Who's Your Favorite Bass Player?

[Phoebus]

Here's a list of the many influential bass players I admire, for various musical reasons:

Geddy Lee (Rush)
Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings, solo)
Mike Mills (REM)
John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
Chris Squire (YES)
John Entwistle (The Who; recently deceased)
Paul Gardiner (Gary Numan, Tubeway Army)
Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel)
Bernard Edwards (Chic; sadly, deceased)
Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Jaco Pastorius (deceased influential jazz great)
Louis Johnson (Brothers Johnson; slapping & popping pioneer)
Michael Lachowski (Pylon)
John Taylor (Duran Duran)
James Jamerson (the late bassist who helped create the 'Motown Sound')
Sara Lee (Gang of Four, B-52's)
Tom "T-Bone" Wolk (Saturday Night Live Band, Hall & Oates)
Will Lee (David Letterman's band 'The CBS Orchestra')
Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club)

Many, many more....

(I'll keep adding to this list in my post as they come to me.)

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William 'Phoebus' Mull
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[Ninja_of_DooM]

CXliff Burton from Metallica. hough he's dead and has been for a long time. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/smilies/cwm36.gif

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[mystic]

Adam Clayton from U2 especially the base on 'with or without you' that base intro is just awesome to me, sends a shiver down my spine sometimes

Joe Peat from Mystery Juice (not famous and not a favourite band, Joe is awesome on any instrument but chooses to play bass because its easier to get work)

[XDelusion]

Metallica has been dead pretty much since Cliff died, but I am sure you already knew that. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/smile.gif


Rush's Bassist
Primus'
King Crimson's

And I love that old Funky Mo-Town type Bass but can't think of any one player at the moment.

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Satan's Girl Scouts

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"There is no emotion; there is peace."
"There is no ignorance; there is knowledge."
"There is no passion; there is serenity."
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[Doom_Dude]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica, serif">quote:</font><hr width="100%" size="1" noshade><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica, serif" size="2">Geddy Lee (Rush)</font><hr width="100%" size="1" noshade></BLOCKQUOTE>

Damned right!!!!!!! http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/biggrin.gif

Ok lemme see....... Besides Geddy Lee..

Steve Harris of Iron Maiden

ahhhh crap gotta run. Will finish list after. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/wink.gif

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[She-wolf]

Same as Ninja with Cliff, Chris I-can't-spell-his-second-name from Muse, there's a couple of bass players I know who are pretty cool but aren't famous so no point in putting their names here and David Ellefson from Megadeth. I don't really know many bass players really, not that I don't appreciate their importance, they really are important in my view for a good band, but since I play guitar myself my list of fav guitarists is better.
But... I have to disagree slightly there with you XDelusion. Anyway, no point me getting annoyed, that's not my thing, and I know plenty of others who'd go crazy at that!

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"One look in her lusting eyes, savage fear in you will rise, teeth of terror sinking in, the bite of the she-wolf" - Megadeth.
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[Melfice Darkmage]

1. Danny Lohner - NIN and A Perfect Circle

Danny Lohner just rulez, 'nuff said.

2. Twiggy Ramirez - ex-Marilyn Manson

(had supposedly "left" the band last the may before last, because of where Manson was taking the band, but I heard he was actually kicked. It's strange considering that him and Manson use to be best friends.)

3. Tim Skold - KMFDM and current Manson

I don't know much about Skold but he is an awesome bassist from what I've heard in Manson and KMFDM's music.

[Phoebus]

This is what I was afraid of.
Please DON'T pretty much just post the name of your favorite band, and tack their bass player in there as an afterthought; many of you don't even know their names and couldn't care enough to do a little research about it before posting.
This thread is for those who are bass players, or those who listen intently to the bass lines in music, have well-formed opinions about who they like, and a great deal of knowledge about it.
If you don't care about the bass player, and aren't influenced by them specifically, I encourage you to rethink your answers or just don't post about it, and save it for a "What's Your Favorite Band?" thread; but that would just be redundant at this point. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/wink.gif

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William 'Phoebus' Mull
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If you're mindless, please take mine.

[GoldEyes]

I'll probably get laughed at for this one....but I really enjoy the bass lines of Hootie and the Blowfish. (eeks!) I know it's not heavy metal and what not...but what the hell.

Dean Felber - Hootie and the Blowfish
Mike Dirnt - Green Day

(yeah yeah, laugh all ya want)

[ToXiCFLUFF]

Nick Oliveri from Queens of the Stone age has a really good bass sound, especially when mixed with some distortion. Mainly on the first album, where the basslines fit into the songs in quite an unusual way in some places and play a larger part in driving the songs than usual.

