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

digitalkettle

Kebabkid said:
...

Guy Pratt of Pink Floyd

breakstuff said on 'the perfect pop song' thread:

MrTee said:

Whatever it is, it's probably on Madonna's 'immaculate collection '

Yep, that would be Like a Prayer.

Vintage65

distressed said:

Peter Hook

I don't how good he is technically, but he was a huge innovator.

merlin

If you like relentless quavers, (not the crispy snack made first by Smith's and now by Walkers, but the 8th note variety) then I recommend Dee Dee Ramone, who could easily play his way out of a plastic bag. 

Lodious

Eric A from Janes Addiction. Played some really memorable bass parts and never overplayed. 

Redlester

Jimmy Bain. 

EricTheWeary

I’m a big fan of Horace. He was the only consistent figure in every line up of The Specials, his occasional blogs on Facebook are well worth a read and he likes our James Oliver. Horace was in General Public who were pretty successful in the USA in the 80s although never really took off here. A General Public album sleeve makes an appearance in Weird Science. He did some gigs with Hollie Cook whom I’m a bit of a fan boy for including her appearance on Later, never been able to find that on YouTube. 

Redlester said:

Jimmy Bain. 

Watching the Dio documentary and reading between the lines Jimmy was a big part of Ronnie’s career and co-wrote a lot with him as well as delivering all those basslines. He seems to be a semi forgotten figure but appears on the credits to some mahoosive rock tracks. 

Redlester

Steve Hanley

Gassage

JJ Burnel
Norman Watt-Roy

Two of the greatest.

roberty

stickyfiddle said:

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)

Charles Mingus

roberty

Does anyone talk about Andy Rourke? He was pretty nimble

I saw Blur do a warm-up for their Glastonbury comeback at Rough Trade East and I was really impressed with Alex James. He was basically improvising the whole time, and not once did he look down at his hands. Very busy but always appropriate 

Gassage

One more from me

The exquisite George Murray

Putting the M in the fabled D.A.M rhythm trio.

fretmeister

stickyfiddle said:

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)

and Sting.

Basically anyone who is the lead singer or walks on stage with a sock on his cock.

fretmeister

RocknRollDave said:

John Deacon

Not remotely underrated. Just not well known by the public.

He's awesome.

fretmeister

Gassage said:

JJ Burnel
Norman Watt-Roy

Two of the greatest.

This is another post showing what a minefield the word 'underrated' is.

Bass players know of these amazing players. Quite a few guitarists do. And not many of the non-playing public.
Are they underrated if bassists know how good they are but the public has never heard of them?

It wouldn't surprise me if some Beatles fans, particularly younger ones, would be surprised to discover that PM not only played bass as well as sings, but is a damn fine bassist.

Litterick

James Jamerson, bassist on most of the Motown hits of the 1960s and early 1970s.

distressed

Litterick said:

James Jamerson, bassist on most of the Motown hits of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Underrated?

In its special issue "The 100 Greatest Bass Players" in 2017, Bass Player magazine ranked Jamerson number one and the most influential bass guitarist. In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Jamerson number one in its list of the 50 greatest bassists of all time.

idiotwindow

Gassage said:

JJ Burnel
Norman Watt-Roy

Two of the greatest.

But not underrated. These lists of "underrated" players always end up as just lists of people's favourite players.

RocknRollDave

fretmeister said:

RocknRollDave said:

John Deacon

Not remotely underrated. Just not well known by the public.

He's awesome.

The same public who rave about Freddie and Brian? Hence ‘underrated’.

fretmeister

RocknRollDave said:

fretmeister said:

RocknRollDave said:

John Deacon

Not remotely underrated. Just not well known by the public.

He's awesome.

The same public who rave about Freddie and Brian? Hence ‘underrated’.

Is unknown by the public the same as being underrated?

Is a heart surgeon, rated the best by his peers actually underrated because the public couldn't name him?

I don't think those things are the same at all. Otherwise the worst player on earth who happens to be well known by non-musos would be 'rated'.

thumpingrug

Pete Trewavas.  Mostly unknown - largely unpronounceable.  Massively talented.