The Bass Player from AC/DC was a Genius

[@Ken_Scaletta]

Malcolm Young is also an extremely underrated guitar player. He was low key one of the best rhythm players ever.

[@531ff]

Ken Scaletta Young is underrated ? Said no one . Ever

[@moronsociety]

They mean malcom Young, he barely got credit, although he is one of the best rhythm guitarists ever

[@conniethesconnie]

Did Cliff wright the bass parts or was it written by the Young brothers? Many AC/DC songs are credited to just Malcolm and Angus.

[@motoputz3201]

amen

[@reno145]

Underrated? Not to those who play guitar. Under appreciated? Most definitely!

[@WhitePointerGaming]

Cliff was the bassist for the majority of the band's life, not just in the late 70s and early 80s. He joined in 1977 and never left, and was with them all through the 80s, 90s, 2000s and 2010s - over 40 years.

[@Asidebar]

Cliff is 1st class a kind gentleman. Greatest Bassist of all.

[@jasonsmith6408]

Trying explaining this to my old band was like talking to a wall.

[@TANTRUMGASM]

i dont understand, what do you mean?

[@patriciooliva541]

Oh the pain!!!

[@captainchaos7862]

I feel for you bro.....it was the same with a couple bands I was in back in the 80's.....every time rookie bass players were just "Note" followers.....I took some searching to find brave serious bass players.....god....drummers too, for that matter....LOL......

[@jasonsmith6408]

Captain Chaos yep, all there were was Eddie Van Halens that cranked up their Crate full stacks to 11. I was one of them at first LOL then I got with a real band and finally heard and felt what music was about. Picked up the bass and thoroughly embraced it

[@captainchaos7862]

OMG...."CRATE" amps stacks....I remember those.....without fondness.... and YES EVERYONE was killing themselves trying to dial in that "Elusive" EVH Sound LOL.... For me, it was Marshall Lead Heads & 4X12 cabs with greenbacks.....cuz' I'm Biased like that..... I always use to bitch at the guys when their use of 'Reverb" would get to retarded levels LOL...........Ahhhhhh, the 80's we're fucking FUN!!!!!!!

[@Freakinreviews]

I do wonder if Cliff wrote his own parts or if the Young brothers told him what to play. But Cliff definitely has skills. Check out his great bass groove on "Love Hungry Man."

[@bradss1000]

Freakin' Reviews- Stop wondering. Cliff definitely wrote his own bass playing. The Young brothers, and Phil, by the way, scored BIG TIME when they found Cliff.

[@PhantomKangaroo91]

You just have to ask yourself, did Mark Evans do those tricks?

[@bradss1000]

@@PhantomKangaroo91- ???

[@Brokenface]

I read somewhere that sometimes Cliff wrote lines himself and sometimes Malcolm and Angus wrote them during songwriting

[@FranLevitzky]

@@PhantomKangaroo91 Good point, Cliff and Mark have very different styles. Still, Mark is a great bass player, he did a great job with AC/DC and should have been inducted to the Rock Hall with the rest of the band.

[@OfficialAshArcher]

Cliff Williams and AC/DC in general are criminally underrated - it’s more than just “playing three chords” like most idiot musicians claim. It’s about having a really solid groove, swinging the notes with a killer accent and, like these fellas say, the guitarists only hitting certain strings when blasting the chord and letting the bass fill in the gaps

[@patmccrotch5373]

I may have even said this already, in this post even, but AC/DC are without a doubt one of the TIGHTEST in the pocket bands in music history, let alone in rock and metal.. they have such precision with timing and grooves almost like a tight reggae or funk band, it's simplistic, but not really Haha. You make a great point Ash, I'm just bein your hype man and having your back!

[@tigerlikeswater]

@Brian The BreadCrumb Bread crumb by name - -bread crumb by nature

[@hannahkirst453]

ACAC

[@daveh.folster7422]

When I hear anyone say “it’s only 3 cords” “it’s easy” or “it’s simple” i reply this... It’s easy, simple, only 3 cords then why don’t you do it ? That shuts the lesser musician up everytime

[@OfficialAshArcher]

@@daveh.folster7422 NICE

[@MikeSadlerAU]

I'm sad and amazed that nobody seems to remember Mark Evans, who was the bassist from '75 - '77 when AC/DC was really making their mark on the world stage. I think Mark really set the 'tone' of the engine room and it certainly wasn't musicianship that got him booted out, *just* a personality clash with Angus. As suggested around the traps, he IS one of the nicest guys in Rock and it worked against him in AC/DC. His book about that era is a good read too :-)

[@smokesletsgo2374]

"When Mark left, that's when the fucking band started" -Malcolm Young

[@gtate135]

Mike Sadler should be in the hall with the rest of them

[@DannyBoi2112]

smokeslet'sgo hahahahahahahhahahahahaha, thats something Id expect Bon to say

[@apollo99]

I remember him. I read his book. Really interesting.

