Favourite bass guitarist

arjunmenon · 2007-12-05T18:53:30+00:00

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

Bob-Dubery

iLLy wrote Best != Favourite

Personally my FAVOURITE is Denholm Harding from Just Jinjer, but I wouldn't say he's the best...

I've always been told the best is Victor Wooten, but to be honest, I haven't seen that many extraordinary bassists

There is no best. There are great players, but no ultimate number one player. There are elite players who are fantastic and have some aspect to their playing that nobody else has, but then somebody else will have something that they don't have.

As Danny Thompson says on his web site: "Well I am not the greatest bass player the world has ever known, but I have been involved in music making with some wonderful people, I know I can play otherwise I would have become a pro boxer!"

I'm sure that by every technical yard stick Victor Wooten is superior to Paul McCartney, but Macca has still laid down some seriously great bass parts.

Dirk

I also think Victor Wooten and Abe Laboriel are the kings. But there are so many legends like Nathan East, Lee Sklar and Mike Porcaro(the Groovemeister). Its a shame he couldnt make the Toto Farewell tour and had to be replaced by Lee Sklar (but who's complaining ?)

aubs1

All these guys are fantastic bass players.

I found it rather interesting that "The First Lady of Bass" does not feature on any of these lists! Or is it perhaps that she plays the "wrong" type/style of music?
I'm obviously referring to Carol Kaye, awesome bass player IMHO!!

Bob-Dubery

aubs1 wrote All these guys are fantastic bass players.

I found it rather interesting that "The First Lady of Bass" does not feature on any of these lists! Or is it perhaps that she plays the "wrong" type/style of music?
I'm obviously referring to Carol Kaye, awesome bass player IMHO!!

Very low public profile. Not known in her own right. Like Tommy Tedesco.

aubs1

Very low public profile. Not known in her own right. Like Tommy Tedesco.

Good point as always Bob.

Frans-B--Cocq

Off the list, I'd say Steve Harris. I'm not that much into bass players, but that guy is great.

But not off the list, my favorite is Martin Mendez. Not too known, any of you know him? He's from Uruguay and plays for Swedish band Opeth. He doesn't do solos, but rather serves the music - that doesn't mean he doesn't have some awesome lines. Dude keeps a pretty low profile, can barely speak English, and lets the other guys be in the spotlight (actually, the only thing I've heard him say is "I'm Martin. I play bass.").

DaFiz

I don't know the bass guitarists m'self but as I'm now playing bass in a band I turn to John McVee (Fleetwood Mac) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) for inspiration. ?

Riaan-Combrink

DaFiz wrote I don't know the bass guitarists m'self but as I'm now playing bass in a band I turn to John McVee (Fleetwood Mac) for inspiration. ?

I love (x 1000) John McVie. He & Mick are the epitome of a rhythm section IMHO.

Bob-Dubery

DaFiz wrote I don't know the bass guitarists m'self but as I'm now playing bass in a band I turn to John McVee (Fleetwood Mac) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) for inspiration. ?

IMO Jones is an underrated bass player (in fact underrated in general). He played in a band where everybody else was in the limelight. Another player who was mostly concerned with serving the song.

AlanRatcliffe

Bob Dubery wrote IMO Jones is an underrated bass player (in fact underrated in general). He played in a band where everybody else was in the limelight. Another player who was mostly concerned with serving the song.

+1. Very tasty bass player and a great keyboardist who could keep the bass going with the pedals when he played keys.

I can't remember if we've mentioned him before in this thread, but another bassist who tends to get overlooked because of his bandmates is John Deacon of Queen.

andrewjbryson

Stuuuuuu Ham
"Uncle" Tony
Billy Sheehan
John Mayang

Squonk

Another underated bass player is Adam Clayton from U2, Edge and Bono always steal the limelight. In fact Adam and Larry Mullen are an awesome Rhythm section! 8)

Bob-Dubery

Squonk wrote Another underated bass player is Adam Clayton form U2, Edge and Bono always steal the limelight. In fact Adam and Larry mullen are an awesome Rhythm section! 8)

Based on a video from their latest album that I saw on TV recently he's improved. He plays for a great band, and an interesting band in that they are pretty limited technically but operate very imaginatively and successfully within those limitations, but a great player he is not.

[deleted]

Dirk

I didnt know Chris Chameleon played bass? He's a pretty good singer, I'll give him that. Not my style though

[deleted]

Dirk

Shows you how well I know SA music :-[

[deleted]

MoJo-JoJoe

Bob-Dubery

MoJo JoJoe wrote
Stratisfear wrote My own reservations about the guy aside, I'm amazed that nobody has yet mentioned Chris Chameleon here. He's surely worth a nod? I can't think of anyone much better from South Africa, frankly. Certainly nobody with such an original style and as much innovation.
Skalk Joubert
Denny Lalouette
Our very own Gareth Sherwood (forum member "Gareth")

Two that come to my mind - though they are both working overseas now so, depending on definitions, may not count are Mac McKenzie and Bakhiti Khumalo.

McKenzie was the bass player with The Genuines, who I think were innovative in that they contrived a truly South African sound that was not rooted in township jazz. They had a lot of Malay and Cape Flats "goema" sounds, and fused that with fusion chops and a punk attitude.

Bakhiti Khumalo played bass on much of Paul Simon's Graceland album.

Nippy Cripwell, still around, still doing session work and nailing down the bottom end for the Waldorf String Band, is a pretty good player.

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