best bassist ever

shezzie

for me i love duff mckagan of guns and roses or even john myjung from dream theatre exceptional absolutely inspiring playing....know i have listed from heavy music but this is forum cross the boards....

opinion pls:):)

davylee

stuart zender from jamaroqui was fantastic. the basslines in travelling without moving are top notch

phelixoflaherty

Stanley Clarke

Blazer

Steve Harris in Iron Maiden...extremely fast and fastastic player and song writer. What more can you ask for.

ShawnRaven

Geddy Lee from Rush or Billy Sheehan, David Lee Roth and Mr Big fame.

Karl Hungus

I don't think there really is a "Best", music is an art, not a sport.

But if you could say best, then this guy could easily be in with a running.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz7flss0w9Y

And I hear this guy is considered alright in certain circles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVI5GhtllYM

PS: In before Jaco!

JerryHandbag

That mad bastard Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers

J.S. Pill

Karl Hungus wrote: »

I don't think there really is a "Best", music is an art, not a sport.

But if you could say best, then this guy could easily be in with a running.



And I hear this guy is considered alright in certain circles.



PS: In before Jaco!

Hands up anyone else who hates mastur-bass-ion

Diggabot

Geddy Lee.... but what about his voice? How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?

ShawnRaven

Diggabot wrote: »

Geddy Lee.... but what about his voice? How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?

What does his voice have to do with his bass playing abilities?

delbertgrady

John Entwistle
Tony Levin
Chris Squire

JLemmon

Diggabot wrote: »

Geddy Lee.... but what about his voice? How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?

I know him and he does

James Jamerson and Paul McCartney

KnifeWRENCH

Kim Deal - proof that even the simplest of basslines can sound fecking brilliant!

ITDept

Les Claypool of Primus is my favourite.

Black NG-60-90

My favourite bass players:
Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order)
Les Claypool (Primus)
Kim Deal (Pixies)
Cliff Burton (Metallica)
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
Simon Gallup (The Cure)
Billy Gould (Faith No More)

therewillbe

The OX !

Hippo

therewillbe wrote: »

The OX !

+1. Invented modern bass playing, no contest.

Rigsby

Karl Hungus wrote: »

I don't think there really is a "Best", music is an art, not a sport.

I agree completly ! But IMO this guy comes pretty close.




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

jim o doom

Steve DiGiorgio (probably spelt wrong) formely of Death and his similar but nowhere near as good own band; sadus.

Even better again - victor wooten of "bela fleck and the flecktones" and his solo material. The man does things with a bass I didn't think were physically possible!

RastaRed

Aston"Family Man"Barrett(The Wailers)
Hooky(Joy Division&New Order)
Mani(The Roses)
Flea(RHCP)

loyatemu

Hippo wrote: »

+1. Invented modern bass playing, no contest.

not a massive Who fan, but having seen this video I have to agree:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfDE-ZvfOwU

Diggabot

JLemmon wrote: »

I know him and he does

Then you're my fact checking cuz.....

dead air

I've always been a fan of Andy Rourke from the Smiths. His bass lines really work to complement the guitar riffs and/or the vocal melody, rather than the drum beat which seemed to be secondary, worked very well for the sound of the Smiths. He created some very intricate and memorable bass lines but still managed to keep them somewhat understated and they served the songs perfectly.

Jeanious

loyatemu wrote: »

not a massive Who fan, but having seen this video I have to agree:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfDE-ZvfOwU

If ya like that, check out A quick on while he's away, from the rolling stones rock n roll circus!

dead air wrote: »

I've always been a fan of Andy Rourke from the Smiths. His bass lines really work to complement the guitar riffs and/or the vocal melody, rather than the drum beat which seemed to be secondary, worked very well for the sound of the Smiths. He created some very intricate and memorable bass lines but still managed to keep them somewhat understated and they served the songs perfectly.

Have to agree about rourke but not about the drummer. Think theyre both very understated but totally add to the sound. obviously marr and morrissey WERE the smiths, but i dont think itd be the same band without joyce and rourke, some class bass lines, deffo

Karl Hungus

J.S. Pill wrote: »

Hands up anyone else who hates mastur-bass-ion

I think that's a shameful way to look at some extremely talented and amazing musicians.

dMaN24

Did you forget Marcus Miller?

Anyway, here's my absolute favoriteclip on Youtube.

Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten just jammin' along.

yevveh

John Myung (Dream Theatre), Les Claypool (Primus), the guy from Necrophagist, Tony Levin, Geddy Lee (Rush), Jonas Hellborg, Billy Gould (FNM), Flea... And of course the many many MANY others that I've forgotten or don't know about. Actually, the guy from Fishbone too, quality stuff.

