Influential bass players

[Linus27]

2 hours ago, Piers_Williamson said:

 

Derek's still got the same Cherry Burst  Precision hasn't he?

Yep but he has sold a few of his basses over the years including the Wal's. If you do a search on here, you will find the interview I did with him some years back.

 

Anyway, for me, my influences are also split into two. I grew up in the 80's which for me was an excellent period for great bassist. John Taylor (Duran Duran), Mikey Craig (Culture Club), Joe Leeway (Thompson Twins) to name just a few, but so many great bassists and bands around in that period. However the bassist that really influenced me starting out were Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), John Giblin (Simple Minds), Paul Webb (Talk Talk), Sting (The Police), Adam Clayton (U2), Peter Hook (New Order) and Pino Paladino (Paul Young).

 

As I've developed and improved (over 35 years) all those bassists still influence me but I would add James Jamerson, Tim Comerford and Jerry Scheff as big influences as well. As I'm predominantly a fretless bassist (probably down to growing up and loving 80's music) these days, I'm always drawn to anyone who plays fretless. However, at the time, I didn't appreciate Pino as a fretless bassist but obviously I do these days so I listen to him playing a lot, as well as John Giblin and a few others.

[Barking Spiders]

8 hours ago, Linus27 said:

Yep but he has sold a few of his basses over the years including the Wal's. If you do a search on here, you will find the interview I did with him some years back.

 

Anyway, for me, my influences are also split into two. I grew up in the 80's which for me was an excellent period for great bassist. John Taylor (Duran Duran), Mikey Craig (Culture Club), Joe Leeway (Thompson Twins) to name just a few, but so many great bassists and bands around in that period. However the bassist that really influenced me starting out were Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), John Giblin (Simple Minds), Paul Webb (Talk Talk), Sting (The Police), Adam Clayton (U2), Peter Hook (New Order) and Pino Paladino (Paul Young).

 

 The 80s were my formative era too and arguably the first the time the bass came to the fore in the mainstream what with slap and fretless hitting a peak  especially with the likes of Level 42, Paul Simon's Graceland, Japan, Thriller the album, Sade, Duran, Bow Wow Wow, Kajagoogoo, Heaven 17's Penthouse & Pavement, FGTH and The Associates. At the time I didn't generally know the names of the players but the playing definitely got me interested in playing 

[Barking Spiders]

Just now, Barking Spiders said:

 The 80s were my formative era too and arguably the first the time the bass came to the fore in the mainstream what with slap and fretless hitting a peak  especially with the likes of Level 42, Paul Simon's Graceland, Japan, Thriller the album, Sade, Duran, Bow Wow Wow, Kajagoogoo, Heaven 17's Penthouse & Pavement, FGTH and The Associates. At the time I didn't generally know the names of the players but the playing definitely got me interested in having a go myself

 

[Japhet]

50 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

 

Paul Denman certainly influenced me with his playing for Sade. I got a Stingray which I'll never sell because I loved the sounds he got out of his. I also really liked his 'less is more' approach to slap rather than the popular trend to smother whole tracks and even albums with it. He somehow managed to play in an understated way that would really grab your attention.

[BassManGraham]

I missed John G McVie earlier, which is quite unforgivable being that I play in a Fleetwood Mac tribute these days. 🤪😎👌