulleonard1862]

​@@deargdoom8743 The Police argued on stage too much. Never seemed happy playing live. The Jam just delivered with passion.

[@lanceaxt7476]

@@lynnejamieson2063 Although I've heard from those lucky enough to see them live that XTC was also a pretty damn energetic band as well.

[@racheltaylor6578]

Ian Dury and the Blockheads-Hit me with your rhythm stick has a great bass line by Norman Watt Roy.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Thanks! They’re on my list for soon!

[@danielhoskins4690]

Now there’s some funky bass! “My old man” is beautifully played as well (just my ignorant guitarist opinion), but really that was an incredible pub rock/funk band.

[@rzh101]

@@LowEndUniversity Cool - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick is my favourite bass line ever.

[@silgen]

Great bassist, he also played the bass loop on the Clash song Magnificent Seven, which has to be one of the most sampled bass lines of all time.

[@danielmoran9902]

I saw NWR once! He was sat on a bench in Greenwich Park. I walked by, saw it was him and said 'Orright, Norm!?' He looked up and said 'Hello, son...' He was extremely thin and I wondered how he managed to cart that bass about with such grace. Nice geezer, impressively large teeth!

[@outofthesinking]

Never too late to discover The Jam. Bruce Foxton is an amazing bass player, going to see him in May.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Glad I did! I have everyone here to thank!

[@warrenfontana1325]

From the Jam, very good. Enjoy 🙂

[@outofthesinking]

@@warrenfontana1325 Thank you, saw them last year, Bruce was ill so didn't make it, still a great gig though. Looking forward to it.

[@gbc7344]

Saw him last month ( from the Jam ) ..they still rock..enjoy

[@outofthesinking]

@@gbc7344 Thanks, I can't wait. The Skids and Purple Hearts also playing, should be a great night

[@jinggaddi]

When Paul Weller sings, "I fumble for change," Bruce Foxton plays those lovely bass harmonics mimicking the loose change jangling in your pocket.

[@LowEndUniversity]

That's seriously heady, gotta love it!

[@Paul-dz6fs]

Bruces "trick" was that he was originally rhythm guitar, but after Steve Brookes left just before they were signed to Polydor, Paul switched from bass to Rhythm/ lead as he became main vocalist ( he had trouble playing bass and lead vocals at the same time) and Bruce switched to bass. Bruce had to fill out the sound and support mainly chord based guitar work from paul in the absence of Steve's Lead guitar. The Jam were from my home town and another local band of the punk era you need to hear is The Stranglers. I would recommend "Straighten out" as a good bass player in Jean Jacques Burnell 😀

[@LowEndUniversity]

Always love stories like this of how a band arrived at their sound organically and completely based on circumstance. I think some of the best art comes from a "working with what you've got" mentality!

[@Upperroad4480]

Weller said that they were a mod band.

[@Paul-dz6fs]

@@Upperroad4480 Were they ? .. Not as I recall them back in the early days. They were a band, but not of any particular genre. I should just add that I first knew them in around 1974 when they were just starting out and still riding around on push bikes as school kids. Their early influence was more Beatles and their early sound was more akin to The Searchers than The Small faces or the Who. They saw the punk movement and saw it as an opening and the Mod Influence happened after "The Modern World" album, influenced by their youth, almost as revivalists. Paul was at that time, running around Woking on a scooter.

[@jaschul]

For another UK master of the P-Bass, check out Bruce Thomas of Elvis Costello & the Attractions. Listen to "Goon Squad" or "Lipstick Vogue" and hear, essentially, James Jamerson crossed with John Entwistle. Thomas is amazing.

[@MattMcQueen1]

I came here to recommend Bruce Thomas. Amazing bass player. I'm also recommend Joe Jackson's "I'm the Man" (Graham Maby)

[@nautje]

⁠@@MattMcQueen1Me too! Lipstick Vogue is probably my favourite

[@rbrc59]

Couldn't agree more. Bruce is the finest British bass player of his generation.

