Author Topic: Inspirational bass players  (Read 12993 times)

sprogs

  • from your big sister, Steve.
Inspirational bass players
« on: 26 January, 2021, 06:16:55 pm »
I use spotify and I've made several playlists for myself. Recently, a friend asked me to recommend some bass players to inspire her daughter who was learning bass at college.
I was thinking of who I'd recommended and I thought it would be interesting to make a playlist of the bass players who have in some way become examples of excellence.
I'm not interested in those who's technical ability is not matched by musicality, only those who have made beautiful music on bass.
If you have any suggestions as to who to listen to I would be thankful. It's always good to have fresh input.
So far my list includes:-
1/ Paul McCartney. More music per note than all others put together.
"/ John Entwhistle
£/ Mick Karn
4/ Jaco Pastorius
5/ Norman Watt Roy
6/ Les Claypool
7/ Jack Bruce
8/ Phil Lesh
9/ Carol Kaye
10/ Flea
11/ Gail Anne Dorsey
12/ John Paul jones
13/ Bootsy Collins

These are not listed in any order of talent, just the order they came to mind.
If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.
Please let me know of your artist and perhaps a track you think shows there talents best.
Ta.
Liz.


Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #1 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:27:01 pm »
Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane and (especially) Hot Tuna. “True Religion” is a standout.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #2 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:32:51 pm »
Me'shell Ndegeocello (listen to album Peace)

Jonas Hellborg (Mahavishnu album)

Mark King (not for the unbearable slap, but actually his fingerstyle is stunning)

Stanley Clarke

Francis Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power)

Lee Sklar (listen to Billy Cobham's Stratus and see if you recognise the bassline  ;)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1rX9E8NuRw  )

Pino Palladino  (a MASSIVE oversight on your part)

...and, this relatively unknown guy on this song which is just beautiful and I can't stop listening to it  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d11FF4fBJsQ   (that voice!!)


citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #3 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:36:21 pm »
Tina Weymouth from Talking Heads

Found A Job is a great place to start:
https://youtu.be/ZXzDh1Q1JsM

Although Psycho Killer is probably the one most famous for its killer bass hook (this performance really takes off from about 4mins in):
https://youtu.be/vmmvtX0IUHU
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #4 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:37:50 pm »
Peter Hook, Tina Weymouth, Kim Deal?  Alternatively if she wants to get really depressed, Tony Levin.


[Oops, X post with Citoyen]

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #5 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:39:14 pm »
Peter Hook

LOL. 

If you want a textbook example of somebody who can't play.

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #6 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:42:37 pm »
Peter Hook

LOL. 

If you want a textbook example of somebody who can't play.

... but who somehow managed to get some good hooks in there anyway. 

Otherwise I'll disappear to the prog end of my collection and come back with some bedroom geeks who haven't learned to talk to people but can play at a million notes per minute - a skill they learned though furious masturbation.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #7 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:43:50 pm »
Paul Simonon from The Clash

London Calling has a great bass line:
https://youtu.be/EfK-WX2pa8c

ETA: if you like, you can listen to the isolated bass line from the whole album here:
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/clash-guns-of-brixton-paul-simonon-isolated-bass/
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #8 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:45:58 pm »
Nathan East?  relatively unknown because he is a session player, but responsible for lines like this:

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

(not played here by East, but by Valter Kabas, who does a great job)

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #9 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:46:30 pm »
Peter Hook

LOL. 

If you want a textbook example of somebody who can't play.

... but who somehow managed to get some good hooks in there anyway. 

Otherwise I'll disappear to the prog end of my collection and come back with some bedroom geeks who haven't learned to talk to people but can play at a million notes per minute - a skill they learned though furious masturbation.

I hear you are a really fast prog rock bass player

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #10 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:49:08 pm »
Just give me a picture of Peter Hook  O:-)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #11 on: 26 January, 2021, 06:55:16 pm »
Flatus mentioning session musicians reminded me of Dave Hodges (Chas's mate), who famously played bass on Labi Siffre's I Got The... (later even more famously sampled by Eminem):

https://youtu.be/xKISdd2mKzU
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #12 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:00:55 pm »
Oh, and let's not forget Bernard Edwards from Chic -

Good Times
https://youtu.be/PP_JBPGkd-Y
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

sprogs

  • from your big sister, Steve.
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #13 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:02:17 pm »
Hi Hot Flatus.
I did remember Pino Palladino, he was on my list (quite high) but I seem to have skipped him when I was typing.
Mea Culpa !

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #14 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:05:33 pm »
I once bought an album by Dave Holland, expecting it to be his quartet or possibly his big band.

No, it was just him, playing the bass for 45 minutes. Not normally a solo instrument. He's very good though.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #15 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:07:52 pm »
Robbie Shakespeare

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #16 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:07:59 pm »
Oh, and let's not forget Bernard Edwards from Chic -

Good Times
https://youtu.be/PP_JBPGkd-Y

God yes!

 
Hi Hot Flatus.
I did remember Pino Palladino, he was on my list (quite high) but I seem to have skipped him when I was typing.
Mea Culpa !

See the above...I forgot Bernard!

I think quite a lot of the players listed above are people who have a distinct sound, in that even when they play in other people's bands you can tell it is them.

Peter Hook has a distinctive sound too. But it is distincively shit. I  went to a New Order gig in Manchester in the 90s and that fucking droning bass. Every riff the same.  Dang dagga dagga da dang dang dang.

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #17 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:08:06 pm »
Lars Danielsson
Anders Jormin
Arild Andersen
Roy Babbington
Eberhard Weber
Hugh Hopper
Brian Bromberg
Mark Sandman
Charlie Haden
Jonas Hellborg
Esperanza Spalding
Danny Thompson
Tal Wilkenfeld
Miroslav Vitous
Jannick Top
Jaco Pastorius
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #18 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:12:19 pm »
Steve Harris of that Iron Maiden, that they have now.  And Lemmy in his Hawkwind days.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #19 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:13:32 pm »
Bakithi Kumalo

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #20 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:17:18 pm »
Inspirational for me are:
James Jamerson
Victor Wooten
Abe Laboriel

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #21 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:22:51 pm »
Dill Katz.  Especially playing with Paraphernalia, very subtle e.g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yFZJlcLHFE&ab_channel=Smithy

Asa from Wagakki Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5oG2E28vP8&ab_channel=FrankGarc%C3%ADa

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #22 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:44:33 pm »
Joe Dart

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #23 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:46:28 pm »
Colin Hodgkinson, sole survivor of Back Door, ace bass guitarist.

And three double bass players;

Barre Phillips

Francois Rabath

Edgar Meyer

Re: Inspirational bass players
« Reply #24 on: 26 January, 2021, 07:50:43 pm »
Any of the guys that play bass for Scary Pockets, Sam Wilkes especially. His video with Knower is quite relevant to youngsters I guess

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3NLXay-91M
https://youtu.be/GnEmD17kYsE