The Greatest Bassist of All Time

impmann

Lemmy wasn't just a bass player though.

He was god.

drwiddly

Nobody's mentioned Jeff Berlin, so I will.

sgosden

pointless question. Gene Simmons has trademarked himself as the greatest bassist.

impmann

sgosden said:

pointless question. Gene Simmons has trademarked himself as the greatest bassist.

  Objection your honour!

I thought we'd previously ascertained that Gene Simmons was a talentless, hoof-wanking bunglecunt? Or was that someone else?

usedtobe

impmann said:

sgosden said:

pointless question. Gene Simmons has trademarked himself as the greatest bassist.

  Objection your honour!

I thought we'd previously ascertained that Gene Simmons was a talentless, hoof-wanking bunglecunt? Or was that someone else?

No, you're right, that was Gene..!

steamabacus

blobb said:

Richard Sinclair.


What do you mean, you don't know who he is?

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

One of my favourite players as well.

I had the pleasure of working on a Caravan gig promoted by a friend (at THe Fridge in Brixton if memory serves) - me and my bass-playing mate were doing the catering of all things (Richard was eating a macrobiotic diet which necessitated some research!). While we were feeding and watering the band my mate got talking to Richard Sinclair about Winter Wine and a particular bass run that he couldn't get his head and fingers round. No bass to hand but Richard was happy to talk him through it.

But, what sticks in the memory is later during the gig - my mate and I were stood at the side of the stage and, when it got to that point in Winter Wine, Richard wandered over to where we were and proceeded to show my mate exactly what and where on the neck he was playing. Made my mate's night!

Lovely bloke and a great all round musician as well as bassist.

ennspek

I'm confused. I've been repeatedly told it's @Bridgehouse ;
Although thinking about it, exclusively by him.

not_the_dj

ennspek said:

I'm confused. I've been repeatedly told it's @Bridgehouse ;;
Although thinking about it, exclusively by him.

We'll find out on the 2nd Sept ;-)

Bridgehouse

ennspek said:

I'm confused. I've been repeatedly told it's @Bridgehouse ;
Although thinking about it, exclusively by him.

I thought you said the ear syringe session had made your hearing a lot better, mate?

You still seem to be confusing "greatest" and "shittest"

Back to the docs for you..

Bridgehouse

not_the_dj said:

ennspek said:

I'm confused. I've been repeatedly told it's @Bridgehouse ;;
Although thinking about it, exclusively by him.

We'll find out on the 2nd Sept ;-)

It's not just my farts that can clear a room...

BintyTwanger77

Not the greatest, and he is basically a Tory cheesemonger now, but an honourable mention for Alex James is definitely warranted.

snakemanStoo

Lots of greats already said, I'd just like to add Krist Novothingy from Nirvana.

lasermonkey

I think that Colin Greenwood is unfairly overlooked. He always plays exactly what the song requires, whether it's simple or outrageous.
As to the greatest, I'll probably add my name to the McCartney camp.

Blueingreen

KKJale said:

Not to detract from any of the great players mentioned but I'm going to add to the chorus of those who nominate Motown’s great James Jamerson. 

It's the sheer relentless flow of his ideas, so fluid and effortless. He was a master at hooks and inventing lines which drove the song, and a perfect example of the way great bassists link the drummer to the singer with a foot in both camps, rhythmic and harmonic. His timing was bonkers: you could spend weeks learning just one of his parts and still be discovering tiny but all-important subtleties of grace notes. 

The fact that all this stuff was improvised on the spot from head charts and recorded live with the rest of the band in a handful of takes, at most – and probably pissed – makes it all the more amazing. 

When I first switched from guitar to bass as my main instrument (which it was for a number of years) Standing in the Shadows of Motown was my main primer.  It's a book of Jamerson transcriptions with some biographical material, interviews with greats who'd been influenced by him who also play the audio examples.  I substantially learned to play funk bass and read bass clef out of that book and the related recordings.

I still think Macca (also a huge Jamerson fan of course) shades it as the greatest, but everything you say about Jamerson is spot on.

Cols

I have to agree with the OP; Jack Bruce, a great musician, composer and vocalist.  Honourable mentions for John Paul Jones, Flea, Andy Fraser and Les Claypool.

i can't believe that no-one's mentioned John Deacon though...

Kebabkid

John Deacon triggered a few others - Dee Murray and Bob Birch from Elton John's band and John Giblin's work with Kate Bush and I do like Guy Pratt

viz

lasermonkey said:

I think that Colin Greenwood is unfairly overlooked. He always plays exactly what the song requires, whether it's simple or outrageous.

Nice one

axisus

I don't think there's any such thing as the greatest, there are so many styles and spectrums of influence.

What I can say are my favourites - Billy Sheehan and Geddy Lee.

richardhomer

Was listening to a Joan Armatrading album from the late '80s earlier, which features some lovely fretless from Pino Paladino. He was brilliant at what he did.

midiglitch

So many great bassists... my personal favourite is Dougie Thomson, the powerhouse behind supertramp.  
A +1 for Colin greenwood - his playing on airbag is a sublime example - and he says it is because he couldn't think of anything to play!