Who do you think are the five best bass players currently?

[midopa]

I bet Jaco would have screwed up a lot of Beatles tunes, given a chance.

He did cover one (Blackbird), but I'd say what he did to it is subjective.

 

[cheezewiz]

Jack
Chuck
TCole
Monkee
Lowell
Pedro
Ray
Pete
Duder

 

[cgworkman]

I'm sure Wooten would have to really think about polka.

Actually, I saw an interview with Wooten talking about something similar. He said he caught himself doing things he wasn't supposed to be doing - and stopped. The difference between Wooten and a lot of these "up and coming" kids, is that Wooten knew when to keep it simple.....

 

[Psychicpet]

yo MingusBass, I've just been listening to my Edgar Meyer Bach unaccompanied cello suites this morning..... always blows me away at how great he is! Everyone should own this CD , if it's the only classical CD you get get "Edgar Meyer the Bach Cello suites unaccompanied solo Doublebass " I believe it's on Sony Classical. Absolutely amazing and good enough music to just put on and have around the house while making pancakes for the kids
Also, check out ANYTHING and EVERYTHING with Gary Karr on it, this and this past century's other virtuoso.

 

[The Rodg]

IMO

James Jamerson
Duck Dunn
Larry Graham
Abraham Laboriel
Victor Wooten


Although there is too many to cut down to 5.

BTW
....Wooten has a VERY strong background in Bluegrass and would have no problem doing justice to a polka............

 

[phatduckk]

Thats funny...when I heard your demo, I thought I heard some Matt Freeman in there. I love Rancid...Tim Armstrong is great!

woah! every once in a while i get the "you kinda play like matt freedman" compilment and it makes me real happy. I think matt's the man and any comaprison is flattering ... thanks a lot dude!!

FYI: I just read today that Matt is playing bass in Social Distortion!

Rancid is definately a pretty great band. Matt and Tim from Rancid were in a punk/ska band called Operation Ivy way back in the day with my friend Jesse (vocals) ... and my buddy Craig from highschool plays lead in Lars' side band (Lars Fredericksen and the bastards)... tiz a small world ... and if youre a muscian into punk rock then youre definately gonna cross paths with the Rancid dudes ... theyre everywhere

 

[skabassist13]

1. me
2. jack
3. this guy that lives in a box behind k-mart
4. my bass teacher
5. les claypool

 

[mike not fat]

Concerning the players who use a pick I agree with Matt Freeman from Rancid. But everyone forgot the guardian of the Temple : Fat Mike from NOFX, who is, i think, the fastest pick player i've heard (if you dont know the band, listen to The Decline, a punk-concept album of 18 minutes). If you add that he sings while he's playing...

For other kind of music style, I'd like to mention : John Myung from Dream Theater, Flea of course, Geddy Lee from Rush... there are so many others.

I'm going to be insulted by some of you, but i think that Fieldy is good in his part and fits well with his band.

With all the other names mentioned in this thread i'm gonna have to listen to lots of other stuff. Nice !

MNF

 

[Zombiegrrl]

woah! every once in a while i get the "you kinda play like matt freedman" compilment and it makes me real happy. I think matt's the man and any comaprison is flattering ... thanks a lot dude!!

FYI: I just read today that Matt is playing bass in Social Distortion!

Rancid is definately a pretty great band. Matt and Tim from Rancid were in a punk/ska band called Operation Ivy way back in the day with my friend Jesse (vocals) ... and my buddy Craig from highschool plays lead in Lars' side band (Lars Fredericksen and the bastards)... tiz a small world ... and if youre a muscian into punk rock then youre definately gonna cross paths with the Rancid dudes ... theyre everywhere

Yeah I've seen him play with social distortion and it's actually quite boring compared to any of the stuff he plays/ed with rancid or opivy....but it was still the best show i've ever been to.

and while he's not the best bass player, i really enjoy klaus flouride's bass lines...forest fire for example, is a great little intro...yeah i mostly listen to punk and psychobilly so i'm no help in this thread.

 

[phatduckk]

Concerning the players who use a pick I agree with Matt Freeman from Rancid. But everyone forgot the guardian of the Temple : Fat Mike from NOFX, who is, i think, the fastest pick player i've heard (if you dont know the band, listen to The Decline, a punk-concept album of 18 minutes). If you add that he sings while he's playing...

