Overrated bass players

[RAM]

You know, it IS really all about the money, isn't it? Wow! Brad...thanks for showing me the light! I can't believe I'd been so close-minded! How many other bassists, aside from Michael Anthony, have been able to go out night after night and just play their little hearts out like that? I do have tremendous respect for the guy, who has a tremendous collection of JD bottles! I once read an intereview with him that said his dad didn't want him going into music, but quickly changed his mind when young Michael bought dad a Cadillac! Wow! That story touched me almost as much as when the proverbial rookie in the NBA buys his mom a house immediately after signing his first contract. (sob, sob, sob)

Long live Michael Anthony and all those wonderful bassists who do such a great job of supporting their lead guitarist as he does!

[ScottE]

I think it's pretty tough to say who's overrated. Most of the guys being listed so far aren't rated at all! Guys like Sixx, Simmons, Anthony. Nobody talks about their playing, nor should they, because there's nothing really special about it. Feildy on the other hand, is almost certainly overrated. I see his stupid name all over the place. If I could bring myself to listen to a Korn song, I could decide whether he's any good or not.

[RAM]

Originally posted by ScottE
I think it's pretty tough to say who's overrated. Most of the guys being listed so far aren't rated at all! Guys like Sixx, Simmons, Anthony. Nobody talks about their playing, nor should they, because there's nothing really special about it. Feildy on the other hand, is almost certainly overrated. I see his stupid name all over the place. If I could bring myself to listen to a Korn song, I could decide whether he's any good or not.

I find it interesting to say that you never see their names listed. I am willing to go so far as to say I've seen Van Halen a few times in concert (for entertainment value, anyway), and during his bass solo especially, I hear people shout about how Anthony's the best. I'd love to get into an argument and have someone say to me, "Yeah...you're just jealous...I'd like to see you do that stuff!"

Not to tout myself of being a particular level of quality bass player, because I know damn well that there are some out there that I can't even figure out, let alone compare to, but I will take that challenge any day!

I do think that Michael Anthony does get a lot of credit for being a good bass player, although I have yet to find someone in TB who agrees with this concept. I certainly don't. I remember after his interview in Bass Player a few years ago, there were some readers who wrote in commenting on the interview saying they didn't realize he was so diverse, so good, etc...I laughed my kiester off!!! What a joke! He actually managed to get some readers convinced that he was a good bassist because of that interview! I'm curious why these same readers had previously thought he was terrible, merely from hearing his stuff!

[ScottE]

Originally posted by RAM

I find it interesting to say that you never see their names listed. I am willing to go so far as to say I've seen Van Halen a few times in concert (for entertainment value, anyway), and during his bass solo especially, I hear people shout about how Anthony's the best. I'd love to get into an argument and have someone say to me, "Yeah...you're just jealous...I'd like to see you do that stuff!"

Not to tout myself of being a particular level of quality bass player, because I know damn well that there are some out there that I can't even figure out, let alone compare to, but I will take that challenge any day!

I do think that Michael Anthony does get a lot of credit for being a good bass player, although I have yet to find someone in TB who agrees with this concept. I certainly don't. I remember after his interview in Bass Player a few years ago, there were some readers who wrote in commenting on the interview saying they didn't realize he was so diverse, so good, etc...I laughed my kiester off!!! What a joke! He actually managed to get some readers convinced that he was a good bassist because of that interview! I'm curious why these same readers had previously thought he was terrible, merely from hearing his stuff! [/b]

So people at Van Halen concerts shout about how great Anthony is? Well, I wouldn't expect anything less. The people at the concert ought to like the music and the players a good bit. I would never go to a concert and say the people on stage suck.

I don't think any of those people are necessarily bad players, but I don' t find very much of interest in it.

[Boplicity]

Dredging up the much maligned Duff McKagan again of that infamous band, Guns 'n' Roses, I know some of you have said he can't be over rated because he isn't even rated. And, yes, as a bass virtuoso, he fails miserably. In fact, I suspect that his basslines on G 'n' R records are overdubbed by someone else.

However, I have to say something in his defense and Slash, too, as Slash's name was mentioned here, too. Duff was PERFECT for what he did in the context of a band famous as much for being "bad boys" as for their music. G "n" R was an image band, very, very much an image band.

Now I ask you, if John Patitucci had played bass, Dave Wekl had played drums and Chic Corea had been on keys and, oh yes, Al Dimeola or Pat Metheny on guitar would Guns 'n' Roses have acheived the success they had? I say emphatically NO, absolutely not.

