Influences-what did you learn from yours?

[oldcatfish]

What bassists had the biggest impact on your playing? What did you learn from them? What's your favorite bassline/song from each?
Here are mine.
--Matthew Tenikov (Hillsong United), I learned how to make pumping root 8th notes interesting. My favorite song is Break Free.
--Geddy Lee, I learned how interesting NOT playing root notes can be. Favorite song= Closer To The Heart.
--Steve Harris, I learned the gallop rhythm. Favorite song= Powerslave
--Terry "Geezer" Butler, I learned how to match guitar riffs, and adding fills. Favorite song = Children Of The Sea.
--John Entwistle, I try to emulate his tone on my favorite Who song= Behind Blue Eyes
--Flea, obviously I learned slap bass from him, but I think that he is underrated for the rest of his playing. So I'll list two favorites. Slap style= Can't Stop, regular/ fingerstyle = Slow Cheetah.
Now it's your turn.

[lowfreq33]

Robert DeLeo. His approach to connecting chord changes.

[MuzikMan]

My first two big influences early on were John Entwistle and Roger Waters. John taught me that rock bass can be more than just low end thumping and Roger taught me that sometimes the simplest line is the best one, depending on the situation.

Lately I have learned about James Jamerson and let's just say that there's much to learn !!!

[Tmoney865]

John Entwistle - My Generation Solo - Pentatonic and Blues Diminished 5th Scale lines.
plus Tone and using 3 fingers 'Can you see the real me'

MacVie from Fleetwood Mac - Minor 6th Progressions. Smoother groove tones

Gary Weinrab (something like that) aka Geddy Lee - Pentatonic, more complexities, and married my tone to Bright like the Danelectro of Entwistles. Left for years and heard Far Cry, and there was my tone that I was working with all over again. Unrelenting progressions where Entwistle was more of a riff guy most of the time.

Something happened to me. I liked to slam the strings and pop. I cannot right now attribute it to anyone in particular. Heard it done a few times and just loved it. Probably Whizzer from Mother's Finest 'Peice of the Rock'.

Peace, Blessings, and Bass

[Catbuster]

I'll cite Roger Waters, Duff McKagan, and Michael Balzary- Flea.

Waters- Simple lines are the best at times. I'm also a fan of the fat, bassy tone he has.

McKagan- How to keep a bass line funky and interesting in hard rock, and his gear was pretty close to mine for a long time, with GK amps and P/J Fender basses.

Flea- Sometimes funk and playing your arse off is required.

[Metalbasshippy]

John Entwistle - Pentatonic lead lines, slides, hammer-on's, pull-off's, percussive fingerstyle playing etc.

Steve Harris - Galloping (8th + two 16th's), Playing Melodically in metal, two finger technique

Geezer Butler - Pentatonic lines that are not used for lead work, string bending

Cliff Burton - Distorted leads, gratuitous wah pedal usage, lead lines that aren't Pentatonic

Geddy Lee - spicing up chord changes, aggressive finger-style, chording

Chris Squire - Aggressive pick usage, playing in odd time signatures, left hand muting

[Ezbass]

Roscoe Beck - 'Outside' jazz lines and tri tone theory
Rocco Prestia - Sometimes more = more (16th note heaven & potential RSI )
Pino - Swooping melodies, sometimes less = more and laying as far back on the beat as you can.

[Unrepresented]

Duff - High mid punch and an aggressive attack will cut you through even a dense two guitar mix.

Tim C. - Bass doesn't have to sound like just the pickups and amplifier.

Geezer - Groove with the drummer, let the guitarist do his own thing.