Bassists who use distortion

[Mon Rominee]

Yeah, even liked "Move on"...dreamy...

I dunno what he used, but he had that cool Jazz with the Tele headstock (always wanted one of those...)

And Rob DeLeo is doing a solo record. He was the brains of STP, imo.

 

[hvingsand]

Matt Sharp made weezer a GREAT band...
Still think they're good. Mikey was an ok replacement (but without Matts voice), but I think Scott is "too good" for weezer... doesn't fit.

Anyway, I think Matt used the russian Big Muff for his distortion. Got one myself, of course

 

[FireAarro]

I'm sorry, but I have to step in and teach you a few lessons. I agree, he is better than all the Dream Theatre members put together. Why? Because Dream Theatre doesn't exist. Spell it right. Dream Theater. John Myung could do anything that guy did plus some with his eyes closed. He had all the speed plus some of Cliff.

And then you dare to say he had more jazz chops than Jaco Pastorius? Wake up, you're a dreamy fanboy. Burton played metal for a reason: because it's what he did best. Bottom line. You can compaire him to metal bassists on his calibre, yes, he is a good one, but don't pull in the big dogs because you will be put to shame. Listen to Myung's two hand tapping solo on Metropolis Pt. 1 and cry in shame.

One thing Cliff has over Myung though is that the Dance of Eternity bass solo bit tone was complete mud, whilst Anaesthesia wasn't.

 

[barkatozz]

Come on Guys, it's getting old. Cliff Burton was a Great Bass player, even if you don't like his music, style, or solos, just give him the credit he deserves.


and by the way Fieldy uses the Clink Clang Klunk distortion on most of his songs.


and stuff.

Now I feel the need to chime in.
1) Cliff Burton was awesome & an innovator. Think 1983 & hearing a bass solo like that in addition to how fast he picked with his right hand....incredible
2) Newstead sucked......let's face it......I saw Metallica on the Black album tour & at the end of his solo he started playing the middle part to Orion & it was completely WRONG.....it's like HELLO!!! THEY SELL A TAB BOOK FOR "PUPPETS"---YOU'RE MAKING MILLIONS---GO BUY ONE
3) I think Steve Harris from Iron Maiden is "the" metal bassist. I mean all of the songs have dominant basslines.....he wrote most of 'em & his endurance is incredible. Play The Trooper & Run To The Hills back to back & see if your right hand is ready to fall off.
4) As far as Fieldy is concerned.....all you haters obviously don't like Korn....that's fine BUT his bass fits that music perfectly. Do you think a Jaco run would be appropriate right in the middle of Freak On A Leash?
5) John Myung......great bass player......****ty tone......'nuff said
On a side note....saw Sheehan last night w/ Vai.....incredidible!!
Just my 3 cents......go ahead, now bash me.

 

[DEVILMAN]

Where did ya see Sheehan, at the Starland? S***, I thought it was tomm...


~S~

PS: +1 on all of the above mentioned opinions

 

[BassGod]

2) Newstead sucked......let's face it......I saw Metallica on the Black album tour & at the end of his solo he started playing the middle part to Orion & it was completely WRONG.....it's like HELLO!!! THEY SELL A TAB BOOK FOR "PUPPETS"---YOU'RE MAKING MILLIONS---GO BUY ONE

1. It's Newsted.
2. Newsted is a solid bass player, and one hell of a down-picker. His tone is awesome, and his lines are tasteful. He also had massive stage presence, certainly more than the other Metallica members, including Cliff.
3. Obviously he changed the part of 'Orion' on purpose. I've heard his version.
4. Buy Metallica's Live S**t: Binge & Purge box set. On the Seattle disc, listen for the fills he adds, and then decide whether or not he sucks. I think your opinion will change.

Graeme

 

[barkatozz]

He was in Philly last night. You are right....tomorrow is the Starland where our moderator Mr. Lyons will be attending.

 

[barkatozz]

1. It's Newsted.
2. Newsted is a solid bass player, and one hell of a down-picker. His tone is awesome, and his lines are tasteful. He also had massive stage presence, certainly more than the other Metallica members, including Cliff.
3. Obviously he changed the part of 'Orion' on purpose. I've heard his version.
4. Buy Metallica's Live S**t: Binge & Purge box set. On the Seattle disc, listen for the fills he adds, and then decide whether or not he sucks. I think your opinion will change.

Graeme

1) I don't think so
2) Newstead's tone sux ass..except it was ok on the Garage Days EP...........Cliff had waaaaay more stage presence(like that has anything to do with bass playing)---kinda like saying the Jay Turser Musicman copy in Sunburst is better than that plain old black REAL stingray
3) I hate when people change other peoples parts to suit their own ego
4) I have Live Sh!t....had it since it came out ......and it is Sh!t
5) I'd like to commend the guy who transcribed the bass tap for the "...And Justice" book because he must have dog ears because I can't even hear a bass on that CD

 

[JES]

Paul Malinoski at the end of "Lula" on Shiner's Lula Divinia. Unsung hero of bassdom.

But I repeat myself.

 

[FireAarro]

3) I hate when people change other peoples parts to suit their own ego

Oh, c'mon, what's wrong with someone wanting to play something their way? Live, you don't usually play things note for note. If he thinks it suits the song better, more power to him. I'm sure Cliff doesn't play it exactly like the record live either.

There's no right or wrong man, it's his interpretation of a song.

 

[barkatozz]

Oh, c'mon, what's wrong with someone wanting to play something their way? Live, you don't usually play things note for note. If he thinks it suits the song better, more power to him. I'm sure Cliff doesn't play it exactly like the record live either.

