You can't play bass.... underrated bass players

strumjoughlamps

What say you?

Nick Beggs for me, hugely underrated IMO, maybe something to do with the era/genre he's most known for...

munckee

Kim Deal for me.  She freely admits to being a very basic level bass player so she consciously didn’t over play and the result were seriously cool bass lines which drove the pixies sound. 

stickyfiddle

Adam Clayton. Keeps it simple a lot of the time because that's all the songs need.

Danny1969

stickyfiddle said:

Adam Clayton. Keeps it simple a lot of the time because that's all the songs need.

Absolutely .... he is the driving force of that band. The sonic imprint of a band IS the bass and drums. People think all you have to do is play as tight as possible to the drummer and that's enough but it's actually the way the bass and drums play together in the own way with those small deviations that create something special. Something you can't create just by quantising the bass to the drums .... it's a human thing and Adam if fantastic at it. 

stickyfiddle

Danny1969 said:

stickyfiddle said:

Adam Clayton. Keeps it simple a lot of the time because that's all the songs need.

Absolutely .... he is the driving force of that band. The sonic imprint of a band IS the bass and drums. People think all you have to do is play as tight as possible to the drummer and that's enough but it's actually the way the bass and drums play together in the own way with those small deviations that create something special. Something you can't create just by quantising the bass to the drums .... it's a human thing and Adam if fantastic at it. 

Completely agree. And frankly Edge is the also much more locked in with those two than in most bands. It's why so many people covering them sound awful.

fretmeister

strumjoughlamps said:

What say you?

Nick Beggs for me, hugely underrated IMO, maybe something to do with the era/genre he's most known for...

He's not underrated by bass players!

ICBM

Adam Clayton. He’s not only essential to U2 and his bass parts are the perfect example of playing for the song, he’s actively put down by bass snobs. He has great timing, feel and tone.

John Taylor used to be as well, but is now more recognised as the brilliant bassist he is. Bernard Edwards rated him highly, what more do you need?

Nick Beggs too, but I think a bit more recognised as good. Fun fact - I used to own his MXR chorus pedal, quite likely used on Too Shy . A friend has it now…

Switch625

John Taylor? Because Duran Duran were portrayed as pretty boys rather than musicians. Maybe the same goes for Martin Kemp.

prowla

Chris Squire - only prog fans and bass players know him.

distressed

Peter Hook

stickyfiddle

prowla said:

Chris Squire - only prog fans and bass players know him.

Consistently in the top-5s of "best bassist" lists though. Also prog is rubbish :P 

(and surely the only bassists non-musos know are McCartney and Flea)

axisus

strumjoughlamps said:

What say you?

Nick Beggs for me, hugely underrated IMO, maybe something to do with the era/genre he's most known for...

Underrated?????? I think not!

Nick is massively rated. He won Classic rock society's best bassist for (at least!) 4 years in a row. Has played on many acclaimed albums with many acclaimed artists. Is one of the Prog icons of bass playing. Take a look at this Farcebook video (if it works). Nick being a nutcase as usual!

https://www.facebook.com/nickbeggsofficial/videos/560891637763808

DonnyMac

Horace Panter 

Funkfingers

Danny Thompson (and the inimitable "Victoria").

CaseOfAce

DonnyMac said:

Horace Panter 

I was just about to mention him.
Saw a recent Specials concert on TV (following Terry Hall's death) and my jaw dropped. I had no idea UK ska was so demanding bass wise (I'll add the guy out of Madness as well).

scrumhalf

I was listening to some ZZ Top on the way in to work this morning and it struck that Dusty Hill had a thunderous bottom end (fnarr). 

Cols

Geezer Butler.  An absolutely ferocious playing style, with a sense of timing and harmony which was essential to the sound of Black Sabbath.

Open_G

Under-rated is a difficult term, but almost unrated- I'd mention Pat Badger of Extreme. Keeping up with Nuno in terms of all those unison riffs is no easy feat but there are a few great basslines amongst all the riffs. 

Cupid's Dead comes to mind, also tragic comic- Which is a wonderfully simple major triad riff over 4 chords but works brilliantly

RocknRollDave

John Deacon

Kebabkid

DonnyMac said:

Horace Panter 

and can I add Mark Bedford of Madness.

Guy Pratt of Pink Floyd

DrCornelius

Love a bit of Billy Talbot from Crazy Horse , loose , laid back and lovely tone