Barry Adamson has some good ones, really rolling almost effortless sounding.

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[athguy]

This is, of course, objective but in my most humble and accurate opinion is as follows:

By far in first – Geddy Lee (That’s Rush, for those of you that don’t venture out much musically…)
• Geddy is in the Bass Hall of Fame for Guitar Player Magazine
• Has been voted Best Rock Bassist more than 6 times
• Geddy won "best Rock Bass player" in the 1993 "Bass Player" readers' poll.

John Paul Jones – Led Zeppelin
His influence on the music we listen to today is unmistakable…

Chris Squire – Yes
Groundbreaking prog-rock style setting performer. He did things that had not been done before in the 70’s.

Louis Johnson - Brothers Johnson
His percussive style reintroduced the bass as a more rhythmic instrument. And influenced thousands of players.

John Entwistle – The Who
“Entwistle's bass attack forced the Who into its high-volume assaults. "We had only two melodic instruments, my bass and Pete's guitar," he explained. "So I devised a way of playing with a very trebly sound, as if my bass were a rhythm guitar. So when Pete was doing chord work, I could get in a melodic line from the bass side. But to do this we needed 100 watt amplifies with four cabinets each." Entwistle became the first musician to play the high-powered amplifiers developed at Jim Marshall's West London drum shop. Without this combination-excessively loud Marshall stacks turned up way past the point of distortion in competition with one another, and bass guitar offering a thundering melodic challenge to the six string variety-there wouldn't be any metal or grunge, and probably no punk, either.”

Rinus Gerritsen – (who?) Golden Earring (Radar Love…)
Dutch Player from the 70’s – 80’s that was notorious for his heavy low-ended style.

Sir Paul McCartney – Needs no Props….

Geezer Butler – Black Sabbath
Is the original influence on most all modern day metal and heavy rock bassists

Sting – The Police
Very versatile from reggae to ska to 80’s pop power ballad. He has a percussive, pulsing rhythmic playing style that has always been distinctive.

Les Claypool – Primus
Groundbreaking and inventive

John Deacon – Queen
Underrated bassist that orchestrated many of Queen’s complex pieces.

Stefan Lessard – Dave Matthews Band
Very talented and gifted player that has only been playing as long as he’s been in DMB.

This list is only an “off the top’ effort. I’m sure that there are plenty of others. Most of these are from several years ago or more . Music today is less and less discernable as far as individual members. Besides, bass lines are now so easily synthesized and computer generated that it’s no longer possible to recognize individual efforts – i.e.I love Crystal Method / Filter / Prodigy / Chemical Brothers / Aphex Twin – all have excellent bass lines but can anyone tell me who is responsible for them? With technology being what it is these days (Protools – digital recording and editing being the industry standard) non-musicians are producing music that is based on their skill at sampling and mixing – not necessarily “playing” anything….

Just My $0.02 worth...

(Remember - If you don't like my opinion it's worth what you paid to read it on here...)


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[XDelusion]

Phoebus: Sorry, I just figured if I posted there real names that peole would not know them then, that's why I posted the band name, so if they were curious, they could just look up the band, and check them out.

She-Wolf, list them anyhow, I'm always interested in checking out something I have not heard before. And no I am going to wig because you don't like my musick either. ha ha http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/smile.gif

Ok as for my corrections.

Tony Levin - King Crimson (some albums I.E. Discipline)

Geddy Lee - (Rush)

Les Claypool - (Primus)

Graham Lewis - Wire

Sorry I don't play, and I know some of these guys work my be simple and uncomplex, but there is something about the noise they make that really appeals to me, and seems to take the Bass where most bands don't dare, or never dreamed. I think it is sad that 99% of the rock musick out there does not put much emphasis on the Bass and Drums, for me those are what make the musick. I think Pig Face has caught onto this idea from time to time, ecspecially where the drums are concerned.

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Satan's Girl Scouts

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"There is no emotion; there is peace."
"There is no ignorance; there is knowledge."
"There is no passion; there is serenity."
"There is no death; there is the Force."

[Dead_BodieS]

This is all very interesting because I myself play bass and enjoy the instrument very much. As my all time favorite and most influential bassist's to me I would say are:

1)Flea- Red Hot Chilli Peppers
This guy just rocks the bass in my opinion, nuff said

2) John Entwistle- The Who
While this isn't my particular favorite band I have listened to them and I must admit this guy innovated bass playing Its very depressing when a legend dies.

3)Krist Novoselic-Nirvana
This band and bassist are what made me want to learn how to play and are very infuential to me. If you have never heard of this band or just haven't bothered listening I suggest you do it is some of the best music I have been graced to hear.

