Unrecognised / Forgotten Bass Influences

[xilddx]

I just realised tonight how much Sting has influenced my approach to writing bass lines. His sense of drive, groove, timing, and space is wonderful. I forgot how much of an influence he's been on my playing and writing, and in a sense I have transcended his influence and developed my own approach. I love Scott Thunes' approach to melody and harmony too. But I can't deny Sting's influence has been huge, I almost feel like a copyist, but he's never in my mind when I write or play.

What about you?

[Truckstop]

Absolutely.

The recent love that Ryan Martinie's been getting over the last few weeks has made me realise that I borrow a lot of his phrases and sense of timing when I fill and write riffs. I also find myself thinking that his tone on LD50 is the reference point from where I think about otheer bass tones, particularly mine!

Its weird how stuff like that stays with you over the years; I last played along to Mudvayne nearly 8 years ago I reckon!

Truckstop

[Graham]

I remember in my old metal band driving back from rehearsal once with Iron Maiden on the stereo and realising one of my fills could've been lifted from 2 Minutes To Midnight; I'very always enjoyed Maiden but never really considered 'Arry an influence.

Edited July 25, 2012 by Graham

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1343176814' post='1746697']
Absolutely.

I also find myself thinking that his tone on LD50 is the reference point from where I think about otheer bass tones, particularly mine!

Truckstop
[/quote]

I'd love to hear Mudvayne played on a Blazer

[RhysP]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1343176231' post='1746696']
I just realised tonight how much Sting has influenced my approach to writing bass lines. His sense of drive, groove, timing, and space is wonderful. I forgot how much of an influence he's been on my playing and writing, and in a sense I have transcended his influence and developed my own approach. .....I can't deny Sting's influence has been huge, I almost feel like a copyist, but he's never in my mind when I write or play.
[/quote]

I think the influence of all three members of The Police was gigantic for a whole generation of players.
I was certainly influenced by Sting & Andy Summers as a bass/guitar player, and I can't really think of a guitarist, bass player or drummer who I knew at the time who didn't take something from them regardless of genre played.

[ahpook]

ian masters from the pale saints.

not that i'd imagine anyone has heard of him, or the brilliant pale saints, which is a shame.

[Delberthot]

We did a demo about 15 years ago and the sound engineer told me that I sounded like James Finnegan who was with Hue & Cry in the 80s. Funnily enough I did get lessons with him for about a year when I was 15.

Another influence that I'd completely forgotten about is Derrick Taylor who was with Roachford in the 80s as well. Such a fantastic player as well

[dmccombe7]

I think the drums / percussion on "Walking on the Moon" has always stuck in my mind how a little in the right place can go a long way.
Good clear sharp drum hits.

Certainly when Sting first appeared way back in 70's i thought his style was a bit unusual for the style of music they were playing and did try to use it to my advantage so yes i reckon they have been a big influence on me too.

Good post. Nice to be remembered of these kinda things.

Dave

[Cameronj279]

Basically exactly what Truckstop said. Martinie has been my main inspiration when it comes to playing ever since I started and after a few months of not listening to them, I went back and realized just how much of an inspiration he's been on me. Superb bassist.

[Lozz196]

Strangely enough, as he`s a guitarist, Steve Jones, as his "root note an octave below" work on Never Mind The Bollocks was what I learned to. So largely, although I like riffing, being in heavy rock and punk bands most of my playing life, this approach has been a big influence.

[Happy Jack]

Dennis Dunaway from Alice Cooper.

Every time I listen to Alice Cooper stuff from the early 70's, I'm struck by how much I've lifted from that guy despite not learning to play bass until many years later.

[Billy Apple]

Bass players always influenced me in other ways. For example, I always wanted Lemmy to be my Dad, and I wanted to look like Steve Priest. I did not take up the bass because of being influenced by any one player, I only started playing because I wanted to cop-off with girls. My high-school band needed a bassist, so I picked it up and made it up as I went along. Like much in my life, I found the job no one wanted to do and did it the best I could do.

But, I realised I loved the thing and started to understand how the bass really drives music. The first guy I really wanted to emulate was Stuart Morrow and I was lucky enough to set up his back-line on a UK tour he did with 'Loud' in '92. He is a top geezer and a blistering player, and most unassuming of his skill.

But, to this day, I'm not mad keen on any 'name' or forgotten player, but to name some names... Hmm.. Here we go..

Jake Newman... He made me understand I have more going on than I give myself credit for. He is a consummate professional and a great teacher. I have to get back over to him soon.

Nigel Dale.. If I passed on knowing that I could groove like this cat, I'd have died a happy man.

Edited July 25, 2012 by billyapple

[TomWIC]

Paul Gray; when I was a kid I had no interest no music at all, let alone playing an instrument. It wasn't until a school mate lent me the self-titled Slipknot album that I fell in love with the low end. I credit me playing bass to Paul Gray entirely and was devastated when he died.

Jeordie White/Twiggy; Around the same time as I heard Slipknot for the first time, I also heard Marilyn Manson. Still to this day, my style of playing and my early use of root/octave and sliding techniques are plucked from Twiggy, as well as my love for Thunderbirds.

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='TomWIC' timestamp='1343288962' post='1748232']
Paul Gray; when I was a kid I had no interest no music at all, let alone playing an instrument. It wasn't until a school mate lent me the self-titled Slipknot album that I fell in love with the low end. I credit me playing bass to Paul Gray entirely and was devastated when he died.

Jeordie White/Twiggy; Around the same time as I heard Slipknot for the first time, I also heard Marilyn Manson. Still to this day, my style of playing and my early use of root/octave and sliding techniques are plucked from Twiggy, as well as my love for Thunderbirds.
[/quote]

There's something about Twiggy I've always loved as well. I feel like he knows exactly what to play and when, especially on Thirteenth Step by A Perfect Circle. Really under-rated musician in my opinion.

[Truckstop]

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1343217061' post='1747141']


I'd love to hear Mudvayne played on a Blazer
[/quote]

Tell you what, the roadster is actually pretty close to his lovely burpy tone!

For me, Twiggy's always been the encapsulation of 'less is more'.

Truckstop

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1343244937' post='1747766']
Dennis Dunaway from Alice Cooper.

Every time I listen to Alice Cooper stuff from the early 70's, I'm struck by how much I've lifted from that guy despite not learning to play bass until many years later.
[/quote]

Now there was an inspiration if any. What an underestimated bassist if ever there was one. Great bass lines.

Dave

[TomWIC]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1343320259' post='1748944']
Tell you what, the roadster is actually pretty close to his lovely burpy tone!

For me, Twiggy's always been the encapsulation of 'less is more'.

Truckstop
[/quote]

Couldn't agree more. There's always been a great balance in his writing, he knows exactly when the guitar and bass needs to be playing and when they don't need to be, and when they do, he's proved how effective simple but well written parts work, i.e. The Dope Show or The Beautiful People.

Plus, any guy who can spend the vast majority of his career on stage wearing a dress gets my vote

[uncle psychosis]

I'm not sure he counts as either unrecognised or forgotten but I always hear a lot of Mike Mills in my own bass playing. Which is unsurprising, because I've long worshipped REM. What is a little bit odd about it, though, is that I only know how to play one REM song on the bass...so

[Jazz Bass 65]

Way back Andy Fraser of Free played some very mature Bass lines for one so young, Jack Bruce although gifted was a little to busy for me having said that John Entwistle made being busy very musical.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='TomWIC' timestamp='1343375600' post='1749619']
Couldn't agree more. There's always been a great balance in his writing, he knows exactly when the guitar and bass needs to be playing and when they don't need to be, and when they do, he's proved how effective simple but well written parts work, i.e. The Dope Show or The Beautiful People.


[/quote]

I've never been a particular fan of his playing, but his tone on Mechanical Animals is just immense. I read an interview with him in Guitar World magazine at the time (he played all the guitar parts on MA as well) which discussed how they recorded the bass for that album. He played an old Gibson EB-3 or Fender Precision through a mic'd amp, the signal of which was then sent through a large PA system. That's what you can hear on the album. Incredible sound!

[benebass]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1343218307' post='1747165']
ian masters from the pale saints.

not that i'd imagine anyone has heard of him, or the brilliant pale saints, which is a shame.
[/quote]

I do! Always thought the Pale Saints were much more interesting than most of the indie shoegazing scene they were lumped in with. He had a really subtle chordal style & left loads of space - unlike a lot of his contemporaries...

B.

[Sean]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1343377658' post='1749668']
I'm not sure he counts as either unrecognised or forgotten but I always hear a lot of Mike Mills in my own bass playing. Which is unsurprising, because I've long worshipped REM. What is a little bit odd about it, though, is that I only know how to play one REM song on the bass...so
[/quote]

+1
Mike Mills is awesome. He is one if my biggest influences and like you, I can't play many REM songs complete. Kenneth is one if the best bass lines ever. In parallel universe I'm married to Mike Mills, he makes me think, he sings incredible harmonies, he has impeccable taste in his playing and always manages to give me goose bumps on the rockier stuff. The man is absolute magic.

Sting is such a part if my musical make-up that his style is now innate. I can't shake it off. Our drummer told me tonight that the new song sounded very early-Police, i couldn't disagree :-)

[Johnnysonic]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1343244937' post='1747766']
Dennis Dunaway from Alice Cooper.

Every time I listen to Alice Cooper stuff from the early 70's, I'm struck by how much I've lifted from that guy despite not learning to play bass until many years later.
[/quote]Plus 1 on Dennis Dunaway. Great bass player and a major influence. Just been re-listening to the School's Out album. His playing simply superb.

Johnny

[Jazzneck]

Kenny Gradney - groove and space......

[essexbasscat]

Good thread.

I learned Dee Murray's basslines to Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road when it came out. I can still remember all of it some 40 years later.
As a result, Dee Murray's coloured my playing ever since in very subtle ways. Dee, if you ever get to read this, a huge thank you