Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
80s pop bands with killer bassists
- Thread starter brett7276
- Start date
Joy Division - 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'
Dark 80's Mod....the bass drives this underground classic.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D8JQpHBQ4jA
Another of my favorite 80's bass lines..Rock The Casbah by The Clash!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=15FfWj11uys
Dark 80's Mod....the bass drives this underground classic.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=D8JQpHBQ4jA
Another of my favorite 80's bass lines..Rock The Casbah by The Clash!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=15FfWj11uys
Derek Forbes was the bass player for Simple Minds from their inception through 1985, therefore he's on their best remembered material. "New Gold Dream"(1982)is my favorite.
aphexafx
A mind is a terrible thing.
- Dec 10, 2013
- 276
- 152
- Disclosures
- Designer - Big Machine Electronics
Nick Beggs of Kajagoogoo
Edit: Oops I see OP mentioned already lol
Edit: Oops I see OP mentioned already lol
+1 on Mick Karn, a unique fretless player(with Japan, solo, and various projects with Peter Murphey/Dali's Car, Midge Ure, Bill Nelson, Gary Numan, Kate Bush)
+1 on Paul Raven---Killing Joke's "Night Time" a quintessential 80's album that featured a tune called, oddly enough, 'Eighties', which was heavily borrowed from by Nirvana for 'Come As You Are'; his predecessor, Youth, was no slouch either
+1 on Graham Maby w/Joe Jackson; he navigated lots of Latin style lines when JJ went in that direction
then...
Norman Watt-Roy with Ian Dury, his shining moment was 'Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick'
Dave Allen, first with Gang Of Four, then Shriekback(who featured a lot of groove/world rhythms); key tune: 'My Spine Is The Bassline'---that just about sums it all up
Sarah Lee, DA's replacement in Go4, played with Robert Fripp for a while before that, then later in the B-52's
Tina Weymouth always had tasty melodic lines in Talking Heads(who also explored world rhythm later on)and Tom Tom Club
JJ Burnel with the Stranglers always had great grindy Entwistle-like lead bass lines on their earlier stuff; they got more synthy as the decade wore on, be he always delivered; key early tracks:'Peaches', 'Nice And Sleezy'(technically 70's, but who's counting?)
Colin Moulding with XTC was a McCartney for the New Wave, perfect melodic lines in very quirky songs
For pure African stuff, do not fail to check Fela Kuti(so many albums, but "Black President" will get you going), and King Sunny Ade(start with the album "Juju"), not to mention the compilation, "Incredible Beat Of Soweto"
+1 on Paul Raven---Killing Joke's "Night Time" a quintessential 80's album that featured a tune called, oddly enough, 'Eighties', which was heavily borrowed from by Nirvana for 'Come As You Are'; his predecessor, Youth, was no slouch either
+1 on Graham Maby w/Joe Jackson; he navigated lots of Latin style lines when JJ went in that direction
then...
Norman Watt-Roy with Ian Dury, his shining moment was 'Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick'
Dave Allen, first with Gang Of Four, then Shriekback(who featured a lot of groove/world rhythms); key tune: 'My Spine Is The Bassline'---that just about sums it all up
Sarah Lee, DA's replacement in Go4, played with Robert Fripp for a while before that, then later in the B-52's
Tina Weymouth always had tasty melodic lines in Talking Heads(who also explored world rhythm later on)and Tom Tom Club
JJ Burnel with the Stranglers always had great grindy Entwistle-like lead bass lines on their earlier stuff; they got more synthy as the decade wore on, be he always delivered; key early tracks:'Peaches', 'Nice And Sleezy'(technically 70's, but who's counting?)
Colin Moulding with XTC was a McCartney for the New Wave, perfect melodic lines in very quirky songs
For pure African stuff, do not fail to check Fela Kuti(so many albums, but "Black President" will get you going), and King Sunny Ade(start with the album "Juju"), not to mention the compilation, "Incredible Beat Of Soweto"
+1 on Derek Forbes
Then of course Pino Palladino (Gary Numan, Paul Young) and ABBA's Rutger Gunnarsson
Then of course Pino Palladino (Gary Numan, Paul Young) and ABBA's Rutger Gunnarsson
Genesis got pretty poppy during the 80's with Mike Rutherford on bass.
Another one would be Steve Webster from the Alannah Miles band. He played some really sweet fretless on her debut album. He has also played with a lot more people such as Billy Idol, Carole Pope and Parachute Club.
Michael Visceglia also did some wonderful things with Suzanne Vega and has been a close collaborator ever since.
But my biggest favourite that has not been mentioned, Simply Red. The bass lines on the whole New flame record, and especially the title track were so interesting and tasty. Tony Bowers on bass there.
Another one would be Steve Webster from the Alannah Miles band. He played some really sweet fretless on her debut album. He has also played with a lot more people such as Billy Idol, Carole Pope and Parachute Club.
Michael Visceglia also did some wonderful things with Suzanne Vega and has been a close collaborator ever since.
But my biggest favourite that has not been mentioned, Simply Red. The bass lines on the whole New flame record, and especially the title track were so interesting and tasty. Tony Bowers on bass there.
aphexafx
A mind is a terrible thing.
- Dec 10, 2013
- 276
- 152
- Disclosures
- Designer - Big Machine Electronics
Definitely +1 on Tina Weymouth (and Talking Heads compositions in general).
Also, while not a traditional bassist, Vince Clarke did really amazing things on monophonic bass synths, and on synthesizers in general. He's a HUGE influence on many many bands and sounds. I think I'll go add him to my influences list.
Also, while not a traditional bassist, Vince Clarke did really amazing things on monophonic bass synths, and on synthesizers in general. He's a HUGE influence on many many bands and sounds. I think I'll go add him to my influences list.
Speaking of something dark, I'd definitely add David J (born david haskins), Bassist of Bauhaus, Love&Rockets and the Jazz Butcher on some LP's. He now plays solo under his name.
He's always played on a fretless Precision, which is quite odd, when you think of the genre they're known for: gothic.
A few links to some songs on YouTube to give you an idea of his bass approach:
Bauhaus videos:
Bela Lugosi's dead
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OKRJfIPiJGY
Double dare
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OUDjhyrjDes
Hair of the dog
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bMmd8-5oG3Q
Love&Rockets videos
Kundalini express
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8mnx8jnsYfc
He's always played on a fretless Precision, which is quite odd, when you think of the genre they're known for: gothic.
A few links to some songs on YouTube to give you an idea of his bass approach:
Bauhaus videos:
Bela Lugosi's dead
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OKRJfIPiJGY
Double dare
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OUDjhyrjDes
Hair of the dog
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bMmd8-5oG3Q
Love&Rockets videos
Kundalini express
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8mnx8jnsYfc
Kev Hopper - Stump was the band in the 80's <- must listen playing, he's still active as a solo artist, he's got some soundcloud stuff under "spoombung", absolute genius player who to this day plays like absolutely no one else.
Mark Lickley - ABC < knock your socks off fretless grooving on Lexicon of Love album
And of course Tony Franklin was the big boy of fretless pop-rock playing in the 80's, his sound and groove on The Firm's first album is great.
Mark Lickley - ABC < knock your socks off fretless grooving on Lexicon of Love album
And of course Tony Franklin was the big boy of fretless pop-rock playing in the 80's, his sound and groove on The Firm's first album is great.
Took long enough....
Leigh Gorman is a very underrated bassist. I'm always surprised his name doesnt come up often on this forum. And of course David Barbe lifted lots of his beats on african music.