[@plectrumizer]

yup, him and Jean-Jacques Burnel - my bass heroes when I started playing - I'd add Pump it Up to the BT list

[@robertoc2485]

Didn't Bruce Thomas play bass finger style? I'm sure when I've seen him he played that way.

[@chet-vk6it]

XTC White Music and the first 2 Joe Jackson albums also essential for British bass. Graham Maby is a legend.

[@plectrumizer]

XTCs version of All Along the Watchtower is beyond epic! Especially the bass and drums

[@alwAudio]

Maby is awesome!

[@Goddzi]

Agreed, definitely check out Graham Maby! ❤️

[@alecstewart4924]

The Jam one of the best British bands. Bruce is still playing these songs live with "From The Jam" They still sound fantastic. Another British bassist to check out is Tony Butler who played in another great British band-Big Country. Great video really enjoyed your insight into Bruce's playing

[@fashionicon1972]

FROM THE JAM CABERET ACT,

[@motionoutoftime]

Your hunch about The Jam being a bass-dominant band is spot on. There's a lot of space to fill in a power trio, and Bruce Foxton wrote some incredibly tasteful bass lines to fill that space. As a longtime fan of The Jam, I recommend checking out (in chronological order in terms of release date): --- In The City (1977) --- In The City Art School Away From The Numbers --- This Is The Modern World (1977) --- The Modern World Standards Life From A Window --- All Mod Cons (1978) --- All Mod Cons To Be Someone Mr. Clean David Watts (Kinks cover) In The Crowd Billy Hunt It's Too Bad Fly The Place I Love 'A' Bomb In Wardour Street --- Setting Sons (1979) --- Girl On The Phone Thick As Thieves Private Hell Saturday's Kids The Eton Rifles When You're Young --- Dreams of Children (single - 1980) --- Going Underground --- Sound Affects (1980) --- Pretty Green Monday Set The House Ablaze Start! That's Entertainment Man In The Corner Shop Boy About Town --- The Gift (1982) --- Happy Together Ghosts Precious Just Who Is The 5 O'Clock Hero? Running On The Spot Carnation Town Called Malice

[@LowEndUniversity]

Amazing list, will save it for when I can circle back. Thanks for this!

[@davidbeeson9408]

You’ve missed loads out on this great list. ‘Time For Truth’ for starters.

[@jonathanbarb5516]

The Jam is awesome! So influential. You'll love their catalogue. And your should also check out Gang of Four!

[@jeremysmith2875]

Damaged goods would be a great reaction video

[@jonathanbarb5516]

@@jeremysmith2875 yeah! Or even "natural's not in it"! I think that's a cooler bassline, but there's lots of uniqueness to that band that I think our dude here would enjoy!

[@LowEndUniversity]

Gang of Four are in the queue for pretty soon! Stay tuned.

[@jonathanbarb5516]

@@LowEndUniversity excellent!

[@petehurd5301]

@@LowEndUniversity Gang of Four's 'Not Great Men' inspired Flea to play the bass.

[@eidetecker]

The Jam's 'Snap (Greatest Hits)' is the best introduction because the double album is chronological, so one can hear their evolution from start to finish quite brilliantly. Listening to that album tells ya everything about them.

[@eliamberson9782]

Gang of Four. Any song from Entertainment or Solid Gold is incredible. The band Wire also has some great lines.

[@graphicmaths7677]

Saw them at the Shepherd's Bush Empire last year. Andy Gill is no longer with us sadly, but they've still got it.

[@cricketbat09]

The Jam were massive here in the UK. So many great songs.

[@andyroberts2435]

Bruce is still out touring with his band - From The Jam. Have seen him live a few times over the last few years and he still plays with the same drive and energy.

[@graphicmaths7677]

I always found it slightly sad that he ended up in his own tribute band. Same thing happened to Peter Hook.

[@artunderwood2641]

Great review, check out "The Stranglers" song, "No More Heroes". Great bass work.

[@butnooneshome]

Nice 'N' Sleazy, In The Shadows, Old Codger ... Actually anything by the Stranglers, JJ is a bass god !!

