Bassists who use distortion

[hieronymous]

(Been wanting to post this for a while, searched and didn't find anything quite like it...)

Some of my favorite tracks with distorted bass:

1. "Motorhead" by Motorhead - live version on "No Sleep 'til Hammersmith"
Lemmy Kilmister - completely over the top!!! I also love the solo on "Stay Clean" from "Overkill", as well as the title track

2. "N.I.B." by Black Sabbath - first Black Sabbath album
Geezer Butler - love that midrangey tone, especially coming out of the loopy wahwah bass solo

3. "De Futura" by Magma - studio version from "Udu Wudu"
Jannick Top - crazed 18 minute bass and drum workout

4. "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part II" by King Crimson - live version on "USA"
John Wetton - this is my favorite Wetton sound, also "Asbury Park". Come to think of it, the "Red" album has some great sounds too...

5. "Kobah" by Magma - on Live/Hhai
Bernard Paganotti - slightly obscure entry, from one of the most accessible Magma albums

6. "Sunshine of Your Love" by Jimi Hendrix - live version on "Live at Winterland"
Noel Redding - for some reason this track holds special memories for me - maybe the sound of Marshalls farting out from too much abuse!

Of course, this list isn't exhaustive, I might think of more.
Feel free to post your own faves!

[Perfect-Tommy]

Well, I might as well not even pretend this isn't coming....

Most of anything by Ben Folds 5, especially off of self-titled.
Robert Sledge took a mix of rock styles, the sensiblity of jazz player and then ran it all through a Big Muff. Their early "Punk rock for p**sies" approach to their sound left a lot of room for him to take his style and run with it.

Great examples, "Uncle Walter", "Jackson Cannery", "Julianne", "Underground", "Kate", and "Army" to name a few.

[By-Tor]

I believe Cliff Burton used distortion and wah on Anastesia-Pulling Teeth.

[Metallideth]

cliff burton (R.I.P)

used his big muff and wah for tons of sonigs on kill em al and all of his solos.

[hieronymous]

Originally Posted by By-Tor

I believe Cliff Burton used distortion and wah on Anastesia-Pulling Teeth.

Good call!

Also on "Orion" from "Master of Puppets"? I always assumed the fade-in intro was distorted bass, though it sounds almost like a Hammond organ. And the bass solo too, if I remember correctly! (Haven't owned a copy of that in a while...)

[Metallideth]

orionsbegging was a sytheseized effect. im pretty sure orion had just a slight amount of wah

[hieronymous]

Thought of another one!

"Ivixor B" by Electric Wizard, from "come my fanatics..." - killer distortion and wah by Tim Bagshaw. Uses distortion and effects (especially on "Dopethrone"), but this track stands out in my head.

[heath_the_great]

Timmy C (RATM, Audioslave)

He runs 2 amps and has one clean and one distorted and sometimes runs both distorted or both clean...just listen to "Wake Up" on the self titled album...But he uses this setup during almost all guitar solo's...especially live...gives the effect that theres a second guitar.....

Les Claypool

Jerry Was a Racecar Driver...and alot of Primus's songs actually......

IMO Cliff Burton wasn't really that Good/inspirational/Ground Breaking.......Like, what was the big Hype? IMO Jason was much Better and Trujillo the next level? it was a pity that metallica didn't let Claypool join....i spose he would of shown the rest of the band up though

[hieronymous]

How could I forget?!! One of my favorites, because it has both distortion and 8-string bass (a Kramer):

"My School" by Galactic Cowboys, from the first album - Monty Colvin on bass!!!

He talks about recording bass with distortion at http://www.12stringbass.net/

[hieronymous]

DUH!!! DOUG PINNICK - King's X!!! Another I can't believe I forgot...

If I have to pick a favorite track, it'd be "Junior's Gone Wild" from the "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey" soundtrack.

[Perfect-Tommy]

Originally Posted by heath_the_great

it was a pity that metallica didn't let Claypool join....i spose he would of shown the rest of the band up though

Well.... there are some that would disagree with you on that one. Myself being one of them. I think that Les Claypool might not be the bass guru that he is now if he had to deal with someone else's vision. I mean, he went on to do Primus. Primus is his band doing his music. I guess I might come down hard on the idea too because reserving a few songs, I have little respect for Metallica. It might have something to do with my lack of exposure to them, but I can only think of a few songs that I can say I enjoy of their's.

[thebug]

Peter Steele of Type O Negative uses distortion a lot.....

[heath_the_great]

but what made him great? thats what i wanna know...everyone says he's this great bassist and they can't seem to back it up....someone said to me that the orion solo is the best bass solo they've ever heard...its just 4th's 5th's and octaves for christs sake..not very hard...he can play fast....so what?...who wants to hear someone play fast when they cant play slow?

he's pretty average if you ask me

[supermonkey]

Good call on Cliff. He had a classic distorted sound. Glad to hear Wetton mentioned too -- he had a really nasty grind to his sound that I've been obsessed with since hearing Lark's Tongues and USA for the first time.

How 'bout:
Billy Sheehan
John Entiwistle
Tony Levin (on several Crimson records)
Mike Rutherford (check out "Lamb Lies Down...")
Jack Bruce
Tim Bogert
Colin Greenwood

[I-Love-Ratm]

Dirk Lance of Incubus on Calogne and Deep Inside

[Tecx]

Colin Greenwood of Radiohead:
Myxomatosis
National Anthem
Exit Music (for a film)

Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys:
Gratitude

Any tune by Godflesh...!

Dave Edwarson of Neurosis:
Lost
Cold Ascending
The last You'll know


Alex

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

Simon Gallup (the Cure)- screw, fascination street, at night
plus various live versions

JJ Burnel (the Stranglers)- his sound from 1977 to around 1980 had a lot of distortion in it- peaches, nice n'sleazy, toiler on the sea, genetix etc.

[oddity_uk]

Chris Wolstenholme from Muse... especially Bliss and Hyper Music... great bass sound

Steven

[growlngrind]

One of the coolest I heard was Noel Redding during the "Sunshine of Your Love" instrumental on the Jimmy Hendrix- Live at Winterland album.

If you guys want to hear Les Claypool playing thrash-metal, find a copy of Blind Illusion's "The Sane Assylum". It is pretty cool, but I would never trade Les with Primus for anything. I love the intro to "John the Fisherman" with distortion and whammy! "Wynonas Big Brown Beaver" is another great example of Claypool with overdrive.

I just picked up a copy of Suicidal Tendencies "Art of Rebellion", hopefully there will be some cool distorted bass from RT on that one!

[BassGod]

In 'The Call of Ktulu' by Metallica there is some good distortion and wah.

~Graeme