[@nickp.7156]

smokeslet'sgo That quote is about Dave, but Mal probably felt the same about Mark too lol.

[@charliefoxtrotthe3rd335]

Rock and metal is all about the rhythm section. Ozzy has said it many times. When you have a drummer, bass and rhythm guitar all in the pocket, it gives the lead guitar and vocals room to move and do their thing. When you hear Black Sabbath, most think it's that crazy singer and the lead guitar. Nope, when the rhythm is locked in tight and driving those riffs home. *THAT* is what made Sabbath so great of a band. Same with ACDC. Phil, Cliff and Malcolm are what gave the other two the platform to move around on.

[@captainchaos7862]

Exactly.....there was NOTHING like it when Bill Ward and Geezer Butler were in the pocket......pure magic would occur.......

[@FabbrizioPlays]

I feel like amateur rock is littered with rhythm guitarists and bass players who wish they were lead guitarists, and drummers who aren't listening to anything but themselves. It's a recipe for disaster - a rhythm section that's itching to steal the limelight leaves the show with no cornerstone. When kids start learning rock, they can't wrap their minds around the finished product of the show. All they're thinking about is proving their own individual worth. They wanna do something cool, catch someone's attention, leave an impression. What they don't understand is that a bass player hotdogging around the stage and going crazy for the whole show is completely UNCOOL, irritates the crap out of the audience, and leaves the impression that your band has never actually practiced or performed before. And it would be fine if this was just middle schoolers goofing around, but sometimes those kids are 30 years old because they never learned their lesson nor broke those old habits. A bass player grows up when they realize the coolest, most impressive thing they can do is make a rock-solid foundation for the front man and lead guitarist.

[@Timmypce]

Good points....

[@fivestring65ify]

Some players never figure this out

[@rafael3893]

rock on

[@harrisongdavis]

thats so crazy. Once you guys played it with the C# I was like "oh yeah, theres that signature sound."

[@DanielRettberg]

Harry Davis haha yeah man, it’s crazy how much of a difference it makes. Thanks for watching!

[@FelixGuitarCovers316]

That's what I find so beautiful about AC/DC's music. They take basic simple things and make them sound awesome and unique. Still unmatched to this day in my opinion!

[@MLS7476]

The best Bass players are named Cliff!

[@scotthenson7340]

That’s right they are!! XD

[@stevenlornie1261]

Geddy Lee?

[@sandipbiswas766]

He was really inspired by Geezer Butler, Black Sabbath

[@popsiclelanding]

Joseph Covello you can’t be serious lol

[@simononeill941]

Sutcliffe?

[@lGxtmXl]

Cliff added tension to the riffs so when the release came it was more awesome

[@Ferito23666]

Another underrated bass player was John Deacon from Queen!!!

[@nagato4982]

Fernando Flores Angulo no one will surpass Jon pistorius

[@NickHarman]

@@nagato4982 In his field. But not every band needs someone making trombone noises and being all fancy.

[@beardkid786]

John Deacon is not underrated. He’s recognized as one of the best rock bassist of all time. He’s was amazingly good!

[@NickHarman]

@@beardkid786 Saying 'underrated' has become a cliche. It should be used very sparingly and accurately. What one can say about most bass players, not all, is that they do not tend to be the 'frontpeople'. They are at the back working away. Singers and guitarists will always have the camera pointed at them first. Anyone who likes Queen is going to be more about Mercury and May, and I am sure Deacon understood that and was happy.

[@francoislecanadien1710]

funny, i was saying exacly that to my wife - a huge Queen fan - just yesterday.

[@joepaul9855]

Cliff Williams is underrated!!! He and Ian Hill are amoung the most underrated bassist...Malcolm Young is THE most underrated guitarist/musician ever....r.i.p.

[@DanielRettberg]

Very underrated! Tom Hamilton from Aerosmith is another one. A lot of these great guitar players like Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Slash, Angus Young, etc.. tend to overshadow the awesome rhythm section in their groups. Having a good, creative bass player is crucial, in my opinion. RIP Malcolm

[@mikesimonian990]

Rock Metal Fiend Who does all of this rating?

