(Saunders is Mr. Fretless, that is.)
And oops, that Waits track is awesome but it's Greg Cohen and not what I was talking about. I meant to post this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC27yRuE6yo
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 March 2020 18:45 (four years ago) link
And even then, I think I meant to post *this* one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezJKEWzSWYY
The bass runs on the chorus are so cool.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 March 2020 18:46 (four years ago) link
I tend to not really pick favorite instrumentalists/rank people but wth we're all trapped at home now why not
Pete Thomas (I really don't have much time for EC these days but every time I hear one of his basslines I'm like "holy shit, this guy improves every song he plays on")Paul McCartneyBootsy CollinsRobbie ShakespeareFamily Man BarrettJohn Paul JonesLarry GrahamRon CarterMani
― Οὖτις, Monday, 16 March 2020 18:57 (four years ago) link
these all strike me as boring/conventional picks but whatever
Those are all great, though I never understood the love for Mani. Or that band entirely, tbh, so maybe that's it.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 March 2020 18:59 (four years ago) link
tbc Mani is also on some great Primal Scream records
― Οὖτις, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:00 (four years ago) link
Yeah, to the extent I've ever listened to, like, "Xterminator," I don't recall the bass ever sticking out, as much as people love Mani.
The other day I heard "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" on the radio, and listened to the bass, which was surprisingly awesome. (I'm not going to link to it.) Turns out the bassist (who I think stuck with George Michael for years) was a Detroit dude mentored by James Jamerson!
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:01 (four years ago) link
I mean this one daaaaaamn, such a riff and such a great song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmf_uVKE9tU
― Οὖτις, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:03 (four years ago) link
overdriven sound (not "song" although it is a great song too)
― Οὖτις, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:04 (four years ago) link
Does sound cool. Essentially squelchy bass as sequencer. Kind of like cool Curve bass parts.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:05 (four years ago) link
let's see some others
Pino Palladino (just for those D'Angelo records)Carol Kaye
I admit I'm a guy that prioritizes riffs and melodies over playing a lot of complicated runs or whatever
― Οὖτις, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:08 (four years ago) link
Jenny Lee Lindberg, for one.
― ☮️ (peace, man), Monday, 16 March 2020 19:10 (four years ago) link
I love the dude playing on this whole album but especially this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c349vvwjkXo
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:16 (four years ago) link
Holger Czukay, Bootsy, Tina Weymouth, Larry Graham, Rick Danko... off the top of my head.
― God gave toilets rolls to you, gave toilet rolls to you (Tom D.), Monday, 16 March 2020 19:20 (four years ago) link
The other day I heard "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" on the radio, and listened to the bass, which was surprisingly awesome. (I'm not going to link to it.) Turns out the bassist (who I think stuck with George Michael for years) was a Detroit dude mentored by James Jamerson!― Josh in Chicago, maandag 16 maart 2020 20:01
― Josh in Chicago, maandag 16 maart 2020 20:01
― No mean feat. DaBaby (breastcrawl), Monday, 16 March 2020 19:22 (four years ago) link
someone i mentioned on my blog lately is a guy name of Abraham Laboriel, who i mostly know from his solos on the '76 henry mancini record "Cop Show Themes". really quality stuff tho.
― Kate (rushomancy), Monday, 16 March 2020 19:22 (four years ago) link
His son is McCartney's now longtime drummer (among many credits). Musical family!
Speaking of Robbie Shakespeare, check him out here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8q1J3CyDU8
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:26 (four years ago) link
v.uncool pick in 2020 but Eric Avery still really special ime
another even more uncool pick but I have come to really appreciate roger waters bein the plodding yin to gilmour's virtuosic yang
― umsworth (emsworth), Monday, 16 March 2020 19:42 (four years ago) link
feel like the members don't really get singled out much, Fugazi was such a unit, but Joe Lally is great
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 16 March 2020 19:50 (four years ago) link
shout out to Naomi Yang
― Οὖτις, Monday, 16 March 2020 19:50 (four years ago) link
Deon Estus (George Michael’s bass player) is a great pick, so slept on. “One More Try” is unimaginable without him - such a sparse production that it’s almost a duet between vocal melody and bass countermelody.
― thewufs, Monday, 16 March 2020 20:08 (four years ago) link
Tracy Wormworth doesn't get as much recognition as she deserves imho. The basslines for 'Christmas Wrapping' and 'I Know What Boys Like' are amazing for instance.
She's got this lovely percolating feel but it's not too showy, like Norman Watt Roy or a funkier Pete Thomas, total joy to listen to.
