Bass Heroes of Post-Punk

[Bruce Lindfield]

I think that was a rather unfunny attempt at humour...

 

[GazzBass]

A few of my faves from back then,

Derek Forbes did some great work on the early Simple Minds records.

Michel Dempsey on the first Cure album and later with The Associates. His work on Sulk is amazing.

Youth from the first Killing Joke line up.

Jeremy Kerr - A Certain Ratio had a great Peter Hook meets Bootsy sound .

Stephen Mallinder - Cabaret Voltaire also had a great funky punk thing going on.

as did

Richard Mcguire from Liquid Liquid

Bill Laswells playing on the early Material and Massacre records is something else.

and of course

Tina Weymouth deserves a mention.

 

[undeadbass]

I think that was a rather unfunny attempt at humour...

Nope, not joking. Jonas Hellborg actually played with John Lydon on "Album".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Album_(Public_Image_Limited_album)

 

[darkrider1]

I always thought the bass playing on that album was bad ass. I guess I'm an even bigger Jonas Hellborg fan and didn't even know it.

 

[Muddslide]

I am partial to some of that music.
I've always loved Hooky's playing and sound, from the JD days to roughly the end of the 80s. I haven't been impressed lately although "Get Ready" isn't too bad and has some moments.

Some others that must be mentioned:

Tim Wright - DNA, Pere Ubu, and some recordings by Essential Logic

I'm fairly certain he was an influence on Hooky. JD were probably in attendance when Ubu played Manchester, at the Factory, and they were known to have been fans of the first Ubu album. Hooky's style is similar to the bass on certain tracks of that album.

Gina Birch - Raincoats, Red Crayola

Tessa Pollitt - The Slits

Simon Underwood - The Pop Group

Holger Czukay, since "Delay" (by Can) is basically post punk (and some of the best ever) although recorded in '68, and also for his work on the Phew album

George Scott III - Eight Eyed Spy, which is clearly post punk; he was also in some crucial no wave bands

Kim Gordon

and obviously Jah Wobble of Public Image

Whoa yeah, buddy. You know your business. That's a class A list!

 

[kraigo]

No mention of Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads? Those are some great bass lines! Since their first album was released in 1977, I don't suppose they were Post Punk - they were in there in the punk movement right way.

I'll plug Television just because Marquee Moon is such a great album. The bass work is fine, but it doesn't stand out to me. The whole album is just so damned cool!

KO

 

[darkrider1]

No mention of Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads? Those are some great bass lines! Since their first album was released in 1977, I don't suppose they were Post Punk - they were in there in the punk movement right way.

Someone already mentioned Tina Weymouth. Great bassist, especially considering that she had "on-the-job training" with the Talking Heads.

 

[Billbassoz]

Norman Watt-Roy of The Blockheads is another post-punk bass-player I like.

 

[troyus]

Both those guys rip.

Man. I love Rourke. He's one of my favourite bassists. Guitar and Bass Magazine posted an example on his playing style in their february issue, which I was pleased about. It only got better when I stumbled onto this months bass player magazine. An interview with Rourke with more examples of his bass lines! and finally, more info on his gear! (does anyone know where I can find a yamaha bb2000 in orange county or london?) He needs to be recognized more.

Here is the interview (minus the examples)

Invalid Link Removed


I would love to see a similar interview for Bruce foxton..

 

[Derek Smalls]

Then there's Invalid Link Removed of A Certain Ratio...
Plus another vote for Andy Warren of Dirk Wears White Socks era Adam and the Ants, but better, with the Monochrome Set.
Still, none of them have got anything on Norman Watt Roy!

 

[scottice]

Kathy Valentine of the Go-Go’s?

 

[troyus]

Ohhhh... Leigh Gorman, of Bow Wow Wow, drips of style. That's more New Wave.

All you Rourke fans take note, this is one hell of a cover;

Link Removed

 

[geezerjpj]

Affirmative for the aforementioned Tim Wright w/Pere Ubu and DNA, Barry Adamson, and oh yeah for Simon Underwood(I love the Pop Group:a huge influence of late). And Tracy Pew and Jah Wobble are the immortal kings of coolness.