[@joonaparkkinen4193]

joe paul actually Malcolm Young is rated worlds best rythm guitar in history

[@MsPastaboy]

joe paul you are so right👍

[@metalthrea5797]

joevdqp paul

[@ChristopherCricketWallace]

Soooo great video. I mean that. It was a good breakdown. It would've been 100% better if the BASS was amped equal to (if not more than) the lead guitar. I can barely hear the bass track.

[@ASSman864]

you need better speakers bro. i heard it fine

[@DanielRettberg]

Thanks man!

[@tdrewke]

@@ASSman864 Yeah, me too, bass was good. Buy some good headphones. I use Sony MDR 7506, worth every penny.

[@atmorgan7628]

Cliff, Malcom, and Phil are one of the greatest rhythm sections in music history. They are the power and strength, and Angus comes in just over the top and they destroy everything in their path. Great musicians all, but put them together, epic, and unbelievable. Rock n Roll=AC/DC.

[@braninacore]

A T Morgan I think that Led Zeppelin's rythm section is way better, complexity and coordination at their best

[@maartenboender5352]

zeppelin's is more complicated and diverse, ac/dc's simpler but more catchy

[@nickp.7156]

Complex rhythm section.... yay. Now I know my Zep puts me to sleep.

[@djentyman4002]

Ya know I recently was in an argument in a separate video where this guy said that Phil wasn’t the best drummer for AC/DC. Saying his timing was always off and that he is to simple. As you know I went off on him lol

[@markmeyers6693]

@Nicholas Dude. That's not fair and everyone knows it, lol(though I totally agree. You can't put the John's against Cliff and Phil. Two entirely different machines. opinion REPLY

[@johnmoses8964]

Really good stuff guys. Cliff was my biggest influence as a bass player. He was such a big part of AC/DC's sound. It pisses me off when people say he just drives on one note and he's not very good.

[@SalAvenueNJ]

"Gone Shootin' " has some of my favorite Cliff Williams playing.

[@guitarheroal]

Sal AveNU .....Played by George Young sadly...........lol

[@thisklik]

@@guitarheroal Bon Scott - lead vocals Angus Young - lead guitar Malcolm Young - rhythm guitar, backing vocals Cliff Williams - bass guitar, backing vocals (all tracks except "Cold Hearted Man") Phil Rudd - drums Mark Evans - bass guitar (on "Cold Hearted Man") The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC book claims that George Young played bass on all tracks.[11]

[@bradss1000]

thisklik- So which is it?!! George or Cliff???

[@Kyle-zx1bg]

Glad to hear Cliff getting his due on KZbin but there are many who realized this long ago. Phil is also HIGHLY underrated.

[@smokesletsgo2374]

AC/DC is a band where pretty much any competent musician can play the songs, they're very simple, but if anyone else does it it NEVER sounds the same. Even if members are switched in the band itself, it's not the same. There's something intangible beyond "play a D chord and then an A chord"

[@VincentBakker1964]

rock and roll and pop are more about originality in attitude and style than just playing the right notes. Which is why we like our heroes performances generally more than those of goodwilling players who play nice and more or less correct what original artists have dobe before them.

[@qty1315]

Reminds me of a few simple things guitarists have said in interviews to explain why when other musicians play their music note-for-note, it never sounds quite 'right'. Brian May - Plays with a coin instead of a pick. Ace Frehley - Accidentally plays off-key notes in most of his solos (notably on 'Shock Me') but simply doesn't care. Eddie Van Halen - Plays off-time on his solos. Apparently, Alex didn't like playing on certain songs because Eddie would speed-up and slow-down. Apparently, Eddie some issues with timing. Well, that and the guitar tone will actually change slightly depending on how it's recorded and what sounds are played around the guitar. If Angus is playing Highway To Hell live with the rest of the band, it will sound different from a kid using the same guitar and amp playing the same song in his room.

[@moonrockbackdrop]

Love the user name

[@FabbrizioPlays]

It's the double rhythm guitars. Whenever Angus wasn't soloing, he was playing in tandem with Malcolm. People don't realize just how dry Malcolm went on the overdrive, because his tone was always layered with Angus to create that deep, rich AC/DC rhythm sound. Their simplicity allowed them to get very good at keeping the entire backing track tight. Bands that add frills and get complex with their rhythms are never going to be quite as good at that kind of tightness, because it's not a muscle they're exercising.

[@andrewneumann3732]

I've heard that Malcolm's studio setup was dialed in as such that you could hold a conversation with the guy while he was playing. He played through a small rig at voice level volume. Angus on the other hand would push Marshall's to pieces. Also a lot of the "doubled" rhythm parts was Mal doing it twice. They'd start recording weeks before Angus or Brian would show up. Once they needed to put down vocals and solos, the other guys would split.

