Who is a truly awful bassist?

[Annoying Twit]

Is there anyone from a well known band who is a truly awful bassist? There are plenty of recommendations of excellent bass players, but it's harder to find examples of poor ones. Is there any bassist and in particular album where poor quality bass playing is in evidence?

[parker_muse]

Sid Vicious.

[yorick]

Sid Vicious....

[Moos3h]

The original bass player from Oasis!

[TimR]

Not on any Albums. That's what they employ ghost players for. Session musicians who sneak in and overdub the lines without even the band knowing it's been done.

I've seen plenty playing awfully live though. None spring to mind though.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='parker_muse' post='923762' date='Aug 13 2010, 12:56 PM']Sid Vicious.[/quote]

Which album does he play on? I thought that most of the recorded output of the Pistols had Steve Jones on bass. Does Vicious play on his own albums such as "Sid Sings"?

[parker_muse]

[quote name='Moos3h' post='923765' date='Aug 13 2010, 12:57 PM']The original bass player from Oasis![/quote]

Guigsy? Yeah he was pretty damn poor.

[Doddy]

Have you ever heard Fall Out Boy live?
I quite like the band(well.....they did two good albums anyway),but when I saw them there were a number of
very dodgy notes courtesy of Pete Wentz. There were times when he'd pose and hit an open string that was
just all kinds wrong.

[NJE]

I see some "heated debate" in the future of this thread

I personally think Nicky Wire from the Manics is pretty poor but I think he writes a lot of their stuff or at least lyrics so fair doos.

[JTUK]

ooooohhhhhhhh...tricky thread..!!

I can tell you who is a dreadful drummer these days, IMO, if that will help..!!

[parker_muse]

[quote name='Doddy' post='923772' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:00 PM']Have you ever heard Fall Out Boy live?
I quite like the band(well.....they did two good albums anyway),but when I saw them there were a number of
very dodgy notes courtesy of Pete Wentz. There were times when he'd pose and hit an open string that was
just all kinds wrong.[/quote]

I heard he was unplugged sometimes live ala Richie James Edwards in the manics.

[Rayman]

Sid was so awful that Steve re-recorded all the crap Sid had put down. Sid was just a poster boy, planted by Malcolm McLaren to make them look the part.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='Doddy' post='923772' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:00 PM']Have you ever heard Fall Out Boy live?
I quite like the band(well.....they did two good albums anyway),but when I saw them there were a number of
very dodgy notes courtesy of Pete Wentz. There were times when he'd pose and hit an open string that was
just all kinds wrong.[/quote]

Is the playing in question present on "Fall Out Boy" "Live in Phoenix"? Or has that been cleaned up? I've heard rumours that a well known Japanese musician replaces the lead vocal of all his live albums. Which IMHO is a pity if true as I've seen him live and the vocals were fine.

Back on topic. I'm hearing some less than skillful work on a live version of "I wanna be your dog" by the Sex Pistols with Sid singing.

[squire5]

I believe John Lennon may qualify .His bassline on 'The Long and Winding Road' was full of fluffs,vague slides etc.

[Doddy]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='923784' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:05 PM']Is the playing in question present on "Fall Out Boy" "Live in Phoenix"? Or has that been cleaned up?[/quote]

I've not heard the live album so I couldn't say,but going on actually seeing them I wouldn't be surprised if it
had to be cleaned up.

[witterth]

This could get interesting this,


Oh go on then, I'll chuck one that'll get hair and teeth flying,

Adam Clayton
(there, I've said it )

ok ok, not totally awful but a bit lucky inne?

[ShergoldSnickers]

Tal Wilkenfeld

Her recorded stuff on CD is great, but oddly on any videos showing her I just don't hear the bass.

[Cat Burrito]

I can't help but feel this thread may end in tears

I admire most people that get up & play live. Or even with other people.

[Rayman]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='923806' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:14 PM']I can't help but feel this thread may end in tears [/quote]



Yep, as is normal around here these days.

[Pete Academy]

We've had overrated, but awful is a difficult one. I agree that in the studio it can be fixed or ghosted. But live?

If a band becomes 'well known', the bass player should have done enough gigs to play to a decent standard.

If we're talking 'annoying', that cheese farmer from Blur when he appeared on Jools Holland once, playing a double bass and trying to look cool by smoking a fag.

[witterth]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='923806' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:14 PM']I can't help but feel this thread may end in tears [/quote]
Yup so do I!! Ha ha!!

[flyfisher]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='923806' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:14 PM']I can't help but feel this thread may end in tears

I admire most people that get up & play live. Or even with other people.[/quote]
Me too.

Perhaps we should define what would constitute a 'truly awful bassist' first?

Even just playing a driving rhythm of root notes can work sometimes, so if that doesn't qualify as 'truly awful' then we'd have to be thinking about someone not being able to get the rhythm right, or the changes or, heaven forbid, even the right notes. Or maybe all three!

Surely there's no one like that . . . . or no-one deserving of the 'bassist' label.

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='flyfisher' post='923823' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:22 PM']Me too.

Perhaps we should define what would constitute a 'truly awful bassist' first?

Even just playing a driving rhythm of root notes can work sometimes, so if that doesn't qualify as 'truly awful' then we'd have to be thinking about [b]someone not being able to get the rhythm right, or the changes or, heaven forbid, even the right notes. Or maybe all three!
[/b]
Surely there's no one like that . . . . or no-one deserving of the 'bassist' label.[/quote]

That was me when I was really pissed on a gig.

[Low End Bee]

Hard one innit.

Sid wasn't your most gifted player. I think he did a decent job considering he was off his crust all the time and hadn't had more than a couple of months to learn from scratch. But he was a better choice for the Pistols than someone like Jaco Pastorius* would have been. It wasn't a technique based decision.

Horses for courses. If the band's successful the bass player obviously works in the line up. Doesn't matter if they're any good or not.

*Managed to get him in the thread

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='squire5' post='923792' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:10 PM']I believe John Lennon may qualify .His bassline on 'The Long and Winding Road' was full of fluffs,vague slides etc.[/quote]

It does sound rather ... "hesitant". [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wst1G9GZAP4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wst1G9GZAP4[/url]

[quote name='Low End Bee' post='923843' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:33 PM']Sid wasn't your most gifted player. I think he did a decent job considering he was off his crust all the time and hadn't had more than a couple of months to learn from scratch.[/quote]

Didn't Paul Simonon join The Clash six weeks after starting to learn bass? Or is than an Urban Legend?

Edited August 13, 2010 by Annoying Twit