What makes a good bass player...

[Dai Capp]

I was contemplating this last night on a very long drive home...

I started off the journey with a bit of Wedding Present and I was thinking that for a fairly average band, the bass player was half decent, quite melodic bass lines. The I popped Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Live in Hyde Park' on and I thought, actually Flea is outstanding and makes the Wedding Present bassist look really ordinary (I guess not suprising really)...

But then I got to thinking (I said it was a long journey) is Flea actually that good, he's flash that's for sure, but technically how good is he.

With guitarists I find it easy to tell who really understands their craft but bass players not so easy.

So lets start with 'is Flea any good' and then follow on with 'who's better and why'...

Cheers

DC

[uriel]

I know nothing of the bass, but as a guitarist, the bassist that always grabs my attention is Steve Harris.

But that could be because he's always pointing it at you like it's a bayoneted rifle with a look of murder in his eyes!

[suthol]

To state the obvious, John Entwistle but another who can play a bit is Tal Wilkenfield here

Edited by suthol on Friday 30th October 09:56

[...Mole...]

a bald head and a large moustache.

[timbob]

Victor Wooten has got to be one of the best - you've got to see this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz7flss0w9Y

[Chris71]

uriel said:

I know nothing of the bass, but as a guitarist, the bassist that always grabs my attention is Steve Harris.

But that could be because he's always pointing it at you like it's a bayoneted rifle with a look of murder in his eyes!

That's Derek Smalls surely?

[JuniorD]

I like Billy Sheehan for the speed and way he plays bass like a lead guitar.
Also Geddy Lee for being an all-round class musician as well as being a great bassist

[chevy-stu]

Chris71 said:

Everytime I see anything 'Maiden' related I can't help thinking of :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTCP0jk3cX4

[Chris71]

chevy-stu said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTCP0jk3cX4

It's almost as if they don't take themselves too seriously, isn't it?

Weren't they the ones who had a 2/3rds scale model of a Wellington bomber on there German tour - inlcuding Dresden? Might have been Motorhead come to think of it. Either way 'One of England's loudest bands'.

[Bill Carr]

Gaz. said:

I always thought you could turn John Deacon's amp off and no-one would notice his absence

Really?! I always rated Deacon.

I'd say a good band-oriented bassist is one you don't notice *until* you've turned his amp off (and then he's missed). Then you have chaps like Flea who drive songs but also have the flash. Vic Wooten is something else though. His fingers scare me.

[Funk]

timbob said:

Victor Wooten has got to be one of the best - you've got to see this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz7flss0w9Y

He makes that bass guitar sound like a Chapman Stick. VERY impressive, and a lovely sound to boot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcvnRhT2NZQ

Edited by Funk on Saturday 31st October 16:09

[Ferg]

If I was assembling a fantasy band the Bass Player would be Norman Watt-Roy without any doubt at all.

[Dracoro]

Really like Simon Gallup from The Cure.

[JonRB]

I've heard it said that Nathan East (used by Eric Clapton on several of his tours) was quite handy on the bass.

[whitechief]

Stuuu, Stuuu, Stuuu......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQeEiEg1zWk&fea...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E_avGeQRNY&fea...

Edited by whitechief on Saturday 31st October 17:20

[Funk]

JonRB said:

I've heard it said that Nathan East (used by Eric Clapton on several of his tours) was quite handy on the bass.

I really like Nathan East as well.

We can't have a bass player wk-fest thread without mentioning John Myung...

[Benni]

Well, first thing is a really cool name.
Like..........................maybe Nick ?

[Ozone]

Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller - who needs a band when you have any of these playing

Close seconds, Mark King and Bernard Edwards.

[-Pete-]

timbob said:

Victor Wooten has got to be one of the best - you've got to see this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz7flss0w9Y

How? How does he do that? Absolutely awesome.

[celticpilgrim]

all these guys are fantastic in their own right. As I've said before, bass players are often overlooked because:
a) until recently, not seen as a sexy or hip instrument to play - how many guys end up plaing bass in their 1st band because nobody else would do it?
b)other instruments such as lead guitar grab the limelight.

IMHO, Deacon was a great bassist, but definitely in the 'happy to stand out of the spotlight and just play my sh*t' school of bassists.

I've just been looking at Lawrence Cottle, he's pretty good as well