Bassists that, if you replaced them, would change the entire sound of the band

[Bassic Playing]

As for Flea, I think he could be replaced pretty easily to be honest, nothing he does is exactly groundbreaking or unqiue IMO.

Whether or not you find Flea's playing groundbreaking, he's still a massive part of the chili peppers sound, and a lot of their songs centre around his lines. If someone else took over they would sound different just because the bands songs would centre around a different style.

And yea Iron Maiden would have to be the other big one for me

[Tupac]

Originally Posted by VinKreepo

and whoever plays/writes the bass lines for Jamiroquai

Funny you should say that, they've had 4 or 3! Stuart Zender, the original, is the man, but everyone else has done a good job and I have been fooled into thinking it was Stu before.

Originally Posted by Bassic Playing

Whether or not you find Flea's playing groundbreaking, he's still a massive part of the chili peppers sound, and a lot of their songs centre around his lines. If someone else took over they would sound different just because the bands songs would centre around a different style.

Agreed, just because the notes themselves are simple doesn't mean Flea is easily replicable. The way he digs in, dead note placement, and his heavy improvisation give him an easily recognizable style. If you've ever heard him outside RHCP, you can always tell it's him. Check out Bust a Move.

[Bisounourse]

Originally Posted by VinKreepo

and whoever plays/writes the bass lines for Jamiroquai

The bass lines are made up by JK himself.

Jimmy Garrisson on all the stuff he has done with Coltrane.
Bernard Edwards from Chic

[Tupac]

Originally Posted by Bisounourse

The bass lines are made up by JK himself.

Whoa whoa whoa... really? I doubt he wrote Stu's stuff, like this. I can see that in today's Jamiroquai though.

[Bisounourse]

Originally Posted by Tupac

Whoa whoa whoa... really? I doubt he wrote Stu's stuff, like this. I can see that in today's Jamiroquai though.

It was in an interview with him (around the time he made his second album) and JK was explaining he wrote all of the music, singing the lines he heard in his head to the musicians. They had to pick it up like he heard it. (but then again, JK is not directly known to take a humble stance).

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by Bisounourse

It was in an interview with him (around the time he made his second album) and JK was explaining he wrote all of the music, singing the lines he heard in his head to the musicians. They had to pick it up like he heard it. (but then again, JK is not directly known to take a humble stance).

I've heard him say that and been surprised that it hasn't been debunked before now.

I think Stuart Zender was coming up with the bass parts because they just sound like a bass player came up with them. Also listen to the part Andrew Levy plays on 'When You Gonna Learn?' - it sounds like Andrew Levy's stuff on Brand New Heavies records and not like the rest of the album that Stuart played. Similarly Nick Fyffe's stuff doesn't sound like Stuart Zender. Etc. Did JK come up with signature sounds for each bass player he ever went into the studio with?

And listen to Jamiroquai after Toby Smith left. Where did that educated-sounding jazzy edge go? Seems like it left with the talented one doesn't it?

[Natropath]

As for Flea, his early work with the Chili Peppers is actually pretty groundbreaking, not in a good way or bad, but it's pretty original. I might say his bass playing could be replicated or replaced since after One Hot Minute, but his sense of melody and the way he worked with John F. could not.

I completely agree with folks who mention Geddy, Entwistle and Squire and those late period Miles albums with Marcus are un-copy-able.

Here's the deal, and what we all know as bassists to be true, any pretty good bass player is the secret ingredient that makes a band and replacing that bass player (and that means you!) means changing the band.

[GBassNorth]

I'd think Sting would also be hard to replace not necessarily because of his bass skills but that in combination with his unmistakable lead vocal.
I suspect there are plenty of very talented bassists out there that could do an acceptable knock off of some of the historical great bass players signature bass lines but I'd bet that number drops very quickly to nearly zero when you have to match the not only the bass lines but also the lead vocal track.

[Kenzy]

Originally Posted by GBassNorth

I'd think Sting would also be hard to replace not necessarily because of his bass skills but that in combination with his unmistakable lead vocal.

Even ignoring vocals, I'm going to say that Sting is irreplaceable as a bassist. I think he's very underrated as a bassist. Until recently, even I didn't think much of him, but I sat down and actually thought about his basswork. I've a new appreciation for him now, he actually does quite a bit for the band with his lines, and his style is pretty unique.

[Tupac]

Originally Posted by kevteop

I've heard him say that and been surprised that it hasn't been debunked before now.

