# Melodic rock bassists - know them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2006, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598 "2006-01-25T20:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/41 "2006-01-26T22:11:19Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > I love Peter Hook. Maybe my favorite bassist. I agree. Good call. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/42 "2006-01-26T23:09:51Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Peter Hook of New Order. He is the ultimate melodic pop bassist in my book. Seriously, check his stuff out and listen to those bass lines. He never overplays, he’s not overly technical or anything, but his bass stylings are sublime–the offer nice countermelodies that complement any song he’s playing. Great movement, great melodic interest while holding down the rhythm section and bass. I’ll 4th him. He plays that thing like a lead guitar. I’ll also throw out the name of Laura Love. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/43 "2006-01-27T00:10:36Z")
Hooky is great. Saw him with New Order last year in NYC. Many of the songs where the bass is the lead instrument had the bass parts played on synths (i.e., Subculture). Watch Gillian and Steve - they’re often playing the low end on keys (if you’ve seen a live performance of Blue Monday you’ll notice this). I’m not sure if Sting fits in this category. I don’t think he is a predominantly melodic bass player, but there were several Police songs, now that I think about it, are quite melodic. “Walking On The Moon,” “Voices Inside My Head,” “O My God,” “I Burn For You…” I hesitated mentioning him but I think he fits - Mark King of Level 42. With a lot of their songs the bass is the melody. He’s a slap bassist, so it’s a percussive melody, but you’d hum the songs by picking out the bass line. Most famous for the 1985 hit “Something About You.” ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/44 "2006-01-30T02:26:44Z")
How about Kim Deal’s stuff with The Pixies? The basslines were melodic, and a large part of the songs on the first two albums. The bass is less emphazised on the last two albums. Does Les Pattinson from Echo and the Bunnymen count? His playing is very melodic. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/45 "2006-01-30T05:51:53Z")
For those in the know, the ultimate melodic bassist of all time was Slam Stewart. The most singable bass parts in the world, literally composed with the human voice in mind. He merged his voice and bass into one sound. ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/46 "2006-01-30T15:00:40Z")
**Mike Watt** who now does his own stuff, but used to play in Firehose. He plays right along the vocal lines quite often. Very melodic with tons of great accents here in there that you really have to listen to carefully to appreciate. He’s a very underrated bass player. I’ll second **Michael Ivins** of the Flaming Lips. ---
**Author:** ![RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RancidYakButterTeaParty)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/47 "2006-01-30T15:02:16Z")
> [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](#): > > He plays right along the vocal lines quite often. Very melodic with tons of great accents here in there that you really have to listen to carefully to appreciate. Make that ‘here _and_ there’. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/48 "2006-01-30T16:28:24Z")
> [@Talon Karrde](#): > > How about Kim Deal’s stuff with The Pixies? The basslines were melodic, and a large part of the songs on the first two albums. I’m not sure I would count Kim Deal’s basslines as melodic. Don’t get me wrong, I love her stuff, but most of the bass lines that immediately come to mind of her work with the Pixies, the Breeders, and the Amps, follow the bang-out-the-root-note-in-eighths school of rock bass playing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/49 "2006-01-30T16:33:06Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > For those in the know, the ultimate melodic bassist of all time was Slam Stewart. The most singable bass parts in the world, literally composed with the human voice in mind. He merged his voice and bass into one sound. True, but a bit difficult to replicate his work on an electric bass in a rock context. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/50 "2006-01-30T17:44:40Z")
I’d think much of Chrissy Hynde’s bass playing for the Pretenders fits in here. Also, heartily second Chris Squire. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/51 "2006-01-30T23:09:46Z")
> [@RancidYakButterTeaParty](#): > > **Mike Watt** who now does his own stuff, but used to play in Firehose. He plays right along the vocal lines quite often. Very melodic with tons of great accents here in there that you really have to listen to carefully to appreciate. He’s a very underrated bass player. He actually started out in the **Minutmen** , one of the best indie bands of the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/52 "2006-01-31T01:54:57Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d think much of Chrissy Hynde’s bass playing for the Pretenders fits in here. Whoa, wait a minute. Chrissy’s a rhythm guitarist. Original bassist was Pete Farndon, until he was booted from the band (and subsequently OD’ed). Tony Butler, Malcolm Foster, Andy Hobson, and even Andy Rourke formerly of The Smiths… but to my knowledge, not Chrissy. Pete Farndon was a great bassist for the short time we knew him, though. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/53 "2006-01-31T02:11:11Z")
After taking a road trip this weekend, I just want to drop back in and second the bass player from Cake. - Peter Wiggen ---
**Author:** ![exastris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b38774/32.png) [@exastris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exastris)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/54 "2006-01-31T06:10:54Z")
I didn’t read the thread in its entirety, but I didn’t see a mention of the bassist for **Modest Mouse**. Very melodic lines. Listen to ‘Blame it on the Tetons’ off of Good News for People Who Love Bad News as a representative example. He plays lines that make the song, but are unexpected. He has a fantastic sense of note placement as well. Sorry, too late to look up his name, I’m off to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/55 "2006-01-31T06:24:33Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m not sure I would count Kim Deal’s basslines as melodic. Don’t get me wrong, I love her stuff, but most of the bass lines that immediately come to mind of her work with the Pixies, the Breeders, and the Amps, follow the bang-out-the-root-note-in-eighths school of rock bass playing. I see your point. I was thinking of how the bassline from, say, Gigantic has the same melody as the song, but then again it’s not the same as how Paul McCartney plays. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/56 "2006-01-31T07:15:02Z")
> [@exastris](#): > > I didn’t read the thread in its entirety, but I didn’t see a mention of the bassist for **Modest Mouse**. Very melodic lines. Listen to ‘Blame it on the Tetons’ off of Good News for People Who Love Bad News as a representative example. He plays lines that make the song, but are unexpected. He has a fantastic sense of note placement as well. > > Sorry, too late to look up his name, I’m off to bed. Eric Judy, if I’m not mistaken. I think he’s great, he adds a lot without interfering with the leads. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598/57 "2006-01-31T14:28:33Z")
Another performer with an interesting style is Tina Weymouth, from Talking Heads. She knew nothing about the bass; David Byrne would just show her what she needed to play, and then she’d work riffs up from that groundwork. She developed her own style in time, although even their early albums have a very distinct sound. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melodic-rock-bassists-know-them/341598.md?page=2)