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Beyond the Bass Clef
Fantastic 1998 book by King Crimson bassist Tony Levin. Fascinating look at life behind the scenes of the music world.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
Paperback
Published November 1, 1998
2 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Tony Levin
12 books5 followersTony Levin was born in Boston on June 6, 1946. He grew up in the suburb of Brookline and began playing upright bass at 10 yrs old. In high school, he picked up tuba, soloing with the concert band. He also started a barbershop quartet. But he primarily played classical music on the upright, most notably performing at the White House with Marvin Rabin's Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra for John and Jackie Kennedy.
He then attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and played in the Rochester Philharmonic. Also at the school was Steve Gadd, now a renowned drummer, who introduced Tony to playing a higher level of jazz and rock. He traded in his Ampeg baby bass for an old (at that time) Fender Precision bass, which was his only instrument for many years.
In 1970, Tony moved to New York City, joined a band called Aha, the Attack of the Green Slime Beast, with Don Preston of The Mothers of Invention. Soon after, he began working as a session musician and through the 1970's he played bass on many albums.
In the late '70s wanting to do more live playing, Tony joined Peter Gabriel's band. He had met Peter through producer Bob Ezrin (with whom Tony had recorded Alice Cooper's Welcome to My Nightmare, and Lou Reed's Berlin.) Tony has played with Gabriel, both on the road and in the studio, since then. On that first Peter Gabriel album, Tony played some tuba as well as bass, and directed a short barbershop quartet version of a song.
It was in these early years with Gabriel that Tony switched to playing Music Man basses, and also developed his playing of the Chapman Stick. More recently, the song Big Time, from Gabriel's So album, inspired the development of Funk Fingers, which are chopped off drumsticks used to hammer on the bass strings. Levin credits Gabriel with the idea, and Andy Moore, his tech at the time, with actually making them workable.
In 1978, Tony moved to Woodstock NY, to join the band L'Image, which included his old friend Steve Gadd, as well as Mike Mainieri and Warren Bernhardt. The band, which did some very special music, broke up after a year, and Tony stayed in Woodstock, where he still lives.
On Peter Gabriel's first album, Tony met Robert Fripp and, in 1980, after having played on Fripp's solo album Exposure, he became a member of the '80s incarnation of King Crimson. The band has changed form a few times in the years since then, but Levin continues to be a member - having last toured with the band in 2008.
Through the years, Tony has recorded or toured with quite a few artists including: Paul Simon (with whom Tony appeared in Simon's 1980 film "One Trick Pony"), John Lennon, James Taylor, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Liquid Tension Experiment, Judy Collins, Carly Simon, Buddy Rich, Ringo, Chuck Mangione, Peter Frampton, Paula Cole, Sarah Mclachlan, Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe, Brian 'Head' Welch, and Steven Wilson. .
In 1984 Tony released "Road Photos," a collection of black & white photos taken during his travels with Crimson, Gabriel, Simon and others. Soon following was the book "Beyond the Bass Clef", featuring stories and essays about bass playing. Another photo book, "Crimson Chronicles, volume 1, the 80's" contains an extensive collection of his b&w photos of life on the road with the band.
Solo albums include, World Diary, Waters of Eden, Resonator, Pieces of the Sun, and Stick Man.
Tony's brother, Pete, is a New York based keyboardist and writer, known for his work with Gil Evans and his solo albums. Back in the 70's, Tony and Pete collaborated with Steve Gadd in the comedy band The Clams. Tony still threatens to release some Clams material some day.
Currently, Tony continues to record and tour with King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, and other groups as well. In the past year he has toured with King Crimson, Liquid Tension Experiment, Terry Bozzio, Steps, California Guitar Trio, Goeffrey Oryema, his new trio Stick Men, and the newly re-formed L'Image.
He then attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY and played in the Rochester Philharmonic. Also at the school was Steve Gadd, now a renowned drummer, who introduced Tony to playing a higher level of jazz and rock. He traded in his Ampeg baby bass for an old (at that time) Fender Precision bass, which was his only instrument for many years.
In 1970, Tony moved to New York City, joined a band called Aha, the Attack of the Green Slime Beast, with Don Preston of The Mothers of Invention. Soon after, he began working as a session musician and through the 1970's he played bass on many albums.
In the late '70s wanting to do more live playing, Tony joined Peter Gabriel's band. He had met Peter through producer Bob Ezrin (with whom Tony had recorded Alice Cooper's Welcome to My Nightmare, and Lou Reed's Berlin.) Tony has played with Gabriel, both on the road and in the studio, since then. On that first Peter Gabriel album, Tony played some tuba as well as bass, and directed a short barbershop quartet version of a song.