11811

Peter Hook
Andy Rourke
Carlos D

These are my favorites anyway.

dead air

coyle wrote: »

Have to agree about rourke but not about the drummer. Think theyre both very understated but totally add to the sound. obviously marr and morrissey WERE the smiths, but i dont think itd be the same band without joyce and rourke, some class bass lines, deffo

Don't mean to slight Mike Joyce at all, he served the Smiths well!

tech77

square_igloo wrote: »

even the simplest of basslines can sound fecking brilliant!

True.
Love the bassline in (the?) Pixies music.
Incidentally, just reading there that Kim Deal didn't actually play the bass until she joined the Pixies.
Is this true?

funktastic

Mani – The Stone Roses
John Paul Jones – Led Zeppelin
Simon Jones – The Verve
Peter Hook – New Order/Joy Division
Andy Rourke – The Smiths
Mike Mills – REM
Paul McCartney
Sting – The Police
Phil Lynott – Thin Lizzy
Bootsy Collins
James Jamerson

Nailz

Mine;

Les Claypool (Primus)
Cliff Burton (Metallica)
Billy Gould (Faith No More)
David Ellefson (Megadeth)
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
Justin Chancellor (Tool)
Rex (Pantera, Down)
Tom Araya (Slayer)
Greg Christian (Testament)
Mani (Stone Roses [ain't the greatest, but I love him!])
Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle)
John Campbell (Lamb Of God)
Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu (Korn)
Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
Gene Simmons (Kiss [gotta love 'em!])

Kold

Claypool was first to mind but I can't believe this man's omission:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLcxve603-4

Xavi6

Chris Wolstenholme is my personal fav.

Hermy

Jaco Pastorius anyone?
Really surprised no-one has mentioned him yet.

J.S. Pill

Karl Hungus wrote: »

I think that's a shameful way to look at some extremely talented and amazing musicians.

So nobody else then, no??

doug1970

therewillbe wrote: »

The OX !

DazMarz

I was always partial to Rudy Sarzo... Played with so many bands and was so underrated.

He played with: Ozzy, Dio, Whitesnake, Quiet Riot, Blue Oyster Cult, Yngwie Malmsteen.

was voted #1 Bassist in Circus magazine for 1983

sham69

be warned this is a weird selection..
in no particular order

John Deacon (Queen)
John Taylor (duran duran, bassline in rio is great)
Bob Daisley (gary moore, ozzy and loads more)
Sting
Jaco
Flea
Billy Sheehan
Nathan East
Phil Lynott

road_2_damascus

Hermy wrote: »

Jaco Pastorius anyone?
Really surprised no-one has mentioned him yet.

Thank you... I was about to report this thread as a rant area for non musicians.... HOW could anyone mention Phil Lynott and Steve Harris ahead of Jaco Pastorious. Jaco Pastorious is the father of modern jazz bass and practically invented the fretless. Ok, you would be forgiven for not thinking of his successor, Victor Bailey... I suggest listening to the intro of Weather Report's 'Domino Theory'... then come back to me and tell me how good Phil Lynott is... The fact that I had to churn through all the responses as far as page 3 in this thread before I find mention of Jaco, is a joke.. the question should be re-phrased as 'other than Jaco Pastorious, who is the greatest bassist'... I once over heard a dumb-ass on a bus explain to his friends how Sid Vicious was one of the best bass players ever... it reminds me of this thread.. Iron f**king Maiden LOLOLOL

keefg

therewillbe wrote: »

The OX !

+1

Couldn't have put it better myself.

J.S. Pill

Despite my earlier protestations against mastur-bass-ion, I thought I might share this with ye

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen

Rigsby

That's awesome playing alright, and while speed does not always equal virtuosity, that guy seems to have both.

MMD

Chris Wolstenholme - Muse, is gifted

Cannot believe no one else here mentioned him

J.S. Pill

Rigsby wrote: »

That's awesome playing alright, and while speed does not always equal virtuosity, that guy seems to have both.

Had both in buckets - here's some more...

big b

Stuck with using a fairly poxy wireless modem today, so no you-tube clips.

However, if you're talking great bass players, I'd give a shout for:

Jack Bruce. Great work with Cream, also with West, Bruce & Laing.

Geezer Butler of Sabbath came up with many a famous bass line

Tony Levin - King Crimson

Chris Squire - Yes

Didn't like their music, but John Taylor of Duran Duran & the guy from Level 42 were great bass players.

plus many of those posted already...

Rigsby

He is mentioned in this thread at the end of a list on post #31, but IMO he deserves more recognition than that. I'm talking about James Jamerson. He played bass on most of the Motown hits of the 60's. If a recording was due and he was out touring, it would be postponed till he was available. A lot of today's bassists admit to being influenced by him. Paul McCartney says Jamerson was a hero of his in the early days. Two unusual things about Jamerson was, he never changed his strings and he only used one finger to pluck (he called it "the hook").

Of all the great artists named so far, IMO Jamerson comes the closest to the title of this thread i.e. "best bassist ever".

ADTR

Les Claypool
Cliff Burton