Who played bass on "Midnight Confessions"?

[John Webb]

..heard it on the way to work today and dang that was pretty good playing. Who was it? Someone in another Grassroots post mentioned it was a studio guy?

[RWP]

Not sure but you MUST hear Karla do it
I love this video, great cover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFp0-iQhKCQ

[Winston TK]

Now THAT is a great song. Great band, too. One of the classic and underrated 60s/70s bands.

I'm not sure who actually recorded the bass track on the original recording, but I happened to catch The Grass Roots on one of those retro PBS spectaculars a little while back. This particular episode was a stellar reunion of killer bands and artists of the "Bubblegum" era.

The Grass Roots performed none other than "Midnight Confessions" on this particular broadcast, and the lead singer actually handled the bass work as well. I watched him very closely and he was definitely doing the deed convincingly. I was amazed. Some great split-brain coordination going on there for sure. Don't know if he did the studio playing, though. He certainly had the ability. His chops were excellent.

[20db pad]

As we well know by now, the bassist was Carol Kaye....

I'm kidding. I'm pretty sure it was Joe Osborne. Lemme double check....

EDIT: JO played on every hit tune the Grass Roots ever had. I can't find "smoking gun" evidence on the net, but it'd be safe to assume he played on "Confession"

This link from Vintage Guitar magazine mentions Joe as the bassist on the tune, look under the year 1968.

http://www.vintageguitar.com/artists/details.asp?ID=166

[Alan Vorse]

I've heard Joe Osborne, but much like the Jamerson thing, Carol Kaye claims to have recorded it.

[bradjonesbass]

Carol is an amazing bass player, but is there anything she doesn't claim to have plaid on? Maybe it was her playing all those licks that Bootsy gets credit for...

[GM60466]

It was Joe Osborn. Check his web site the song is listed there.

GM