Bassists who greatly improved

Sartori · #1 04-13-2009, 04:54 PM

Since there's a thread about bassists whose playing went downhill, how about a more positive thread about bassists who early in their careers were unimpressive but later did great things.

CapnSev · #2 04-13-2009, 05:08 PM

I'm not trying to bring back the "bassists who went downhill" thread, but I really can't think of any really improved ones off the top of my head.

greenboy · #3 04-13-2009, 08:04 PM

Tough one, since those who have some pretty high standards for technique and/or evolved musical thought probably aspired to that early on, and gravitated toward other like-minded dedicated musicians and pretty much came out of the gate swinging. With guys like that you can look at any chapter of their career and it's all fairly devoid of filler, and plenty of evidence of exploration.

I suppose if you found some tapes of Gary Willis the first two days he ever played a bass when he was knee-high you might have room to say "That Willis! - he's really improved!" ; }

J. Crawford · #4 04-13-2009, 08:08 PM

Ben Kenney because he was a guitard.

Jared Followill, because he has 2.5 years experience, and plays like no other.

jellymax · #5 04-13-2009, 10:31 PM

stephen lessard from dave matthews comes to mind. kinda weak at first. sounds great now.

ModuMan · #6 04-14-2009, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jellymax

stephen lessard from dave matthews comes to mind. kinda weak at first. sounds great now.

I have to totally agree and I am not even a fan of DMB. I was in VA while they were still regulars at Traxx in Charlotteville so I saw them a fair amount (whether I wanted to or not!). He definitely improved.

The Mock Turtle Regulator · #7 04-14-2009, 08:08 AM

Paul Simonon (the Clash)
although I didn't think much of his recent playing with The Good, the bad, the queen.

JimK · #8 04-14-2009, 12:30 PM

I would say John Entwistle...not that he was ever a slouch, I just recall seeing the 9-11 concert in NYC & thought, "Wow, this guy's command has gotten even better".
Compare him to some of his '60s counterparts.

And another-
Victor Wooten.

Yes, Wooten. The 1st time I saw him was in 1975. That was a mind freak.
Then came a long lapse of time...I next saw him just as the Flecktones' debut album hit ("Sinister Minister")...at this time, he sounded like two bassists.
3-4 years go by & he's sounding like three bassists. Usually, with someone as good as he is...you just don't see that big improvement, there's usually a long plateau. Not in his case.

WhiskeyMan13 · #9 04-14-2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

I would say John Entwistle...not that he was ever a slouch, I just recall seeing the 9-11 concert in NYC & thought, "Wow, this guy's command has gotten even better".
Compare him to some of his '60s counterparts.

And another-
Victor Wooten.

Yes, Wooten. The 1st time I saw him was in 1975. That was a mind freak.
Then came a long lapse of time...I next saw him just as the Flecktones' debut album hit ("Sinister Minister")...at this time, he sounded like two bassists.
3-4 years go by & he's sounding like three bassists. Usually, with someone as good as he is...you just don't see that big improvement, there's usually a long plateau. Not in his case.

+10000

Sartori · #10 04-14-2009, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnSev

I'm not trying to bring back the "bassists who went downhill" thread, but I really can't think of any really improved ones off the top of my head.

That's okay, your avatar is from Zardoz, which was hilarious.

Sartori · #11 04-14-2009, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

I would say John Entwistle...not that he was ever a slouch, I just recall seeing the 9-11 concert in NYC & thought, "Wow, this guy's command has gotten even better".
Compare him to some of his '60s counterparts.

And another-
Victor Wooten.

Yes, Wooten. The 1st time I saw him was in 1975. That was a mind freak.
Then came a long lapse of time...I next saw him just as the Flecktones' debut album hit ("Sinister Minister")...at this time, he sounded like two bassists.
3-4 years go by & he's sounding like three bassists. Usually, with someone as good as he is...you just don't see that big improvement, there's usually a long plateau. Not in his case.

Wow... I guess some people are devoted to constant improvement.

fender_funk_man · #12 04-14-2009, 05:20 PM

Jay Bentley is one of my personal faves. Started out not being able to play a note, almost 30 years later Bad Religion still kicks ass. He may not have done much in the way of ground breaking music, but on a personal basis he has become a well seasoned bassist.

cmewhinney · #13 04-14-2009, 05:21 PM

I think for a variety of reasons (better instruments, more freedom from record companies, 20 more years of experience) Michael Manring's playing on his current records sounds far superior (to me) than his earlier albums. Put his first three solo albums next to his most recent three, and it's like night and day.

1FATDAD · #14 04-15-2009, 07:08 AM

(no i'm not kidding)

rapturebass · #15 04-15-2009, 07:10 AM

Johnny Christ. Not that his old playing was bad, just that it got better.

phatbass · #16 04-15-2009, 07:20 AM

Billy Sheehan. Seriously.

When he first broke out with David Lee Roth I thought he had hellacious chops but was harmonically a bit lacking and, after a while, tedious.

When I heard him years later with Niacin he's like a different player - still hellacious chops but with a much more interesting (to me) harmonic and melodic sense.

O.k. - I'm putting on my flame proof suit now...

greenboy · #17 04-15-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phatbass

Billy Sheehan {...} When I heard him years later with Niacin he's like a different player - still hellacious chops but with a much more interesting (to me) harmonic and melodic sense.

Better music. Hard not to play better in that group and with that drummer.

machine gewehr · #18 04-15-2009, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phatbass

Billy Sheehan. Seriously.

When he first broke out with David Lee Roth I thought he had hellacious chops but was harmonically a bit lacking and, after a while, tedious.

When I heard him years later with Niacin he's like a different player - still hellacious chops but with a much more interesting (to me) harmonic and melodic sense.

O.k. - I'm putting on my flame proof suit now...

I was going to give him as example too.He,too,states in his bass concepts video he was playing only octave stuff as fills etc. He then explaines how he learned the instrument on the stage in those years.Pretty cool to learn your instrument on the stage too.

Mikio · #19 04-15-2009, 07:56 AM

John Myung has always been awesome, but he has improved greatly, plays way cleaner now, he's learning to pick, and well, I don't know, he jus sounds better now [not only because of the bass]

Din Of Win · #20 04-17-2009, 07:47 AM

Steve Youth from 7Seconds