[@Ps51noah]

I love his bass playing. He also played for about 15 years with Stiff Little Fingers (SLF). I am a fan of both bands. The Jam does a killer version of "In the Midnight Hour" which version my band used to cover.

[@tmcwilliam01]

We need some SLF!

[@rohnnyjotten3985]

Green Day owe SLF big time! they more or less made a pretty fortune on ripping them off.

[@wired_0402]

Awww man… ain’t that the truth… I‘m turning 60 and still make the annual pilgrimage to the Barra’s on St Patrix! Ali has all the moves, but when Bruce joined SLF, they created the supergroup of our era… IMHO 😮. JJB, extremely gifted and almost too good for the ‘have a go yourself’ movement, but Bruce was the raw and real deal IMO, he has the brain, the heart and the baws.

[@cuckooflower]

Amazing. The Jam are one of my favourite bands. So many great bass lines. Bruce Foxton was absolutely key to their sound.

[@pauldouglas9464]

If you want some bass driven Punk or Post Punk you can't beat New Model Army (first 2 LPs) and the Stranglers (first 3 LPs). And for harmonics check out the intro of the track Vengeance by New Model Army.

[@ewrlon]

Stuart Morrow is my bass hero.

[@davzer3773]

NMA bass is just magic!

[@MrWidestripes]

Stuart Morrows tone was so good live, NMA early albums were amazing

[@BennyDogwasp]

This. Stuart Morrow is the man. My Country, Vengeance, Notice Me, anything really off the first 2 albums.

[@anok4u2]

Yeh, came on to mention NMA and anything in the Stuart Morrow period, they lost something live after he left.

[@hannahpumpkins4359]

The bassline on 'Monday' is absolutely gorgeous.

[@AlNikon]

A favourite track of mine.. great bassline :-)

[@peroskarstorholm4196]

The bass lines and the groove in Town Called Malice is a classic in my book ❤

[@wonderfullife3108]

That's very Motown, bassline sound very influenced by 'You can't hurry love', brilliant song though I agree.

[@PaulMikna]

Right, as well as Start!

[@Hasta-la-pasta]

The Smiths - Big mouth strikes again. Andy Rourke’s bass tone is exquisite!!

[@SO-ym3zs]

Not to take anything away from Marr and Morrissey, but Rourke plays such a huge, underappreciated part of the Smiths' unique sound. Terribly underappreciated. RIP

[@alex-E7WHU]

Great choice.👍

[@Hasta-la-pasta]

@@SO-ym3zsMarrs jangly bright playing against Rourkes bass tones are signature. I could do without Morrissey honestly. Rourke is so technical and funky

[@tonydalton459]

Barbarism Begins at Home. Incredible bass line.

[@Hasta-la-pasta]

@@tonydalton459agree

[@secallen]

Fun analysis. Other British new wave bassists you will like: JJ Burnel (Stranglers), Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), Colin Moulding!!!! (XTC)

[@lanceaxt7476]

Colin is one of the best bassists out there period. Good choice (as is XTC in general).

[@secallen]

@@lanceaxt7476 Colin is such a creative and original bassist - as well as being an amazing songwriter -- and singer! So much talent in one person.

[@richardc8353]

Great to see Bruce get some attention and respect. There’s a lot of great songs to check out.

[@stevenclarke5606]

Great Bass Player

[@mlwsf]

Gang of Four might be another band to check out, particularly the Sara Lee era. Also when will you be doing classic English Ska: English Beat, Specials, The Selecter, etc?

[@LowEndUniversity]

Hopefully soon! Lots to get to, but Gang of Four are for sure in the queue!

[@snowblindcomics7051]

I love the direction this channel is going. Great video!

[@LowEndUniversity]

Thanks so much!

[@krawkpun]

This exact song was on my recommendation list. The only item additional item I wanted to point out is that Bruce Foxton has a lot of energy on stage, which is quite opposite of the stereotype of a bass player. He's always moving, always grooving, and seems quite happy doing what he's doing. I tend to focus on him more as a result. This is really important in a band like the Jam, because Paul Weller needs to be stuck to the microphone and is generally quite serious and intense on stage, and the drummer, Rick Buckler, seems to have zero emotion at all. He has the most amazing posture for a drummer I have ever seen.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Rad! I almost commented on that, how he was totally the "front man" in terms of the stage energy focal point. Love the "space" available when you're a trio!