I disagree with giving props to Kim Gordon as a bassist. She's a great front person/singer w/a rad persona but a pretty weak bass player. Don't get me wrong...it wouldn't be Sonic Youth without her up front. But, if you've seen Sonic Youth's live set recently with Mark Ibold from Pavement on bass fulltime w/Kim playing part time you can't help but notice how much fuller/better they sound with the strong low end support he provides.

Marnie Greenholz from an early SY contemporary Live Skull was great. The bass is kind of low in the mix but her fretless lines are flowing and interesting, and she sang too before Thalia Zadek(later of Come fame)joined the band.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Clint Conley of Mission of Burma. A righteous bass player driving a righteous band.

Since David Wm. Simms and David Riley(both awesome) have been mentioned I'll mention two others from the 90's. Kevin Strickland/Munro of the Laughing Hyenas and Mule was an early hero of mine as was Kevin Rutmanis of the Cows, and then later the Melvins. Those two guys rocked and especially in/with their early bands.

 

[Derek Smalls]

And another one:
Link Removed of noise funksters Slab. Late post punk, perhaps!

 

[Muddslide]

Marnie Greenholz from an early SY contemporary Live Skull was great. The bass is kind of low in the mix but her fretless lines are flowing and interesting, and she sang too before Thalia Zadek(later of Come fame)joined the band.

Cool to see a Live Skull mention! I was really into them years back.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Clint Conley of Mission of Burma. A righteous bass player driving a righteous band.

I'm pretty sure Clint's been name-dropped on this thread. If not, that's a terrible oversight. He's a killer for sure.

David Wm. Simms and David Riley(both awesome)

Ya got that right!

I'll mention two others from the 90's. Kevin Strickland/Munro of the Laughing Hyenas and Mule was an early hero of mine as was Kevin Rutmanis of the Cows, and then later the Melvins. Those two guys rocked and especially in/with their early bands.

Aw hell yeah! I met Rutmanis years ago in Chicago (dig this bill: Supersuckers, Dwarves, Unsane and Cows--one of the best shows I've ever seen.) Great player, cool guy.

I saw Laughing Hyenas open for Sonic Youth on the "Goo" tour and they slayed. Oh god, what a fantastic rhythm section. Excellent bass playing and one of the most powerful drumers I've ever seen. I swear I thought he was gonna put a stick through a drum head every time he made a beat, and the veins on his forehead and neck seemed like they were going to explode.

 

[geezerjpj]

You're right about Clint Conley being mentioned earlier. I'm still new so I am just learning things like thread searches etc. I love his tone ie jazz bass through a Sunn Model T(guitar version I think).

Two more noteworthies: Alan Brown of bIG fLAME and Rob Wright of NoMeansNo. Not the most tuneful of bands but both very bass driven in their lovely heaviness and cacophony(both styles ie of playing and the bands' sounds, differing very greatly from each other).

 

[darkrider1]

Excellent bass playing and one of the most powerful drumers I've ever seen. I swear I thought he was gonna put a stick through a drum head every time he made a beat, and the veins on his forehead and neck seemed like they were going to explode.

That's not always a good thing. How many drummers have all of us played with who are so totally heavy-handed that everyone in the band wants to throttle them?

We had one where we told him he had to play with brushes for the next 5 rehearsals. That broke him of it a little bit.

 

[nomorethanfour]

Although they might be considered Goth and aren't really that well-known, I've always liked Dave Roberts' bass playing with the group Sex Gang Children. His basslines, like Peter Hook's and Eric Avery's, were integral to most of their songs. I think he joined Christian Death after Sex Gang Children (couldn't find a pic of the guy).

 

[darkrider1]

I remember them. they were a good band.

 

[lunarpollen]

Although they might be considered Goth and aren't really that well-known, I've always liked Dave Roberts' bass playing with the group Sex Gang Children. His basslines, like Peter Hook's and Eric Avery's, were integral to most of their songs. I think he joined Christian Death after Sex Gang Children (couldn't find a pic of the guy).

SGC are a big influence on me (and our singer too, although he doesn't try and sing like Andi), but our band has yet to really incorporate any of their influence into our sound. I would really love to do a song in the style of early SGC. Or Virgin Prunes. There's another great band with some fun bass parts, courtesy of Trevor Rowen.