Braddock
Agitator
+916|6504|Éire
I've noticed there are a few bass players on this site so hit me with your opinions... name your top 5 bass players of all time dead or alive. Elaborate on why you have chosen who you have chosen if you wish. Here's mine (in no particular order):

1. Les Claypool
2. Jaco Pastorius
3. Tony Levin
4. Bernard Edwards
5. Mark King
BigmacK
Back from the Dead.
+628|6965|Chicago.
1) "The Ox" John Entwistle
2) John Paul Jones
3) Tim Commerford
4) Roger Glover
5) Flea
Ty
Mass Media Casualty
+2,398|6988|Noizyland

In no particular order:

- John Entwistle - The Who
- Bobby Sheehan - Blues Traveller
- Flea - RHCP
- Mike Dirnt - Green Day
- Karl Kippenberger - Shihad
[Blinking eyes thing]
Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/tzyon
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6504|Éire

BigmacK wrote:

1) "The Ox" John Entwistle
2) John Paul Jones
3) Tim Commerford
4) Roger Glover
5) Flea
Entwistle was great. I'm not too impressed by Flea anymore though, seen him a bunch of times and he's very messy and he doesn't really play anything that you can't pick up pretty easy. That's a decent Rock top 5 you have though.

Last edited by Braddock (2007-02-20 16:27:38)

Eagle
Togs8896 is my evil alter ego
+567|6845|New Hampshire, USA
The guy who played in black sabbath, im not sure of his name
https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/14407/Sig_Pats.jpg
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6504|Éire

NS=Eagle wrote:

The guy who played in black sabbath, im not sure of his name
Geezer Butler, great bass player.
BigmacK
Back from the Dead.
+628|6965|Chicago.
How could I forget Geezer? Iron Man was the first song I learned to play! lol.
d3athwi5h4
insert clever title here
+59|6727|Kickapoo
I don't play the bass, but I can tell you that you have to include victor wooten.
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6504|Éire

d3athwl5h4 wrote:

I don't play the bass, but I can tell you that you have to include victor wooten.
Victor is phenomenal and I nearly had him in my top 5. The double thumb technique he invented is absolutely crazy.
oChaos.Haze
Member
+90|6652
1. Victor Wooten (easy ass pick, he's god)
2. Jaco Pastorius
3. Charles Mingus
4. Oteil Burbidge
5. Tie for the other umpteen million players who slap, pick, and pluck but don't do anything that makes me want to quit playing music.

Last edited by oChaos.Haze (2007-02-21 00:02:15)

heggs
Spamalamadingdong
+581|6602|New York
I think Matt Freeman of Rancid needs to be mentioned.

He can play just about anything, all the way from ska bass to fast like so.
Remember Me As A Time Of Day
silo1180
The Farewell Tour
+79|6636|San Antonio, TX
I just got a bass recently and need to start taking lessons!  As for a top five... that's hard to say.

Les Claypool is phenomenal, so he's got to be near the top
Cliff Burton had a huge impact on the bass
Billy Sheehan is creative
Stu Hamm has great talent

I know they are all pretty recent players, but I haven't been thinking about playing very long so I never really paid much attention.

How come no one has Kip Winger in their top 5!?  j/k
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6504|Éire

heggs wrote:

I think Matt Freeman of Rancid needs to be mentioned.
That kind of playing doesn't really interest me, It's just a personal taste thing, I like guys (and girls) who play the bass as an instrument in and of itself; that's too much like playing a guitar. I believe you can get much more out of the bass by playing fingerstyle e.g. slapping, tapping, flamenco strumming etc.

I also have a pet hate for people who wear their bass down really, really low... what practical purpose does that serve?
oChaos.Haze
Member
+90|6652
Ok obviously there's 2 lists going on here.  The best bassists, and "my favorite" bassists.  Picking one string runs does not qualify you for best bassist.
silo1180
The Farewell Tour
+79|6636|San Antonio, TX
Hey since there are other bass players here... could anyone recommend a book, DVD or website to help learn?  As I said I intend to take lessons, but I'll have to wait until I have more free time.  Would like to get a start, I've already been looking at tablature on the web and fooling around with it a little.  If I can get good enough I'm hoping to get my wife's grandfather's bass.  It's a Fender from the 60's, I just got a glimpse of it recently so I don't know details about it.

Anyway... any help would be appreciated!
TDRE666
Member
+5|6695
another vote for Matt Freeman I wish I had been old enough to see Op Ivy.  But Rancid is still good enough listen to the solo in maxwell murder
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6504|Éire

silo1180 wrote:

Hey since there are other bass players here... could anyone recommend a book, DVD or website to help learn?  As I said I intend to take lessons, but I'll have to wait until I have more free time.  Would like to get a start, I've already been looking at tablature on the web and fooling around with it a little.  If I can get good enough I'm hoping to get my wife's grandfather's bass.  It's a Fender from the 60's, I just got a glimpse of it recently so I don't know details about it.

Anyway... any help would be appreciated!
YouTube is a handy way of  learning songs that you like as there is a big community of bassists there and you can send them messages if you want further help or advice. I'd say go for a DVD before getting a book, it's always easier to learn by watching. I got one book when I started out years ago that was kind of useful but I can't remember the name I'm afraid. Sorry.

Matt Freeman is not a great bass player, punk and the heavier genres of music have never been great for bass players except for the odd exception. Any guitarist could pick up a bass and play that kind of solo, but most guitarists would have great difficulty playing a Victor Wooten or Pastorius solo. A bass is not a four string guitar!

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