DubDelay Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 This is one of my first posts on here and just wanted to preface it with a thanks for all the info on here. It’s a great forum really. My question is - I have a weekly community radio show about music and am thinking of doing a special on essential bass players and their tracks (or track) that really shows off their style and talent most? All very subjective of course but very interested to hear who people would suggest. If it’s been asked before my apologies! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Just do a Google search for 20 best bass players, you'll get a list of players of various genre's. Simple. 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 36 minutes ago, hooky_lowdown said: Simple. Are you sure??? I suggest that if you put 5 bassists in a room you'd get at least 6 opinions. "Who is the best bassist" often leads to near fisticuffs - what I like doesn't translate to what you, or anybody else, likes. "My dog doesn't like slap" - though whimsical - shows how we are divided on taste and style. You may have to pick a genre each week and consider the bassists who made significant impact in that genre... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Not cited enough, and has a very wide range of styles, but I'd put Jack Casady high on any list of Top Bassists. Here, live, with Jefferson Airplane... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Noel Redding didn't get the recognition he deserved... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 1 minute ago, TheGreek said: Are you sure??? I suggest that if you put 5 bassists in a room you'd get at least 6 opinions. "Who is the best bassist" often leads to near fisticuffs - what I like doesn't translate to what you, or anybody else, likes. "My dog doesn't like slap" - though whimsical - shows how we are divided on taste and style. You may have to pick a genre each week and consider the bassists who made significant impact in that genre... The OP just wants a general consensus, and for a one off show. There's no need to debate anything, which was why I suggested do any top 20 google search for bass players. The "simple" was a reference to doing a quick search, not deciding who are the best bass players. That has been done to death, and quite frankly bores me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 I wasn't being quarrelsome - just that there are so many great/ inspirational bassists that the many pointless lists which are churned out periodically are meaningless. That's why I suggested picking genre and looking at players who made a name for themselves in those genre.... Thankfully, bassists are now getting recognition for their contributions where they didn't years ago... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Bob Babbitt on Marvin Gaye's Inner City Blues Tommy Cogbil on Dusty Springfield's Son of a Preacher Man 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Another name that deserves spot-lighting, in a different vein, is Danny Thompson, on upright bass, here with another Great : John Martyn ... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munurmunuh Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Jamie Stewart 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubDelay Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Thanks for all the answers so far, had a feeling it might kick off a debate of sorts. Google does give a good overview but who better to ask than the patrons of bass chat I thought. Very interested in the song that stands out too. I'll give the forum a plug and say the suggestions came from here. Cheers. Pete 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Riva Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 Led Zeppelin sold close to 300 million albums. John Paul Jones bass playing has been an inspiration to many aspiring bassists over the decades and his phenomenal musicianship ranks him right up there as an essential bassist, IMHO. This track showcases his playing and wonderful appreciation of what was required for the song perfectly... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilp Posted March 20, 2021 Share Posted March 20, 2021 When people ask this question, John Paul Jones is always the first name I think of, but that's because his playing was what grabbed me and made me a bassist all those years ago in the 70s. If you want an example of what the bass player CAN contribute to a band, look no further than Ramble On or The Lemon Song 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Please take a look at this book's Contents (preview): https://www.amazon.com/Bass-Line-Encyclopedia-National-Workshop/dp/0739069853 If you think that there's a reason the mentioned bassists were taken to this book, I think you can check them, too. By the way, the price is good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFry Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Andy Fraser - Mr Big ( Free ) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 You could simply fill the show with James Jamerson & Carole Kaye and not scratch the surface. Add in a sprinkle of Paul McCartney & John Entwistle before you even get out of the 60's. Of course, everyone has an opinion, and those opinions may vary. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 54 minutes ago, Skybone said: You could simply fill the show with James Jamerson & Carole Kaye and not scratch the surface. Add in a sprinkle of Paul McCartney & John Entwistle before you even get out of the 60's. Of course, everyone has an opinion, and those opinions may vary. Yep.. Add in Jaco, Larry Graham, Joe Osborne, Charlie Mingus, Bernard Edwards and all the others mentioned above and you'd be getting there. IMHO of course... 😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 11 hours ago, Mykesbass said: Bob Babbitt on Marvin Gaye's Inner City Blues Tommy Cogbil on Dusty Springfield's Son of a Preacher Man I think @Mykesbass has the right idea. Perhaps if we each posted the 5 bass players we think fit the criteria as being 'essential' and point out the stand out track for each one of them, that would help the OP with their task in hand? And on that point @DubDelay, it's a great idea for a radio show! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Here are my 5 choices: 1. James Jamerson, "What's Going On" 2. Paul McCartney, "Strawberry Fields" 3. John Entwistle, "My Generation" 4. Jaco Pastoriius, "Birdland" 5. Larry Graham, "Dance to the Music" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Good luck with the show, good idea. The only improvement I can think of is to devote the entire show to bass playing every single week Seriously though, my advice would be to make sure you cover various: - Genres (Rock, Soul, Reggae etc) - Era(s) - roles of bass (Groove, 'lead' bass, don't forget simple root note playing) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Riva Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 Here’s five, whilst also trying to add a few less obvious but still essential listens - and, with the exception of Ramble On, were all released as singles in the UK; John Paul Jones - Ramble On Paul McCartney - Something Derek Forbes - The American Mick Karn - Visions of China Tony Levin - Sledgehammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 24 minutes ago, Nail Soup said: Good luck with the show, good idea. The only improvement I can think of is to devote the entire show to bass playing every single week Seriously though, my advice would be to make sure you cover various: - Genres (Rock, Soul, Reggae etc) - Era(s) - roles of bass (Groove, 'lead' bass, don't forget simple root note playing) Think it would be best to stick to era's rather than genres, as thankfully, there's a lot of variation in the era's. 60's: Guitar pop, blues r&b, motown, psychedelia, ska / reggae etc. 70's: Funk, Prog, R&B, Punk, Post Punk, NWOBHM, Disco, Two Tone Ska, Reggae, etc. 80's: New Wave / New Romantics, Synth Pop, Rock, Metal, etc. 90's: Indie/Brit Pop/Shoe Gaze, Madchester stylee dance, Rock, Metal, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 7 hours ago, Old Man Riva said: Here’s five, whilst also trying to add a few less obvious but still essential listens - and, with the exception of Ramble On, were all released as singles in the UK; John Paul Jones - Ramble On Paul McCartney - Something Derek Forbes - The American Mick Karn - Visions of China Tony Levin - Sledgehammer Good choices! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubDelay Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 20 hours ago, TheGreek said: Are you sure??? I suggest that if you put 5 bassists in a room you'd get at least 6 opinions. "Who is the best bassist" often leads to near fisticuffs - what I like doesn't translate to what you, or anybody else, likes. "My dog doesn't like slap" - though whimsical - shows how we are divided on taste and style. You may have to pick a genre each week and consider the bassists who made significant impact in that genre... Very good idea to break it down into genres, thank you. Could do the special and then go back to the idea every couple of weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubDelay Posted March 21, 2021 Author Share Posted March 21, 2021 Lots of stuff to go down the rabbit hole with here. It’s probably going to take a few weeks to put it all together. Bit of a hornet through bass ahead. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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