# Best Bassist/Bass **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 17, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155 "2001-06-17T21:49:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Venkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ec9cab/32.png) [@Venkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venkman)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/21 "2001-06-18T16:48:19Z")
I’d agree that Paul McCartney is not all that technically proficient and therefore maybe doesn’t belong on this list, but I do really like his ability to change styles and play something that fits the particular song. I can think of one song he did that really impressed me, though, one that I listen to just to hear the bass line: Rain. The first time I heard it I was really struck by how integral the bass part was to the song, and how much it differed from a “typical” bass line. So is this really good stuff, or do I just need to get out more? ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/22 "2001-06-18T20:09:23Z")
I can’t believe that no one has mentioned **Mike Watt** of minutemen/firehose fame. One of the most incredibly inspiring bass players of all time. Many of you mentioned Flea as the greatest bass player (I agree he does rock). I believe either blood sugar sex magik or mother’s milk is dedicated to Mike Watt due to his inspirational bass playing. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/23 "2001-06-18T22:40:32Z")
Geezer Butler! Geezer Butler! Geezer Butler! Anyone else is a distant Second Place. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2001, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/24 "2001-06-18T23:00:58Z")
I’d also vote for Entwistle, Dunn, McCartney, and Bruce. ---
**Author:** ![silent\_rob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@silent\_rob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silent_rob)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/25 "2001-06-19T00:01:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrO \* > **I forgot the name, and don’t have time right now to look it up, of the bass player for Sly & the Family Stone. Just good, solid, 70’s funk.** That’d be Larry Graham, who would definitely be a top name on my list (inventor of funk bass on electric). Jaco Pastorius is also definitely up there (if not at the top), as are Stanley Clark, Victor Wooten, and Les Claypool. Michael Masterson is also a name that, though somewhat newer in the bass world, really stands out. Geddy Lee is also up there, but just not as high on my list (_my_ list, mind you) as Pastorius, Clark, Graham, or Wooten. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/26 "2001-06-19T03:18:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Michael Masterson SILO??? Charles Mingus. Hands down. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/27 "2001-06-19T04:06:59Z")
I’ll second the nomination of Geezer Butler. If you haven’t outgrown that phase already, light up a fat one and put on headphones and pay serious attention to the right channel of _Paranoid_. Wow. All-time, though, I have to go with McCartney. Incredibly melodic, with a perfect sense of what to play for each song. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/28 "2001-06-19T13:30:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by minty green \* > \*\*All-time, though, I have to go with McCartney. Incredibly melodic, with a perfect sense of what to play for each song. \*\* That’s exactly why I nominated him. And, if there’s a drummer god thread, the reason why I’d nominate Ringo, too. The Beatles’ may not have the chops, but man, they could play. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/29 "2001-06-19T13:49:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Montfort \* > \*\* > > And, if there’s a drummer god thread, the reason why I’d nominate Ringo, too. > > The Beatles’ may not have the chops, but man, they could play. \*\* I seem to remember hearing the Paul McCartney played quite a bit of the recorded beatles drum parts though. Guess you could nominate him for both drummer and bassist then. Could be worng but I am pretty sure. ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/30 "2001-06-19T14:04:51Z")
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Cliff Burton – the guy was incredible. I also really like Taneli Jarva (ex Sentenced). ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/31 "2001-06-19T14:06:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pezpunk \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Montfort \* > > \*\* > > > > And, if there’s a drummer god thread, the reason why I’d nominate Ringo, too. > > > > The Beatles’ may not have the chops, but man, they could play. \*\* > > I seem to remember hearing the Paul McCartney played quite a bit of the recorded beatles drum parts though. Guess you could nominate him for both drummer and bassist then. Could be worng but I am pretty sure. \*\* Nah. At most, Paul played the drums on “Dear Prudence,” "Wild Honey Pie " (just a bass drum), and “The Ballad of John and Yoko.” He also played lead guitar on “Taxman,” “Another Girl,” “Ticket to Ride,” and several other songs. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/32 "2001-06-19T14:11:04Z")
No one’s mentioned him yet, which is an outright crime, so I’lll do the honors and throw out the name of Phil Lesh. A totally original approach to bass playing - he plays like he invented the instrument. ---
**Author:** ![Skelji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Skelji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skelji)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/33 "2001-06-19T14:13:45Z")
I’ll second Phil Lesh, and add Rob Wasserman to the list, too. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/34 "2001-06-19T16:19:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by paperbackwriter \* > **Coldfire, I was thinking about Geddy Lee, and as much as I like his writing and singing, I don’t think his actual bass playing is really that innovative or techically impressive. If you have a particular piece that I should re-listen to to change that, I’d reconsider. I was listening to _2112_ recently, and that seems to be more of an Alex Leifson piece (of course, it is about finding a guitar as a metaphor for individualism versus conformity).** Good observation on _2112_. It’s a “guitar” album, if anything. Some suggestions for kick-ass typical Geddy bass playing:[ul][li] **YYZ** , _Moving Pictures_ album (this is his best work, IMHO. Hell, the ENTIRE Moving Pictures album is Lee at his all time best.);[/li][li] **Cut to the Chase** , _Counterparts_ album (if only to prove to **pldenison** that Lee can indeed make a bass line “fit” a song. It GRROOOOOOVES);[/li][li] **Red Sector A** and **The Enemy Within** , _Grace under Pressure_ album;[/li][\*] **Cygnus X-1** , _Farewell to Kings_ album (the best Rush song overall, IMHO).[/ul]That ought to give you a good start. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/35 "2001-06-19T18:07:59Z")
Victor Wooten of the Flecktones deserves to be mentioned at least one more time. The man does things that most bassist don’t dare to dream about. Since he learned to play before he could talk, English is his second language. While he has some great riffs on Outbound, to fully appreciate him, see him live. Juan Nelson, Ben Harper’s bassist, is also pretty good. And Charlie Hunter. Les Claypool ain’t too shabby. ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/36 "2001-06-19T18:37:16Z")
since he isn’t a member here. He has always admired **Michael Rhodes** , session player extraordinaire. He usually doesn’t do anything flashy (that I know of), just plays the appropriate part for the music and he’s played ALL styles. We saw him live with a number of people (playing different styles of music: rock, country, jazz) when we lived in Nashville and there didn’t seem to be a style that he couldn’t make his own. Always technically excellent and understated. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/37 "2001-06-19T19:48:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\ ***YYZ** , _Moving Pictures_ album (this is his best work, IMHO. Hell, the ENTIRE Moving Pictures album is Lee at his all time best.); \*\* Funny that you mention that. It took me years to notice that “Limelight” has a guitar solo, because the bass solo is so enthralling. Add “Show Don’t Tell” to my esteemed Dutch friend’s list. ---
**Author:** ![zeroth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/839c29/32.png) [@zeroth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeroth)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155/38 "2001-06-19T21:29:33Z")
I agree with a lot of people that have already been mentioned [Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Flea etc] but I’d also like to throw in Fat Mike from NOFX and Matt Freeman from Rancid. They may not be as creative as some mentioned, but I think they’re very talented and some of the stuff they play I find absolutely amazing [of course I play bass myself so I can be amazed by the simplest of basslines. 😃] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-bassist-bass/69155.md?page=1)