100 Greatest Metal Bassists

Criteria:
Innovation: There are two types of innovation: Technical and Stylistic. Technical refers to an innovation in bass playing techniques or methods. Stylistic is about doing something new in terms of the role of the bass in a pop/rock ensemble.

Influence: Not to be confused with innovation, influence is simply how much the player influenced others. That is, other professional bass players, not how many kids on your street they influenced.

Creativity: This is pretty much the category of music writing... this is about how clever or inventive the lines are.. This is not to be confused with stylistic innovation. Though they do gain creativity points if their lines are innovative, they don't necessarily have to be innovative to be creativite. They don't have to reshape the bass world or anything like that, they just have to be clever lines.

Technical ability: This is about the player's technique. Speed, precision, sense of rhythm/ability to hold the 'pocket', ability to play odd time signatures, as well as technique versatility.. ie. being able to play slap and fingerstyle well will score you more points than just being good at finger style.

Versatility: Versatility refers to not only versatility of musical genres, but also versatility in musical roles. Just like a guitarist is more highly regarded if he or she can perform well as a rhythm or lead player, it's the same with bassists. Bassists are the glue that holds the band together, and if the bassist can't fit in wherever the band, as a unit, needs them, they are not being very much of an asset to the band. Also included in this is instrumental versatility. This means playing a stringed instrument, besides bass guitar, in the role of a bass.

Edited By: joe c
List Begun 09-30-09

Link: http://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_metal-bassists.html

1. Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
2. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
3. Cliff Burton (Metallica)
4. Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Quo Vadis)
5. Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse, Blotted Science)
6. John Myung (Dream Theater)
7. Sean Malone (Cynic, Gordian Knot)
8. Roger Patterson (Atheist)
9. Tony Choy (Atheist)
10. Michael Lepond (Symphony X)
11. Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne)
12. Jason Netherton (Dying Fetus, Misery Index)
13. Justin Chancellor (Tool)
14. Robert Trujillo (Suicidal Tendencies, Metallica, Ozzy, Jerry Cantrell, session man)
15. Stefan Fimmers (Necrophagist)
16. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
17. John Alderete (Racer X)
18. Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine)
19. Rainer Landfermann (Pavor)
20. DD Verni (Overkill)
21. Randy Coven (Steve Vai)
22. Eric Caudieux (Joe Satriani)
23. Pete Perez (Spastic Inc.)
24. Bill Gould (Faith No More)
25. Joey DeMaio (Manowar)
26. Brian Gibson (Lightning Bolt)
27. Linus of Hollywood (Paul Gilbert)
28. David Ellefson (Megadeth)
29. Jason Newsted (Metallica, Floatsam and Jetsam, Ozzy, Voivod, session man)
30. Dan Lilker (Nuclear Assault)
31. Doug Wimbish (Living Color)
32. François Mongrain (Martyr)
33. Ben Shepherd (Soundgarden)
34. Rex Brown (Pantera)
35. Bob Daisley (Ozzy, Rainbow, Rising Force)
36. Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead)
37. Markus Grosskopf (Helloween)
38. Mem Von Stein (Exumer)
39. Tom Araya (Slayer)
40. Greg Christian (Testament)
41. Sean Beasley (Dying Fetus)
42. Jimmy Bain (Thin Lizzy, Dio, Rainbow, solo)
43. Jared Anderson (Hate Eternal, Morbid Angel)
44. Rufus Philpot (Planet X)
45. Trey Gunn (Session Player)
46. Jon Vesano (Nile)
47. Trevor Dunn (Fantomas, Mr. Bungle)
48. David Vincent (Morbid Angel)
49. Troy Norman (Morbid Angel)
50. Necrobutcher (Mayhem)
51. Eerie Von (Danzig)
52. Steve Tucker (Morbid Angel, Anthrax)
53. Evil D (Morbid Angel)
54. Paul Barker (Ministry)
55. Dominic LaPointe (Quo Vadis)
56. Jeordie White (A Perfect Circle)
57. Felipe Andreolli (Angra)
58. Ron McGoveney (Phantasm, Hirax)
59. Bobzilla (Damage Plan)
60. Paul D'Amour (Tool)
61. Eric Langlois (Cryptopsy)
62. Scott Clendenin (Death)
63. Buckethead (solo)
64. Frank Bello (Anthrax)
65. Mike Starr (Alice In Chains)
66. Timi Hansen (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate)
67. Mike Inez (Alice In Chains, Ozzy)
68. Greg Arama (Amboy Dukes)
69. Ian Hill (Judas Priest)
70. Adrian Lambert (DragonForce)
71. Mike Flores (Origin)
72. Jim Shepppard (Nevermore)
73. James MacDonough (Iced Earth, Megadeth)
74. Chris Kringel (Portal)
75. Yngwie J. Malmsteen (solo)
76. Frederic Le Clerq (Dragonforce)
77. Martin Mendez (Opeth)
78. Johan DeFarfalla (Opeth)
79. Tyr (Emperor)
80. John Campbell (Lamb of God)
81. Shane Embruy (Cryptopsy)
82. Dick Lövgren (Meshuggah)
83. Christian Olde Wolbers (Fear Factory)
84. Michael Bishop (GWAR)
85. Evan Seinfeld (Biohazard)
86. Kelly Conlon (Death)
87. Duff McKagen (Guns N' Roses, Duff McKagans Loaded)
88. Jerry Orne (WarHorse)
89. Byron Stroud (Fear Factory)
90. Troy Sanders (Mastodon)
91. Scott Carlson (Death)
92. Jeff Becerra (Possessed)
93. Alex Camargo (Cryptopsy)
94. Skott Carino (Death)
95. Frank Banx (Opeth)
96. Martin Henriksson (Dark Tranquility)
97. Casey Orr (GWAR)
98. Mike Dean (C.O.C.)
99. Paul Romanko (Shadows Fall)
100. Steve Scott (DragonForce)

Wheres BTBAM bassist Dan Briggs

Any metal bassist list without Marcel Jacob is incomplete.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnhtpc1bNSU

Best known for playing with Yngwie and an amazing bassist. RIP.

Some of the guys on this list aren't 'metal'. Ellefson & Newsted need to move up some.

Two Dragonforce bassists, no Marcel Jacob, Thomas Miller or Wally Voss?

Exactly. Interest for this forum seems to be low unfortunately.

3 Dragonforce bassists! And no fucking Neil Murray! This list is shite.

Why is Ian Hill on here? All he does is play the same note over and over again as quarter notes or eighth notes every single song. The guy has no influence, and is by far the least talented member of Judas Priest.

Ian Hill replaced by Neil Murray? Sounds great! :D

Mike Inez...WAY too low...

Below Mike Starr? Frank Bello could use a raise too.

Holy crap @ Tom Araya #38

This list needs A LOT of work.

Holy crap Stu, I didn't know you were down w/metal! (Well AIC isn't metal but it's close enough...)

Ha Ha...while Metal isn't necessarily my listening genre of choice...I still appreciate good musicianship, and have familiarized myself with some locally based L.A guys like Mike Inez and Robert Truhillo. Of course Steve Harris, Cliff Burton, Tony Choy and some others I have checked out...and had the pleasure a few years back of playing a round of golf with Rex Brown and his wife, along with guitarist Jerry Cantrell...(interesting afternoon).

Which metal guys impress you Stu? I'm very very curious

I remember you posting about the golf thing! Super cool