[@DanielRettberg]

Hey guys, thanks a lot for watching our video! We really appreciate your support. If you can’t hear the bass, try using headphones or computer speakers. It’s very hard to hear the bass on cellphone speakers. Aakash is a brilliant videographer/bassist who films and edits a large majority of my videos, and he felt that the bass was loud enough during the editing process. This isn’t the type of video that you can listen to on a cellphone and hear the subtle nuances in bass frequencies. Thanks for watching!

[@FrostByte_AC]

Thanks for all the love guys! Dan did ask me to talk a little more and I turned to him and said “you don’t pay a supermodel to talk”. That was the end of the conversation.

[@dmccalldds]

FrostByte lol

[@wnoble58]

I hung out with Cliff Williams at his house in Ft Myers Florida a couple years ago. He is such an amazing guy and had some of the best stories to tell!

[@shatti886]

this one of the best AC/DC info ever :)

[@DanielRettberg]

Thank you very much! I really appreciate it.. Thanks for watching!

[@dahawk8574]

Yeah, brilliant vid! I'm left itching for the next layer of insight. Imagine being a fly on the wall during their songwriting. For some reason I am imagining Mal piping in to help Cliff get to those creative notes. But maybe it was all Cliff. However it happened, the result was pure genius. Almost as creative as sandwiching a middle name between two first names.

[@arvispinkletter5324]

There is more to it than the notes too, it's his rhythm. He hits accent beats that fill in blanks between the guitar parts. This is a band that makes little things sound big by employing simple, effective, ingenious tricks. The "Powerage" album is full of excellent examples.

[@MichaelColeman]

I never really thought about it before, but you are absolutely right about Cliff’s note choices, and they make a noticeable, positive difference. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

[@benstephens34]

I knew this about Cliff Williams already, which is why he's one of my favorite bassists. So I'm glad to see some younger guys going on record to give him props. This newer generation of bassists need to know that it's about more than just playing the chord changes. And they do it in a way that is accessible to anyone who doesn't necessarily have a music theory background. Good work guys!

[@freddyferrillo9704]

Manny Man Man -i knew this too. Really, it isn't that uncommon for a bassist to play the the major third rather than the root. But it's a great observation by these two youngsters! They noticed because they pay attention to theory and they have good ears too!

[@benstephens34]

freddy ferrillo yeah! I like that they care about theory. There seems to be idea that the more you learn about playing, the more it can interfere with your playing, which seems counterintuitive to me. I say the more you know, the more you can discover what's possible.

[@freddyferrillo9704]

Manny Man Man -True! The more you know the more you can discover. That's logical and a true statement in my opinion. Personally I have never found that understanding a little bit of theory was counterintuitive. Others may have but not me. We're talking very basic theory in this video. But in my opinion, it's vital information.

[@benstephens34]

freddy ferrillo I once suggested that maybe everyone should take some time to learn some music theory, to my last band. Well, actually what I said was everyone should take a class. One of the guitarists actually said "not everyone has time for that," which I understood, but the conversation ended there. As if to say "I don't have time to learn about how music works, though I plan on playing it the rest of my life." Really? Ok, you don't seriously have to enroll on a music theory course at the local community college, but to dismiss the whole idea so abruptly...wtf?

[@freddyferrillo9704]

Manny Man Man , There are books that teach basic theory and they make a lot of sense. It's like music theory for dummies in a sense. But it will show you about intervals between notes so you can understand Major and minor scales. Also shows you positioning and circal of fifths and all that basic stuff. I find it incredibly interesting and I got it all from reading a book little by little. It didn't take any time away from my social life at all. Your guitarist is losing out on knowledge that would help more than hurt in my opinion.

[@Podcastforthewin]

You naturally want to change with the guitar, But Cliff and the drummer Phil were smart, they didn't need to change notes with every change, and Phill wouldn't hit the cymbals with every change either, witch is common for most drummers.

[@FlashBastard1964]

*cymbal ... I hate that shit.

[@Podcastforthewin]

FlashBastard1964 my apologies you are correct

[@ocho611]

Phil Rudd, the mighty Phil Rudd, would almost never crash into a change where EVERYBODY else would. it was glorious. he's a bad, bad man

[@smashdalde9713]

ocho cabra No ride cymbal either!

