Favourite bass player

Favourite bass player

Author
Discussion

yellowbentines

5,313 posts

207 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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As usual I think there are 2 threads running within 1 here - favourite, and 'best'. Anyway...

Favourite bass player - Flea of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I love the different styles he brings - pops and slaps, subtle melodic stuff, funk, in your face punk/rock - he always seems tireless and full of energy, and brings something to the band that I don't think could be replaced easily. What he brings is very much a part of the identity of the band IMO.

Best bass player - probably someone obscure that is technically genius but that I'd have no desire to listen to wink

TCX

1,976 posts

55 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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Gene Simmons

pitboard

512 posts

110 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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Andy Fraser from Free.
Phil Lesh, Grateful Dead

cherryowen

11,707 posts

204 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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AdeTuono said:
percy said:
Norman Watt-Roy gets my vote.
I've played bass for over 40 years, have seen many wonderfully talented bassists (try SMV for a bass 'supergroup' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMV_(band) ) but Norman stands head and shoulders above all of them for both feel and presence.

Been lucky enough to see him a few times, most recently last year with Blockheads, when he collapsed on stage and the gig was cut short. He was back gigging within the week though. He'll go down fighting!

Far from being the 'best' bassist in the world, whatever that means, but by far my favourite.
Having not heard of the guy, I had to have a look on YT for him.

Bloody nora!

irocfan

40,421 posts

190 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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Can I also nominate Phil Lynott - though as he's the vocalist as well it may be a bit of a cheat

Silenoz

856 posts

153 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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Jean-Yves Theriault.

Simes205

4,538 posts

228 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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Joe Dart
Francis Rocco Prestia
Anthony Jackson
Larry Graham
Bootsie Collins
Rob Mulharky
Charles Mingus
Will lee
Jaco


Speed 3

4,560 posts

119 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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I've always liked driving baselines so the likes of Andy Rourke, Peter Hook and Les Pattinson do it for me.

I had the pleasure of seeing an unsigned guy from Newcastle at his first gig in London last week with no more than 40 other people (the very talented Callum Pitt https://soundcloud.com/callum-pitt/forgotten-kids?... ) and his bassist was a dead spit of LP and a very similar style, only 30 years younger. I love the way music reinvents itself around recurring themes.

kuro

1,621 posts

119 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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Chris Squire
Geddy Lee
Mark King
John Myung
John Entwhistle
Tony Levin
John Paul Jones

Don Roque

17,996 posts

159 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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Raygun said:
Jaco Pastorious.
I'm thinking on that great performance on Joni Mitchell's Shadow And Light.
I think his best work was with Joni, Pat Metheny and Weather Report. He certainly wrote his best music for Weather Report. I never thought that much of his solo work, despite being dazzled by 'Donna Lee' the first time I heard it. As a side man, he was impeccable.

Johnspex

4,342 posts

184 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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Just a mention for Ronnie Lane.

Sunny in Dubai

74 posts

74 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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Walter Sobchak said:
12TS said:
Peter Hook from Joy Division / New Order.
This, I’ve always really liked his playing.
Cliff Burton of course deserves a mention too.
Another vote for Hooky from me NO and JD follower

P5BNij

15,875 posts

106 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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John Entwhislte
John Cale
Noel Redding

Let off some steam Bennett

2,414 posts

171 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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Justin Chancellor

Geezer Butler

Robert Trujillo (Infectious grooves era)

AdeTuono

7,251 posts

227 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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kuro said:
Chris Squire
Geddy Lee
Mark King
John Myung
John Entwhistle
Tony Levin
John Paul Jones
Which one of those is your favourite then, as per the thread title?


MonkeyBusiness

3,933 posts

187 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot/Whitesnake/Ozzy fame amongst many.

or Lemmy.

Douglas Arfempty

623 posts

186 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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No mention for Victor Wooten yet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eecphwtw_rw


AdeTuono

7,251 posts

227 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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Douglas Arfempty said:
No mention for Victor Wooten yet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eecphwtw_rw
Sort of mentioned him in the context of SMV earlier.

psi310398

9,082 posts

203 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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IMO this is an area where the jazz talent simply kills the rock line-up.

Personally, I'd tie the vote between Charles Mingus and Jaco Pastorius, followed closely by Scott LaFaro.

Honourable mentions to Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Stanley Clarke, Milt Hinton, Jimmy Blanton and Oscar Pettiford

rgw2012

598 posts

143 months

Thursday 31st October 2019
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Geddy Lee - Favourite and recently met him at his book signing smile

Honourable mentions specifically go to:-

Gary Willis
Francis Rocco Prestia
Chris Wolstenholme
John Paul Jones
Jaco Pastorious
John Entwhistle

.....and most of the others mentioned in the thread clap