Bands where the Bassist is a focal point

[Tyrannius]

Originally Posted by Time Consumer

I searched the thread and couldnt believe nobody mentioned Ryan Martini of Mudvayne, the bass is totally the focal point in that band.
I also like John Moyer from disturbed.

That's funny. I searched Mudvayne just now and *gasp*, the 15th post in this thread mentioned Ryan Martini of Mudvayne.

[Bassenstien]

Weedeater

[clickr]

MUDVAYNE!!! with a weak guitarist like that, they need a powerful bassist. And let's not forget Primus, and Tool.

[Elemeninki]

This threads gone awry.

Most people are just stating bands with a strong bass presence rather than bands with the bass as a focal point.

[NKUSigEp]

Originally Posted by Elemeninki

This threads gone awry.

Most people are just stating bands with a strong bass presence rather than bands with the bass as a focal point.

Who would do such a thing? LOL

[funkybassinator]

whoever the bassist for widespread panic is? he's pretty promenent in the mix.

[NKUSigEp]

Jason Newsted on ...And Justic...






Oh wait...nevermind LOL

[Jammin72]

Otiel Burbridge. Otiel & the Peacemakers
Chris Wood - MMW
Geddy Lee - Rush
Victor Wooten - His own Band
Les Claypool - Any Incarnation
Jaco Pastorius - Headlining or with Weather Report
George Porter - His Own Band or PBS


Are really the only ones that are jumping out at me as being the focus of the group or on the lips of folks headed to the show that aren't musicians.

I think there's a good segment of any band's following that really does pay attention to what's going on with the bass player and really look forward to getting into that space especially with the Jam Bands. You had things like the Phil Zone, people meeting on Mike Side, Folks intent on Rob for moe. Some of these responses I think are good in that context for a band that interacts with thier audience frequently and on the road. But as far as groups that I've seen where the Bass IS the Place the above are the ones I'm familiar with.

[Spieker]

Rage Against the Machine /Adioslave

[Arsenal_Fierce]

King from the Japanese band Shaka Labbits is pretty prominent in their live shows. When I saw them in Nagoya last year they featured several bass solos; and he's like the class clown of the group, getting up and telling jokes between songs. I saw similar performances in their concert videos from past tours.

[JohnSS]

some names I didn't notice being mentioned yet...

Jack Casady - Airplane, Tuna, KBC - Jack's playing defines the rhythmic and melodic elements simultaneously - there's a reason why he's one of Anthony Jackson's heroes.

Harry Hosono (YMO)
Joe Sumner - Fiction Plane - Joe is Sting's son - that says it all
Stanley Clarke in RTF
Chris Hillman - Byrds & Burritos
Larry Graham

[250GBsOfAwesome]

Chris Wood in Medeski, Martin and Wood is pretty prominent.

[CamiloDíaz]

Bassist frontmen aside (Les and Geddy are, indeed, best known for their playing that their singing, at least in the rock world), there a few great examples of bass players as focal points that I'd like to emphasize:

MUSE, sometimes there's only Wolstenhome and some drums sounding, and he is "the riff guy" in the band.

YES. Chris Squire's sound is THE signature sound of the band's history. So strongly than, the short time that he wasn't on the band, they weren't even called Yes.

IRON MAIDEN. The mother of all examples of bass player being the center of it all.

[jugoziithouu]

Originally Posted by Krinkle5

There is a mexican band called Molotov and they have 2 bass players, 1 guitar player and 1 drummer. Their music is kinda controversial, but I have to say it's a lotta fun, another cool thing is that they change instruments for different songs.

not really cus they all sing and they are all multinistrumentalist and it may sound weird but molotov is by far about the lyrics

for those people that havent heard molotov here u go ;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRmIptaYBFE

its always good to know good international bands

ANTI-FLAG the bassist sings also
Less Than Jake the bassists sings and all
Blink-182 definetly not the sound but also sings and live marks keeps doing dumb jokes
Joy Division far too obvious
New Order the same guy as in JD besides hooky sings some songs
Rage Against The Machine as far as sound goes but stage presence u gotta give it to morello

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by jugoziithouu

not really cus they all sing and they are all multinistrumentalist and it may sound weird but molotov is by far about the lyrics

for those people that havent heard molotov here u go ;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRmIptaYBFE

its always good to know good international bands

This song from them is terrific to me . BTW, the opening lick is part of my "instinctive riff playing" routine.

[RBrownBass]

Originally Posted by Bubba Love

Exactly!

This ties in with wisdom that most bassists should have but not a lot do have. When you're playing bass in a band situation, except in extreme circumstances (Return to Forever, Flecktones, Chili Peppers) you are there to support, what you're doing may not be that flashy and may not get you a lot of attention or recognition outside our small circle of bass players but you're doing it because it's important musically.

Well, you quoted me, but I'm not in agreement with what you're saying at all. I don't consider RTF or the Flecktones extreme at all (as a musician, I refuse to adopt the scale the masses use to define "normal" and "extreme" beyond what it takes to get those masses togive me money to play for them. There's extreme for people who can play only the radio, and there's extreme for people who make use of their ears and hands to create music).

There are machines that can play root-fives with much more consistency that I do, and they should be employed --instead of a human bassist-- if that's all the music needs.

Originally Posted by anechoic

If we eliminate the bassists who are also known as singers (Sting, McCartney, Claypool) and the ones who got by on image (Sid Vicious, Pete Wentz), the only other one I can think of off the top of my head that would be well known among non-musicians might be Cliff Burton.

I said a while back that singers need not be considered, but I think that should be amended to "but they can be considered IF the bass presence in their music is strong enough". For example, we'd know who Paul McCartney was even if he'd never sung a note, because his basslines speak for themselves.

[cliff_trujillo]

Jaco Pastorius was in Weather Report... But most of the time it was known as "Jaco Pastorius". Also Victor Wooten and "Béla Fleck and the Flecktones"... And Primus probably makes it on the list also...

[Body]

88 Finger Louie ;]