[@ocho611]

so great (except on 'Ride On'. but still... )

[@ncorva]

An interesting theory fact is that in most of these examples, cliff rests on the root or dominant of the tonality. Given that the root represents the major centre of stability and the dominant that of tension, persisting on that note on the bass while the chords change over it stretches the musical function of that section. In other words, even though the chords change, if the bass is resting, the music is resting, and if the bass is in tension, so will the music be. Though frequently used in classical music, It is nice to see how some nice little details like these can be used effectively in rock as well.

[@matiasarce]

That bass playing style is from George Young. Check the early records with Mark Evans, same style. As a producer, George played, composed and was deeply involved in the development of AC/DC sound. The bass lines in Powerage were made and played by him before Cliff arrives to the band

[@chazsmith7324]

Right on guys! Thank you so much for this channel! I teach Bass, & have actually had argument with grown Men about this! Thank you again, you guys make learning fun! I never took lessons, I was self taught which I regret in a lot of ways, but I was very fortunate to get into a Band with three Brothers who were all teachers, & learned a lot from them, but sure wish we had KZbin back 25 years ago low key! Lol...Cheers guys!

[@Turk_2023]

Always though Cliff had the easiest job in Rock N Roll. His hardest job was singing the chorus with Malcolm and remembering to make it to the mic stand in time and not running into Angus or Brian on the way there and back.

[@fivestring65ify]

@Tubecreeper A lot of musicians don't know this stuff. As far asd arrangement goes, a good band works together on all the parts of a song.

[@wattsun7946]

Went to Billt Sheenan bass clinic back in 90s . He was asked in the Q&A who was his favorite bassist. He answered Cliff Williams which stunned most the attendees.

[@johndef5075]

Wow! That is high praise!

[@mrjw6701]

He actually said it was 2 players Cliff Williams and Ian Hill of Judas Priest.

[@dmreeoogdaq]

I saw AC/DC in the early '90's, and there was a part of the show where Angus was running around the arena to get the small stage in the middle of the crowd. While he was getting there, Malcolm, Cliff, and Chris Slade just fell into a repetitive but totally rocking groove. They did more inside that one groove than most bands will do in an entire show, and they never played anything different the entire time. I remember telling my friend, "I could spend 2 hours just listening to THAT!"

[@eskilekdahl]

Arthur Name Live at Donington?

[@TheMefahm]

That is during let there be rock / high voltage

[@blacksabbath1022]

It would either be Jailbreak which was 14 minutes on that tour, LTBR which was 12 or so and the same with High Voltage. Malcom is an absolute machine in all 3 live.

[@Texturas75]

That's it! I thought I was the only one who loved those small details in ACDC's basslines! I even used to play the A with bass on C#. I love basslines with non-root or even non-chord notes. Cliff is great!

[@stepitupandgo67]

it's the little things

[@advancedraymondology2914]

There's nothing bigger.

[@dlawlis]

One of my old bands used to do Whole Lotta Rosie. During the chorus the guitar is alternating A to G power chords while the bass just rides the A root. People were always coming up to me afterwards and telling me how awesome that line sounded over those two chords. Something that seems so ridiculously simple can really stand out and just blow peoples' minds!

[@jupiter7x7]

Super cool, informative video. Really interesting stuff, guys. Thanks!

[@DanielRettberg]

jupiter7x7 Thanks man! We really appreciate it

[@ppeterson6407]

Bass players often get the least credit in a band, but I agree, Cliff Williams was a genius. This is why he was so much of the ACDC sound. They are like no other bands like them. Malcolm recognized his talent, a genius in musical chords.

[@darthwolf2592]

Cliff Burton, Chris Squire, John Paul Jones, Bill Wyman, John Enwistle, Steve Harris, Geezer Butler, Roger Glover. All underrated musicians.

[@matooleyobrien2918]

Cliff was excellent and way underated...like Bill Wyman never got the credit he deserved playing bass for The Rolling Stones 1962-89...

[@juhos30000]

and like Darryl Jones...

[@dankfingers]

Great video! Cliff Williams is a fantastic bass player, awesome to see you guys giving him the credit he deserves. I was just watching AC/DC's performance from the Day On the Green in Oakland, 1979. There's a clear view of Cliff's right hand during the solo for Live Wire that demonstrates his killer down picking technique. He had an insanely powerful attack, but he was always right in the pocket. A true bass player for sure. Also there's a noticeable difference in the overall feel of Powerage as compared to the albums that preceded it. I think that has a lot to do with Cliff's playing style. Cliff tended to fill the space by playing eighth & sixteenth notes which gave the music a more solid, driving feel that remained throughout the rest of their albums. Also his bass playing on Gimme A Bullet is killer, really unique. Cheers to Cliff Williams.