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 11:44 (four years ago) link
Whoops, *Bruce* Thomas
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 11:46 (four years ago) link
lol, shit, I made the same mistake upthread
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 20:37 (four years ago) link
Shout out to James Hornsey of the Clientele.
― that's not my post, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 22:16 (four years ago) link
Tracy Wormworth is not on “Boys Like” though; although she’s pictured on the album she doesn’t play on it. My stock answer to this question in Graham Maby from Joe Jackson’s band.
― A perfect transcript of a routine post (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 22:51 (four years ago) link
^this! That guy is great! Friend of mine played with him as a trio with Marshall Crenshaw for quite a bit. But yeah Bruce Thomas and Tracy Wormworth but great as well.
― Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette Alone) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 22:56 (four years ago) link
OP3:Tina WeymouthJack CasadyPete Farndon
― Miami weisse (WmC), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 23:37 (four years ago) link
Weymouth? Really? She’s so stiff they had to hire a second bass player...
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 23:54 (four years ago) link
Reminds me I shoulda listed Kim Deal tho
― Οὖτις, Tuesday, 17 March 2020 23:55 (four years ago) link
Bollocks, Tina Weymouth is great.
― God gave toilets rolls to you, gave toilet rolls to you (Tom D.), Tuesday, 17 March 2020 23:59 (four years ago) link
Steve HanleyGeorge Porter JrEric AveryDavid HoodJerry Scheff
― Webcam Du Bois (Hadrian VIII), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:06 (four years ago) link
My stock answer to this question in Graham Maby from Joe Jackson’s band.
Did he play on the first couple of albums? If so, he is crazy good! My band is covering 'One More Time' and the bass lines on that are very difficult. They swing, but they're also very intricate.
― righteousmaelstrom, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:07 (four years ago) link
Glad to see Graham Maby mentioned. That British punk/new wave era threw up a lot of good players; Maby, Colin Moulding, Bruce Thomas, Bruce Foxton, and Paul Simonon are all pretty cool.
― aphoristical, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:07 (four years ago) link
Reading about how rudimentary Simonon’s skills were when they started has been pretty eye-opening, sounds like Jones wrote the majority of those basslines
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:10 (four years ago) link
Maby is a master. But some are the best Clash bass lines, especially on Sandinista and Combat Rock, are not Simonon, they're by the Blockheads bassist (who is awesome).
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:18 (four years ago) link
That too
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:20 (four years ago) link
Thats him on two of the best - Magnificent Seven and Rock the Casbah
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:22 (four years ago) link
I’m the Man came up on my social distancing running outside mix - so, yeah, Graham Maby.
― that's not my post, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 00:51 (four years ago) link
Maby is a master. But some are the best Clash bass lines, especially on Sandinista and Combat Rock, are not Simonon, they're by the Blockheads bassist (who is awesome).― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, March 17, 2020 8:18
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, March 17, 2020 8:18
― Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette Alone) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 01:47 (four years ago) link
the players i always think of as faves are dynamic or melodic, and many of the ones listed by everyone here, esp thomas and maby, also entwhistle.
i started the revive at saunders not because it's what i like, but it was that even in a passing listen to that youtube, there was NO missing it, it was so immediately identifiable completely on its own. as one pretty ignorant of bass and musicianship, i feel like i can sometimes say "this sounds like how x would play it," but i don't think i ever have gone "whoa, that MUST be the same guy."
― blather rinse repeat 2020 (Hunt3r), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 02:49 (four years ago) link
I came across this guy when I was researching fanned fret bass guitars, can't say I know or care from the band/music, but I like fiddly metal players and enjoy his tone and feel, it was kinda interesting to watch the way a lot of the part was very on-grid and others there was more swinging.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w5qFCT6EZY
― Maresn3st, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 11:19 (four years ago) link
Ron CarterDanny Thompson
― fetter, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 11:56 (four years ago) link
Leigh Gorman of Bow Wow Wow is amazing & you don't see his name come up much
― Josefa, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 13:37 (four years ago) link
I keep imagining a Traveling Wilburys of bass players and how fucking awful/wonderful a song like "Handle With Care" would sound, all-bass.
Thinking --
Kim "Nelson" GordonKim "Charlie" DealMike "Lucky" WattNick "Otis" Oliveri andGeddy "Lefty" Lee
― pplains, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 13:47 (four years ago) link
Marino Pliakas, who plays fearsome electric bass w/Peter Brötzmann
― the grateful dead can dance (anagram), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 13:54 (four years ago) link
xpost There was one! Freebass, with Peter Hook, Andy Rourke and Mani. I'm never going to listen to it.
