• 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.

Bassist-Lead singers

A

ArturoOsito

Guest
Aug 21, 2012
191
13
#1
This is a thread dedicated to that magically rare combo of bassists who sing most or all of the leads for the band.

So first, who here pulls this double duty? I do, my band is a dance-rock kinda nonsense, twin guitars and a gal who sings and plays keys. It's very interesting to play bass and sing, eh? It's a bit of an adjustment at first due to the oftentimes conflicting rhythms of the right-hand and the vocal, but it's also kind of a relief to not have to be covering the keys or guitar.

Also, please share any links to youtube videos etc. of kickass examples of this phenomenon. Obviously guys like Sting and Geddy come to mind, but it would be cool to learn of other guys who bump and sing, to study their techniques.

BOOM
 
#5
I'm planning on singing all or most of the lead with my band, 'cause I don't want to find a singer who gels with the other guys in the band as much as we already gel with each other. Fortunately the lead guitarist can sing as well, so we can pull of a Mastodon-like thing.

Speaking of Mastodon: Troy sings the chorus of Curl of the Burl. Even more impressively, the drummer and the lead guitarist lead the verse in tandem!
 
#6
Kavyen Tempery does a good job of lead vocals and bass in Eskimo Joe, I was also at a festival yesterday and saw the bassist of Regurgitator basically rap/sing a few songs solo if you're into that kind of thing. And finally, obviously we can't forget Paul McCartney...
 
#8
Blasphemy. Lynott is responsible for some killer bass lines. Try listening to some of the deeper cuts.

Upon reading the thread title, Ben Orr jumped into my head. Definitely one of the coolest cats in rock and roll history.
 
#15
I am the lead singer and bass player of our band.

We play covers - Ramones, Misfits, Social Distortion, Bad Religion and harder n faster renditions of popular songs like Hello (Lionel Ritchie), Jolene (Dolly Parton), Suspicious Minds (Elvis). Etc.

We've only been together for about 3 months, already had 3 gigs, more already booked. We are planning on writing/playing originals too, in the near future.
 
#16
I am yet another frontman/bassist. My inspiration came from Jack Blades from NightRanger. I was in an act opening for them in some regional shows back in the 80's when Sister Christian was all over MTV and the radio. I eventually also started using a Hero Flat Thumb pic so I could be able to use my hands for...dramatic effect. While I've been playing since '73 , I moved out front around '88. I do still work at times with bands where I am not THE singer, but eventually, I gravitate back to it, probably because down deep, I'm an egomaniac. Egomania is of course the basis for all lead singing frontmen in a band situation, whether we play bass or not. Realistically, I have more need/desire to sing and front than I do to play bass.

I still find some things very difficult to sing and others not. No real rhyme nor reason, some songs work for me some don't. I make it a practice not to spend mountains of time trying to force things. Playing in cover acts, if it doesn't just jump right out at me, I leave it alone and find other material that does flow. There are thousands of great cover songs, no reason to make it more difficult, no matter how badly the guitarist has to play a given song because he wants to hear himself play a lead on it if it means I would sound like crap on it. Vocals first and foremost in cover bands after all. I have also put the bass down and played rhythm and sang, and also I have just sang in front of bands.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back