NationStates Jolt Archive

I just thought I'd start all this again by saying that I think Brian Ritchie is one of the best bassists of all time.

I'm still going with Billy Sheehan, even though I do not like most of his original works... he does play a mean cover and tap a mean solo...
If you haven't heard any of his stuff, I suggest you do (for anyone reading) before you go putting guys like Paul McCartney and Roger Waters down as the best.....

Thanks,

:)

I just thought I'd start all this again by saying that I think Brian Ritchie is one of the best bassists of all time.

Violent Femmes bloke? From what I have heard of them I'll still stick with Charlie Mingus (or even on a particularly folk music inclined day, Danny Thompson, but he 'borrowed' so much from Mingus that it probably invalidates his nomination). I'm someone that puts someone playing exactly the right (but totally unexpected) note in exactly the wrong place (in a way that makes sense after the fact) above your 360 bpm fret wankers.

EDIT: apologies fro dodgy typing and probably incomprehensible sentiments, but I'm just back from a very, very good gig and have had a couple of gin and tonics too many.

Geddy Lee.

'nuff said.

Sheenan is most definantly very talented, but part of being a good bassist, or any other imsturment for that matter, is musicality and style. There is, however, no solid answer to this question. Music like any art is soley a matter of opinion. This list could go on forever with almost any answer as valid as the next. My personal vote is Flea or Stu Hamm.

Vic Wooten.

Violent Femmes bloke? From what I have herd of them I'll still stick with Charlie Mingus (or even on a particularly folk music inclined day, Danny Thompson, but he 'borrowed' so much from Mingus that it probably invalidates his nomination). I'm someone that puts someone playing exactly the right (but totally unexpected) note in exactly the wrong place (in a way that makes sense after the fact) above your 360 bpm fret wankers.

Most of these supertechncal artists (not all, but most) also have the musicianship and the many have the wierdness.

Most of these supertechncal artists (not all, but most) also have the musicianship and the many have the wierdness.

Indeed, but I personally find that many of them bury their inventive spark under a cloak of showmanship, which just leads to needless fret board pyrotechnics - a case of playing twelve notes when one would do. Take your Flea and your Willie Dixon, both will make a similarly passioned musical statement, but Flea will do so with 20 notes in a bar, whereas Willie Dixon will use one or two. Of course, there's no disputing matters of taste, and if I was sober I could try that in latin ... ne disgustibus something...

Indeed, but I personally find that many of them bury their inventive spark under a cloak of showmanship, which just leads to needless fret board pyrotechnics - a case of playing twelve notes when one would do. Take your Flea and your Willie Dixon, both will make a similarly passioned musical statement, but Flea will do so with 20 notes in a bar, whereas Willie Dixon will use one or two. Of course, there's no disputing matters of taste, and if I was sober I could try that in latin ... ne disgustibus something...

Flea can also do the intense two or three note statements. I think He combines the best of both worlds, not as technical as some, not as musical as others but a astounding combination of the two

My vote's for Peter Hook.

Flea can also do the intense two or three note statements. I think He combines the best of both worlds, not as technical as some, not as musical as others but a astounding combination of the two

Yeah, however, Flea hasn't really re-defined the world of bass playing, unlike some pioneers (your Mingus, your Pastorius, your George Clinton, etc.). Not knocking him or anything, but you know...

Violent Femmes bloke? From what I have heard of them I'll still stick with Charlie Mingus (or even on a particularly folk music inclined day, Danny Thompson, but he 'borrowed' so much from Mingus that it probably invalidates his nomination). I'm someone that puts someone playing exactly the right (but totally unexpected) note in exactly the wrong place (in a way that makes sense after the fact) above your 360 bpm fret wankers.

EDIT: apologies fro dodgy typing and probably incomprehensible sentiments, but I'm just back from a very, very good gig and have had a couple of gin and tonics too many.

Hey, I just love his technical skill, and I love the material he chooses to play, and I know that he's a brilliant musician on a few other instruments...AND he hates to rehearse, yet nails it. That's why I like Ritchie. Les Claypool also deserves a nomination, even if his playing seems fucked up, there's a method to it, and a certain experimentation that hits the mark, even if the way he gets there is a little weird.

Everyone knows I'm the best bassist of all time.

And how about Kim Deal? The Pixies are coming out with another album, and no doubt another tour. About now I wish I still lived in London. I can never forgive myself for not catching a concert at the Brixton Academy when I had the chance.

Screw it. Now I'm going to get all kinds of crap for suggesting that there's a competitive female bassist.

Mark Maguire was a pretty good first bassist.

Yea, I think I'll change my vote to Flea...

Screw it. Now I'm going to get all kinds of crap for suggesting that there's a competitive female bassist.


Gail Ann Dorsey has a very good reputation, but I have to admit that little or nothing of her actual playing has stayed with me.

I hate discussions like this - it all comes down to personal preference....

As a bassist - I love the really technical guys and I love those that just have a great feel for the music. Take Jim Creeggan of the Bare Naked Ladies - he's not flashy or technically brilliant - but he pulls out some very interesting lines. I like hearing the unexpected and bassists that really walk the line between being part of the rythym section and their contributions to the melody.

And then there are a bunch of guys in reggae and latin music that have some amazing feel for rythym that rock bands rarely mimic. I can still remember how frickin' long it took me to figure out that nasty little two-bar solo Baghiti Kumalo did for Paul Simon on Graceland.


