Your opinions on Bassists. Good and bad ones.

[becker4567]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Well aren't you mama's special little angel??? Come on, use the internet for the reason it was invented...to trash people with anonymity

YA!!!!.........................Take that!....(Just kidding)

[Ian the bassist]

Originally Posted by CityEscape

Couldn't have said it any better. People often focus on talent rather than what just "sounds good."

Thats not what I was saying about flea though. That was exactly my point on billy sheehan. He is great technically but I don't like the music he plays Shread shread shread. With flea I actually do like his lines but I think that people focus too much on him rather that on players like geezer butler, john paul jones, victor wooten etc. The players who have brought something to the table beyond what most bass players have. I wasn't critising his music at all. But on another point I have listened to some(Not alot) of Jaco Pastarius. And although I find him also to be a great player also. I think he overuses the harmonics and it loses its grove a bit because of that. Just my opinion.

[Ian the bassist]

Originally Posted by Greevus

I think opinions get too heavy for logic. Logically, Sheehan is very much in the same boat as Stu Hamm, so I can't see how one does it better than the other. You may prefer Stu, but I think they are similar ability-wise, but Stu is a bit more technical. Billy is the street version of him. I think Flea is very popular due to his antics and appearance, but he deserves credit as a rock solid bassist. He is a minimal type player, but very tasty. I grew up on all these guys and I love Cliff Burton. However, Cliff wasn't so rock solid as just freaking cool. It's all how you look at it. I think Cliff was hands down the most creative Metallica guy. He was super clever with his licks and didn't overplay at all. I enjoy his erratic playing because it's so HUMAN. Stu and Billy are super human. I love Steve Harris and Geezer Butler, but any average bassist can play their parts. It's just their FEEL and heart for the music. Cliff had the feel and vibe, very much like Hendrix. I'll take the guys with heart any day, but I admit I get off on watching the freaks shred too. Thank God for the diversity right? I love Dave Ellefson from Megadeth too. Great riffs on those first two records! Wish he was back in 'Deth. No disrespect for Lomenzo, but Ellefson would have been a bit more creative I think.

My point on sheehan wasn't his ability more his ear. I think he is having fun playing his music but it just doesn't sound good(To me anyway). Cliff on the other hand is a great player and I think he has great lines also. Even if he isn't on the same level with sheehan with his technique I think he implements it better with the band and makes him slef known. Without going overboard.

[BKBassDude]

Originally Posted by Greevus

I love Steve Harris and Geezer Butler, but any average bassist can play their parts.

Really? Average players can play Steve Harris lines? I would question that statement rather strongly. The guy is about as solid on technique as you'll hear out of a non solo bassist, especially in a rock setting.

[jmercer91]

i like:Armistead Burwell Smith IV. bob weston, david simms.
i dislike: mark hoppus, pete wentz, flea.

go ahead and hate me

[RHCP250]

Originally Posted by Ian the bassist

Thats not what I was saying about flea though. That was exactly my point on billy sheehan. He is great technically but I don't like the music he plays Shread shread shread. With flea I actually do like his lines but I think that people focus too much on him rather that on players like geezer butler, john paul jones, victor wooten etc. The players who have brought something to the table beyond what most bass players have. I wasn't critising his music at all. But on another point I have listened to some(Not alot) of Jaco Pastarius. And although I find him also to be a great player also. I think he overuses the harmonics and it loses its grove a bit because of that. Just my opinion.

Seems like I hear more people talking about JPJ, Butler, ect more than Flea, but then again most of the people I hang around with know a decent amount about music, but to say Flea hasn't brought anything to the table is pretty foolish IMO. I like his finger style playing more than his slap, but thats because I prefer finger style playing myself, and although he doesn't have the most unique style he is damn good at what he does, makes it sound great, and has inspired just as many people to play bass as the other guys.

[bstringkyle]

Good Bassists

Steve Harris
Geddy Lee
James Jamerson
Jaco Pastorius
Stanley Clarke
Billy Sheehan
Victor wooten

I do not like

Pete Wentz
Feildy
Mark Hoppus

[GeneralElectric]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

I`m pretty sure Jaco was a drummer and Entwistle was a horn player before they switched to bass. I`m sure they fiddled around on guitar like any musician, but I don`t think they were ever guitarists.

Jaco played guitar before he picked up drums. I forget at what point (before or after french horn) that John Entwistle picked it up.

[gavnel]

Cliff Burton is my number 1 he made Orion and For Whome the Bells tolls for god sakes Geezer and Robert Trujillo are also amazing bassist. The bass in NIB is so damn fun to play

[lukep]

I really enjoy John Entwistle, Paul Macartney, Pino Palladino(especially his work with John Mayer) and Nickolai Fraiture(I find that this guy can make some really tasteful lines.).

And i don't find anything special about Cliff Williams.

[LaklandBass]

Bill Gould is the man. yup, thats my choice.

Robert from metallica was good back when he was in suicidal tendencies.
Stephen from dave mathews is great
Jeff from Pearl Jam
The dude that played with incubus on science was great
Ryknow from mudvayne is awesome

[wallshakerpbass]

Good:
John Paul Jones
John Entwistle
John Deacon
Bill Wymann

Not good:
Pete Wentz
Pete Wentz
PETE WENTZ

[PBass101]

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

A lot of famous bassists were originally guitar players... Jaco Pastorius, Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, John Entwistle... They all played guitar before picking up bass.

I've only read in JE interviews that his first stringed instrument was a home-made bass and that he was never a guitar player.

And Pete Wentz may be a worthless bass player, but he's one hell of a businessman.

Seriously, he owns everyone alive in the Western world between the ages of 12 and 18.

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Well aren't you mama's special little angel??? Come on, use the internet for the reason it was invented...to trash people with anonymity

I tried really hard to take this thread seriously after reading this, but I just can't. Jimmy FTW.

[shrimpflea]

Good:
Jamerson
Duck Dunn
Jerry Jemmont
Willie Weeks
JPJ
Mike Watt

Bad:
Me
My friend Rob
A guy I saw a couple years ago in a Vegas cover band