[@if6turnedouttobe9]

Such a great video and so true. Cliff drives that bass and keeps the heads banging. Cliff and Dusty Hill/ ZZ Top are two of the best. They drive the bus and keep it going...

[@commanderbaccara8578]

Layne Franklin But Cliff is under the bus \m/ 😬 #ripcliff

[@smokesletsgo2374]

Cliff is still alive, he's just retired

[@blahdelablah]

Different Cliff, smokeslet'sgo.

[@awaywithpaul3423]

This is fascinating! Thanks so much for explaining and showing us examples

[@travisarlow9564]

This video destroyed my concept of reality, gonna go back to my old AC/DC albums just to make sure you're not bullshitting me

[@DanielRettberg]

Go listen to them lol. Thanks for watching!

[@troyk4452]

Thats not the HALF of it..Everyone thinks AC DC is easy , which it kind of is but theres ALOT more goin on than meets the eye....

[@mauriceemmann294]

Another almost perfect example is "Got you by the balls" from the razors edge. Especially the chorus. The melody cliff plays over the straight forward simply guitars. Awesome

[@bobboberson2024]

This was awesome. And I totally agree about Cliff - MAJORLY underrated. The subtleties of Malcom was lost by many as well. Of course, when you have the most animated guitarist ever as a second (and at times singular) frontman, that can happen.

[@stevebutler812]

Maybe because Malcolm played Lead originally, but later switched to Bass so his younger brother Angus could play lead- in his "school outfit" and attract a younger crowd to the band. Leader at heart.

[@kevinmcnally-theblindguyou7015]

I really enjoyed this. As an aside, I had drinks with Cliff in Fort Myers FL in 1994. Very nice dude. He got up after and played bass with this cool jazz band....it was funny.

[@aaroncicanese]

Cliff Williams has always played his role in AC/DC so brilliantly, him and Phil Rudd really do provide that tight groove that immortalised the band forever, I’ve always thought powerage was the album that really showcased cliff and Phil’s craft,

[@chrisknowlton9460]

The kickass ACDC album for bass is POWERAGE. Turn it up to ELEVEN dude 😱

[@Safetysweet]

Sin city!

[@guitarheroal]

Most of the bass on that album was played by George Young,Prior to getting cliffs work visa

[@DannyBoi2112]

Down payment blues, best song on Powerage.

[@iamdesimone]

Powerage and Fly on the Wall will always be my favorite albums!

[@williamrusso3130]

"Gimme A Bullet" has an actual bass solo, which is rare for an AC/DC song.

[@due_2477]

Krist Novoselic from Nirvana is another one completely underrated, his parts were never the same as kurt and crucial to every song. The bass part of Lithium or in Bloom is just stunning

[@sirbattlecat]

Honestly a lot of metal bands would benefit from playing around with this. I've always imagined it must be insanely boring to be a metal bass player. Great video, thanks!

[@slapslicks7531]

Its only as boring as you allow it.

[@odudi]

I played in bands for 30 years and was in a couple AC/DC tribute bands. Dang it was hard to put them together so many people say AC/DC is eazy to play but don't realize it's not not eazy to master and get right. I remember having to show the bass player that same thing you pointed out in back in black. Finding a drumer that could hold a solid time with that rock &roll swing on the high hat was also a challenge. Keep up the great work.

[@lukebrum6276]

I love how they call him the “The bass player from AC DC” instead of by his real name

[@bradss1000]

You mean you hate how they call him “The bass player from AC DC” instead of by his real name..... 💀🤬💩🤭

[@stevenlewis1654]

Dude had tremendous power and sheer stamina live. Check out the awesome Bass tone he gets in some of the old live videos with Bon Scott.

[@kevinconnor6035]

It's true that AC/DC's rhythm section is underappreciated, but I think it's a stretch to call these touches "genius." Most intermediate bass players know that it's worthwhile to play the third or the higher octave to mix things up sometimes. The part from the chorus to Back In Black was pretty neat though. I'd say Cliff Williams is underrated in that people usually rate him terribly and do not recognize at all that he brought value, but his contributions were not "genius." That term gets thrown around too loosely on the internet.

[@ericportillo8277]

Great stuff, shows his subtle consistency in keeping it melodic and fun and not too dull like many bass players

[@Thoniuser]

andy rourke of the smiths was underrated. check out his basslines they're all awesome

[@smashdalde9713]

Thoniuser Yes,mate!Great shout.

[@DanielRettberg]

Yessir!

[@fastfrankblack]

A beautiful chooser of notes.