But I think that we all agree that we are jealous as hell of lucky dicks who made millions because they happened to get lucky and hook up with a good band despite not knowing how to play anything more complex than root-fifth intervals, and who probably still need help changing their strings. Hell - I could train a hamster to play bass for AC DC if they ever need a replacement....

Jaco Pastorius.

Chuck Schuldiner.

Not that he's the best but Rhino (or Rud) from Mudvayne deserves an honorable mention at least...

Bruce Foxton deserves a mention too, I think. I know, I know, Paul Weller was the soul of The Jam, but Bruce Foxton was the heart.

Bruce Foxton deserves a mention too, I think. I know, I know, Paul Weller was the soul of The Jam, but Bruce Foxton was the heart.

Unfortunately the fact that he nicked what is probably his most famous bassline almost note for note from the Beatles may be what sticks in a lot of people's minds when they think of him though (Start / Taxman).

I think more along the lines of the bassline for "In the City", but yeah, I can see what you mean. Still, even if he uses another person's bassline, that doesn't mean he can't play. Maybe he wasn't feeling original that day. ;)

Another great who comes to mind, or rather, bassist and song, is Paul Simonon and "London Calling". You just can't beat it with a stick.

Another great who comes to mind, or rather, bassist and song, is Paul Simonon and "London Calling". You just can't beat it with a stick.


I think over-exposure to that particular song has ruined it for me: I think some of Simonon's best playing can be found on bootlegs when the Clash are doing their reggae styled tunes and covers and Simonon is in his element there, just playing the same basic three or four note riffs with very subtle variations. I'm thinking of stuff like One More Time, Armagideon Time, Police & Thieves or Bankrobber. A lot of the more melodic stuff he did on Give Em Enough Rope springs to mind as well - quite convential but solid with some nice jazz influences as he throws in the occasional blues note or chromatic run. The utter disco bassline in the back of Magnificent Seven remains a classic, and there is a very nice early mix of the tune which is called Dirty Harry which really gives it the prominence it deserves. A lot of his playing is quite incredible for someone that had only been playing since 1976 (although his playing on the first LP, aside from the reggae is just pretty utilitarian, he was doing the stuff on Give 'Em Enough Rope after only two years). But then I think Sandinista, for all its myriad flaws, is the Clash's finest LP, so I'm flying in the face of accepted opinion here...

I haven't heard all of the Clash's back catalogue. It's not that it's so hard to get in the US, at least not with the advent of the internet. It's more of an economic issue for me. (I'm still in the process of replacing my collection since the break-in, and trawling the second-hand shops for vinyl.) I think, though, that when you hear London Calling, it's the bassline that hits you first. Overexposure happens, but not really in the US, not to that song. The only song that most people in the US would recognise off the top of their heads as belonging to the Clash was "Rock the Casbah". Hardly their best work, imho. I prefer stuff like "Bankrobber" and "Guns of Brixton".

we go into the circle by night and we are consumed by fire?

Is it a found term, or is it the result of a classical education? (erudition fascinates me. Especially if it's another girl geek. ) :)

Here's another latin palindrome...sum summus mus!

we go into the circle by night and we are consumed by fire?

I prefer we go round and round in circles and are consumed by the flames, which is a somewhat looser translation, but seems somewhat fitting for this forum.

Is it a found term, or is it the result of a classical education?

It is the name of an experimental film made by the writer of The Society Of The Spectacle Guy Debord in the 70s.


Here's another latin palindrome...sum summus mus!

Nice. Are you familiar with the work of George Perec and the members of Oulipo? They were a group of primarily French writers fascinated with the creation of literature on the basis of the application of rules of constraint. Perec and his 1000 word palindrome is one of their well known achievements, but that pales in comparison next to his 50,000 word novel which doesn't use the letter 'e'. Interesting group of writers and well worth investigating.

Sorry, but it's still me ... no matter how many of these threads come up ....

All your bass are belong to me!

Cliff Burton was an excellent bassist.

I prefer we go round and round in circles and are consumed by the flames, which is a somewhat looser translation, but seems somewhat fitting for this forum.



It is the name of an experimental film made by the writer of The Society Of The Spectacle Guy Debord in the 70s.




Nice. Are you familiar with the work of George Perec and the members of Oulipo? They were a group of primarily French writers fascinated with the creation of literature on the basis of the application of rules of constraint. Perec and his 1000 word palindrome is one of their well known achievements, but that pales in comparison next to his 50,000 word novel which doesn't use the letter 'e'. Interesting group of writers and well worth investigating.

I'm not familiar with the authors you mention, but that may be because I simply haven't gotten to them yet. There are millions of books out there, and I've read thousands, but there are many that remain on my to-do list, and I keep reading a few of them over, sometimes because I like them that much, sometimes because I've forgotten I'd read them already. Now I've got to add more to my list! urgh. This looks like it will take me a lifetime. More than a lifetime. I think I'm going to have to make sure I remember what I've read and what I haven't for the next one...

Les Clayborn (sp?) DUH!

The bassist for Rush and Led Zepellin are almost as good as he is.

Les Clayborn (sp?) DUH!

The bassist for Rush and Led Zepellin are almost as good as he is.

Are you talking about Les Claypool? The bassist for Primus?

OK, here's my list of first-rate bassists:

Flea
John Entwistle
John Paul Jones
Les Claypool
Geddy Lee
Cliff Burton
Jason Newsted


Again, there are others, but these were noteworthy in my opinion.
This is only an opinion, nothing more nothing less. :)