Danny Thompson is one of those incredible players who is on everything, from Fairport and Nick Drake to Talk Talk and The The.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 14:46 (four years ago) link
Talking of Fairport Convention, Dave Pegg is pretty good!
― God gave toilets rolls to you, gave toilet rolls to you (Tom D.), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 14:48 (four years ago) link
I think Will Sergeant of the Bunnymen is a massively overrated guitarist, but Les Pattinson is a massively underrated bassist. I mentioned in some other thread that Flea had a lot of praise for Pattinson in his memoir, and claims he rips him off all the time. (This in a memoir that doesn't even mention Mike Watt, iirc.)
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 18 March 2020 14:48 (four years ago) link
Leslie Langston, Throwing Muses bass player from their inception up through "Hunkpapa." The grooves she and David Narcizo created were otherworldly.
― Bougy! Bougie! Bougé! (Eliza D.), Wednesday, 18 March 2020 14:49 (four years ago) link
Greg Norton too, I know Dü are sacred cows but he was a bad bass player.
― Maresn3st, Thursday, 19 March 2020 23:14 (four years ago) link
A few years ago in work, chatting with my team about music and someone mentioned The Who. A guy in my team, not a big music fan and not really part of the conversation says "My uncle is in The Who". "Yeah sure" was the general response, we asked him his uncle's name: "Pino". I hadn't heard of him and had to Google him.
― nate woolls, Thursday, 19 March 2020 23:27 (four years ago) link
Pino is fantastic
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 19 March 2020 23:55 (four years ago) link
it's funny, Norton is really great now, he had this mathy jazz group with a NY jazz guy and his new power pop thing is really tight
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 19 March 2020 23:59 (four years ago) link
He stopped jumping around as much I think :)
― Maresn3st, Friday, 20 March 2020 00:01 (four years ago) link
i remember seeing the Replacements reunion and Tommy and Paul were so pro and I realized oh yeah these guys have like 30 years more practice
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 20 March 2020 00:40 (four years ago) link
some favorites i haven’t seen mentioned:
johnny dyanicecil mcbeewillie dixonandrew bodnarjimmy blantonchuck rainey
― budo jeru, Friday, 20 March 2020 01:33 (four years ago) link
pino did some great work with d'angelo too
― Kate (rushomancy), Friday, 20 March 2020 01:34 (four years ago) link
CHRIS SQUIRE
― reggie (qualmsley), Friday, 20 March 2020 01:45 (four years ago) link
yes!
― budo jeru, Friday, 20 March 2020 01:48 (four years ago) link
Tony Levin
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Friday, 20 March 2020 02:19 (four years ago) link
i was thinking of levin as the only often fretless guy i was aware of, then looked and heard about chapman stick and decided i should stay in my lane which is like pit row.
― blather rinse repeat 2020 (Hunt3r), Friday, 20 March 2020 02:23 (four years ago) link
He has plenty of incredible fretted bass parts as well
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Friday, 20 March 2020 02:38 (four years ago) link
https://www.fretlessbass.com/levin-tony/ He big-ups Pino, but also Carles Benavent, who I don't know. Chick Corea guy?
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 20 March 2020 03:27 (four years ago) link
Kinda nuts to see him do this while talking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6wEAzKVhWE
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 20 March 2020 03:33 (four years ago) link
There's so much sick playing on the King Crimson concert videos from the 80s.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Friday, 20 March 2020 03:48 (four years ago) link
Now it's Friday and I've finally had a beer...
Ric GrechAndy Fraser
― Vanishing Point (Chinaski), Friday, 20 March 2020 20:24 (four years ago) link
Keith Olsen from the Music Machine, who passed away a week and a half ago. (Became famous producer.)
― timellison, Friday, 20 March 2020 21:15 (four years ago) link
Chris Hillman
Top Ten in roughly chronological order:
Jimmy BlantonCharles MingusOscar PettifordJames JamersonScott LaFaroPaul McCartneyJohn EntwistleRon CarterBootsy CollinsLarry Graham
― birdistheword, Friday, 20 March 2020 22:57 (four years ago) link
Oh snap, you know who I just learned about? Jimmy Johnson! Played a lot with James Taylor, but may be best known as the guy who helped create the 5-string bass. You'd think James Taylor would be the wrong place for some bass virtuoso, but I guess he goes along with the likes of Nathan East as incredible dudes anchoring bland acts. Anyway, his credits range from Roger Waters to Alan Holdsworth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IxDJcBZvA8
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 1 June 2020 17:23 (three years ago) link
wow I never thought about who invented the 5 string
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 1 June 2020 21:07 (three years ago) link