100 Greatest Rock Bass Guitarists

Ariel · **Joined:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:19 am **Posts:** 1392

Oh NEG little tidbit, your dude from Kajagoogoo is looking more and more likely to get a spot. Apparently he's one of the pioneers of Chapman Stick-as-bass in rock.

Ariel · **Joined:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:19 am **Posts:** 1392

Negative Creep wrote:

SanTropez wrote:

I just got recommended this version of "The Other One" for exceptional bass playing:

http://archive.org/details/gd1972-08-22 ... 27780.shnf

Track 17

God DAMN he's so smooth. Jazzy and melodic, he just never runs out of ideas and great basslines.
That solo at 15:25 on "The Other One" was just awesome.

I think Ariel will love these.

*Edit - why did you delete the second performance? That first 5 minutes was just great.*

I'll check em out! Can you repost the second performance SanTropez?

Ariel · **Joined:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:19 am **Posts:** 1392

Ssoyd wrote:

Ariel wrote:

Ssoyd's admitted his issue with him is in part a distaste for the use of bass effects, which is totally fair but a subjective thing that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with Burton.

I don't have a distaste for bass effects. I just don't think, aside from the effects, that Burton was all that great a bass player. His body of work just doesn't impress me.

Apologies for misrepresenting you then.

Ariel · **Joined:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:19 am **Posts:** 1392

StuBass wrote:

Some of those guys you mentioned are relatively high in influence....some perhaps not so much. A few others from other genres...true, some fusion and not solid rock...tough to rank for this list...(Marcus Miller as perhaps the most obvious). I also look at Ready Freddie who is influencing an entire generation of younger bassists on the L.A. scene, plus those who have gotten turned onto him through his Steely Dan live performances (end of Ready Freddie rant). Of those you mentioned, I'd rank Watt, Levin, Hamm, Burton (which includes Claypool), Choy, and Harris ehh, influential (of those I'm real familiar with)...and the rest of the chorus will chime in and throw Flea into that mix...even at the top in the opinion of some.

Your point about Freddie is well taken, and thanks for reminding me about his hiring as the bassist for Dan - an EXTREMELY prestigious appointment that speaks very highly of him and will influence his ultimate placement on this list.

StuBass wrote:

Will Lee is another one of those guys with strong rock credentials, but also a huge rep in other genres and situations. Skill and creativity to the max though.

I believe it. Looking forward to doing some intensive youtube listening :-)

StuBass wrote:

Phil Chen is rock personified...right from THE era. His work with Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck especially was as solid as a rock. He is a Jamerson devotee, and mixed Jamersons style with British rock, and while many of the Brits did that to some extent...Chen was a bit more dedicated than most to the integrity of that Jamerson philosophy on bass.
So I'd say that Lee and Chen could hover in the 30's somewhere. MFSB's Ronnie Baker a possible upward move???

Good point on Chen, playing with Stewart & especially Beck in the 70s is definitely significant.

Baker is maybe the most obvious upward move on this list. He'll almost certainly make top 50, I wouldn't completely rule out top 40.

Ariel · **Joined:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:19 am **Posts:** 1392

StuBass wrote:

Negative Creep wrote:

That's alright, you can just make me or Stu the new mod. :razz:

All that hard work going right down the drain :durr:

Ahaha

Ariel · **Joined:** Sun Oct 10, 2010 12:19 am **Posts:** 1392

Negative Creep wrote:

Absolutely one of the best damn motherfucking songs ever written. Mere words cannot explain my love for this piece of music. It just instantly puts a smile on my face.
Killer acoustic bass too.

Wait, shit, I can't believe we forgot about Ritchie...just added him retroactively to the 'possibles' list.

Gray · **Joined:** Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:49 pm **Posts:** 3786

Ariel wrote:

Oh NEG little tidbit, your dude from Kajagoogoo is looking more and more likely to get a spot. Apparently he's one of the pioneers of Chapman Stick-as-bass in rock.

Should someone using Chapman stick in place of bass really be considered relevant for a bass guitarists' list?

Stavros678 · **Joined:** Sat Nov 06, 2010 4:36 pm **Posts:** 538

Chris Wolstenholme Please

StuBass · **Joined:** Mon Oct 11, 2010 7:06 pm **Posts:** 794

Gray wrote:

Ariel wrote:

Oh NEG little tidbit, your dude from Kajagoogoo is looking more and more likely to get a spot. Apparently he's one of the pioneers of Chapman Stick-as-bass in rock.

Should someone using Chapman stick in place of bass really be considered relevant for a bass guitarists' list?

In Tony Levins case the stick can add a touch of versatility and creativity, but Levin doesn't need the stick to validate his bass accomplishments.

Gray · **Joined:** Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:49 pm **Posts:** 3786

Yeah, I can agree with that, I wouldn't say anyone deserves influence points for stick use though.

Coconut73 · **Joined:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:28 pm **Posts:** 10

Wow Ariel, no offense but you are the moderator of a music forum and you don't own a Queen album?! :durr:

I'd get on that as soon as possible. Start off with "A Night at the Opera." :metal:

Negative Creep · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:21 pm **Posts:** 11672

Ariel, in answer to all your questions...

-Here's that monster solo from Casady....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHmiFHzPqbM

-Yes I do think Queen was more diverse than Zeppelin. No questions asked. I mean, not even Zep fucked with such a stylistic array as this:

Hard rock, r&b, jazz, soft rock/AOR, vaudeville, blues rock, British Invasion pop, folk, weird tribal rhythms, symphonic power ballads, short anthems, operatic epics, weird ragtime stuff, plus a ton of others that cant even be categorized.
These guys were just fearless when it came to not sticking with one formula.

-Who is "Kajagoogoo"? :eh:

D.J. · **Joined:** Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:33 am **Posts:** 714

Quote:

You think Queen > Zep in terms of experimentation/versatility?

Yes, that seems very easy to me.

Quote:

As I've mentioned the Deacon spot is semi tentative. I don't own any Queen albums yet, just have heard the hits a good deal. When I get to know Deaky better, I may re-assess his spot (I'll have to buy Queen soon...next time I go record shopping maybe...which is like a couple months out I'd presume)

Check youtube out and you'll find their whole albums

Quote:

On another note: dear readers, please take a look at that bassists of the millennium list I just quoted. Anyone on there we should consider for this list? Noel? Novoselic? Sting? Who's Mani? Who's Nicky Wire? Who's Paul McGuigan? Is Kim Gordon any good? Who's Danny Thompson? Is Mike Mills top 100-worthy? Jet Harris is one we should have thought of earlier, he has to be considered a lock for this list, right? Who's Alex James?

Mani plays bass for The Stone Roses while McGuigan was the former Oasis bassist; I don't think they are worthy of the top 100.
On the other hand I'd give some chances to Noel and Mills to be included at the bottom of this list.

Johny_The_Fox · **Joined:** Mon Nov 15, 2010 4:04 pm **Posts:** 144

No roger Waters at all ???

Coconut73 · **Joined:** Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:28 pm **Posts:** 10

I know this is coming late, but Ariel, I saw another BLASPHEMY from a few pages ago where you said Cliff Burton is the metal Scott LeFaro. I understand this is a rock bass thread and Cliff Burton also had an untimely death, but as a bass player, I cannot compare the two. Scott LeFaro is in the running for the god of the bass as an instrument. It would be like comparing Kurt Cobain to Beethoven.

100 Greatest Rock Bass Guitarists

Who is online