There's no right or wrong man, it's his interpretation of a song.

It didn't sound right..........he was playing the wrong notes.

 

[CBAnaesthesia]

who wants to hear someone play fast when they cant play slow?

he's pretty average if you ask me

Fade to Black? Sanitarium? and orion's not that fast. Thing that should not be? IMO jason was way worse, although he is better than many people give him credit for. And how could Cliff play much slow stuff? Metallica hardly played anything slow till they sold out with that black album and after. AND, jason uses a pick. less respect.

 

[endlessbassic]

Feel free to post your own faves!

I'm finding it very hard to believe that nobody's mentioned Hugh Hopper yet (did i miss it?).. Soft Machine's Vol. 2 = one of *the* ultimate distorted bass primers.. holy crap, is it amazing.

Much respect to Gareth Williams (r.i.p.) from This Heat, as well..

Good call on the Magma, by the way.. lest we forget!

 

[Tecx]

THANK YOU!!! Not only are you the only other person I have seen mention this fine bassist, you know of my favorite band!!! My god man, his tone on Horizontal Hold makes me want to put my face through a wall - soooooooo heavy, and soooooooooooo ahead of his(their) time!!! Do you have any idea what he used??? I have tryed to find any info on his gear for years, but nada...

I am still waiting for the new re-releases!

Alex

Much respect to Gareth Williams (r.i.p.) from This Heat, as well..

 

[endlessbassic]

THANK YOU!!! Not only are you the only other person I have seen mention this fine bassist, you know of my favorite band!!! My god man, his tone on Horizontal Hold makes me want to put my face through a wall - soooooooo heavy, and soooooooooooo ahead of his(their) time!!! Do you have any idea what he used??? I have tryed to find any info on his gear for years, but nada...

I am still waiting for the new re-releases!

Alex

Yes, yes, yes.. Horizontal Hold.. facemelter-deluxe. You hear it and think, "Why am i not listening to this 24 hours a day?!".. and then, of course, you do. The song called 'Sitting' (which i think is a diff. version of Makeshift Swahili) from Made Available, too.. sheesh.

I have seen pics of Gareth with a late-70s sunburst P-Bass, and what appears to be a Selmer 'Treble n' Bass' head, which seems about right..
That guy could've played a broom through a toaster and it would've sounded great.

Good luck on the wait.. These Records are notoriously slow. I think they
re-issue about 10 copies at a time.

 

[Tecx]

Actualy Makeshift is right before Sitting, but that version of Makeshift kicks major ass... But yes, I listened to Horozontal Hols at least 45 hours straight.

Alex

Yes, yes, yes.. Horizontal Hold.. facemelter-deluxe. You hear it and think, "Why am i not listening to this 24 hours a day?!".. and then, of course, you do. The song called 'Sitting' (which i think is a diff. version of Makeshift Swahili) from Made Available, too.. sheesh.

 

[endlessbassic]

Actualy Makeshift is right before Sitting, but that version of Makeshift kicks major ass... But yes, I listened to Horozontal Hols at least 45 hours straight.

Alex

Right you are.. my b. A friend of mine has some live TH stuff
that is so unbeleivably earth-scorching.. nice to know what the word 'live' can actually mean, as those guys were *not* f'ing around! ..still trying to get a copy of that one.

 

[bassist66]

Garbage's bassist uses distortion on numerous songs, especially on their "Beautiful Garbage" record.

 

[endlessbassic]

I've got two more for the list:

The early Dinosaur Jr. rec's ('Bug' and 'Living All Over Me' specifically) have the most badass Ric through a Rat tone.. i think J probably recorded it, despite the fact that Lou Barlow was considered the 'bass player'..

And Deb Googe from My Bloody Valentine, esp. on 'Loveless'.. gorgeous.
That's the sound of a Roger Mayer VooDoo bass pedal, by the way..

 

[GTBASS]

My 2 cents on the whole Cliff/Jason/Trujillo thing......

I first heard Cliff AFTER hearing Billy Sheehan, so of course, I was somewhat unimpressed with him at first, but when you look at his vision of the band(IMO, he would've quit the band before the Black album, had he lived) and his attitude, really, comparing him to Myung or Sheehan or anybody is like comparing Angus Young to Yngwie--I like both for different reasons, and for non-pick playing with balls and tone in the early days of thrash, man, he was head and shoulders(and neck and HAIR too lol) above everybody else.

Newstead I felt stepped into what had to have been the most difficult sitch in the world and did the best he could. I'm not a pick fan but YOU try to play what he played and you'll gain new respect for him. I think Lars and James held him WAY back and after he made bank he bailed to do what he wants. Good for him!!!

Trujillo hopefully won't be a Newstead rerun--this guy can play and it would be CRIMINAL to hold him back(tho I don't wanna hear popping and slapping in Metallica songs), so we'll see. I wish he would've stayed with IG and after a few Metallitours I suspect he will wish that too(for musicality's sake, as we know the Metallimachine will fatten up his bank accounts, deservedly so).

Has no one mentioned Billy Sheehan for distortion? Listen to the live half of "The Talas Years" and drool over the harmonics he gets and how he makes a bass scream like EVH one octave lower....his secrets for his tone include notching out the really obnoxious lows in the distorted part, but also using FET-type distortion AND(never saw this specifically mentioned by Billy, but I figured it out for myself) more than one gain stage of distortion.

He still uses Pearce preamps for distortion (I think) before his signature Ampeg preamp (which I owned, but sold before I realized what he was doing-it by itself didn't nail his tone) to get that gnarly meaty tone......