4)Timmy C.-Rage Against the Machine
Not only is this a band that expresses my political, views they have some very nice funk bass sounding lines that really go with the message their spreading. Also a band that inspired me to play bass. If your a rights activist of any kind you will appreciate this music and the message it spreads.

Thats it for me there are several others not listed that have really influenced me but these 4 are the most prominent.

[She-wolf]

Page 6 (http://www.geocities.com/page6theband/) They're a local band that I know who come along to band society at uni, I've seen them a couple of times and will see them again later this week at another gig. (I'm playing at the gig too. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/smilies/cwm4.gif ) They have a CD they recorded I've got tracks from if anybody wants to hear them. The other bass player I know is in a band that just formed this year called FireExit (I meant the space to be left out.) and haven't released anything yet though and are looking for a new singer. In either band I do find myself paying a bit more attention to the bass because I have found that some other records seem to leave it out a bit and I nearly did choose bass over guitar but I's struggle with bass because my hands are a bit small and bass has a funny way with me that if I practised I'd fall alseep. (Don't ask me why!) As for the other bassists. Cliff Burton - heard Orion, or Pulling Teeth? I really recommend that you do if you haven't heard these two in particular because they are great. I'll get onto the rest I've got to go.

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"One look in her lusting eyes, savage fear in you will rise, teeth of terror sinking in, the bite of the she-wolf" - Megadeth.
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[Doom_Dude]

Pulling teeth is amazing. I heard that ages ago and haven't heard it in a long time. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/biggrin.gif

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[picklehammer]

bass???? Why not a -real- instrument?

[Fallen Man]

I really like Steve Saxby from Training for Utopia. You can hear his stuff best on Plastic Soul Impalement, since the album is recorded with the bass sounds turned way up. He's darn good, especially when you consider how chaotic the whole album is.

[picklehammer]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica, serif">quote:</font><hr width="100%" size="1" noshade><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica, serif" size="2">Tom "T-Bone" Wolk (Saturday Night Live Band, Hall & Oates)</font><hr width="100%" size="1" noshade></BLOCKQUOTE>

I remember someone named T-bone waka or something but I thought he played guitar

[ReX]

John Entwistle - The Who (Just listen to the riffs in My generation!)
Paul McCartney - The Beatles, Wings, solo
Charles Mingus - All-time great jazz upright bassist.

Between my stints as a drummer and a guitar player, I briefly played bass. Did you guys know that Jimi Hendrix first auditioned as a bass player for Chas Chandler (of Animals fame) when Chandler, as a producer, was putting together a band. He immediately recognized Hendrix's potential, and switched Noel Redding to Bass and Hendrix to guitar. The rest, as they say, is history.

[God-l-Send-l-Death]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica, serif">quote:</font><hr width="100%" size="1" noshade><font face="Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica, serif" size="2">Pulling teeth is amazing. I heard that ages ago and haven't heard it in a long time.</font><hr width="100%" size="1" noshade></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes...Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)....long time too I haven't heard it. Cliff Burton is my fav bass player. Ever since I heard him play for the first time I was blown away. He plays the frickin' thing like a bloody guitar! http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/biggrin.gif http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/biggrin.gif http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/biggrin.gif

R.I.P., Cliff...

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†...I dwell in the darkest of your dreams...and my legions roam your deepest desires...I'll walk through mirrors to get you...wherever you are...I'll invade your sleep if I have to...but you cannot escape the Angel Of Death...God...Sen†...Dea†h†

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[fraggle]

I've been playing bass since February. I dont know who I would call an influence. Names that spring to mind, though, are Bill Black (http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=bill+black), Sting, and Paz Lenchantin.

[Fredrik]

I don't know much about bass players, but one that has to be mentioned is John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. It's sort of amazing how he and Jimmy Page (who played the guitar) together made the sound as massive as had there been two guitars + bass, even though there was only one guitar, accompanied by bass.

[Phoebus]

Absolutely, I was thinking about him after my initial post as well. John Paul Jones was such an underrated bass player; also a multi-instrumentalist. He was just so low-key, but his influence was indelible. Thanks for bringing him up, I'm going to add him to my list. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/smile.gif

[frederik]

Paul McCartney and Gene Simmons.

[Doom_Dude]

Good pick with John Paul Jones.

/me digs out my Led Zeppelin http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/biggrin.gif

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[Rellik_jmd]

I've never been a huge fan of the bass, though my good friends Sean and Dave both play, but one guy has always stood out for me:

http://www.newfunktimes.com/photos/album_cover_large.jpg

Bootsy baby!

http://www.cdkritiken.de/B/BootsysCa.jpg

http://www.newfunktimes.com/bootsy/images/bootsy-new2.jpg

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[Phoebus]

Bootsy! Of course!
How could he NOT stand out? http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/smilies/cwm4.gif

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William 'Phoebus' Mull
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Gaming is a state of mind.
If you're mindless, please take mine.