Duff, hunched over his bass hanging down to his knees, staggering around the stage, trying to find his place in the music with the drummer or one of the guitars, cigarrett dangling from his mouth, tangled blond locks...the whole nine yards...was PERFECT for his role of bassist in the late eightie's and early nineties baddest, bad boy band.

Stanley Clarke couldn't have been better. Geddy Lee couldn't have been better. Not even Jaco. It HAD to be Duff.
And that is the true bottom line. Jason Oldsted

[frost13]

Noel Redding...not that he was ever rated that high to begin with.....more like being in the right place, at the right time.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally posted by RAM
You know, it IS really all about the money, isn't it? Wow! Brad...thanks for showing me the light! I can't believe I'd been so close-minded! How many other bassists, aside from Michael Anthony, have been able to go out night after night and just play their little hearts out like that? I do have tremendous respect for the guy, who has a tremendous collection of JD bottles! I once read an intereview with him that said his dad didn't want him going into music, but quickly changed his mind when young Michael bought dad a Cadillac! Wow! That story touched me almost as much as when the proverbial rookie in the NBA buys his mom a house immediately after signing his first contract. (sob, sob, sob)

Long live Michael Anthony and all those wonderful bassists who do such a great job of supporting their lead guitarist as he does!

Somebody's got to do it I think, like Duff in GNR, that Mike fits VH to a T. OK, RSVP,EIEIO,RIF. I don't disrepect him and I don't think he's overrated. As someone already said, you have to be rated first in order to be overrated. Imagine Billy Sheehan in VH instead...hey just for grins, lets dig up Keith Moon to replace Alexander. I'm getting a headache thinking about that one.


Dis-claimer: No offense to any fans of the aforementioned artists, living or dead (or both). Your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited. Some settling make occur. In clinical studies a placebo was found to cause the same anal leakage as the product. See you doctor. It was a joke, son...a joke.

[Scottzo]

If that really is Duff on Appetite for destruction then he really can't be that bad because the bass lines on the album are solid.

I saw G&R at the old Felt Forum, it's right by MSG and sits about 1600. It was about week after the Album came out. Udo(from Accept) and Zodiac Mindwarp opened ha ha ha.
Then G&R They blew the house up. Did 2hrs played the whole album and an hour of Aerosmith songs. Duff played the lines on the album note for note and they were pretty tight.

Yes I know they were image, I know the music was not Return to Forever..but what was out then? Ciderella?? Ratt?? Poison?? The Beastie Boys were as good as it got.

I saw them about 10 years later at a the Meadowlands which sits 60,000+. and they SUCKED. Half the band was gone and they added about 35 new members and they were all hammered.

I try to find some good in all.

[Dave Siff]

About Michael Anthony.. I went to see Alice In Chains open for VH in 1991, figured I'd hang around and see Van Halen, what the hell, ya know? Michael Anthony got a big solo, and I gotta tell you, I was blown away. He threw in something from about every style, including some serious jazz walking and bebop-sounding stuff. He may not be John Pattituci, but the guy can do more than just pump out 8th note roots.
Now, as far as overrated, I think the most overrated bass player in the world has to be.. ME! I've actually had people come up to me after shows and compliment me on my playing, but I know the truth. I suck. But I'm working on it.

[Brad Johnson]

People assume that what they see is the sum of one's abilities. I know Anthony plays Van Halen songs in the group. That doesn't mean he can't play anything else.

[Scottzo]

M Anthony is a solid player. Listen to his on the early albums.....

I've seen solo's he's done that are laughable...but his job is not to solo, it's a perk.

[JimK]

Originally posted by Brad Johnson
People assume that what they see is the sum of one's abilities. I know Anthony plays Van Halen songs in the group. That doesn't mean he can't play anything else.

...has Anthony played on anybody else's sessions? Has he played in any other environment outside of Van Halen?
If not, then MAYBE what we're hearing is all he can do.
Not that it's a big deal or that it even matters(to me); I'm just throwing my .02 out here(as usual).
...and while I'm certainly no authority, I preferred Roth's first post-Eddie band(w/ Sheehan, Bissonette, & Vai). From what little I've heard, it was apparent to me that this rhythm section could take their tunes "somewhere"(it starts with the drummer).
I dunno, I'm assuming that Van Halen's schtick was pretty much the same night after night. Again, IMO,...whadda I know.
One more tidbit...a non-bass playing friend(a Van halen fan)turned me onto a live video of Van Halen(bought commercially). He was really telling me how I'd be impressed with Anthony's solo. S***, c'mon! IMO, this was pure sonic BS(& I like a lotta "outside"/Free s***). Jaco, Hendrix, & even Santana can pull this kinda stuff off; whatever, it didn't float my boat.