Matt also sang on early Rancid tunes. Listen to Adena off their 1993 selft titles album ...

I like Fat Mike too. I've never really listened to any NOFX and thought "damn that bassist is fast", but that's not NOFX's thing. Ill have to check out the Decline. Mike does play some fast lines in Olive Me and other songs I have heard.

Mass Giorgini from Screaching Weasel, Squirtgun and Common Rider can play pretty fast too

 

[mike not fat]

Matt also sang on early Rancid tunes. Listen to Adena off their 1993 selft titles album ...

Mass Giorgini from Screaching Weasel, Squirtgun and Common Rider can play pretty fast too

I'm going to look and listen to all these stuff. Thanks alot.

In a very different style, i also like the bass lines of Simon Gallup on some songs of the Cure. Typical pick play, very bright sound.

 

[phatduckk]

I'm going to look and listen to all these stuff. Thanks alot.

In a very different style, i also like the bass lines of Simon Gallup on some songs of the Cure. Typical pick play, very bright sound.

check out all of Rancid's first self titles CD (has a dude with a gun on the cover)
check out Matt's bass solo's on:
- Maxwell Murder (... and out come the wolves)
- Axiom (2000 self titles CD)

then listen to all of ... And Out Come the Wolves.

For Squirtgun stuff, Mass has a cool solo on Make it Wreck off their Fade to Bright cd.

Enjoy

 

[soulsimple]

1. Flea (if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be playin')
2. Francis Mbappe http://www.fmgroove.com -- amazing groover from Cameroon
3. Quique Rangel -- Cafe Tacuba
4. Melvin Gibbs
5. All the amazing hard working bassists I see in the clubs and streets.

 

[Psychicpet]

1. Flea (if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be playin')
2. Francis Mbappe http://www.fmgroove.com -- amazing groover from Cameroon
3. Quique Rangel -- Cafe Tacuba
4. Melvin Gibbs
5. All the amazing hard working bassists I see in the clubs and streets.

Melvin Gibbs was with Rollins Band for a few albums right? He's AMAZING! Is he up to any othe projects now?? Also, I forgot to put probably the most influential bassist to me(although I haven't learned a ton of his lines) Muzz Skillings!!!! serious stuff.

 

[dlloyd]

In a very different style, i also like the bass lines of Simon Gallup on some songs of the Cure. Typical pick play, very bright sound.

+1

I was listening to their first album "Three Imaginary Boys" last night and the original bassist, Mike Dempsey, was pretty good too. Not sure that he used a pick.

I went through a long period of listening to cds because I felt I ought to as a bassist. Nowadays I can't be bothered listening to the likes of Jaco or Stanley Clarke... I can appreciate it but I don't really like the music.

Truly great basslines (to me, at least) are the ones that fit with the music so well that you forget to listen to them. Where you listen to the music because you like the songs rather than because its got a clever bassline.

For example, I enjoy listening to The Pixies way more than I ever enjoyed listening to Weather Report. In my opinion, in certain respects, Kim Deal is a far greater bass player than Jaco ever was. It doesn't matter that I could play "Gigantic" the day I bought my first bass whereas it took me maybe six or seven years before even tackling "Teen Town".

 

[oldbluebassman]

I went through a long period of listening to cds because I felt I ought to as a bassist. Nowadays I can't be bothered listening to the likes of Jaco or Stanley Clarke... I can appreciate it but I don't really like the music.

Truly great basslines (to me, at least) are the ones that fit with the music so well that you forget to listen to them. Where you listen to the music because you like the songs rather than because its got a clever bassline.

+1

 

[JB1]

+ another 1.

Spot on analogy there mate.

 

[MingusBASS]

I have to add a few to the list.

1.Bruce Thomas - Elvis Costello and the Attractions
2.Davey Faragher-Elvis Costello and the Imposters

Andrew

 

[Mobay45]

I need to add one too: Danny Partridge.

 

[mike not fat]

There are some name i forgot to mention (not necessary in the five best, but in those i love) : Adam Yauch from Beastie Boys (Gratitude and many others), Peter Steele of Type'o Negative (for the sound from that bass going out of the woods, and for being able to wear un upright bass like an electric one with a chain as strap, of couse for his voice...), Andy Rourke from The Smith (Barbarisme begins at home...).

MNF