In the vein of the drummer thread, I’d like to hear what you guys think of some bassists from history. I play the bass and I know a fair amount of music history, but I don’t get exposed to everything, so I’d love to hear something new.
My favorite bass player of all time is John Entwistle of The Who. That guy just rips it up and has a really weird style that appeals to me.
Give honorably mention to wacky/robotic bassist Geddy Lee from Rush. Everyone in that band was a computer.
Throw one out to Jaco Pastorius and one to John Paul Jones. Both are very innovative guys. Jaco has tons of guts and talent. JPJ invents instruments now, and actually wrote a lot of the Zeppelin hook riffs AFAIK.
So favorite bass player, opinion of most talented, most underrated, unknown or whatever, should this be in IMHO?
Have to include Mike Watt of Minutemen/Firehouse and solo stuff since then.
Although it ain’t my style at all, Victor Wooten is quite good.
Armistead Burwell Smith IV (aka Zack) of Three Mile Pilot and Pinback. Maybe not the most technically talented on this list, but has a fantastic sound that’s uniquely his own, which is not easy to do these days with a bass.
If we aren’t just talking rock, then please kick my ass for not putting Charlie Mingus at the top of this list. Please go listen to *Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus * and then try to tell me he is not the man.
And who could not include Jaco Pastorius? Holy patootie, listening to some of his recordings will blow your mind.
It’s late and I’m sure I’m leaving some obvious ones off the list, but that’s a start.
I also really like Will Lee of the Letterman band. Stu Hamm is (was?) really good too. I’m not sure if Paul McCartney was a technical bass genius, but he’s on my list.
Gotta add Cliff Burton. I saw this mind blowing video of him playing live once. The guy could play like nothing I have ever seen…although he did kinda solo like he was on lead guitar.
Chris Squire of YES. Lots of complex, melodic lines, and his work has been consistently good, even when (sometimes) the rest of the band got bogged down.
My vote goes to Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith. The intro to Sweet Emotion is instantly recognizable, and sounds pretty damn good. (Obviously there’s 16 albums of his work more to back me up.)
It would be hard to convince me that any bassist out there is really “better” than Les Claypool, but my personal favorite bassist is Matt Freeman from Operation Ivy/Rancid. Check out ‘Hoboken’ by Operation Ivy and ‘Axiom’ by Rancid. He is definately an awesome bass player, way underrated.
There’s a relatively new band out called Alien Ant Farm (you’ve probably heard their cover of Michael Jackson’s Smooth Crimibal) and their bassist, Tye Zamora, is friggin’ on fire!. Ok so he isn’t the best of all time (they’ve only ever released one album) but he’s definitely on the up and up…
Back in my “band” days, for a warm-up, I’d throw on my old I’m the Man" album by Joe Jackson, and try to play along. Graham Maby’s riffs would have my fingers smokin’ in no time. Pete Briquette of the Boomtown Rats comes in a close second, IMO.
Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna bassist) Listen to his runs on “Plastic Fantastic Lover” and “Crown of Creation” for example.
James Jamerson (legendary Motown bassist) Just about anything he did was golden. His work on “My World is Empty Without You” springs to mind.
And I’ll echo praise for Paul McCartney. Maybe not the greatest, but certainly underrated. Listen to “I Saw Her Standing There” or “Old Brown Shoe” concentrating on the bass lines. You’ll see what I mean.
Phil Lesh, for not playing the bass like a bass at all. Listen to the descending little figure at the end of a live “Crazy Fingers” and you’ll see what I mean. As melodious as any lead instrument.
HUGE Pixies fan here but I really have to disagree. The op mentions bassist to be reckoned with and Kim Deal is a relatively generic bassist. Joey Santiago and Frank Black were the true force behind the Pixies IMO.
I would like to second Mouthbreathers choice of Mike Watt. Cisco’s choice of Matt Freeman is excellent as well. Unfortunately since Op Ivy, his basslines have been a bit lacking but still a great bassist. I would also like to add JIMBO of Reverend Horton Heat.
