N&G Favourite BASSIST of All Time

jamieanderson1968 said:
I reserve the right to add more to this list

Bill Laswell - 20
Jah Wobble - 20
Holger Czukay - 20
Sting (god it hurts to even write his name) - 20
Peter Hook - 20
Click to expand...
Revised list
Bill Laswell - 20
Jah Wobble - 20
Holger Czukay - 10
Sting (god it still hurts to even write his name) - 10
Peter Hook - 10

PLUS

Mike Watt - 10
John Entwistle - 10
Bruce Foxton - 10

@avecigrec
 
Paul McCartney 20
Fat Mike 10
Victor Wooten 10
Bootsy Collins 10
FLEA 10
Les Claypool 10
John Paul Jones 5
Larry Graham 5
Geddy Lee 5
Eric Wilson 5 (Sublime)
James Jamerson 5
Matt Freeman 5

Probably a million more but I just can’t spend hours wormholing this right now! This is at the core of my favorites, though.

I’d comfortably say McCartney is the best bass player of all time and I’ve debated this endless times. He can’t physically do what Wooten can, but Wooten can’t write lines like Paul. I’ll take melodic creativity that fits the music like a glove over virtuosic skill.
 
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A stream of consciousness list based solely on if I dig their style and their music...

John Entwhistle (Who?) 15
Matt Freeman (Rancid) 15
Fernando Saunders (Lou Reed) 15
Mark Sandman (Morphine) 15
Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report and others) 5
James Jamerson (everyone Motown) 5
John Paul Jones (LZ) 5
Carol Kaye (everybody) 5
Ron Carter (also everybody) 5
Paul Simonon (The Clash) 4
Mike Watt (Minutemen) 4
Bootsy Collins (JB & PFunk) 4
Jack Bruce (Cream) 3

PS - these lists are all a heinous exercise.
 
Les Claypool (Primus, etc.) - 20 - Unique, percussive playing style, over multiple instruments from 4-string basses to 6-string fretless, to upright. Can sing and play these rhythms at the same time, just boggles my mind. Capable of improvisation and deep jams with other musicians. Some of his basslines literally get stuck in my head for days, like Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread. Probably my favorite musician, so I am biased.



Justin Chancellor (Tool) - 20 - writes some amazing rhythms. Paired with Danny Carey, one hell of a foundation.



Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead) - 20 - innovator on the bass. Playing lead instead of strictly rhythm, and all that improvisation that made the Dead who they are.

Mike Gordon (Phish) - 20 - proficient in so many styles. An exceptional improvisational player. Phish will take you on a goddamn musical journey.

Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) - 20 - not the most technically proficient bass player, but much of his songwriting is still relevant today. Plus, there is some great bass playing on Animals, Meddle, DSOTM, WYWH, and The Wall. I'll never tire of the groove in Echoes. Granted some of these lines may have been written by Gilmour.

 
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zdkaiser said:
Les Claypool (Primus, etc.) - 50 - Unique, percussive playing style, over multiple instruments from 4-string basses to 6-string fretless, to upright. Can sing and play these rhythms at the same time, just boggles my mind. Capable of improvisation and deep jams with other musicians. Some of his basslines literally get stuck in my head for days, like Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread. Probably my favorite musician, so I am biased.



Justin Chancellor (Tool) - 10 - writes some amazing rhythms. Paired with Danny Carey, one hell of a foundation.



Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead) - 15 - innovator on the bass. Playing lead instead of strictly rhythm, and all that improvisation that made the Dead who they are.

Mike Gordon (Phish) - 15 - proficient in so many styles. An exceptional improvisational player. Phish will take you on a goddamn musical journey.

Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) - 10 - not the most technically proficient bass player, but much of his songwriting is still relevant today. Plus, there is some great bass playing on Animals, Meddle, DSOTM, WYWH, and The Wall. I'll never tire of the groove in Echoes. Granted some of these lines may have been written by Gilmour.

Click to expand...


Maximum point allocation is 20...
 
Here be mine:

15 - Les Claypool
10 - Justin Chancellor
10 - Tony Levin
9 - Geddy Lee
9 - James Jamerson
9 - Mark Sandman
9 - Ronnie Boykins
9 - David Hood
4 - Paul Chambers
4 - Shavo Odadjian
4 - Mia Rafaela Dieu
4 - Joshua Abrams
4 - Ron Carter
 
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