I am looking for recomendations on rock and pop/rock albums that have a good supporting bass player where the playing is on the simple side of the street instead of the complex side of the street. Albums like:

Whats Going On/Marvin Gaye/Bob Babbit
So/Peter Gabriel/Tony Levin
Best of Vol 1/EWF/Verdine White
The Joshua Tree/U2/Adam Clayton

I am not looking for a Jaco or Marcus Miller type solo album project.

I am not looking for something with a supporting bass player like Les Claypool, Cliff Burton, Flea, Geddy Lee, or Justin Chancellor. Nor Jamerson. Nor Rocco.

I am not looking for some under-rated obscure player only you know about.

I am not looking for an M-16 on fully automatic. I am looking for semi-automatic or three-round burst. I know that Bob Babbit, Tony Levin and Verdine White are top top top rated bass players, but their playing is tastefully "less" instead of overthetop "more".

And I am looking for fairly popular albums, not obscure ones.

I have been listening to "What's Going On" and "So" tonight and was wondering if there are albums out there, maybe only a handful, that would have similar bass playing. Albums that I do not know about. I have been searching here and I can not tell the catagory that a bass player fits into. I do not know if Colin Moulding of XTC is on the Stu Hamn side or the Adam Clayton side. I have Cliff Em All, and Marcus, and Jaco DVDs, but that is more like looking at a sports car that I can not own. Out of reach. I am looking for something I can drive home. Something that I can use to work on my feeling and my support role.

Thanks,

Tim99.

Try Zeppelin great lines there, more about supporting the music than lead bass

Beatles- it's the Beatles thats enough right there
Sabbath- very good playing w/o being wanky
Police- Sting is a great in the pocket player
The Clash - Paul Simonon is a personal fave, very tasteful

As well as many others, hope that helps.

I bought a Kool and the Gang greatest hits cd the other day, great supportive funky playing.

Also McCartney was influenced by all the motown recordings (Jamerson)

The Nixons
Collective Soul
Toadies
K's Choice
Billy Joel
Joe Cocker
Joss Stone
Rod Stewart

Learn every single Ramones song.

yawn

I am looking for recomendations on rock and pop/rock albums that have a good supporting bass player where the playing is on the simple side of the street instead of the complex side of the street. Albums like:

Whats Going On/Marvin Gaye/Bob Babbit


I am not looking for something with a supporting bass player like Les Claypool, Cliff Burton, Flea, Geddy Lee, or Justin Chancellor. Nor Jamerson. Nor Rocco.
...color me confused.
Jamerson is all over What's Going On.

...color me confused.
Jamerson is all over What's Going On.

Nope. James Jamerson Tracks 1-5 and bonus tracks 10 and 11, Bob Babbit Tracks 6-9. And my favorite bass playing is Tracks 6 and 7, Mercy Mercy Me and Right On...Now batting Boooooooob Babbit!

Tim99.

anything by ACDC will do you nicely for supportive non-complex rock bass

Nope. James Jamerson Tracks 1-5 and bonus tracks 10 and 11, Bob Babbit Tracks 6-9. And my favorite bass playing is Tracks 6 and 7, Mercy Mercy Me and Right On...Now batting Boooooooob Babbit!

Tim99.
I didn't mean JJ was the only bassist on What's Going On...only that he was all over it.
In an earlier thread(last year?), Bassland Bob(total JJ/Motown freak) was talking about "Inner City Blues"(Babbitt) & the prospect of two basses being played on that particular tune.

BTW, IMO(again)-
Verdine White's playing can be pretty busy & intricate, i.e. not "less" but "over-the-top" while being tasteful. Same goes for Jaco's stuff with Joni("In France They Kiss On Main Street" from Shadows & Light).

Back to your original post-
Whaddyathink of Chuck Rainey on The Royal Scam & Aja?
Or Anthony Jackson on Gaucho or Donald Fagen's The Nightfly?
McCartney on Revolver or Abbey Road?

I agree with Sting(both The Police & solo stuff).
Add Darryl Jones on Dream Of The Blue Turtles.

Chuck Rainey on The Royal Scam
McCartney on Revolver or Abbey Road
Thank you.

I had those names, but did not know which albums would be good.

Tim99.

Every Beatles cd has great playing on it. Revolver is a phenominal recording anyway you look at it. Maxwell's Silver Hammer and She's So Heavy are some of the more bass heavy tracks on the album, but McCartney was always more about support instead of flash.

Warning listening to the Beatles might make you feel the need to purchase a semi-hollow violin bass because of McCartney's great phrasing and tone :eek: :D .

If you like british pop:

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions (Lawrence Donegan)

-Mainstream
-Easy Pieces
-Rattlesnakes
-Greatest hits

The Housemartins (Norman Cook, later of Beats International)

-London 0, Hull 4
-The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death
-Now That's What I Call Quite Good (compilation)

The Men They Couldn't Hang (Shanne/Ricky)

-Night of a Thousand Candles
-How Green is the Valley
-Waiting for Bonaparte
-Silvertown
-The Domino Club

Here's a smattering:

Beatles - any
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Greatest Hits

Motown - any
Natalie Merchant - Tiger Lilies
Carol King - Tapestry

Are you open to country music? There are many great songs with wonderful bass lines - usually simple, but supportive and just right for the song.

the meters
get a best of...
very simple, funky, backbeat basslines

Fleetwood Mac keeps it pretty simple and solid, as does The Allman Brothers Band.

I'll agree with Zepplin, maybey throw in some Aerosmith aswell. CCR is cool stuff to play.
Steve Miller Band
Bad Company
Springstien

Most Neil Young stuff is pretty laid back, same goes for Tom Petty.

A Perfect Circle's bass is really fun to play.
Deftones first album.
Failure
Year of the Rabbit

The last four may be a bit harder musically than you are looking for.

The last four may be a bit harder musically than you are looking for.

Thank you all.

I specifically mentioned Bob Babbit, Tony Levin and Verdine White because I wanted you to know that I was looking for less complex, not easy/beginner level.

There is a lot of talk here about Jamerson and Jaco and Marcus and Lee. While it is interesting to see a metal tested to and past its ultimate stress/strain point, I want to survive bass playing.

Tim99.

Uh...Rolling Stones? Solid, almost predictable, but tastefully if not simplistically done. But, you gotta start someplace.

Ditto the ACDC, Judas Priest, "Never Mind the Bollocks" by the Sex Pistols has pretty darn cool basslines on it for rock/ahem...punk rock.

Oh Yeah! Elvis Costello & the Attractions!

In addition to the others mentioned above, I'd recommend any Jane's Addiction album. Eric Avery lent great melodic support while rocking his ass off, and the latest CD with Chris Chaney on bass is terrific. He's definitely a master of pop and rock playing who knows exactly when to lay back and when to step up.