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Bassists who use distortion

hieronymous

hieronymous

Nov 28, 2002
3,102
6,563
SF Bay Area
soundcloud.com
#1
(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!
 
#2
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.
 
#8
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 :D :p
 
#11
heath_the_great said:
it was a pity that metallica didn't let Claypool join....i spose he would of shown the rest of the band up though :D :p
Click to expand...

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.
 
#13
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
 
#14
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. :bassist:

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
 
#19
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!
 

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