[@ReggiePostlethwaite]

Add Moulding of XTC, even better than Rourke

[@RameUkulele]

Andy Rourke, one of Britain's greatest ever bass players. It's criminal he had to fight for his claim to the royalties. Without Rourke and Joyce the Smiths just wouldn't be the Smiths.

[@lemane8411]

Well, i've been an AC/DC fan for 40 years, and I never noticed this, so thanks !

[@agnostic47]

I always liked Cliff Williams. A member of the "less is more" school of rock. Just keep that bass line driving along and everything's just fine. At the other end of the scale was John Entwistle, who had to cover for Pete Townsend's shortcomings as a guitar player.

[@chazsmith7324]

Kash...you are the man Bruh...us Bass Players are very under appreciated! Cheers my Friend! You guys have great chemistry together!

[@maximada2003]

you should do more of this type of video - KZbin is littered with reviews but not this sort of video - I never actually noticed this and its cool.

[@DanielRettberg]

maximada2003 Thanks man! Yeah, this is what I might focus on from now on. KZbin needs “ideas”, you know? Thanks for watching!

[@Freefromthehive]

he laughed when he said “bass deserve more for what they do” 0:09 lmao

[@leshgooo1016]

The thing that people don’t realise is that Cliff plays with only down strokes. Not as easy as people think because he is so solid.

[@dennismeredith6944]

What he did was was perfect. Especially for the type of music they play. He kept the low end groovin' without OVER playing!! One of my all time favorites!! Good job for pointing that out!!

[@marmal320]

I thought this vid was going to be like "Cliff Williams is a genius because he only played 3 notes and he's a millionaire" ... but it was a really interesting analysis. Thanks both!

[@shiftyhenry5133]

Thank you for showing me some something that this life long acdc fan never knew.

[@icevelvetzen]

Subtle, but huge! Great analysis.

[@DanielRettberg]

DadRoxxx06 Thanks a lot, man!

[@bakainblack]

Cliff's definitely GENIUS.

[@ShakespearesBruv]

‘is a genius’, he’s still alive guys.

[@andrewclark237]

Great stuff! Opened up plenty of doors there! Light bulb moment, well done!

[@schindlerific]

excellent. loved the a/b versions

[@DanielRettberg]

Thanks a lot, man! We're glad that you liked our video. Thanks for watching!

[@borborygmus5873]

This is great. It shows why a bass player shouldn't just be a failed guitarist and that neither bassist nor guitarist should just be merely instrument players.

[@andrewmarshall1142]

Based on the evidence in this video, I have concluded that all bassists named Cliff are incredible. AC/DC would not be the same without Cliff Williams, and if you're a Metallica fan you know that Cliff Burton was a crucial part of the quartet until his tragic death in 1986 (rest in peace).

[@flacidhouse350]

Cliff Williams is nothing special. The stuff they are talking about is common knowledge among bass players.

[@gerardoneri5115]

@@flacidhouse350 oh yeah why don't you show us your playing?? Got a band? Any original material? Would love to hear your basic knowledge on bass Flacido

[@flacidhouse350]

@@gerardoneri5115Yes random internet asshole, let me bend over backwards to get you my back catalog so you can pretend you listened to it so you can shit talk me poorly some more.

[@slapslicks7531]

@@flacidhouse350 all I have to say is that everyone is special, therefore you are insanely wrong. And common knowledge never means common practice. And bad habits are best done with comfort, and some muscians with this "common" knowledge and (still play follow the leader) are comfortably lazy. And/or very boring people.

[@flacidhouse350]

@@slapslicks7531 Your bizarre slam poetry has very little relation to reality.

[@johnjo8024]

I've listened to ACDC all my life but never noticed the subtlety. Thank you for the great observation!

[@siliusseth9558]

The Bass Player from AC/DC "IS3 a Genius, not was, he's still alive!

[@johnqpublic2013]

wow, great vid. I've played for 40 years. Cliff's lines were so simple, yet he widened the spatial color palette! subtle, brilliant.

[@Trollio123]

Thats pretty cool. But you mixed it terribly. Cant even hear the bass at all during this video. Since its the focal point of the video, maybe make the bass a little more prominent.

[@ConnorGotsTheFilms]

Cool picture

[@destroyer28100]

Are you high the bass is clearly audible

[@punky2deep]

i can hear it good maybe your speakers/headphones aren't that good?

[@BatEatsMoth]

Dude, get some nearfield monitors. Their volume is matched just fine. If the bass was any louder, the guitar would come through too weak. He actually has his volume louder than the guitarist to compensate for the distortion, which increases the loudness of the guitar. If he played any louder, the bass would boom and the guitar would just sound like fuzz and sizzle. Nobody wants that in a mix.

