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Bongo 2026 Collection

Influential Bass Players

S

stevethebass

Active member
Joined
Dec 18, 2004
Messages
29
Location
Cambridgeshire, UK
My nephew has recently started to play the bass and asked me to lend him some music that influenced me to play the bass, which got me thinking what players influenced every one on here to avoid the dark side (Lead) and go for the four stringed beast?

For me it was the playing of Pino Palladino, Mick Karn, Derek Forbes, Mark King and latterly Jaco Pastorius.

What players did it / do it for you guys?
 
Eric Wilson, Aston Family Man, Robbie Shakesreare, Rocco Prestoria, Louis Johnson, and every Music Man bass player! I also really like the bass player from Cake.
 
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Mark King, Geddy Lee, The Ox, Andy West, Jaco, Steve Harris, Will Lee, and lots of others...
 
Fang from Paul Revere and the Raiders.

Danny Partridge.

Peter Tork.

Also Jerry Manuel's big brother, who lived across the street and had a REAL bass guitar and let me figure out what my sickness actually was.
 
hoo-ray for CAKE!
but also: Matt Freeman from Rancid, Josh Ansley from Catch22/Streetlight Manifesto, Mark Hoppus :o, the guy from Sublime...there really are too many
 
Flea - Red Hot Chili Peppers.

in my opinion, flea has been and will always be the most influential bassist of all time. 90% of pro bassists during the late 80's and all through the 90's have put flea as one of their influences. He has written some of the crazyest basslines ever.
 
90% of pro bassists during the late 80's and all through the 90's have put flea as one of their influences.
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You're right. Guys like Paul McCartney, John Entwistle, Jack Bruce, Bill Wyman, Jack Cassady and John Paul Jones are just old farts who nobody could possibly be influenced by. Suzi Quatro definitely affected me as a teenager in the 70's, but it wasn't her bass playing.
 
You know, Flea's a great bassist, but......

1. I wish modern bass publications could do two issues in a row without a mention of Flea on the cover.

2. I wish many more young bassists would learn to PLAY before they learn to beat their instruments. Every time I'm in a shop and some 16 year old is making some godawful racket, I want to say, "You're not Flea. Stop that. Learn more about melody." Then, in my heart, I blame Flea.

3. I hate the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I hated them when I first ran into them way back when in Hollywood, and I hate them now. Okay, not PERSONALLY, mind you, I'm sure they're nice people and all, but their songs do nothing for me. In fact, it's worth than that - I DETEST nearly every note from every RHCP album ever made, even if Flea is doing some cool stuff. That Anthony guy's voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. They would have been a better instrumental band. Had that been the case, I might have been convinced to listen occcasionally.

4. There are so many more "modern" bassists, by which I mean electric bassists, that built the foundation upon which Flea built his particular house.

5. I fully realize that this makes me appear to be an old fart.

6. I'm old enough not to care.

There, I seldom rant, and I have done so now, and I feel better and will probably delete this in the morning.

EDIT: If you personally find Flea a personal or musical hero, that is of course okay with me. This is in no way meant to reflect on anyone who feels that way. I am just....well, tired of Flea.
 
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Franky said:
Flea - Red Hot Chili Peppers.

in my opinion, flea has been and will always be the most influential bassist of all time. 90% of pro bassists during the late 80's and all through the 90's have put flea as one of their influences. He has written some of the crazyest basslines ever.
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couldn't have said it better m'self :D
 
Franky said:
Flea - Red Hot Chili Peppers.

in my opinion, flea has been and will always be the most influential bassist of all time. 90% of pro bassists during the late 80's and all through the 90's have put flea as one of their influences. He has written some of the crazyest basslines ever.
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IMHO, the RHCPs best stuff is off the first couple of albums -- the stuff nobody listens to (and before Anthony decided to try to sing). Thay had that hit with under the bridge, and have been trying to recreate it ever since. BH is right, Anthony is the worst singer to maybe to ever get famous -- he should stick with rapping :) Again, IMHO :)
 
Franky said:
Flea - Red Hot Chili Peppers.

in my opinion, flea has been and will always be the most influential bassist of all time. 90% of pro bassists during the late 80's and all through the 90's have put flea as one of their influences. He has written some of the crazyest basslines ever.
Click to expand...

I agree that Flea has been influential to a lot of bass players, but not to many good bass players. Flea's stuff is cake to play. If you want to hear some thumping madness, pick up Level 42's Live at the reading -- a bargan at nine bucks.


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000VLKX0/qid=1103690660/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-7631790-3625755?v=glance&s=dvd"]Amazon.com: Level 42 Live 2001 at Reading UK: Level 42: Movies & TV[/ame]
 
FLEA = NO! Can't stand him or RHCP!

That being said... my influences...

Nikki Sixx - Motley Crue
Peter Steele - Type O Negative
Jerry Only - Misfits
Blasko - Rob Zombie + many more


basically, the guys you wouldn't notice unless they weren't there!
 
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