Overrated Bassists.

[Josh]

I saw this on a drum forum and saw some interesting posts, so I thought I'd try it here and see what we get. Remember now it's purely opinions


For me:

Flea
Les Claypool
Paul McCartney
Cliff Burton

[RayFW]

I know this place is about debate but I don't see the point of these threads TBH. One man's Mingus is another man's Adam Clayton and vice versa.
I've seen these threads rapidly degenerate into a slanging match and end up fueling disagreements between previously friendly members.
Just my opinion ( ) of course.

[queenofthedepths]

Jack White

[bass_ferret]

I'm sure this was done a while back.

Anyway - I vote for Jaco. Great chops and technically brilliant but nobody else has ever heard of him.

I've had conversations like: Jaco who? What did he play? Well he was on Heavy Weather. What? And a couple of Joni Mitchell albums. OK! (accompanied by blank look).

As opposed to: Jamerson who? What did he play? Loads of Motown hits from the 60's and 70's, like Reach Out, Bernadette, I Was Made To Love Her, Whats Going On. Really - how come I've never heard of him etc etc.

[warwickhunt]

Me

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='186018' date='Apr 26 2008, 05:06 PM']Me [/quote]

+1 for me... (before anyone else does it )

[Oscar South]

I'm not a fan of Wooten's Double thumbing and original compositions, though his arrangements and ensemble playing are exceptional. Also I can't stand any aspect of Bill Dickens playing, apparently he gave up drumming to overplay on bass because he was told too often that he overplayed on drums, good logic.

[peteb]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='186011' date='Apr 26 2008, 04:58 PM']I'm sure this was done a while back.

Anyway - I vote for Jaco. Great chops and technically brilliant but nobody else has ever heard of him.

I've had conversations like: Jaco who? What did he play? Well he was on Heavy Weather. What? And a couple of Joni Mitchell albums. OK! (accompanied by blank look).

As opposed to: Jamerson who? What did he play? Loads of Motown hits from the 60's and 70's, like Reach Out, Bernadette, I Was Made To Love Her, Whats Going On. Really - how come I've never heard of him etc etc.[/quote]
Let's be controversial!

To anyone who isn’t a massive soul fan, Jamerson was just a decent session player who played on a string of hits!

Jaco redefined the boundaries of what the instrument could do…

[peteb]

[quote name='Oscar South' post='186022' date='Apr 26 2008, 05:09 PM']I'm not a fan of Wooten's Double thumbing and original compositions, though his arrangements and ensemble playing are exceptional. Also I can't stand any aspect of Bill Dickens playing, apparently he gave up drumming to overplay on bass because he was told too often that he overplayed on drums, good logic.[/quote]
I'm not a massive fan of Wooten's by any means, but he is undeniably a great musician

So why deny it?

[Oscar South]

[quote name='peteb' post='186046' date='Apr 26 2008, 05:48 PM']I'm not a massive fan of Wooten's by any means, but he is undeniably a great musician

So why deny it?[/quote]

Re-read my post.

[ashgeezer]

Not so much overated but i would say the worst bassist ever to grace this planet has got to be SID VICIOUS but he made his mark (god knows why)

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='186011' date='Apr 26 2008, 04:58 PM']I'm sure this was done a while back.

Anyway - I vote for Jaco. Great chops and technically brilliant but nobody else has ever heard of him.

I've had conversations like: Jaco who? What did he play? Well he was on Heavy Weather. What? And a couple of Joni Mitchell albums. OK! (accompanied by blank look).

As opposed to: Jamerson who? What did he play? Loads of Motown hits from the 60's and 70's, like Reach Out, Bernadette, I Was Made To Love Her, Whats Going On. Really - how come I've never heard of him etc etc.[/quote]


[quote name='peteb' post='186045' date='Apr 26 2008, 05:45 PM']Let's be controversial!

To anyone who isn’t a massive soul fan, Jamerson was just a decent session player who played on a string of hits!

Jaco redefined the boundaries of what the instrument could do…[/quote]
Controverial? Me?

Yes Jaco did redefine what the instrument could do. So did Jamerson and The Ox. Going back even further, so did Jimmy Blanton - although it was a different instrument.

At least Joe Public will have heard The Ox and Jamerson - even if they dont dig it. I dont think I have ever met anyone who did not like Motown though.

[MacDaddy]

+1 for Jaco. I have listened lots of his stuff, solo, Weather Report, Zawinal, etc. but I've never thought [i]'ah that's why he was considered (or considered himself) best player in the world'.[/i]


Imagine if a bass teacher taught her pupils to just use one finger to pick with. Not good? Jamerson does it and is considered a genius. Imagine how he would have played if he'd had a better technique, rather than just a technique that worked (albeit rather well) for him. Maybe he'd have been able to get the session work in the late 70's and 80's and still be with us?

Edited April 26, 2008 by MacDaddy

[silverfoxnik]

Mark King, Level 42

Though unbelievably dextrous, in my opinion, his playing and music is souless, funkless, 80s shiny blue-eyed pop.. More a technician than musician

Loads better than I could ever be, but highly overrated..

[stingrayfan]

+1 on Jaco.

[Bay Splayer]

steve harris

[Gazm]

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='186064' date='Apr 26 2008, 05:09 PM']+1 on Jaco.[/quote]

+ another 1 here! I'd never heard of him till I joined this forum.
Also I'm the bloke that doesn't like motown, can't be doing with the drum sound - grates on me.

Better leave the forum now I guess lol.

P.

[Clarky]

Anyone that plays a bass with more than six strings - its just showing off

[Jase]

Floyd Pepper...his tone is a bit wooly for my liking.

[Jase]

[quote name='uptonmark' post='186067' date='Apr 26 2008, 06:16 PM']steve harris[/quote]


Wash your mouth out young man!!!!

[Jase]

Jaco....Jamerson.....more soap for these filthy mouths!!!!!

[thinman]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='186063' date='Apr 26 2008, 06:08 PM']Mark King, Level 42

Though unbelievably dextrous, in my opinion, his playing and music is souless, funkless, 80s shiny blue-eyed pop.. More a technician than musician

Loads better than I could ever be, but highly overrated..[/quote]

Blimey - you're reading my mind silverfoxnik!

I'll concede that he's incredibly fast and technical. But I don't want to listen to it.

Dons tin hat....

[peteb]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='186056' date='Apr 26 2008, 05:54 PM']Controverial? Me?

Yes Jaco did redefine what the instrument could do. So did Jamerson and The Ox. Going back even further, so did Jimmy Blanton - although it was a different instrument.

At least Joe Public will have heard The Ox and Jamerson - even if they dont dig it. I dont think I have ever met anyone who did not like Motown though.[/quote]
That’s part of the problem for me – saying that you don’t like Motown is like declaring that your hobby is torturing small puppy dogs!!

I can’t say that I hate Motown as such, but if I never hear some rubbish DJ playing a Motown set again at a wedding / birthday party / work function it would not worry me at all….

Find it difficult to understand all the hate for Jaco here – surely one of the greats on any instrument, not just bass

[Dread Bass]

steve harris
paul macartney (Spelling?)

[Dubs]

a lot of controversial bass players being named as being 'over rated