[@Noneofyourbusiness1098]

You're going to love delving into the jam

[@danbowen7883]

The original Mods were around in the sixties. They were a youth movement which favoured sharp suits and rode Italian scooters. They were often in conflict with biker gangs(Rockers). The revival in late 70's and early 80's was massive in the UK and featured bands like The Specials, The Beat and Madness.

[@MojoRising-vl7sq]

Ska revival Top notch two tone

[@zhegwood]

You'd probably also dig Gang of Four. I Found the Essence Rare is a good one, but that whole Entertainment! album is gold.

[@TheHeroAppeared]

Couldn't agree more. Their album Entertainment is incredible.

[@LowEndUniversity]

They're in the queue!

[@Buckers2202]

On the first verse when Paul sings "a distant echo" I always hear those harmonics that follow like a train in the distance of a tunnel. This song is an absolute classic, the final part with Bruce just down picking, pummeling those root notes with Paul's vocals getting more and more animated with the grim subject matter is just so good 🔥

[@richiedagger733]

The stranglers - nice and sleazy

[@Jettonx]

This song is such a vibe to play! Definitely a favourite of mine. Glad you’ve got round to this gem

[@user-dx5kg1nu6k]

Only a British band could produce a song of such sensibility. Bill

[@UncleSpellbinder]

This entire band... their entire catalog... THE JAM... completely and criminally underappreciated in the States. I don't know if it was because of the British subject matter, Paul Weller's overtly British accents... Whatever the case, The Jam were among the great bands alongside the Stones, The Who, The Beatles. Fu**ing BRILLIANT.

[@TheGamingJewYT]

I love that in a video celebrating Bruce, theres a ton of people mentioning other bassists, its nice that after over 40 years people are still in bruces shadow ❤🤣

[@philippowers5909]

Proto-Punk and Post-Punk are such underrated sub-genres. They are so much more accessible than people realize.

[@georgeconradie4854]

Nice! Never heard it before but is now one of my favourite songs.

[@timstolinski8683]

Love this song, thanks for doing this video. Worked on harmonics in my lesson last night so seeing this practical application was very helpful and timely.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Oh, awesome! They're one of my favorite embellishments to use on bass, and I think you'll find them to be a great tool for melodic songs!

[@robertpassarella5348]

This is the beginning of stress rock.Rock bands that are not reliant on blues as their main influence. The Jam ,The Undertones,The Dills,The Plugz,The Weirdos,The Buzzcocks ect.. all influenced what would happen in Indie Rock in the mid and late eighties.

[@keverton123]

been listening to this tune for 40 yrs and never gets boring

[@thomasrae9730]

My favourite band as a young man. Lucky enough to see them live twice. Totally amazing at Glasgow Apollo. The second time I was fortunate to see them twice the same day. The band let fan's in to see the set up in the afternoon. Amazing seeing what happens before the concert at night. The Sound check just remembered what it was called. We were standing at the Apollo backdoor when someone walked up and banged the door "Saying typical of this place you can't get in here,follow me" When all of us standing around realised who it was we followed him. It was Rick the drummer. We followed him into the sound check through the front door of the Apollo. The Sound check was amazing including a few tracks they played for about a hundred or so fans in an around 5 to 6 thousand concert hall. Poor Apollo was pulled down a long time ago though many bands loved the place. Back to the 1980s. Quadrophenia was also made into a movie. As we said We Are The Mods.

[@realdocloco]

The Jam was the first band I saw live, early '78. And they made a HUGE impression on me! They were incredibly energetic on stage then. Later, they started playing more pop-orientated songs like this one, but always with Paul Weller's amazing songwriting.

[@franklydon4555]

Wire is another great under rated British band. Also Gang of Four.

[@PaulMikna]

As a bass player we covered a lot of Jam tunes back in my college years, and Foxton was a real thrill to cover! He also sings b/u vocals while playing those complex lines!