[@bvandijk]

Sounds good to me.. get better headphones.

[@thecatlady2710]

Amazing video explaining the music to someone who has never played an instrument. AC/DC is my all-time favorite band!

[@Monkeypole]

Guitar and bass tones are beaut! 👍👌

[@zedd187]

Great video guys! I used to sit in my room in the early 80's with my Atari 2600 and Grand Pre 8-track tape player and a bunch of AC/DC tapes. AWESOME childhood. 😎👍

[@Rock-iw7ov]

another underrated bass player? Mel Schacher of Grand Funk

[@shinyoneincarnate5565]

Previously with Question Mark / ? & the Mysterians

[@Hodensack420]

Bong rattling bass

[@heskestv]

Brilliant. ACDC at it's best has a sound that has rarely been matched and your revelation about Cliff Williams' intelligent playing demonstrates the difference between a band sounding ordinary to a band that sounds extraordinary.

[@ocho611]

nice to see Cliff getting the respect he deserves --"oh anyone can play what he plays". sure, maybe. but WOULD you? no. no you would not. this is why Cliff is better than you. nice work, boys

[@gamingguru1807]

LOVE IT! Always knew and heard from TONS of musicians that AC/DC music was WAY more in depth then the surface. So to actually have part of it explained it awesome!

[@BryanX64]

We know who Cliff Williams is lol just put him in the title

[@jeffgraham9089]

Loved this. Cliff Williams is incredibly underrated. It’s amazing how many bass players freeze when they are asked to simply drive the songs with 8th notes.

[@SpedSpedding]

That’s sick. Love this video. I always stick the C# in BIB on the guitar when I play it too. 🤘🏻😎

[@DanielRettberg]

Dude, it sounds so good like that.. Thanks for watching!

[@UserJoJo8]

Man Really Said Shook Meg all gight gong

[@santiagollorente9285]

Malcom play full chords all the way man! And angus in some parts too!

[@clayc124]

Great video guys. Thanks. Love that blue Fender bass!

[@globalfatmas]

I watched this on my phone so I couldn't hear the bass, doh!

[@jamesfeldman4234]

When the musical arrangement involves breaking out the components of the chords to different instruments, this gives the music texture, character, and depth. That is why we love this AC/DC sound. It has a richer, more dimensional sound that doesn't grow stale.

[@andylong7759]

I think it's quite likely that Mutt Lange probably had a lot to do with these note choices. Great bass lines nonetheless. Great video!

[@Dan.50]

Good point.

[@seanspencer6644]

Bulldust

[@RanceChampion]

Andy Long nah, Mark Evans was doing this kind of stuff pre-Cliff. Listen to the chorus of “whole lotta rosie” where he sits on the A while the guitars go from A to G. There’s probably 20 other similar examples. It’s been an AC/DC staple since day one.

[@timreinders9733]

So i guess we can inofficial credit these bass notes more likely to George Young (and/or his brothers Angus and Malcolm) Anyway, Cliff is still a top notch bass player...

[@lokicure]

Been playing for like 10 years, you just blew my mind. Thank you.

[@DanielRettberg]

Thanks man.. I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for watching!

[@defdan33]

Isn't it a liiiiiittle bit overexaggerated whipping out the "xyz was a genius"-tag for something rather trivial?

[@user-yl2zf7qj1u]

How dare you?!

[@livingroomguitarist7]

They should highlight Geezer Butler if you want to talk about genius bass players

[@mikeriesco6174]

Very interesting -- I'm an old guy/guitarist (compared to you 2), and I was THERE when BIB came out :-) And yet I never noticed these things. Thanks for appreciating this music, and teaching us a thing or two!

[@ztest2013]

People watch these videos on phones and laptops. Zero bass response. Would be much better if you turned the guitar down and bass up. Rock on.

[@SteveJ0966]

This certainly helps to explain why certain bands I've seen cover AC/DC just don't sound quite right. Thanks guys!

[@sgt.purp1e]

Best bassists ever Paul McCartney of The Beatles and Cliff Williams of AC/DC

[@andjustjizzforall]

Cliff Burton of Metallica and Lemmy of Motörhead as well

[@tpmcginnis]

One of the things that a couple of these examples shows is that by choice of the notes played, Cliff kept a continuing even tempo to the music more evident. It kept that underlying, driving sound of the sound propelling forward instead of him just serving as a redundant mimic of the root notes of the rhythm guitar chords. This is fantastic stuff and shows how taking specific notes out of chords, or adding notes to chords, can make such difference in what is heard. The Beatles were masters of this.