Rolling Stone Readers Pick Top 10 Bassists of all time

[faulknersj]

P.S.....sometimes I wish Aston Barrett, Bob Marley's bass player, got more love from
Us bass players...

[inthevelvet]

not a horrible list, but Jamerson, Dunn, and Harris probably could replace a few people on the list.

[RS66LB]

Originally Posted by carlthegroover

Many of you might have already seen this list, but I'd like to know what you TB'ers think of it. You agree with this list?

10. Victor Wooten
9. Cliff Burton
8. Jack Bruce
7. Jaco Pastorius
6. John Paul Jones
5. Les Claypool
4. Geddy Lee
3. Paul McCartney
2. Flea
1. John Entwistle

IMHO, notable absentees: Chris Squire, James Jamerson, Geezer Butler, Carol Kaye, Steve Harris, John Myung, Larry Graham, Tim Commerford, Matt Freeman, Charles Mingus.

Here is the page of the list if you're interested:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pi...-time-20110331

So... perhaps a Top 10 falls short, and it should have been a Top 20 or 30?

Yeah, I fully agree

[RS66LB]

Originally Posted by 4001

Rolling Stone magazine SUCKS. Always has.
I ordered Rush tickets years ago and for whatever reason started getting that crap rag in the mail. I used every one of them for starting fires in my backyard pit.

lol, was about to make a comment akin to yours with the difference being you use it for fire starting whereas I use it as T.P. backup

[Bassist30]

Originally Posted by carlthegroover

According to them, the readers. Not that they know a lot about bass players either.

Readers? More non-playing bassist judging bassist.

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by KenToby

Growing up in the 70s I lived and breathed slap, my issue with Les is that he plays so dirty, I've never heard him play a clean, surgical line yet. Prime example, Listen to The original Reddings "The Awakening" and then listen to Les's... He sounds like a hack, heck, I can play it better than Les!!. Go listen to Louis Johnson's solo on The Brothers Johnson's "Celebration" then come back and honestly tell me how well Les plays. Maybe on the top 3000 list, but top 10, not even close man!!

I've always thought of Les as a "stylist." He's kind of to bass guitar as what Willie Nelson or Jim Morrison are to singing: He doesn't portray the all-encompssing tools of a well-rounded professional player that someone like Keith Horne or Hutch Hutchinson or Carol Kaye or Ed Friedland does. Instead, he's a player with his own unique voice that established his own signature thing within the musical world. Don't get me wrong. I like Les and Primus, but I've never been a Les Fanboy. He probably wouldn't even be on my Top 25 list of favorite bass players. However, I do recognize that he crafted his own unique sound and he does display some chops within that idiom (the technique in Lacquer Head still boggles me).

While I like all of the players on the RS list, it wouldn't be more personal Top 10 list either. As another poster pointed out, the list is mainly compiled from people who probably don't listen to music much outside of mainstream rock radio. It is what it is. While I normally don't agree with Top X lists, they don't get me riled up either like they do for some people.

[carlthegroover]

Originally Posted by faulknersj

Not trying to be a jerk at all..but this is a list of mostly rock players. I know guys that play around my city that in terms of musical knowledge and ability that blow almost any of these guys out of water...with the exception of maybe Wooten. These lists are dumb, but I'm talking about players that sit in with my band, and play around town that guys like Flea would just trip on and be like 'can u show me what you did right there?'. Then you have the Ron Carter's, Mingus's, Esperanza Spaldings, etc...who just go over a lot of people who were raised on rock music's heads IMO. These lists are always biased toward the type of stuff white kids like me were raised on, but, at least in my city, the best bass players are usually cats that grew up playing gospel, and put in the work to learn theory like the back of their hands. I'm really not trying to be a jerk, and I know what it's like to think a guy like Flea is a world class bass player ( he is perfect for RHCP and a great player), but Im not joking when I say I know cats that can run circles around him.