[@markperlsweig7807]

Just a very polite FYI since you are listening to one of my all time favorite bands from our youth. The video you are watching is a televised presentation which is being mimed on stage because the music is the album track. Foxton usually plays a Rickenbacker 401 or 403 jet black and Weller mostly plays a Rickenbacker 360 in Fireglo. Glad everybody still loves it.

[@RibombeeTeacher]

Monday and Gang of Four are incredible bass lines. Bruce Foxton often goes underrated when looking at these all time bassists lists, but he is truly a brilliant influence.

[@herryhubert2706]

An old punk here. The Jam and the Clash first albums were my introduction to punk in the summer of 77. Even until today they have remained among my favorite bands. For as far as the Jam is concerned, especially the first 4 albums are pure gold, the first two sounding the most punk-like and the 3rd and 4th being next step. They called it mod-revival, but I could barely compare it to bands like the Kinks or the Who, maybe apart from the covers they played. As Paul Weller had to play guitar and do the vocals, he chose for putting an emphasis on the latter, as he put as much effort in writing the lyrics as he did writing the music. About any Jam-song can't be evaluated without reading the lyrics to it. Typical example of how Paul acts with the lyrics is when he sings: "Hey boy, the shout, have you got any money". It's nice to put the spotlight on the bass. Bruce well deserves that. But what made the Jam so special was how they were as a band: the pronouciation of the words, the power even in the more mellow songs (listen to That's Entertainment) and how it all fits together. The total is more than the sum of the pieces. In later interviews Paul would backstab his former bandmates by stating things like: "They could only play punk". Well, that just maybe the reason why the Jam had this unique sound. Because whatever Paul did afterwards (Style council and solo) was nice, but never came close to the Jam.

[@NLBassist]

I enjoy your channel, and I'm a huge Jam/Weller fan. So great! Regards, Chris, the Dutch Warwick Bass Camp van driver:)

[@LowEndUniversity]

Chris!!! Thanks for coming by my friend! What great times we had years ago. Hope you’ve been well!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@NLBassist]

@@LowEndUniversity We sure had!! And I will keep coming back here:)

[@kevinwilliams1421]

I’m going to watch Bruce next month (from the jam) cannot wait seen them a few times still amazing

[@wishawweather5421]

Excellent breakdown of a classic tune. I was in a few bands in my younger days and I'd always tell the bassist to learn this foxton masterclass so we could play it on the road.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Thanks friend! Love that, this feels like a blast to play live.

[@TommyrotLLC]

I have an original pressing of the 7" single of this song. The Jam are just amazing.

[@richardscantlebury488]

One of my favourite songs of all time.great bass and great lyrics

[@ac9110]

That was excellent and although I've known this song since its release, you've managed to point out some things I'd never noticed.

[@alexanderkantakusiniii8411]

That's entertainment is a great song by "The Jam"

[@icouldbewrongicouldberight]

Love the version on Compact Snap!

[@seqtrailrider]

Listen to the Album setting sons. So privileged to have seen one of Bruces last shows in Australia just recently. A true magician

[@Pedroleum100]

Love your vids. Great work there!

[@LowEndUniversity]

Much appreciated!

[@hamneggs345]

I envy you, when I discovered bands as a kid I was so excited to hear the new single, the next LP, you've got so much great material to enjoy and soak up

[@traceyhart9607]

Sound of my youth saw The Jam live many times and still now Bruce is still touring with From The Jam.

[@perrylindsay6682]

first time watching, i was a mod in that small time period and the jam were brilliant but what surprised me with this and its obviously your job was the way you just picked up on the way he was playing the bass ,i would love to play any instrument but ill stick to to playing the pillows with my drumsticks for now😊 but great to see a musician just crack it so quick👌👍

[@AugmentNoise]

Literally thought about sending in a recommendation for this yesterday. The Jam certainly played a big part in my Rickenbacker affinity.