And I'll mention this again('cause one day, somebody will take me up on it)
If you have access to Chicago's FIRST album, check out Terry Kath's piece, "Free Form Guitar"...approximately 10 years BEFORE "Eruption". Play it for your guitar buds who think Eddie invented that stuff!

[Brad Johnson]

Just as it doesn't mean he can't play anything else it also doesn't mean he can. Beats me.

[sn0wblind]

i cant beleive how many people think Jason Newsted is over rated!! I think hes great

I guess you've never heard the Tower of Strength album, and the totally wicked bass solo he did on it , good luck finding it, it's a very rare live album out of some European country, but luckily for me I got this bass solo, if any body gets a chance check this album and bass solo, I think its called Solo Jasona

[gweimer]

I thought I'd jump in with my .02 here. Bands are all put together for a purpose, and that purpose doesn't always include getting the cream of the crop. Each player has a role to play, and a job to do. In the case of Van Halen (note the name of the band), Michael Anthony is there as a support player, and I think he's fairly solid. No, you don't always hear a lot of flashy stuff, but remember the name of the band. MA is where he needs to be, when he needs to be there. As far as Gene Simmons goes, he's a great steady foundation for Kiss. I don't think you'll ever hear him claim to be a virtuoso, but he knows what foundation is. I've been tempted to throw out Jason Newsted here. I have yet to hear anything from him that's anything but solid foundation, yet a lot of you rave about him ("the man listens to Mingus"....blah blah blah). All that taken into account, what has he done for Metallica. Even some of you state that his work with Flotsam and Jetsam was better. Does that make him over-rated, or under-stated?
Before jumping into these topics, it would help to look at the context of the band first. Besides, most virtuoso bassists (aside from Sheehan and Dimaeo ) end up doing some kind of jazz thing.....oops, that's a whole different topic!

[JimK]

Brad-
You gave me a headache with that reply!

[sn0wblind]

you guys want proof that Newstead is a damn good bassist, dowload Scour Exchange( trust me its worth it!!!) and search for tower of Strength Bass solo!!!! I GUARANTEE it will change everybodys' mind about how underated Newstead is!!!!!!!!!!!!

Metallica just dosent want him to steal the show,

and if any body could tab this song out it would be greatly appreciated!!!!! good luck

[Scottzo]

The statement that most great players do a jazz thing does not fly. Charlie Watts did a Jazz thing. I would not point to his jazz attempt as proof he is a great player.

[RAM]

Originally posted by gweimer
I thought I'd jump in with my .02 here. Bands are all put together for a purpose, and that purpose doesn't always include getting the cream of the crop. Each player has a role to play, and a job to do. In the case of Van Halen (note the name of the band), Michael Anthony is there as a support player, and I think he's fairly solid. No, you don't always hear a lot of flashy stuff, but remember the name of the band. MA is where he needs to be, when he needs to be there.

I agree with you that bands are put together for some purpose. But, consider the purpose. Consider what was going on at the time the band was formed. In the case of Van Halen, do you think that Eddie and Alex set out to audition hundreds of bass players and happened to find the best one? I think not! He was just there at the right time, and that does NOT speak of his talent, or lack of thereof!

The guy's simply a piece of crap bass player and shouldn't be recognized as anything but that! And, call him solid if you want. Did you know that Eddie had to play half of his bass lines for him? What do you think some of rock's better bassists would do in that band, to keep things solid and tasteful? Do you think Pino Palladino, for example, would choose to play the songs as cheaply?

I have a hard time believing that a player such as Palladino would do anything but enhance the situation, in a way that MA does not! And, that would not merely "lay a foundation".

[DownCaster]

i am a little new blooded for really respecting McCartney...i truthfully think that the Bassists from Hendrix are what rose the bar for playing bass...

but while i am on the point...i think that Sam Rivers (Limp Bizkit) is a overrated Bass Player. He has a unique sound which is kool at first...until you hear ever other LB song out there and figure out that all his **** is basically the same...

Jason Newsted is probably the most overrated bassplayer of all time though. i mean it can't be easy trying to fill the shoe of someone like Cliff Burton(R.I.P) but he isn't much of a bass player.

Fieldy of Korn isn't really all that overrated...think about this...it is hard to get a regular bassline across when there are 2 tuned down guitars ripping up everything, you have to have a sound (slapping) that defers from that of the guitars. he is just trying to be unique and is a good bass player for what he is.