Bass Guitarists

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Who are your favorite bassists?

― Mike Bourke, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

John Greaves - ex Henry Cow; John Wetton - ex King Crimson (although, supposedly, a complete arsehole); Bootsy; that guy from New Order

― philT, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I love Colin Greenwood, obviously. He's very melodic. Any other bassists I don't know the names of.

― Melissa W, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Chris Squire,Peter Hook,Geezer Butler.

― Damian, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

They need to put Colin's levels up!Trebly bass guitarists are the shit.I know trebly bass guitar sounds like an oxymoron,but anyone who likes Joy Division or any of the bands with the bass players I mentioned will know.

― Damian, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I don't like it trebly, I like it muted and sonorous.

― Melissa W, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Peter Hook and Bootsy are good choices. That guy from the Fatback Band had some great basslines too. Phil Lynott as well esp. on "Still in love with you". Smooooth, like an ice cube trickling down your back.

― Michael Bourke, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

In no particular order, and easily incomplete...

Simon Underwood (The Pop Group)
Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, etc.)
Doug Wimbish (Tackhead)
Anne Eickelberg (Thinking Fellers Union Local 282)
Greg Freeman (Pell Mell)
Colin Moulding (XTC)
Peter Hook (New Order)
Jaamaladeen Tacuma (early Golden Palominos, Ornette Coleman's Prime Time band)
Zach Smith (Pinback, 3 Mile Pilot)
Peter Hughes (Nothing Painted Blue, Diskothi-Q, Mountain Goats)
Jah Wobble (PiL)
whoever Tatsuya Yoshida (Ruins) has play bass for him
John Halvorsen (Gordons, Bailter Space)
Mike Kennedy (Drive Like Jehu)
James Yu (Bugskull)
Vern Rumsey (Unwound)
Leroy Glover (ESG)

― Brian MacDonald, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Also worth noting for the hell of it... Greg Freeman, the man who played bass for Pell Mell, and recorded a whole slew of brilliant damaged rock bands in the Bay Area, including Thinking Fellers, was once the bassist for The Call. Yes, Michael Been's The Call. There's an issue of Bananafish where he talks about that ordeal.

Anyway, sorry for the interruption. Continue...

― Brian MacDonald, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The late, great Bernard Edwards of Chic.

― Billy Dods, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Paul Simonon, obviously. He's one of the coolest blokes ever.

― Simon, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

As well as being the cute one in the Clash

― Sean, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

uh, cliff burton?

― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Greg Cohen

Brad Jones

Colin Moulding

Sebastian Steinberg

Paul McCartney

― Mickey Black Eyes, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Norwood Fisher! Trevor Roy Dunn!

― chaki, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Barry Adamson (Magazine), Hooky, Bruce Foxton (tight, great sound, dud person), Sketch (23 Skidoo + Linx), Andy Rourke. Tessa Politt (Slits), Jane Munro (Au Pairs), Entwhistle, Pete Quaife (Kinks), Ronnie Lane.

― Dr. C, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Jah Wobble, Holger Czukay, Peter Hook, Debbie Googe, Tony 'Geezer' Butler, Tracey Pew.

― stevo, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

CoCo The Electric Monkey Wizard and Steve 'Bomber' Harris.

― james, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

what about the GOD OF BASS>>>>>>>Sir MARK of KING

― dave clemence, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Bass is the coolest instrument! The melodic/rhythmic fulcrum, thus the centre of control for overall sound! The cliche 'bassists = frustrated guitarists" is opposite for me - I only play gtr in the band because I wouldn't be able to do the bass parts justice if I sang at the same time. Many good ones have been mentioned here - I like Dave Alexander too, for some weird reason.

― dave q, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

can't believe no-one's mentioned James Jamerson yet

― m jemmeson, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Definitely the worst, Adam Clayton. Watching Edge (and eventually Bono) stare daggers at him all through the show was worth the overpriced ticket to see them.

― dave q, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Mick Karn. Normally 'fretless'='run away', but this fop is a big exception.

― dave q, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Les Claypool Tony Levin Peter Hook Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu, Bob Mould, Lots of sessions) MIke Watt Sara Lee (Gang of 4, B52s)

― Dave225, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

wootsiewootsie!

apart from myself...I have to go with Dr C's choices. Barry Adamson and Hooky are the greatest. More Bassists should use chorus pedals.