It was in these early years with Gabriel that Tony switched to playing Music Man basses, and also developed his playing of the Chapman Stick. More recently, the song Big Time, from Gabriel's So album, inspired the development of Funk Fingers, which are chopped off drumsticks used to hammer on the bass strings. Levin credits Gabriel with the idea, and Andy Moore, his tech at the time, with actually making them workable.
In 1978, Tony moved to Woodstock NY, to join the band L'Image, which included his old friend Steve Gadd, as well as Mike Mainieri and Warren Bernhardt. The band, which did some very special music, broke up after a year, and Tony stayed in Woodstock, where he still lives.
On Peter Gabriel's first album, Tony met Robert Fripp and, in 1980, after having played on Fripp's solo album Exposure, he became a member of the '80s incarnation of King Crimson. The band has changed form a few times in the years since then, but Levin continues to be a member - having last toured with the band in 2008.
Through the years, Tony has recorded or toured with quite a few artists including: Paul Simon (with whom Tony appeared in Simon's 1980 film "One Trick Pony"), John Lennon, James Taylor, Pink Floyd, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Liquid Tension Experiment, Judy Collins, Carly Simon, Buddy Rich, Ringo, Chuck Mangione, Peter Frampton, Paula Cole, Sarah Mclachlan, Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe, Brian 'Head' Welch, and Steven Wilson. .
In 1984 Tony released "Road Photos," a collection of black & white photos taken during his travels with Crimson, Gabriel, Simon and others. Soon following was the book "Beyond the Bass Clef", featuring stories and essays about bass playing. Another photo book, "Crimson Chronicles, volume 1, the 80's" contains an extensive collection of his b&w photos of life on the road with the band.
Solo albums include, World Diary, Waters of Eden, Resonator, Pieces of the Sun, and Stick Man.
Tony's brother, Pete, is a New York based keyboardist and writer, known for his work with Gil Evans and his solo albums. Back in the 70's, Tony and Pete collaborated with Steve Gadd in the comedy band The Clams. Tony still threatens to release some Clams material some day.
Currently, Tony continues to record and tour with King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, and other groups as well. In the past year he has toured with King Crimson, Liquid Tension Experiment, Terry Bozzio, Steps, California Guitar Trio, Goeffrey Oryema, his new trio Stick Men, and the newly re-formed L'Image.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 5, 2024
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El único libro que necesito en físico
El único libro que necesito en físico
July 5, 2010
A fellow bass player loaned this book to me, figuring I would enjoy it...but I was never a big fan of Tony Levin's work (other than the songs he recorded with Peter Gabriel), so I didn't know what to think of it. What is in the book is a lot of short writings about various interests of Tony's, aboutlife on the road, funny anecdotes, and lots of mentions of carrot cake. Overall, it was a pleasantly lite read that I didn't have to pay for, so I can't say anything negative about it. The only thing that I realized afterwards is that the life of a rock star doesn't have to be dangerous or controversial...which is disappointing, kind of.
June 28, 2009
A collection of writings from master bass guru Levin, who has played with Peter Gabriel throughout Gabriel’s (30-year) solo career, with King Crimson since the early 80s, as frontman for his own band, and for dozens of other live and studio gigs (including John Lennon’s final album). Often witty, occasionally insightful, mostly casual—the essays and reminiscences seldom come to more than a couple of pages’ length each; Levin’s a musician, so I don’t expect his literary writing to win any prizes—“Beyond the Bass Clef” is nevertheless enjoyable stuff for the musically-minded.
May 8, 2012
An amusing trifle lent to me by a musician friend who helped me get my bass repaired, which also led to me picking it up again after 30 years. Tony Levin is a great bassist, and this book is sort of a scattershot entry in the autobiographical/memoirish/musical instruction/anecdote genre. Appeal will be limited to Tony Levin fans and/or the bass-playing public.
December 6, 2010
A collection of short anecdotes, essays, and words of wisdom from bassist extraordinaire Tony Levin. Whether you want stories about Buddy Rich, a recipe for carrot cake, or a story about the time Tony "almost shot John F. Kennedy," this book has something for you. Highly recommended.
April 18, 2014
devo ammettere che, pur essendo io un grande ammiratore di tony levin, sono rimasto sorpreso dalla qualit�� del libro: tony �� un grande raccontatore di storie, a volte commoventi spesso divertenti... grande tony!
November 15, 2007
This is a not very well-written book with some fun anecdotes. If you can wade through the "writing," there's a solid biography of Mr. Levin hiding in there.
March 26, 2008
Great fun to read. Easy to pick up and put down, guilt free.
May 25, 2012
Hilarious and informative.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews