Behind the doghouse, or the who are your favorite bassists thread.

[NAD]

Ever the forgotten musician especially in metal bands, even a lot of great bassists go unnoticed outside the small, tightly knit community of low end axe wielders. I know of several bassists on this forum including myself, so at least we (and maybe a few others) can talk about our favorites. List them!

Les Claypool
Don't need to say anything, but the man made me pick up the instrument in 1992, so I have to give him mention.

Cliff Burton
Made metal bassists actually worthwhile, too bad 90% of them didn't take any lessons and still play shit roots-only lines.

Melvin Gibbs
I only know his work with the Rollins Band (he is a big time jazz player apparently), but his work is masterful. Most of my all time favorite basslines come from this guy.

Whoever the hell played on Nokturnal Mortum - Goat Horns
Epitomizes what metal bassists should be, a solid fucking pulse that ties everything together. Master of the Swedish Distorted Bass Technique, from the Ukraine of all places.

Michael Manring
Absolute liquid. By far the most talented (concerning chops) bassist ever. Never sounds wanky, just simply amazing. His tone is probably the sweetest I've ever heard, completely clear but ballsy as all fuck.

 

[Hell Mike]

That guy in Nasheim and the bassist in Lethal, they both rule

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

Victor Wooten.

 

[Under a Stone]

Christian Olde Wolbers

 

[NAD]

That guy in Nasheim and the bassist in Lethal, they both rule

I heard he's good at Thrash Metal Terror. One of them anyhow, I forget which.

 

[IOfTheStorm]

Geddy Lee
Joey DeMaio
Geezer Butler
Doug Keyser
Ralph Hubert

 

[Black Winter Day]

David Ellefson
Chris Squire

 

[JayKeeley]

You're all retarded vunts for not having mentioned Steve Harris. Is there a better heavy metal song than Rime of the Ancient Mariner?

 

[Black Winter Day]

about 9,000...

 

[NAD]

I was drunk when I posted this last night, you're lucky I remembered what a bass even is.

 

[JayKeeley]

about 9,000...

In the words of Clubber Lang, "Dead meat, sucka".

 

[[0hr]Sunlapse]

i never really got what was so good about Burton, sure he had that cool solo on kill em all, but i don't really recall any "incredible bass lines" from him. in fact, the only thing i remember him for would be the awesome bass on Orion, but as cool as it is its actually quite easy to play. could someone possibly teach me a lesson and point out some 'tallica songs where he would make me say "okay guys, now i understand why everybody says Burton"..... i'd listen myself, but i don't have the time right now to go through the 1st 3.

 

[J.]

Munky from Korn can play those phat beats and bass lines.

 

[[0hr]Sunlapse]

he doesn't play bass, he hits the bass. literally.

 

[NAD]

Burton was the epitome of a rock bassist, where less is more is the standard, but knowing when to stand out as well. Listen to Jump in the Fire and the main verses of The Four Horsemen for his tastefully simple and effective lines, then move on to the solos, some of the most expressive known to stringed instruments as far as I'm concerned.

The unfortunate thing is most, if not all, of his lines were so buried in the mix that they can rarely be heard. Try to find the massive bass solo in beginning of Call of Ktulu, most don't even realize it's there. His subtleties were amazing, but those are even more buried and not recognized (check out the triplets in the verse riffs of the Four Horsemen and For Whom the Bell Tolls, if you can hear them). Damn shame really.

Korn's bassist is Fieldy by the way, and all you ever hear is the CLACK CLACK of the fretboard because he cranks the treble too high. He's actually not too bad of a bassist, but his tone sucks.

 

[J.]

Munky, Fieldy, Head, Dipshit, whatever.

 

[jimbobhickville]

Newsted is actually probably a better bassist than Burton, have you ever heard "Doomsday for the Deceiver"? that's some crazy-ass bass playin. Metallica never let him play anything, though.

Some overlooked:
Brent Oberlin from Thought Industry - especially on Songs For Insects and Mods Carve the Pig
Steve Digiorgio from Sadus, Testament, and a bazillion others - he's nuts
Sean Malone from Cynic, Aghora, Gordian Knot - if you have any doubts, go to http://www.seanmalone.net and download the video of him "warming up".
Michael Manring from Attention Deficit, among others - just listen to "The Idiot King" CD and tell me he's not amazing

 

[NAD]

Attention Deficit kicks so much ass, nobody knows about them though. Alex Skolnick, Tim Alexander, and Michael Manring, some of the best talent in rock.

 

[Demonspell]

I have The Idiot King and it's excellent...I agree with NAD, you have to listen closely to catch the extent of Cliff's contributions.

 

[lurch70]

Probably Steve DiGiorgio and Les Claypool

Although the most memorable lines belong to Steve Harris