arjunmenon
Apologies if i've missed out other influential players, but everyone is welcome to post replies listing their fave bass guitarists. Thanks for participating
(old forum) Poll Results: Who do you rate as the best bass guitarist?
- Billy Sheehan: 1
- John Patittuci: 0
- John Myung: 0
- Tony Levin: 1
- Chris Squire: 0
- Lee Sklar: 0
- Mike Porcaro: 0
- Abraham Laboriel: 0
- Stanley Clarke: 0
AlanRatcliffe
Ahem... you missed a few.
In no particular order: Jaco Pastorius, Percy Jones, Michael Manring, Victor Wooten, John Entwistle, Chris Squire, Jack Bruce, Geddy Lee, Anthony Jackson, Marcus Miller, Nathan East, Abe Laboriel, Steve Harris, Trey Gunn, Pino Palladino.
...and the criminally underrated: John Paul Jones and John Deacon
These guys are all world class. If I had to choose one of them to work with, it would be Tony Levin, without a doubt. Pino Palladino as a second choice.
Best local player I've ever played with was Johan (YoYo) Buys, session player and was with The Usual - kind of player that has all the technical ability of the guys above (I once heard him practising Paganini on a bass), but only plays exactly what works for the music. Good Stick player too.
arjunmenon
He he Apologies Alan. As soon as i posted the poll, i realised that i'd missed some of my other fave players like Nathan East (his stuff with Fourplay is awesome) ,Jaco Pastorius (the man was phenomenal in Weather Report), Geddy Lee (i agree, it is criminal of me to have forgotten the man from Rush), Marcus Miller, Steve Harris and Victor Wooten. Anyways, my efforts being amateurish, i hope everybody participates in the poll. Oh, and i didn't forget Chris Squire (he's there as one of the choices).
By the way, i've seen Tony Levin use something that looks like chopsticks on his index and middle fingers. Love to hear your take on it.
Cheers
AlanRatcliffe
That's the problem with putting together lists like this, there are so many good players. I'm sure If I thought longer I could come up with more.
Also in many cases, who is "best" is inextricably linked with the musical context - much as I love Billy Sheehan, I wouldn't like to hear him in Weather Report! Or Jaco in Iron Maiden, for that matter.
i've seen Tony Levin use something that looks like chopsticks on his index and middle fingers. Love to hear your take on it.
Funk Fingers - Tony's own invention. He used to sell them from his site. They never really took off as you need a really wide string spacing to use them effectively. Tony uses a 3-string Musicman bass when he uses them.
Speaking of Tony - I had a chance to buy a Stick about ten years ago and gave it a miss because I realised what a mammoth task it would be to learn how to play it properly. Every time I listen to King Crimson, I still regret that decision.
Satriani
JOHN DEACON!!!!!!!!!
boy oh boy is he underrated. Just cause he didn't have an outgoing persona next to the likes of Freddie and co.
Excellent bassist, and Nathan. A true veteran. He's played with just about everybody as some stage! HE even played at the Guitar expo in Seville in 92 featuring Satriani, May, Vai,Bettencourt and of course the incredible JOE WALSH!
cain
Why isnt JACO PASTORIUS on that list ☹
arjunmenon
My apologies Francis ?
And Alan, thanks for the info on Tony Levin ?
Cheers,
Arjun
Garth-S
Victor Wooten gets my vote, but he's not there ?. You should check out his Amazing Grace bass solo on the Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Live at the quick DVD, there are no words...
Midinut
Some of my favourite bassists or is it bass players?! (to name a few in no specific order):
Jaco
Alain Caron
Jeff Berlin
Richard Bona
Colin Hodgkinson (Back Door)
Jimmy Haslip
Brian Bromberg
Les Claypool
Anthony Jackson
John Pena
Stu Hamm
Vic Wooten
John Patitucci
Marcus Miller
Tetsuo Sakurai
Will Lee
Jack Bruce
Rick Fierabracci (Frank Gambale band)
Flea of course!
Tal Wilkenfeld (adds a bit of glamour to Jeff Beck's band!!)
Nathan East
Mark Egan
Rocco Prestia
Eddie Gomez
Mark King
Alphonso Johnson
Michael Manring
Hein van de Geyn
Carlos Benavent
Dave La Rue
Lee Rocker
Yoshihiro Naruse
There are more but I have just burnt out my bass memory bank!!
Riaan
Don't know all that many bass players by name...
Herbie Flowers: The famous bass line of Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side, he also was Sky's bass player. And he plays the tuba too.
David Bowie's female bass player! Really cool.
John McVie of Fleetwood Mac.
Roger Waters...not for his bass playing though, more as a conceptualist & composer.
David Gilmour, for his bass playing on the PF albums!
Mr-M
Abe Laboriel - incredible player. What inspired me when I was still a bass player. Then I saw the light and became a lead guitarist, no offense to bass players intended!
Bass is still great fun to play though. I get a chance to play in church every once in a while.
Nathan East
Mark King
Richard Bona - really loved his set a few years back at the CT Jazz Fest.
Victor Wooten
Flea
Geddy Lee
John Deacon
Seriously where would guitarists be without bass players and drummers? Playing solo acoustic gigs I suppose...
Lil-Bass-Goddess
Id have to say John Entwistle and John Paul Jones!
As well as Simon Gallup and Flea
deanBailey
After Seeing the Steve Vai Live DVD I gotta say Billy Sheehan ?
arjunmenon
Didn't think anyone was interested in this post? ?
Keep the good stuff comin' and i see we've got a bass goddess lurking around here somewhere....
(Darth Vader voice over) Welcome to the dark side...
?
Lil-Bass-Goddess
Welcome to the dark side...
Hehehe! Why thanx... I came here for the cookies ?
NorioDS
Lil Bass Goddess wrote:
Welcome to the dark side...
Hehehe! Why thanx... I came here for the cookies ?
AlanRatcliffe
i see we've got a bass goddess lurking around here somewhere....
Just a li'l one...
I came here for the cookies
I knew changing to choc-chip cookies was a good idea.
Speakin' of bassists though, I caught a few minutes of something on the TV last night: Al Jarreau with a band featuring Steve Gadd, Joe Sample and others.
Very nice bassist, but I didn't recognise him. Anyone know who it was?
deanBailey
Huge LOL at "Delete Cookies"
Renesongs
Off the topic I know - The first Virus I came across was called Cookie Monster. While working in DOS the screen would clear and the words "I want a cookie" would appear. If you typed the word "cookie" the command prompt would reappear and you could continue working. If you didn't type the word "cookie" you hard disk would be formatted.
Explorerlover
Where's Stu Hamm & Cliff Burton on that poll?
