Michael Thomas Bass Statue

Official Derby Walk Here we have the statue of Michael Thomas Bass- an English brewer and a Member of Parliament. First elected in 1848, an orthodox Liberal supporting free trade, low taxes and improving living standards for the working class. He promoted a popular legislation to abolish imprisonment for small debtors, although his legislation against organ grinders on the grounds that they were street nuisances was less successful…

Elle Made me think – Bass, can that be a coincidence? I don’t think so. What if… What if he wanted to get those organ grinders off the streets and into the clubs?! What if really, he was a music lover, way ahead of his time? A pioneer of the deep thumping bass.

Sampling traditional music Remixing it Adding beats and most importantly BASS. Drum and Bass or is it ‘Derby and Bass’? I bet this man knew how to groove. Look at him, foot out, tapping in time to the beat.

People probably said his music was ‘loud’ and ‘difficult’, like all true artists Bass wasn’t appreciated in his lifetime. There are no recordings, all evidence of Bass’ efforts faded from existence, but I like to think it would’ve sounded something like this:

Put your hands in the air for MTB Can I get a …(woop woop?) Have a little groove for MTB Get liberal! Tap your feet! Improve your living standards, have a dance. Shandies all round! Free yourself!

Dance with Michael Thomas Bass. Turn around, dance to the museum, it’s free!

See that little alleyway on your left, dance to that! Actually, go through it. Use the arrow that says museum entrance. On to the street and turn right. It’s a tricky bit this. Follow the fossils on the floor. We’re going to cross at the traffic lights, dead ahead, not the ones on the left. We’re going to turn right, behind the opticians.

Don’t take the road with the big orange buildings on it, ‘cruise’ onto the orange bricks, the road with all the different shops and all their different colours. I love this street. This is how to make buildings look inviting. Walls shrugging up against each other, rubbing shoulders with their neighbours. Jumbled rooftops protecting precious contents. I could tell you the stories of the people who live here, the body piercer, the jeweller, the bartender, their joys and tears, but where’s the fun in that? You were always shy around new people, probably because you weren’t really invited, but mum always insisted ‘Take your little brother with you, it’s good for him.’ And once you got talking, I’d have to drag you away. Well, this time you can don’t need me to be the one starting the conversation. You know where to find them now, you can search out those stories another time.