Your Top 3 favorite Bass guitar players

[Lou Tencodpees]

Nothing new to add from what's already been discussed about McCartney and Jamerson. I think my third would probably be Rick Danko. There was an elusive and magical quality to The Band's sound, a weird interplay between Helm's drumming style, Hudson's carnival swirlings and Robertson's sloppiness and Manuel's steady rock piano. Danko locked it in perfectly with that hollow loopy thing, IMO.

 

[DLReed]

Lemmy, Dee Dee and Geddy

 

[aging_rocker]

I have to admit that I'm not too familiar with a lot of his work, but the late Michael "Busta" Jones played what is probably my favourite bassline of all time on this track from the "My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts" album:

I'm stunned to realise that this album is now 41 years old!

 

[Cheap Trills]

Definitely the "Bass Face" girl from HAIM number one. Then Victor Wooten, then yah, Jaco.

Este Haim --

 

[aging_rocker]

And Jean-Jacques "JJ" Burnel - listening to the tone on his P-bass never gets old for me:

 

[rdjones]

Tim Bogert
John Entwistle
Paul McCartney

Since it is so difficult to pick just 3, honourable mention must also go to:
John Paul Jones
Roger Glover
Lemmy

I also had a few local favourites growing up that deserve a shout-out:
Dan Pecchio
Mitch Behnke
Roy Guerrieri

 

[4pickupguy]

Ray Shulman (Gentle Giant)
Tal Welkenfeld
Andy West (Dregs)
Larry Klein (Joni Michell)
John Deacan

 

[phenomenologydan]

Mitch Behnke
Mick Karn
Ray Brown
Glenn Hughes

 

[Recalcitrant]

James Jamerson
Paul McCartney
Cliff Williams

 

[jdgladw]

Sticking to bass guitar, no upright:
Leroy Hodges (Hi Rhythm Section)
Reid Diamond (Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet)
Joseph "Lucky" Scott (Curtis Mayfield)

 

[SuprHtr]

Jaco
Bill Laswell
Chris Squire

In the late 70s, Jaco’s Weather Report stuff blew me away. A little later, Laswell and Michael Beinhorn started the group Material, and One Down, their second album, was something new and different.

I was a huge Yes fan but never listened critically to Chris until around the time he died. I was surprised to realize that he was as central to the sound of Yes as Anderson or any of the other virtuosi that rolled through that band. Not to mention that his vocal harmonies with Anderson were spot on.

 

[Blackmore Fan]

Paul, Geddy Lee, and Bill Wyman. Wyman's base lines were always "unconventional"--I never could predict him when listening to a studio album for the first time. For lack of a better descriptor, his typical line might be "too high" by a couple of notes" early, followed by "too low" by a couple of notes, and yet magically *on target* for the end of the run--it was always a wild ride for me listening to him.

I can't stand Les Claypool and his type of bass playing. I don't want to hear a "lead bassist"--its a rhythm position to me.

 

[Blackmore Fan]

Philip Lynott (not because of his skills, but his ability to maintain a groove while singing off beat)

Agreed, Lynott had "it" when it comes to playing bass.

 

[Blackmore Fan]

Doug Pinnick (Kings X)

Another subtle yet great choice.

 

[Wyzsard]

Eberhard Weber

John McVie

David Hayes

 

[thunderbyrd]

Geezer Butler.
Gary Thain.
Barry Oakley.

 

[Bruxist]

Kim Deal
Jack Bruce
Donald "Duck" Dunn