Ruck Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 My influences on bass were when I first started: Flea - taught me how to jam Tim Commerford - taught me how to groove with the fewest of notes Les Claypool - taught me how to play outside the box Glen Diani - taught me the importance of stage presence Ken Flatt - lent and taught me how to play my first bass. So i guess theyre my biggest influence. Nowadays its more like John Paul Jones, Jack Bruce, Billy Cox, Noel Redding, Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonCello Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Merry Chriistmas Everybody has a killer bass line, very underated Jimmy Lea! [quote name='Johngh' timestamp='1294092908' post='1076870'] Jim Lea - Slade Glenn Hughes - Trapeze / Deep Purple / Solo Stuff Geddy Lee - The Master ! Stanley Clarke - For his amazing solo albums Mark King - Saw him on BBC sight and sound in concert when I was just starting out on Bass, and was blown away. These were the guys that showed me what could be achieved on bass when I was just starting out playing about 30 years ago. Problem is they are still at the top of their game, and I'm still crap ! [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo0tsy Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 In no particular order, here's the guys that made me want to pick up a bass: Bootsy Collins Mark Adams (Slave - incredible & sadly late funk bassist) Larry Graham Stuart Zender (formerly of Jamiroquai) Andrew 'Love' Levy (Brand New Heavies - nice understated bass tones & very underrated IMO) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achknalligewelt Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 1) No mention of Alex James? My chief inspiration to play. Learning Girls and Boys was a real triumph for me. His choice of line is always cool, sharp and interesting. 2) No mention of Mike Mills? The musical brain of REM, his playing is again, melodic and apposite. He also sings at the same time, which puts him into a further league of awesome. 3) No mention of Joe Osbourne? His work with Simon and Garfunkel alone earns him his place - tuneful, rhythmic, endlessly inventive. Throw in some 4) Norman Watt-Roy and 5) Kim Deal and you're there. Why does everyone get so excited about John Entwistle? Overplayed and intrusive. Then again, I don't really like Chris Squire, either. Or Geddy Lee. Let the bass serve the song, because that's what anyone in a band is there to do. All the players I admire and try to let influence me are of the non-heroic stripe. Colin Greenwood, Glen Matlock, Krist Noviselic, Trevor Bolder, all great band players. Leave the preening heroics to the berk with the microphone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyBones Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='bigjohn' timestamp='1294076169' post='1076529'] Jamerson Trevor Bolder McCartney Entwhistle Jack Bruce Hard to pick 5. [/quote] good call but but I'd have to say Foxton instead of Bruce as my 5th member Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Paul Simonon James Jamerson Peter Hook Robbie Shakespeare Simon Raymonde Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algmusic Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 [b]Winston Blissett[/b] (Masstive Attack and more) - I did a few gigs with him years back - simple and phat grooves. Musical player in EVERY genre [b]Kevin Simpson[/b] - A local friend of mine - again simple and phat groove and so musical. He's from a family of top musicians his brother is an amazing guitarist and viola player. Kevin can drive the band without taking the spotlight. [b]Abe Laboriel[/b] - Plays with spirit feeling and joy of his instrument. Stuart Zender [b]- [/b]back in the day [b]Jimmy Haslip - [/b]Just bl00dy amazing There are so many more I could add also including like Colin Greenwood .oops that's 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky72 Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) John Taylor - forget the 80s boyband tag, there's real musicianship in the band, check Rio, Girls On Film, Last Chance On The Stairway and many many more. My all time greatest influence in bass, and probably music in general. Tim Commerford Sting Bernard Edwards Mick Karn and no6, Duff McKagan Edited December 18, 2011 by Clarky72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkpegasus4001 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Not in any order except the first one....... Chris Squire - My fave bass player. All it took was a listen to "Roundabout" His bass lines are just the best IMO, and great harmony vocals too. Geddy Lee - I don't play Rush stuff nowadays to be honest but he was definitely an early influence, I was lucky enough to meet him once in 1977 my first Rush gig at Birmingham Odeon. Martin Turner - I am lucky enough to call him a friend nowadays. I was also in a Wishbone Ash tribute band, my first band for 25 years which say's it all really. His early WA stuff is simply amazing. Burke Shelley. Well I did form a Budgie tribute band! He's so underrated, and not just for his bass playing but his song writing. There's not a song I don't like on the early albums so that's saying something. Trevor Darks. The "unknown" bass player from the band Automatic Fine Tuning (1976), my fave album. The first gig I ever went to was AFT, and he/they just blew me away and changed my life forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AttitudeCastle Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 [quote name='achknalligewelt' timestamp='1323877293' post='1468129'] Why does everyone get so excited about John Entwistle? Overplayed and intrusive. Then again, I don't really like Chris Squire, either. Or Geddy Lee. Let the bass serve the song, because that's what anyone in a band is there to do. All the players I admire and try to let influence me are of the non-heroic stripe. Colin Greenwood, Glen Matlock, Krist Noviselic, Trevor Bolder, all great band players. Leave the preening heroics to the berk with the microphone. [/quote] Because he invented modern bass playing, as in playing finger style, or even with a pick he was up there with the pioneers of bass playig. And it's not there to serve the song, the bass is