― Fatnick, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

TRACY PEW, the baddest looking bass player ever. STEVE HANLEY, "Steve IS The Fall," -Mark E. Smith.

― RW, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Hooky, Wobble on PiL stuff, Czukay and all three Throwing Muses bassists. I've always thought it a bit weird that the Muses' rhythm section was never, ever talked about, when to me it was one of the most idiosyncratically brilliant of all time.

― Richard Tunnicliffe, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Ah yes - I'm going to have to rescind my previous votes and put all the money on Steve Hanley. If you've ever seen the Fall live, you know what I'm talking about.

― Dave225, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The late James Jamerson is the one for me. For those that don't know, he was Motown's in-house bass player. I also like that bass riff on Nasty Habits' "Shadow Boxing"...

― JoB, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Les Claypool and flea if you go for all the showoff and solo stuff. Standard bassists for me that are excellent are Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton, and Geddy Lee

― Luptune Pitman, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

No McCartney? Supermelodic and funky when he wanted to.... Others...Jamerson (and Carole Kaye) for Whats going on Stevie Wonder who always sounds like he's having the most fun when he plays the double bass player on "astral weeks" (cant remember his name Robbie Shakespeare esp. on Grace Jones Mani

― Mat O, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

i remember the vern is dead rumors. but i don't remember why they started. unwound is rotten, so i really didn't care to investigate.

― keith, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

McCartney is the best bassist in rock, probably because he virtually founded rock bass playing as we know it.

― Jack Redelfs, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Colin Moulding (XTC)
Ryuichi Masuda, Hisashi Sasaki (Ruins)
Fred Frith (underrated as a bassist, check Naked City!)
Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle - someone said him already)
Jannik Top, Bernard Paganotti (Magma - and thanks for giving us Masuda and Sasaki)

Rick Danko (The Band)
Rika M'm (Melt Banana)
George Porter, Jr. (The Meters)
Greg Cohen (Zorn, Waits, etc)
Alain Ballaud (Shub Niggurath - was only able to make two albums before passing away)
James Jamerson (Motown sessions)
Billy 'Bass' Nelson (p-funk)

― dleone, Friday, 12 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Mick Karn! That's a good call. Gave me the sudden urge to play "Still Life in Mobile Homes". Reading the name Tracy Pew, however, did not inspire me in playing "Dead Joe". Too early in the morning still...

― Simon, Friday, 12 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

definitely wobble (pil), kim pieters, shane embury (ca. _from enslavement_), geezer butler (_war pigs_!), lemmy, the guy who quit voivod, all early 80s post-punk bassists in general, whoever played for the stereo shoestring, and finally a right honorable mention for steve digorgio's session basswork on autopsy's _severed survival_. it was entertaining to hear him turn his fusion-level wank skills into a chordy, sludgy atonal muck.

― your null fame, Friday, 12 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Naomi Yang is probably my favorite. I'm sure her lines w/ Galaxie 500 are technically very simple and naive (supposedly she learned to play while the band was forming), but those are the most emotional bass parts I know of. They make the songs on On Fire.

Was it Pete Faronden on the first Pretenders album? Good stuff there. Also: Whomever played on the early Joe Jackson records.

Finally, always like John Entwhistle, esp. on Tommy and Live at Leeds.

― Mark, Friday, 12 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

D'arcy, natch. not the best, but still wonderful to watch her have at it when she was.

― chameleon, Saturday, 13 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Tina Weymouth and whoever played bass on "Je T'aime, Moi Non Plus".

― Arthur, Saturday, 13 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

"Mind" was particularly charming.

― David, Saturday, 13 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

LEMMY, CHRIS SQUIRE, JACO PASTORIUS (esp on "Hejira") GEEZER BUTLER.

― Norman Phay, Sunday, 14 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

JOHN ENTWISTLE.

― ethan, Sunday, 14 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Miroslav Vitous, Dave Holland, Eberhard Weber, Jaco Pastorius, Paul Chambers, John Entwistle, Roger Waters (no, I'm not kidding), Paul McCartney, Ron Carter (when he's not soloing!), John Paul Jones, Alphonso Johnson, Dave Gilmour (he played bass on many of the albums), whoever Stereolab uses on ETK and Dots and Loops, Billy Cox (sometimes), Jack Casady (sometimes).

And for flash, Les Claypool/Victor Wooten/Christian McBride/Flea/Gary Willis are all good.

