The Smiley Smile Message Board

I just love the bass-playing on Wild Honey. One of the reasons I own a bass is because of this album. Who is the individual behind the awesomeness?

Many individuals.

Bruce played bass on the title cut, btw.

Bruce indeed does say he played on the title cut, and I tend to believe it because you'd think he'd remember the relatively few times he played bass on record.

We're still trying to figure out the rest, but we know Ron Brown, the touring bassist at the time and experienced Motown West session man, played on it, Pohlman likely played on it, and there's always the weird Carol Kaye on IWMTLH controversy.  Lyle Ritz may be on WH too.  He was a popular choice for the Friends LP.

What's interesting is the consistency of the tone.  Brian no doubt instructed all the bassists to play with that trebley sound he likes.  Pohlman knew the drill.

I've asked this question a million times and of a million people...same reason.  The bass playing on this album is awesome.  Glad someone else picked up on this.

I may not know what I'm talking about, but I hear a lot of pedal bass on Wild Honey!

I think that's Bruce on bass, but I believe that Carl and Brian played bass too.
I know that Hofner bass was used for almost or whole record.

The viola-style bass that the group was using during this period was an Eko copy of the Hofner. It can be seen in photos from some '67 concerts.

How do you know that?  About the bass, I mean.  If you have a source, that's great, but I would need a pretty good source to believe that, considering the band owned at least 8 basses at the time.

And I really don't hear Brian playing bass on Wild Honey at all.  Nothing in his style.  Carl seems unlikely too for most of the parts.  As far as AFM contracts go, the only WH ones I've seen are the string overdub ones for a couple and the Boogaloo one, on which I would guess Al played bass.


Actually, they owned both the Eko and the actual Hofner.  Strangely enough.

So no definitive source about the Hofner being used on the record?  I was kind of excited there for a second.

weird about the Eko and Hofner ... i have owned and done a lot of recording with a circa '67 Eko viola bass myself, and it doesn't sound like that one on the record.   I've also played some vintage hofners, and it does sound closer to that on the album.  i would also suspect precision was used.

based purely on listening in reference to playing style, i doubt that brian or carl played bass on the album.  the playing has a "session ace" kind of feel, if you know what i mean.  i think that bruce has this kind of style, so i wouldn't doubt that he played on the album.

Bruce said that he played the organ solo on the title track....did he say he played bass as well on that track?  I think I heard that he did play some on the album....as well as the motown guy, Ron Brown.

The one time I spoke to Bruce, about 9 years ago, I asked him that very question., He confirmed that it was him playing bass...I asked him if it was Carol Kaye (who as we know is known for taken credit for a lot more than she actually did, and who at the time *said*  she had played that bassline), and let's just say he was rather pissed.