[@markgreenhalgh6982]

The Jam would always let people in for their sound checks, a great experience as it was my first gig seeing the band at Cardiff University December 78, Tube station had just been released and entered the UK charts at No 27 ( from memory) fantastic gig. The support band that night was the Incredible Shrinking Dickies!

[@colinbaker3916]

As I recall, the Jam had 18 UK hits between 1977 and 1982, two of which were imports. They had four number ones, three of which entered the charts in top position. Paul Weller loved Motown. The bass at the start of Town Called Malice is obviously inspired by the opening of You Can’t Hurry Love by the Supremes.

[@SO-ym3zs]

Late 70's-80's Post-Punk, Alternative, and New Wave are filled with so much awesome bass. Sonically and/or musically, so many bands of that era put the bass right up front: The Jam, Joy Division, The Cure, REM, The Smiths, The Sound, Pixies, Talking Heads, Big Country, Oingo Boingo, The Armoury Show, Siouxsie and the Banshees, PiL, The Stone Roses, Psychedelic Furs, House of Love, Japan, The Police, Duran Duran.... It's an absolute goldmine for bass lovers. I wish more bass channels would talk about Rourke or Gallup instead of rehashing stuff about Jaco and Jamerson (as awesome as he is) repeatedly.

[@LowEndUniversity]

I'd love to get to all of those bands, many on the list! I get asked why I don't do Jaco and Jamerson, and it's because of that exact reason. Tons of coverage and the bigger bass channels already have excellent breakdowns of those players. As a rock/metal bassist myself, I love shining the light on underappreciated bassists in heavier music!

[@SO-ym3zs]

@@LowEndUniversity I play many genres, but rock and metal are where my bass heart lies, so that's good to hear! I think you'd find many of those bands/players interesting to discuss here.

[@Colin-ro6lh]

Big part of 70's UK punk scene(far away from post punk etc) & 79 - 82 they were part of the Mod revival scene that didn't last long

[@Colin-ro6lh]

You need to learn what new wave / post punk actually is because without sounding funny you don't have a clue

[@buckmelanoma758]

Yes!!!! Thank you. Bruce is one of punk’s greatest bass players

[@strumbolli]

Every Jam song has baselines like this. Listening to Jam records as a kid is how I learnt to play bass.

[@tharrison7832]

How about The (English) Beat - Mirror in the Bathroom! And also New Model Army - "Lights Go Out" or "Poison Street" or "Frightened "or "Coming and Going". Also Eton Rifles by the Jam,.

[@dr.zacking2097]

Would love you to cover more of The Jam, really enjoyed that reaction, thank you....Bruce needs more recognition :)

[@LowEndUniversity]

Thank you! Will do!

[@erwinschrodinkle7228]

Teenage me is still alive, trapped in an old fart's body. This made me happy!

[@fooman65]

The Mod revival was massive in England and bands like this influenced and inspired a whole new wave of musicians but not just musicians, the whole movement united countless teenagers. It's worth delving into the history for sure. Do The Stranglers, Nice n Sleazy

[@toddduncan4294]

Thanks for doing this!

[@jonathanmeare1123]

I'm off to see Bruce Foxton (bass player) in his new band 'from the jam' in a couple of weeks (all mod cons 45 year anniversary tour), last time I saw them (the jam) was in 1982 on their farewell tour (twice that year). From the jam are supported by the Purple Hearts, one of the mod revival bands you need to check out.

[@darrylbirt6049]

Bruce Foxton. One of the most underrated bass players ever!

[@slumlord72]

Their song “Going Underground “ went to number one based on advanced orders alone in the UK in 1980. Great band, been hooked on them since the ‘80s.

[@jonathansteadman7935]

THE English band, and they were HUGE 79 -82 When Weller split them up. They still mean everything to those of a certain age.

[@davidbidgood3987]

The bass line at time mimics the sound of the train on the track running in ' the tube'. Just genius, I love The Jam.

[@tuxster123]

Great video and breakdown, subscribed 👍

[@LowEndUniversity]

Awesome, thank you!