I don't really sound like any of them, though.

― Phil, Sunday, 14 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

three months pass...

Did someone mention JJ Burnel (Stranglers) ?? OK JJ Burnel, fine vocalist too, even sounds male at 45 trpm.

― Martin Kremers, Saturday, 19 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Anyone for Kim Deal & Kim Gordon?

Hey Martin, how's Roda JC doin?

― Mark O'Connor, Saturday, 19 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Rhythm Killer is a CLASSICK despite what the review says. Robbie Shakespeare is one of my fave bassplayers.

― helenfordsdale, Saturday, 19 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

john peel played a demo in 87 of a duo called 'diatribe' or 'dire tribe' or something. the person on the bass was doing it for me. anybody know what happened??

my favorite bassist, though not a guitar in sight, is aphrodite. (incredible) (redefines bass)

― dbini, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Lemmy. Peter Hook. JJ Burnel. Jah Wobble. Mick Karn. Steve Hanley (if he IS the FALL, why'd MES fire 'im?)

― scott telles, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

dbini - it's Diatribe. I kind of *knew*them back in the 80's. They were a duo from Reading - two brothers (Tim and Jon Kirby) who played bass and drums. They were sometimes joined by a guitarist on stage for a few songs. They were one of the best live bands I've ever seen - funny you should mention the bassist, because the drummer is the one who was really exceptonal. He hammered round a biggish kit whilst keeping his head absolutely motionless, staring straight ahead. His brother played bass and did vocals. They supported lots of shit goth/crusty bands aroundthe mid 80's, and blew them all away. For example, the worst band I've ever seen in my whole life - New Model Army.

As far as I know, they only did one record - the '17 and Dying' EP. I can remember 3 tracks - 'Ha Bloody Ha', 'The Wrong Thing' and '17 and Dying'.They were absolutely NOT goth/tribal etc but got lumped in with that rubbish a little bit. I heard a lot of Factory/TG/Cabs/PIL influence, but because of the line-up they had a pretty unique twist. Peel picked up on them, and was genuinely enthusiastic about them. He played the EP a lot and interviewed them for one of the music papers, I think, in a 'best bands of next year' type feature.

― Dr. C, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

That bass player from Rothko.

― electric sound of jim, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

That one, eh? Not that other one, then?

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Yeah, him too.

― electric sound of jim, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Amazing! I actually picked up the most recent album used the other day, and the one on Burning Shed is quite good.

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

didju guys see SNL with Jack Black as famous fusion bassist in official town "bass-off"? (against Will Ferrell) It could've been funny but it fell flat cause the pantomimed bass riffs were widdly jazz-wank instead of big stomping soul riffs. i dunno maybe that WAS the joke. oh right SNL sucks. the Strokes were on last night and they were ok. they played the song that's been mixed w/ Xtina Aguilera. it was a letdown when i realized the words were going to be different from "Genie in a Bottle"...

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 20 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Jaco Pastorius (as someone said before esp. on Hejira), Peter Hook, Mick Karn.

― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Du magst Jaco, und findest the Blue Nile peinlich? Die spinnen, die Deutsche...

― Colin Meeder, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Du magst Jaco, und findest the Blue Nile peinlich? Die spinnen, die Deutsche...
Ist das ein Widerspruch? Soweit ich weiss, hat Pastorius nie bei The Blue Nile gespielt. Oder täusche ich mich da? Jaco Pastorius hatte den wärmsten elektrischen Basssound, den ich kenne. Blue Nile dagegen. Ach Schwamm drüber.

― alex in mainhattan, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

wärmsten elektrischen Basssound

I am using this phrase from now on.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The only thing I like about the recent German spelling reform is the bitchin' triple s in Basssound.

But seriously -- so much of Jaco's output was schmaltzy self- indulgeance, and the Blue Nile (great bass playing on the first album, BTW) sounds restrained to me compared to, say, Amerika.

― Colin Meeder, Monday, 21 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

cheers dr.

― dbini, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

three weeks pass...

Cliff Burton, former Metallica... Absolutely the greatest bassist of all times... check out this : http://www.cliff-god.com

― IgLi, Wednesday, 13 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

fifteen years pass...

Was asked by a friend learning the bass to put together a playlist, and finally got to include Tracy Wormworth on a non-Christmas mix.

― campreverb, Tuesday, 29 August 2017 17:01 (six years ago) link

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