[Amazon_Death]

Rammstein's bass player. Paul I think. I don't his last name though. Does anyone know?

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[Phoebus]

I can't remember which one for sure, but Rammstein's bass player's name is either A. Machine or C. Quencer. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/wink.gif

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William 'Phoebus' Mull
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Gaming is a state of mind.
If you're mindless, please take mine.

[Doom_Dude]

I don't know his name either. http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/tongue.gif

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[fiend]

steve harris, without a doubt IMHO. even if you don't like maiden (i think most everyone who went through adolescence in the last 23 years has owned at least one maiden album, whether they'll admit it or not), you can't deny his skills-- even though he had only started playing in his late teens, right around the time when he first formed the band.

mustn't forget dear old geezer or mr. kilmeister, either, but my heart belongs to charlotte... http://forums.newdoom.com/UBB/smilies/cwm4.gif

up the irons!

EDIT: wow, i can't believe i momentarily completely forgot about karl alvarez and peter hook. karl is an insanely talented player (just like the guy he eventually replaced in the descendents, tony lombardo), and hook's earlier work with joy divison/new order refuses to get outta yer head if you let it in, so i guess he's aptly named.

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we're all blue from projection tubes.

[dancinDave]

please don't forget Pino Paladino...he's not really upfront but he's got a lot of great credits, one being John Entwistle's place on the last Who tour and he's also done tours with Jeff Beck and a bunch of other real hard gigs. Pino is discreetly VERY good.
<smiles> dD
P.S. Rammstein bass player is Oliver Riedel...peace

[sl4]

Matt Freeman of Rancid...probably one of the best bassists ever. Anyone who doesn't believe me should download Maxwell Murder right now and listen to the bass solo. It's rather awesome.

Mike

[FATAL]

A nice bumped thread. Mmm...


My favourite is Geezer Butler. Not only does he play bass pretty well, but he has also written over 95% of Black Sabbath's songs. And written them well, may I add.

[Danimetal]

Marcus Miller, Jaco Pastorius and then Ryan from Mudvayne.

[Random]

Steve Digiorgio(Death, Sadus, and others)

[Grace Saunders]

Mark King rocks.

[Nessonic]

Cliff Burton and Steve Harris. Both I consider to technically be the best bassists in the world, both play with fingers ( which is the only way to play a bass really ) and can actually strum pretty fast.

Cliff has the awesome solos, but Steve has all the awesome rythums in Maiden songs. So both are equal to me.

Another would be Dave Ellefson from Megadeth, because some of his rythums in their older stuff is pretty cool stuff. And he's a finger player too.

[Phoebus]

...both play with fingers ( which is the only way to play a bass really )Playing without a pick isn't the only way to play bass. I feel it's best to learn to play with fingers (and there's not just one, or correct, way to play with fingers, either) first, but playing with the pick is perfectly legitimate. I play with both, equally well depending on the music. Each style has its unique facility. Some of the best, most versatile bass players in the world played with a pick, such as Chris Squire of Yes, and even the late great funk meister Bernard Edwards of Chic was an advocate of playing with the pick on certain pieces, among many other examples.please don't forget Pino Paladino...You're right, he's awesome. He's played with so many great artists over the years, with his fretless, jazzy, funky style. He even played on some Gary Numan sessions (on "I, Assassin"; in fact Pino carried that entire album. The songs were clearly written around his bass riffs.).

PS - This is somewhat off topic, but most of the people responding to this thread seem to be metal fans, for the most part. Either that or so-called "punk" (although it's really closer to pop; the true Punk movement was over before the end of the 70's). Is that all you listen to, or is there other music that you're moved by? I'm really curious.

PSS - Grace Saunders: Your sig. is too big. Please view this thread (http://forums.newdoom.com/showthread.php?t=29078) for more info.

[FATAL]

Heh, well I mostly listen to heavy, and sometimes something lighter, such as Bluesounds, Rock'n'roll band, Led Zeppelin or Rolling Stones. Still, my favourites lie in Black Sabbath, Megadeth, Stratovarius, Iron Maiden and Motörhead.

Needless to say, teeny pop and rap and such make my ears bleed and my body willing to smash my head to the wall.

[Phoebus]

Needless to say, teeny pop and rap and such make my ears bleed and my body willing to smash my head to the wall.Amen to that! :D