Your Top 5 Bass Guitarists Of All Time

[Lietuvis]

I've been playing guitar for the past 4 years, and my attention has always been focused on the lead guitar in all the rock and metal bands that I listen to...

So, I have been trying to listen to bass more and more in the past year, I'm even thinking of building a bass, once I finish building the V that I'm building. I've really come to appreciate bass players... I will also probably start playing bass, along with guitar.

My top 3 bassists(sorry, but I don't know enough about bass yet to pick 5)

Jaco Pastorius - A true innovator of the bass. I consider him the Hendrix of bass guitarists... nobody that I have heard can match his unique style of playing.

Martin Mendez - Of course, I love him for his work in Opeth, but I also think that he is an immensely underrated bassist. If only they could mix their albums so that his playing would be a little easier to hear.

Geezer Butler - Being a huge Sabbath fan, I obviously admire his work with the band. I think he has had the largest influence on me... I usually judge most bass players using him as a standard... if you know what I mean.

Please contribute to this thread... I really want to learn more about bass.

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

Jaco Pastorius
Marcus Miller
James Jamerson
Bootsy Collins
Victor Wooten

 

[Kenneth R.]

Geddy Lee.
The guy not only plays great basslines, but he manages to sing at the same time, alternately banging out melodies on a synthesizer. Amazing.
Jaco Pastorius.
No explanation required. The best bass player I have ever heard.
Stu Hamm
He's pretty fast. Usually to be found touring with Vai or Satriani, he adds a lot to the songs.
Tony Levin
Bozzio/Levin/Stevens & Liquid Tension Experiment. period.
spot #5 reserved for a huge list of Jazz bassists.

Wooten & Miller also deserve a mention for being amazingly talented.

 

[Powers]

John Entwistle (The Who

Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)

Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)

Flea (Red Hot Chilli Peppers)

Tim Commonford (Rage Against the Machine; only part of the band I like)

 

[Lietuvis]

Not to be an ass, but could you guys add a brief explanation of why you picked them? ...or maybe a recommendation of their music?

Thanks, Kenneth. I knew that Tony Levin plays for King Crimson, but I had no idea the he was part of LTE... I was wondering who played bass for them.

 

[Powers]

To be honest I just think they're very talented people.

John Entwistle in particular I think is better than any other bassist ever.

 

[RiffBoy]

Jaco P - for being just the top player of all time - the godfather of bass (almost!)
Martin Mendez for obvious reasons - highly inventive and imaginative riffs and fills!
Chris Squire (Yes) for both the driving and the high playing.
Glen Hugues (Trapeze/Deep Purple/etc) for funky, melodic and hard playing.
Mel Schracher (Grand Funk) for his riffy and powerful lines.

 

[Tubbs]

John Myung - He's good.

Can't think of any more.

 

[paradoxile]

Sir Paul McCartney

 

[Led Opeth]

Marcus Miller- Great Funk Bassist, slaps like no other
Song: Run For Cover

Geezer Butler- Black Sabbath....enuff said
Song: NIB

Martin Mendez - He's the original "Bass Player"
Song: Harlequin Forest,Closure,Windowpane

Billy Sheehan(Mr.Bigg, Steve Vai,Niacin) - One of the best rock bassists of all time,you can hear him on alot of vai songs.
Song: Steve Vai - Glorious,Building The Church

Les Claypool(Primus) - Hes just crazy...amazing bassist
Song: Sgt. Baker,Jerry Was A Race Car Driver,My Name Is Mud

 

[Nexis]

stop with the "TOP ## SOMETHING" lists. do you fucking people work for VH1?

 

[paradoxile]

Les Claypool(Primus) - Hes just crazy...amazing bassist
Song: Sgt. Baker,Jerry Was A Race Car Driver,My Name Is Mud

what about Harold of the Rocks and Shake hands with beef?

 

[Rick from Oddyssey]

Geddy Lee (Rush)- Amazing bass lines, singing and keyboard, great songwriting. A living legend

Ray Shulman (Gentle Giant) - Some of the most creative bass lines I have ever heard, add to that amazing guitar and violin playing, and nice vocals too. The way he built hi bass lines was just incredible

Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) - Even though he repeats himself nowadays, every album Maiden has recorded from Iron Maiden to 7th Son features great catchy bass lines. Also a great songwriter.

Cliff Burton (Metallica) - Do I have to write why ???

Paul McCartney - The first original bass player that influenced generations...

Cheers !

 

[Lietuvis]

Thanks dudes.

 

[Led Opeth]

also whoever played bass for the spice girls lol

 

[daz436]

JACO & GEDDY

 

[_Wes]

Geddy Lee - cause he plays bass, and sings, and plays moog pedals with his feet - and he's really - really good.

John Myung - wow. The guys is a bass shredder.

Billy Sheehan - see john myung.

Adam Nitti - seriously - have you heard this guy!?!?!

Also - Trip Wamsley, Gregory Bruce Campbell, Stewart McKinsey, Scott Hubbell (Uh, yes - that's the flight of the bumblebees - > on bass!!), Steve Lawson, Norm Stockton, Steve Harris, Victor Wooten. . . man - I can't stop!!

 

[wankerness]

The only two I'd mention that haven't been yet are Michael Manring and Lars Norberg. Michael Manring is possibly the most technically adept bass player I've ever heard, "Thonk" is by far the most impressive bass solo album I've ever heard (second place goes to Victor Wooten's "A Show of Hands"). He uses tons of bizarre techniques and tunings, and does lots of slapping/tapping on a fretless. One song on this album is him playing three basses at the same time and it's recorded live...it's just insane. Two of the basses he's tapping on are fretless I dunno where you can find samples of it online though.

Lars K Norberg is the guy in spiral architect, he just has the most impressive straight-ahead playing I've ever heard in metal.

 

[Don Corleone]

for technicality: tony levin, jaco pastorius, richard bona, les claypool

for song-writing: roger waters, duncan patterson, steve harris

 

[Led Opeth]

i know im gonna get flamed...but what about newstead? he has some nice basslines