Why does Andy Fairweather-Low play the difficult bass parts?

[The Ballad Of Pink Floyd]

I allways kind of wanderd why?
I would like no bashing of Roger in this thread but never realy understud why Roger should play a silly acoustic or electirc guitar and AFL to play bass?

[Yucateco]

it because Rog isn´t a really good bass player. Already during the Animals tour Snowy White had to play the difficult bass parts (Pigs).

[The Ballad Of Pink Floyd]

yes, in 1977 Roger played electric guitar(how much did he and his electric guitar contributed to the sound...i have no clue), while Snowy played bass on Pigs(Three Different Ones), Sheep and Welcome To The Machine.

[Kimon]

Don't forget that the majority of the bass parts in The Wall were done by Gilmour. Roger played bass on:
In the Flesh?
The Thin Ice
Another Brick in the Wall
The Happiest Days of Our Lives
Empty Spaces
One of My Turns
Goodbye Cruel World
Is There Anybody Out There?
Comfortably Numb
In the Flesh
and all the rest was done by Gilmour.

[nemesis11f]

Don't forget that the majority of the bass parts in The Wall were done by Gilmour. Roger played bass on:
In the Flesh?
The Thin Ice
Another Brick in the Wall
The Happiest Days of Our Lives
Empty Spaces
One of My Turns
Goodbye Cruel World
Is There Anybody Out There?
Comfortably Numb
In the Flesh
and all the rest was done by Gilmour.

So, in other words, all of the songs with REALLY noticable bass parts.........

[mosespa]

I say again...if it's a MELODIC bass line, it's most likely Gilmour's work...if it's a RYTHMIC bassline, it's most likely Waters' work.

At the risk of coming off like the anal prick I'm reputed for being, I fail to understand why this question should even have been asked. It would seem to me to be pretty self evident that if someone other than Roger is playing bass, it's because Roger either can't play the bassline and sing at the same time (it can be difficult to do two complex things at once) or maybe he just doesn't feel like playing the bass on that song.

I fail to see where they mystery comes into play.

But...carry on...

[alma]

I I fail to understand why this question should even have been asked. It would seem to me to be pretty self evident that if someone other than Roger is playing bass, it's because Roger either can't play the bassline and sing at the same time (it can be difficult to do two complex things at once) or maybe he just doesn't feel like playing the bass on that song.

I fail to see where they mystery comes into play.

But...carry on...

Right you are! And in some Interviews Roger Waters referred to himself as being "no bass player" and not being interested in playing instruments at all. He doesn't have to prove anything.

[nemesis11f]

I I fail to understand why this question should even have been asked. It would seem to me to be pretty self evident that if someone other than Roger is playing bass, it's because Roger either can't play the bassline and sing at the same time (it can be difficult to do two complex things at once) or maybe he just doesn't feel like playing the bass on that song.

I fail to see where they mystery comes into play.

But...carry on...

Right you are! And in some Interviews Roger Waters referred to himself as being "no bass player" and not being interested in playing instruments at all. He doesn't have to prove anything.

Thank you

[Sonic Destruction]

He seems to be playing most of the bass parts on this tour; playing them very well too I might say .

[fatoldbob]

He seems to be playing most of the bass parts on this tour; playing them very well too I might say .

I was pretty impressed with his bass playing this year as well.

[The Ballad Of Pink Floyd]

For example, why does he have to play an unpluged electric guitar on The Bravery Of Being Out Of Range on the In The Flesh tour?

And yeah, he kind of plays pretty well this year.

[mosespa]

For example, why does he have to play an unpluged electric guitar on The Bravery Of Being Out Of Range on the In The Flesh tour?

So that he's doing something other than just standing there, gazing out at the audience while he sings. Obviously, this is not one of the songs where he wanders about the front of the stage trying to get the audience to sing along with him...and he apparently can't play the bassline and sing the song at the same time...so, what's he going to do? Just stand there and sing?

Nah...give 'im a guitar and let 'im fake it.

Am I the only person here to whom these answers come so easily? Because it seems like simple common sense to me.

[Groovybass77]

For example, why does he have to play an unpluged electric guitar on The Bravery Of Being Out Of Range on the In The Flesh tour?

So that he's doing something other than just standing there, gazing out at the audience while he sings. Obviously, this is not one of the songs where he wanders about the front of the stage trying to get the audience to sing along with him...and he apparently can't play the bassline and sing the song at the same time...so, what's he going to do? Just stand there and sing?

Nah...give 'im a guitar and let 'im fake it.

Am I the only person here to whom these answers come so easily? Because it seems like simple common sense to me.

Yes, i have always noticed that Floyd members seem very nervous and out of place singing alone without instruments. Pete Townshend I also noticed this with too, in a recording of him just standing there singing "Let my Love Open the Door", he seemed very nervous without his guitar. I myself find it impossible to play and sing at the same time, can't multi-task at all for that matter. That may be due to my ADD though.

As for andy playing the difficult parts, he plays them well and thats all i really care about (especially Welcome to The Machine).

[Sonic Destruction]

Yeah, I hate singing without playing; I don't know what to do with my hands!

Andy probably plays the Gilmour bass parts for reasons which have been discussed (I guess "Pigs" and "Hey You" are the trickiest and Rog doesn't do either of those on his current tour). There appear to be two basses playing on the live "Sheep", maybe to replicate the original bass part which sounds like it might have been double tracked on "Animals".

I am sure Rog could very easily play the simple bass parts on "Mother" and "Wish You Were Here" if he wanted to, but it is his show and he can do what he likes. He is never gonna be rated as one of those top bass dudes like Chris Squire, but when he plays live he can lay down a mean bottom line and that is all I need him to do.

[The Gunner's Dream]

so, what's he going to do? Just stand there and sing?

He did for the majority of every Wall show, and he seemed perfectly comfortable doing it.