100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time (Including Jazz and Rock)

[bendtheski]

x2 on Tony Levin. Guess an 8 string "stick" counts as a bass?

Saw Levin with Peter Gabriel on his third album tour at Asbury Park in '79 or '80. I was blown away! Saw him at least 3 or 4 times with King Crimson in the 80's. Never dissappointed.

This song reminds me of this place:



Thought this was kind of interesting too:



No love for Sid Vicious? (Glen Matlock)

X2 on Paul Simonon. I read somewhere that he was drafted into the Clash for his looks alone; couldn't even play at the time, similar to Sid I think. He grew into a pretty solid musician and has been part of some awesome bands. I saw him with Havana 3am in NYC in '86 and was blown away. I saw him with the Clash at Asbury Park during the Combat Rock tour, but some doucher was throwing M-80's on stage and they went off after only about a half hour (robbed!). I snoozed and missed him touring with the Gorillaz two years ago, but hopefully they'll do something else and come around again.



Maybe Lee Rocker from Stray Cats too.

[PNWbrit]

RIP Aston Barrett.

[Self Jupiter]

RIP

[ötzi]

RIP. I hadn't heard, that's a drag.

Nobody has mentioned Joe Dart apparently. Guy can play.

[PNWbrit]

RIP. I hadn't heard, that's a drag.

He was the very first on my list in post #2 in this thread.

THE GREATEST.

[Danno]

I don't know his work overall, but the bass on this is stellar:



Crazy bass solo starting around 3:55

The internet tells me it is Fernando Saunders. Fernando, I salute you.

[EWG]

Reporter: Can you play bass?
Willie Nelson: Can't everybody?

Gotta love Willie.

Also, that fact that the greatest bassist and one of the best musical minds that ever lived was only mentioned once in the first post of this thread in passing is an affront to all that is holy and good.

[ötzi]

Nobody has mentioned Joe Dart apparently. Guy can play.

A:

[schindlerpiste]

Bassists who have not been mentioned who should be:
Jack Casady
Berry Oakley
Phil Lesh

[ötzi]

All three of them have been mentioned more than once.

[schindlerpiste]

I do see Jack a few x, and Phil 1x.
I guess my top 3 are Clarke, Jones and Jaco.

I will also mention Tommy Caldwell

[MagnificentUnicorn]

I don't know his work overall, but the bass on this is stellar:



Crazy bass solo starting around 3:55

The internet tells me it is Fernando Saunders. Fernando, I salute you.

Fernando Saunders is a fantastic bassist. I really love his work with Lou Reed.


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[Dexter Rutecki]

Dammit, was going to put up Noel Redding[/end of thread], but Buster beat me to the joke.

Like 100 names mentioned and no Ron Carter? Guy laid it down for just about everyone who mattered and played on about 10,000 recordings. And still kills it.

PNWBrit, Sting? Is my sarcasm meter broken? I think when he did his pseudo-jazz thing he wasn't even allowed near a bass. Good songwriter, but I've never heard bass players talk about him at all.
2nd edit: ok, I do remember a 'Bass Player' magazine cover with Sting on it, so I'm sure bass players talked about him, but if you're talking about greatest 'players' I still don't see it.

James Jamerson.
Gary Peacock also kills.

edit: didn't see PNW also mentioned Jamerson, but he merits a second. Lotta good guys--there's also this young girl I saw with Jeff Beck who impressed me.
Jimi Hendrix.
Shuggie Otis (not sure he belongs in a bass player thread either, but you can't have too much of him).

Haha, funny to see this 12+(!) years later. Saw what PNW posted and again wanted to laugh at the idea of Noel Redding making the grade...

And very funny to me that I mentioned 'some young girl with Jeff Beck'--whether or not she belongs on this list, she has become a very, very well known bass player. Tal Wilkenfeld. But back when this thread was created I think she was a teenager and I'd probably only seen her play the one time with Beck.

Not sure if he's mentioned here, but the guy who fronted Level 42 is kind of a crazy bass player...especially when you hear what he plays and realize that he's singing at the same time. Blows my mind.

[PNWbrit]

I mentioned Mark King.

Post #2

[Dexter Rutecki]

I mentioned Mark King.

BTW, I do remember this thread (although not really what I posted given how long ago it was), and I recall listening to some Police after b/c of what you posted. You made some good points, IMO, about how he played.

[billyk]

Jaco gets my vote.

Jack Casady was also pretty good for a rock guy.

[DJ2]

Alioune Wade, Senegalese bass player with the Lopez Nussa Trio, is amazing

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Haha, funny to see this 12+(!) years later. Saw what PNW posted and again wanted to laugh at the idea of Noel Redding making the grade...

And very funny to me that I mentioned 'some young girl with Jeff Beck'--whether or not she belongs on this list, she has become a very, very well known bass player. Tal Wilkenfeld. But back when this thread was created I think she was a teenager and I'd probably only seen her play the one time with Beck.

Not sure if he's mentioned here, but the guy who fronted Level 42 is kind of a crazy bass player...especially when you hear what he plays and realize that he's singing at the same time. Blows my mind.

Quoting yourself seems, well, narcissistic and self absorbed.


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[m2711c]

[plugboots]

Ralphe Armstrong. I follow him a little bit ever since I saw him play with Jean-Luc Ponte 1000 years ago.
Leland Sklar. Too boring for this list?

[The Reverend Floater]

Phil Lesh isn't in this thread? I must have missed him.

Justin Chancellor
Tommy Shannon
Absolutely Eric Avery...dude was genius
Les
Commerford had riffs and power for days
Cliff Burton


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[Dexter Rutecki]

Leland Sklar. Too boring for this list?

Big omission for sure. He's the Ron Carter of the rock world (has played on literally thousands of albums, I'm sure).
Another miss (I just went through the thread and didn't see him) IMO is Pino Palladino. So musical and almost melodic while always in the pocket. I'd put him on the list if the only thing he'd ever done was that Paul Young record.

[PNWbrit]

Another miss (I just went through the thread and didn't see him) IMO is Pino Palladino. So musical and almost melodic while always in the pocket. I'd put him on the list if the only thing he'd ever done was that Paul Young record.

Post #2

[Dexter Rutecki]

Post #2

Guess my reading was better 12+ years ago. I was wondering why I hadn't mentioned him back then.

[jackstraw]

RIP Aston Barrett.

Oh man, just heard this morning. RlP Family Man