Topic: Bass Players...

[Shemp_Diesel]

Forgive me if this topic has already been discussed, but since we discuss various music a lot on this forum, I was wondering who are some of your favorite bass players.

My List:

John Paul Jones (of course)

Geddy Lee

Bill Wyman

Robert DeLeo

Jack Bruce

Brown Mark

Chris Squire

Carl Radle

[metaldams]

Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap lays down the big bottom better than anyone.  I should just end this post right here, but if that response leaves you lukewarm…..

Cliff Burton (Metallica)
John Entwistle (The Who)
Paul McCartney (Wings, The Fireman Project, The Quarrymen)
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
Timi Hansen (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond)
Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead)
Bob Daisley (Ozzy Osbourne and a zillion other bands)
James Jamerson (Motown session bassist)
Gary Thain (Uriah Heep)

There’s ten not on your list.  Your guys are all great and I’m especially a big fan of Bruce, Squire, Geddy and JPJ.

Almost forgot….Oliver Hardy in BELOW ZERO.

[Paul Pain]

We got this far without a single mention of Roger Waters?  Sheeshhhhhhh

[Shemp_Diesel]

We got this far without a single mention of Roger Waters?  Sheeshhhhhhh

Before seeing your post, I was thinking about anyone I may have omitted & was like damn, Roger Waters as I was listening to the Animals album...

[metaldams]

The guys in Pink Floyd are all competent musicians and work well together, but I think David Gilmour is the only one who stands out as an instrumentalist.

Waters is an OK bass player, a better songwriter.

[HomokHarcos]

I’d recommend listening to funk for great bass playing.

[metaldams]

I’d recommend listening to funk for great bass playing.

I have a lot of respect for the funk guys - but it’s just something I never could get into.  As a bass player, I’ve never been inspired enough to learn the slap and pop stuff.

I like Cliff Burton.  Unique tone and compositional style.  No one sounds like him.

[Paul Pain]

The guys in Pink Floyd are all competent musicians and work well together, but I think David Gilmour is the only one who stands out as an instrumentalist.

Waters is an OK bass player, a better songwriter.

His work on Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here was damn good as was Gilmour's.  Their combined work also makes Not Now John seem much better a song than it is.

[metaldams]

His work on Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here was damn good as was Gilmour's.  Their combined work also makes Not Now John seem much better a song than it is.

Roger Waters is good for Pink Floyd and what he does is perfect for his band.  That’s the most important thing, as a bassist.  So my below statement is not a knock.

I play bass.  I’m pretty good, but far from a virtuoso.  I have never heard one Roger Waters bass line that sounds too difficult to play.

[GreenCanaries]

A few more I'd like to add to the mix:

Les Claypool
Krist Novoselic
Mike Dirnt

[metaldams]

A few more I'd like to add to the mix:

Les Claypool
Krist Novoselic
Mike Dirnt

Les Claypool is a beast.  I was in high school in the 90’s and whenever I had a bass, everybody asked me to play Primus.  I had to learn “Wyona’s Big Brown Beaver” just to appease them.  Oh, and “Longview” as well, to bring it to Mike Dirnt.

[metaldams]

Watching Cliff Burton is even better.

Jazz legend Jaco Pastorious

[GreenCanaries]

Mike Watt, Kira Roessler, and a bunch of dogs:

[metaldams]

Out of all the punk bassists, I remember Mike Watt used to get the most press in Bass Player Magazine in the 90’s.  He is very good.  Even played for a reunion era Stooges, I believe, so there’s the obligatory Stooge reference. 

[Shemp_Diesel]

Just a few examples of what I think is JPJ's finest work with Zeppelin: