Bass players you didn't know were bass players

[Cestrian]

I'll kick it off.  I always assumed Julian Cope was purely a vocalist and was aware that James Eller played bass through most of the solo work.  I saw an old Teardrop Explodes video recently and there was Copey playing the bass.  Further research revealed he was the bass player in The Crucial Three.  Anyone else surprised to discover someone started out as a bassist?

[Happy Jack]

Well originally I didn't know that Chas Hodges was a bass player (and a bloody good one too), what wiv 'im always sittin' at the old Joanna and 'avin' that Dave bloke playin' bass an' all.

Finks ain't wot they used to be.

 

Edited May 18, 2020 by Happy Jack

[Woodinblack]

Gary Sinise, the actor chap whose mostly on CSI but has played lots of other sleezy not playing parts (well, and apollo 13, he wasn't so sleazy in that). I knew about other actors, didn't know about him

[Lozz196]

19 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Well originally I didn't know that Chas Hodges was a bass player (and a bloody good one too), what wiv 'im always sittin' at the old Joanna and 'avin' that Dave bloke playin' bass an' all.

Finks ain't wot they used to be.

 

Yes, it was only when I read his book I realised he played bass - and given the other musicians in the bands he was in he’d have had to have been good, they wouldn’t have suffered incompetence well.

[Silvia Bluejay]

Ronnie James Dio.

[Woodinblack]

17 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Ronnie James Dio.

That I didn't know. I had seen him playing keyboards. Well, on rainbow in the dark, I guess anyone could play that!

[DaveFry]

Kenny Rogers played upright .

[Woodinblack]

1 minute ago, DaveFry said:

Kenny Rogers played upright .

Apparently not always

 

[Silvia Bluejay]

8 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

That I didn't know. I had seen him playing keyboards. Well, on rainbow in the dark, I guess anyone could play that!

" Dio's musical career began in 1957, when several Cortland, New York musicians formed the band, "The Vegas Kings". The group's lineup consisted of Dio on bass guitar, Billy DeWolfe on lead vocals, Nick Pantas on guitar, Tom Rogers on drums, and Jack Musci on saxophone."

From his Wikipedia page. I knew that, because he would occasionally mention being a bass player in interviews, usually while talking about the rhythm and delivery of his singing lines.

Sorely missed. RIP.

Edited May 18, 2020 by Silvia Bluejay

[Mykesbass]

24 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

" Dio's musical career began in 1957, when several Cortland, New York musicians formed the band, "The Vegas Kings". The group's lineup consisted of Dio on bass guitar, Billy DeWolfe on lead vocals, Nick Pantas on guitar, Tom Rogers on drums, and Jack Musci on saxophone."

From his Wikipedia page. I knew that, because he would occasionally mention being a bass player in interviews, usually while talking about the rhythm and delivery of his singing lines.

Sorely missed. RIP.

He also severed his thumb in a freak gardening accident with a garden gnome 🤘

[Woodinblack]

30 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Sorely missed. RIP.

Oh yes, but maybe not for his services to bass!

[louisthebass]

Paul Weller was the original bassist in The Jam.

[Bobthedog]

A little change in direction but when I told some work colleagues I played bass, one of the comments was “why,  no-one well known plays bass”. None of them were aware that Paul McCartney, Sting, Lemmy and Suzy Quattro  played bass and they had never heard of Jack Bruce. 

Edited May 21, 2020 by Bobthedog

[Bassassin]

Metallica's James Hetfield played bass & sang in a band called Syrinx. Yes - it was Rush covers.

Opeth guitarist/vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt originally joined the band as a bass player.

I'm sure I read somewhere that Bruce Springsteen was gigging as bassist in a heavy rock band immediately before he was signed by Columbia.

[KevL]

@Bobthedog

Your work colleagues' comments is typical of those in today's world who think that something's only worth doing if it is associated with some halfwit celebrity and can be posted all over Instagram etc to show what an exciting, hip lifestyle they lead.

What's happened to pursuing an activity just for one's enjoyment and satisfaction? (I'm assuming that you do get some enjoyment and satisfaction from playing bass).

 

[Belka]

Demis Roussos - not a lot of people know he played bass. Or that he was in a progressive rock band (Aprodite's Child) before becoming a '70s suburban housewife staple.

[steantval]

Ronnie Wood.

Played bass on the early Jeff Beck album Truth.

[pigface]

Bryan Adams. I'm not a fan but my ex took me along to see him in Mannheim in about 2002. 3-piece band with Adams on bass.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 4, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Vinny]

Clever type Janina Ramirez is the owner of a lefty P, I'm told.

[DaveFry]

Jazz organ legend Jimmy Smith studied double bass and piano at music college after leaving the Navy .

[Lozz196]

From what I’ve read Sheryl Crow apparently is quite handy on the bass.

Doh - just saw Jus Lukins post.

Edited May 18, 2020 by Lozz196

[Graham]

3 hours ago, Bassassin said:

Opeth guitarist/vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt originally joined the band as a bass player.

He recorded the bass for My Arms, Your Hearse too as new recruit Martin Mendez hadn't time to learn the parts before they were scheduled to record the album.

[mep]

Elvis was quite partial to some bass.

[casapete]

Jimi Hendrix - played bass on some of Electric Ladyland album, including ‘All along the watchtower’.