there to be played by the bass guitarist playing it. That's why some bands don't have one and some bands have two or three! Not having a go, just my opinion like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krysh Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) Meshell Ndegeocello and Pino Palladino - for years James Jamerson and Bootsy Collins - even before I started to play myself Oteil Burbridge - just recently Edited December 16, 2011 by the_krysh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBike Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Looking back in things it was probably JJ Burnell who got me interested in playing bass, but in terms of those who influenced my playing style (or who I look to for inspiration) - Jack Bruce - Boz Burrell - John Wetton - Geddy Lee - Les Claypool (just for taking bass playing to a whole new place) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christhammer666 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 1.steve harris- the man who got me interested in the bass 2.duff mckaggen-always loved that chorus ladden tone and back when i was 12 looked cool as hell 3.cliff burton-dude was mesmerising how he could shred on a bass 4.geddy lee-could never play his bass lines let alone sing as well 5.john myung-guy plays with such a finesse very underated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arabassist Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 Tim Commerford got me into bass. Flea pushed me forward into playing the bass. Justin Chancellor helped me appreciate the kind of music bass can be part of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guildbass Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 John Paul Jones Steve Currie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lbquota Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Jaco Pastorius Michael Manring Steve Swallow Colin Hodgkinson Richard Sinclair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackduran Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 As a few others have said, it's really hard to pick only 5. Here's my 5 current bassists, with the 'unmoveables' of the list elaborated on: 1. Stuart Zender (Jamiroquai) - my first favourite band at age 10-11, and the first band where I really listened to the bass without really knowing what it was! 2. John Taylor (Duran Duran) - I first 'got into' DD when Astronaut was released in 2004, when I was 16 or 17. I was still a guitarist at the time, but something about them appealed to me. When I switched over to bass it was largely as a result of getting hold of the first 3 DD albums and realising that everything I wanted from my own bands- synths, funky guitar, interlocked disco bass + drums- was there in DD's music. My overall favourite bassist as he's got everything in my opinion- the looks, the tone, the skill (whilst staying tasteful and melodic). 3. Derek Forbes (Simple Minds) 4. Mick Karn (Japan) - so weird to listen to. Beyond imaginative, and eye-opening to me. 5. I'll go for Bernard Edwards here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Geddy Lee Kev Hopper Chris Squire Verdine White JJ Burnel In no particular order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmettC Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Flea (made me want to be a bassist,but I haven't been a fan of the Chilis for a long time) Tim Commerford Gabe Nelson John Entwhistle Larry Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul torch Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 JJ Burnel John Entwistle Stanley Clarke Peter Hook Lemmy (subject to change) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 [quote name='achknalligewelt' timestamp='1323877293' post='1468129'] Why does everyone get so excited about John Entwistle? Overplayed and intrusive. Then again, I don't really like Chris Squire, either. Or Geddy Lee. Let the bass serve the song, because that's what anyone in a band is there to do. All the players I admire and try to let influence me are of the non-heroic stripe. Colin Greenwood, Glen Matlock, Krist Noviselic, Trevor Bolder, all great band players. Leave the preening heroics to the berk with the microphone. [/quote] There's always one isn't there? There I was, quite happy to see who influenced who, regardless of whether it bears any resemblance to who influenced me, and somebody has to question the viability of someone else's choices. Because they're right, and others are wrong, obviously. FWIW, we all have a different idea of what serves the song. Deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Horton Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 (edited) Abraham Laboriel - -Ron Kenoly - Open Hands Jon Thatcher - -Delerious Mike Mills - -REM Nate Watts - -Stevie Wonder Edited December 19, 2011 by Chris Horton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immo Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 ► Flea (RHCP) - he proved me that bass player is important not only in the means of filling the low-end of the scale, but can also be that 'something more'. I loved his bass even before I could tell bass from guitar. ► Dee Dee Ramone (the Ramones)- he introduced me to the infamous ethos of bass player - the one who's in trouble most often. And I started because of him. ► Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) - he plays damn well, composes perfect songs and proves you can do it for years ► Matt Freeman - he uses more complicated - and damn catchy too! - lines while playing punk rock.... and he overcame cancer ► I can't thing of one particular guy to fill the last position. But That would be either Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam), Stu Zender (Jamiroquai) or Les Claypool (Primus etc.) - each because of their unique and inspiring way of playing. I also love many 'vintage' bass players, like Andy Hellaby (Comus) or Burke Shelley (Budgie). Hell, there's too many of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Jean Jacques Burnel Bruce Foxton Geddy Lee Lemmy Kilmister John Deacon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 George Formby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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