First off, I'd like to say that (being a rock fan for a long time, so I'm obviously biased) rock music is sometimes seriously underestimated. Yes, most of times techniques aren't at all flashy and all in rock bass playing, but they serve a purpose after all. Maybe in rock less is more. Not saying that there isn't very hard and complex rock bass playing, but most often than not it's just power eights and the root notes... but it's the power and attitude that counts in rock, IMHO and IMHE.

Now that I took that out of my chest, I do have to agree that this list is skewed towards rock musicians... and for a reason: it's a list based on the average joe's knowledge of musicians (bass players in this case), and if anything this shows how popular rock music still is.

And yes, many people in that list are probably outdone but many local, relatively unknown bass players. But that's a tragic fact of life apparently. Most of us won't get the spotlight, and this seems to be mostly out of sheer luck.

[carlthegroover]

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

I've always thought of Les as a "stylist." He's kind of to bass guitar as what Willie Nelson or Jim Morrison are to singing: He doesn't portray the all-encompssing tools of a well-rounded professional player that someone like Keith Horne or Hutch Hutchinson or Carol Kaye or Ed Friedland does. Instead, he's a player with his own unique voice that established his own signature thing within the musical world. Don't get me wrong. I like Les and Primus, but I've never been a Les Fanboy. He probably wouldn't even be on my Top 25 list of favorite bass players. However, I do recognize that he crafted his own unique sound and he does display some chops within that idiom (the technique in Lacquer Head still boggles me).

While I like all of the players on the RS list, it wouldn't be more personal Top 10 list either. As another poster pointed out, the list is mainly compiled from people who probably don't listen to music much outside of mainstream rock radio. It is what it is. While I normally don't agree with Top X lists, they don't get me riled up either like they do for some people.

I agree. I've tried to hear Les and Primus stuff, and frankly I wasn't at all into it. But that being said, I've yet to hear someone playing bass with such a different sound as Les Claypool. In "My Name is Mud" his bass playing almost literally sounded like "mud" or "mud-ish". It wasn't pretty for me, but I did recognize he had his own style. Maybe that's enough to give him a chance to be in a list of influential bass players.

[carlthegroover]

Originally Posted by Bassist30

Readers? More non-playing bassist judging bassist.

I know. But even considering that fact, you'd think that they hit the mark with someone in the list?

[faulknersj]

Originally Posted by carlthegroover

First off, I'd like to say that (being a rock fan for a long time, so I'm obviously biased) rock music is sometimes seriously underestimated. Yes, most of times techniques aren't at all flashy and all in rock bass playing, but they serve a purpose after all. Maybe in rock less is more. Not saying that there isn't very hard and complex rock bass playing, but most often than not it's just power eights and the root notes... but it's the power and attitude that counts in rock, IMHO and IMHE.

Now that I took that out of my chest, I do have to agree that this list is skewed towards rock musicians... and for a reason: it's a list based on the average joe's knowledge of musicians (bass players in this case), and if anything this shows how popular rock music still is.

And yes, many people in that list are probably outdone but many local, relatively unknown bass players. But that's a tragic fact of life apparently. Most of us won't get the spotlight, and this seems to be mostly out of sheer luck.

Hey man...I feel ya...rock usually calls for selfless playing that makes everyone else look good, and doing what is best for the song. I agree with that 100%....and that's why I have an issue with that list. Who was better a better (more skillful, more tricks, more licks, more knowledge of the game) player...Michael Jordan...or Scotty Pippen? Sure, Pippen played an essential role, and helped to maximize Jordan's potential...but who was BETTER at basket ball? Which guy could do stuff the other guy couldn't? Trust me...I feel where u rock dudes are coming from...that's the world I grew up on...but when I tell u there are some players out there that I know that play sucky little gigs around town that could take some of these guys on the list 1 on 1 and school them that come from Gospel, soul, jazz, blues, funk roots...I'm not lying. Who are the 10 best BASS PLAYERS...not BANDS WITH COOL BASS PLAYERS, or BEST ROLE PLAYERS, or MOST INFLUENTIAL BASSISTS. I know it's semantics, but that's my opinion lol!!

[Peepaleep]

No Jamerson, Stanley Clarke, Rocco Prestia or Jerry Jemmott makes this a stupid list.

[DeliriumTremens]

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

Ten electric bass players who could be on that list because they are truly well rounded musicians that can easily handle a variety of different styles and gigs:

Jaco
Stanley Clark
Anthony Jackson
Will Lee
Marcus miller
Brian Bromberg
Dave Hungate
Our own Roy Vogt
Chuck Rainy
Nathan East

There are many others who could be on this list, but with the exception of Wooton, none of the players on the Rolling Stone list are close to being there. They are all popular artists who had an impact on music, but they are simply not great bass players in the pure sense of the term.

John Paul Jones was a first call session guy before he was in Led Zep. He's totally legit on a 'best bassists' list

[peledog]

6 pages? Seems like that list has provoked what it intended to provoke. They win.

[carlthegroover]

Originally Posted by peledog

6 pages? Seems like that list has provoked what it intended to provoke. They win.

Rage and indignation from the electric bassist community? I wouldn't know if that was their intention.

But for all intents and purposes, some people here have proposed a few good nominees for a better "most influential bass players of modern times" list. Which was one of my goals with this thread.

I realize that any "Top 10", especially when it comes to musicians, is pretty bogus because there is no hard truth about being "top" in anything. It's mostly about perspective and tastes.

[carlthegroover]

Originally Posted by faulknersj

there are some players out there that I know that play sucky little gigs around town that could take some of these guys on the list 1 on 1 and school them that come from Gospel, soul, jazz, blues, funk roots...I'm not lying. Who are the 10 best BASS PLAYERS...not BANDS WITH COOL BASS PLAYERS, or BEST ROLE PLAYERS, or MOST INFLUENTIAL BASSISTS. I know it's semantics, but that's my opinion lol!!

Agreed with all the above. That's why I want to try my luck in funk, some reggae and (eventually) some jazz. I realize that most rock bass playing won't get you far when it comes to sheer technique and musical knowledge.

[Natropath]

Years ago there was a top 100 list of guitar players that grouped guitarists in no particular order and assigned no numbers. The categories were sort of cultural, sort of musical, sort of maketing, but the list worked. They put dudes like Clapton, Hendrix, Page and Chuck Berry in the "legends" catagory or something. Another catagory was "innovators" and had Les Paul and Robert Fripp in it. It was a great set of articles, and turned me on to a bunch of artists I wouldn't have thought about. I believe that it didn't sell well. Maybe we should try to put together more lists like this.

All that to say, this is a pretty good list, considering it was done by voting readers (or however they did it.) I still mention Jamerson and the Funk Brothers to people and get sideways looks. Try to tell someone about Carol playing all that Beach Boys stuff? Forget it. At least they know who John Entwistle is.

[mjac28]

That's strange my name was mentioned? I must be number eleven? anyone have the top eleven all time list?

[faulknersj]

Originally Posted by carlthegroover

Agreed with all the above. That's why I want to try my luck in funk, some reggae and (eventually) some jazz. I realize that most rock bass playing won't get you far when it comes to sheer technique and musical knowledge.

Cool man! Jazz is the one that takes the 'mental game' in bass playing to a whole new place...and funk and reggae are very rhythmic and cyncopated. The best players I know on any instrument have mastered nearly every style to the extent that if u catch them playing jazz one night, you'll think that's their 'thing' and if u catch them playing funk, or country, you'll think that is their thing. But jazz is usually tbe common thread that took a bass players mental game to the next level. It is rare to find pure rock players that approach music from a chordal perspective.

[mellowinman]

Absolute all time top ten bassist list, and if you don't agree, you're just WRONG.

10. Greg Gormand
9. John Smith
8. Rex Halbertson
7. Grble Grbleson
4. Songway Endguy
5. That One Guy Who Yodels at WalMart
4. Songway Endguy
3. Your Mama
2. Heywood J.

and the Number One Bass Fisherman of all time:

1. Gary Lee Weintraub

[2meterbassman]

Jack Bruce in a best bass players top10? LOL

I think he is on places 1 to 10 in the top10: "the worst bass players AND singers of all time"...

Greetz

PS: those lists are stupid.