[@her-osmith-aerosmithtribut3183]

Saw Bruce playing on Saturday and he’s absolutely awesome

[@JamboLinnman]

I was a huge fan of The Jam growing up and remain a massive Paul Weller fan. I have multiple copies all albums and singles, including original first pressings. Saw them live in 1982 in Edinburgh, aged 17. Down In The Tubestation At Midnight just evokes so many memories for me. Brilliant song.

[@ponygirl]

I was at that gig and 17 years old too

[@beyondbabylon]

One of the most under rated bassist in rock history. The intro of a Town Called Malice demonstrates it better.

[@HFamilyDad]

I cut my teeth learning Bruce's bass lines - a hero of mine, subscribed!

[@steenjinks7359]

One of the first basslines I learned. Played it for my audition into college.

[@unclehamish]

The Jam were the first live band I saw. Saw them in 1982 at the Ingliston Centre in Edinburgh, fantastic introduction to live music for a 14 year old at the time. What a band, Bruce Foxton was and is criminaly underated for his bass prowess.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

What a killer bassline and tone! I gotta say when you pause the video at times the singer’s head lines right up with your body and looks like you have merged into one lol 🤘

[@LowEndUniversity]

Ever since the Jawbreaker video where my head was a cat, I’m gonna start trying to line them up 😬😬😬

[@danielhoskins4690]

That gave me a chuckle as well

[@bassimprovjams3772]

@@danielhoskins4690 lmao glad it wasn’t just me seeing like that lol

[@bassimprovjams3772]

@@LowEndUniversity lmfao I remember that one too lmfao

[@Macdaddy418]

gotta hit up Bruce Thomas from Elvis Costello and the attractions. "Lipstick Vogue" is a great place to start. "everyday i write the book" is another although its bit more mellow, but an incredibly beautiful bassline

[@LowEndUniversity]

I’ve got “Pump It Up” on the list!

[@Kubino21]

@@LowEndUniversity Hey Mark, Pump It Up is great, but Lipstick Vogue is even better and I wholeheartedly recommend that you react to it instead. Bass on that track is incredible, crazy fast, and there is even a little bass solo thrown in there.

[@ernie8419]

glad to watch people learning about culture i grew up with! keep digging!

[@petem7118]

Saw them live a few times and I could never take my eyes off Foxton…. His bass play just drew you in and almost hypnotised you….. I then bought a bass just because of Bruce….definitely underrated and unfairly so…..!

[@Poshbilly1]

Must have listened to this 100s of times over the years but as a non musician this has provided a whole new perspective.

[@LowEndUniversity]

Love it! Appreciate you!

[@dondiegodelap]

One of my favorite bass players!! He is underrated and of course I see a direct influence on Mike Dirnt!

[@darkpitcher5242]

whoa you are off into a huge rabbit hole fella Paul Weller is a genuine tour de force

[@sspbrazil]

One of my favorite bands. Bruce is a great bass player.

[@littlejimmy7402]

From back in the time that if you wanted a record, You went to the record store. But, if You wanted The Jam, The Damned, or Stiff LIttle Fingers, or so many great UK bands of the time, You had to go to a record store with an Import section. Those records cost more because they weren't being pressed in the states yet, i.e. they came over on a boat.

[@srodgers66]

Music is so homogenous now, you forget how differrent the scenes were in different coutries. Thankful to have been in my mid teens in England in 1977.

[@neilgater2213]

Bruce spent a number of years play bass in Stiff Little Fingers his live playing was mesmerizing

[@phxdwn121]

I love The JAM!! Thanks so much.

[@LowEndUniversity]

You bet!

[@johnsmithers5044]

Check out the songs "Pretty Green" or their blantant Tax Man rip off called"Start".The Jam often went from 0 to No.1 in the charts when a new single came out.They were HUGE in thr UK.

[@tommycoopersmagiccarpetwea817]

. . . and good ole George didn't sue for royalties👍

[@robertoc2485]

I loved ' going underground '

[@nostalgiccollectables554]

The soundtrack to my youth. I was so privileged to see them live in 1980. Even meeting them when accidentally getting in while they set up. They were gentlemen, Weller allowing me to hold onto his famous Rickenbacker while signing an autograph. Happy days.