I think Stuart Zender was coming up with the bass parts because they just sound like a bass player came up with them. Also listen to the part Andrew Levy plays on 'When You Gonna Learn?' - it sounds like Andrew Levy's stuff on Brand New Heavies records and not like the rest of the album that Stuart played. Similarly Nick Fyffe's stuff doesn't sound like Stuart Zender. Etc. Did JK come up with signature sounds for each bass player he ever went into the studio with?

And listen to Jamiroquai after Toby Smith left. Where did that educated-sounding jazzy edge go? Seems like it left with the talented one doesn't it?

Yeah, there's no way. I've heard interviews with Stu and he would mention how he came up with some basslines. Obviously he isn't afraid to pull the cat out of the bag now.

[basskidd]

Björn Meyer with Nik Bärtsch's Ronin. He has an unreal sense of melody and lucidity while he's playing, especially solos. Like nothing I've ever heard before.

[Soppy Hat]

Chris... Wolstenholme?
IT WAS INEVITABLE.

Hysteria, Sunburn, Liquid State, New Born, Hyper Music, Assassin, Plug In Baby, Starlight... gahd. All his weird, growly synth tones... I can't begin to think of what Muse would be without him.

I don't even know what I would be without him. Seriously, that man is the reason for the season. I mean, uh, a lot of my wonky tones, and also one of the main reasons I really got into bass to begin with.

A good example of Chris that's not Hysteria: Eternally Missed, the Hysteria B-side. That line is pretty rock-solid and it does a good job of showcasing his tone/style, I think.

[capnsandwich]

Originally Posted by Soppy Hat

Chris... Wolstenholme?
IT WAS INEVITABLE.

Hysteria, Sunburn, Liquid State, New Born, Hyper Music, Assassin, Plug In Baby, Starlight... gahd. All his weird, growly synth tones... I can't begin to think of what Muse would be without him.

I don't even know what I would be without him. Seriously, that man is the reason for the season. I mean, uh, a lot of my wonky tones, and also one of the main reasons I really got into bass to begin with.

A good example of Chris that's not Hysteria: Eternally Missed, the Hysteria B-side. That line is pretty rock-solid and it does a good job of showcasing his tone/style, I think.

I beg to differ. Watch this video and see if you agree.

[lsabina]

One of the best examples is Weather Report: Pre Jaco sound, with Jaco, and then again a different direction post Jaco.

[Roscoe East]

Originally Posted by lsabina

One of the best examples is Weather Report: Pre Jaco sound, with Jaco, and then again a different direction post Jaco.

I was gonna say, any bassist in Weather Report. Whenever they changed bassists the sound of the band changed dramatically.

Admittedly it was rare for Weather Report to change bassists and not also change drummers so that probably has a lot to do with it. But aside from some surface generalizations, you could make the case that every time they got a new bass player their music took a sharp turn in another direction.

[Roscoe East]

Did anyone mention Japan yet? That band would've sounded completely different imho if they'd had someone, anyone, besides Mick Karn playing bass.

[thatbassist863]

I would have to go with Ray Brown (pretty much anything he's played on), often imitated, but never duplicated. James Jamerson is very much the same way, hard to duplicate what he did, or his touch/feel on those classic tracks.

Leonard "Hub" Hubbard from The Roots. The bands vibe changed when he left. Although I'm still their fan, you can still tell their vibe/sound changed.

I agree with Weather Report from earlier poster. Their sound changed from bassist to bassist.

Don't know if he's been mentioned, but Scott Lafero (pardon the spelling). Bill Evans' sound changed after Scott's untimely death.

[SquierJazz72]

I'd have to go with:

Chris Squire
Geddy Lee
Steve Harris
Les Claypool

Geezer Butler on the early Sabbath albums. Even though there have been other bassists, I don't think the classic Ozzy era albums would have the same vibe at all without him on bass.

[lfmn16]

What band wouldn't sound different with another bass player? In order to really judge that, you'd need to know who was going to replace them. A good example is Dusty Hill. If he was replaced by someone who played extremely simple bass lines, no one would probably notice; if he was replaced by someone substantially more busy, you'd notice.

Looking at the previous posts, it seems like people are mentioning the bass players they like.

Given most people's general awareness of bass playing, I doubt 99% of the general public would notice a change in who was playing bass in just about any band.

[capnsandwich]

Originally Posted by lfmn16

What band wouldn't sound different with another bass player?

Given most people's general awareness of bass playing, I doubt 99% of the general public would notice a change in who was playing bass in just about any band.

There are bands that can really get along with any bass player and still have their sound, most of which the bass is usually drowned out by overdriven guitars. Also, there ate some bands that actually get their signature sound from their bassists. Geddy Lee, Chris Squire , Les Claypool, etc., all who've been mentioned already, and people would definitely notice if they were replaced.