Best grunge bass player

[Matt Till]

Surely you do not lump in rock like, say, Rush with grunge.

It was more me poking fun at arf. When I think of Nirvana, or Mudhoney: "Talented" isn't the first word that springs to mind, but I wouldn't call them talentless.

I would certainly call Soundgarden or Pearl Jam talented. Those are bands where everyone is what I would consider above proficient at their instruments, at least in the rock genre.

Besides, Rush is prog rock.

 

[Ablebasser]

Elizabeth Davies from Seven Year Bitch for a bit of girl grunge, great lines and sound on her Stingray. Novoselic was the player who made me want to take up bass, he wrote some great catchy basslines, I hate it when he gets a slagging. Ben Shepherd, Mike Inez, Matt Lukin, DeLeo, Kurt Danielson from Tad, David Wm. Simms, Henry Bogdan (if you wanna lump Helmet in with grunge) are all great as well, each one of them with a completely different playing style, but then again most of the first wave of bands who got called grunge sound completely different from each other. I never actually got into Jeff Ament's playing but I respect him as a musician.

 

[leftdecay]

DeLeo is awesome and Mike Inez is amazing

 

[phxlbrmpf]

Surely you do not lump in rock like, say, Rush with grunge.

If you ever catch yourself listening to a song by Soundgarden or Pearl Jam (it looks very much like you never have), tell me their stuff is simplistic and anyone can play it. I'm not a big Alice in Chains expert but they had two killer bass players who came up with extremely notey and creative lines.

The styles of the rock bands lumped together using the term "Grunge" is really diverse and not all of them played simple stuff like Nirvana.

 

[Blown Cone]

I hate to keep mentioning sean yseult and White Zombie, but try this out.

 

[neurotictim]

I'm jumping on the DeLeo/Inez bandwagon - two of the most influential bassists in my beginning years.

 

[joeydavidson]

Krist from Nirvana

He had cool lines and always a good interesting sound.

also Ben Shepherd but Krist was the man - a big influence, one of the reasons why I play with a pick and also why I became interested in that scoopy ampegish sound

 

[2001-Ps]

I'd say Ament, Inez & DeLeo....These guys came up with very interesting lines...

``No Excuses`` AIC, could we say the song is built around the bass line ?
``Interstate Love Song, Plush`` STP, interesting stuff there...
``Jeremy`` Pearl Jam, one of the classic bass riffs of grunge rock...

Just my 0.02....

 

[Funky Chowder]

I'll also jump on the DeLeo bandwagon, since not only does he come up with great lines that are melodically interesting and support the song, but he's also often singing harmonies while doing it live.

 

[scottice]

Ament... but I like them all.

 

[NKUSigEp]

"Would?" is one of the coolest bass lines ever and the rest of the stuff on Dirt and Facelift is amazing so my vote goes to Mike Starr.

 

[tmart937]

My band plays No Excuses, Plush and Jeremy. I have the most 'fits' with Plush. DeLeo is always all over the place. Ament was more about the whats good for the song. Inez was solid all around.

Also who can forget the flubbed harmonic during Release on Ten! It proves Ament is human and that they recorded that album 'live'.

 

[scottice]

"Would?" is one of the coolest bass lines ever and the rest of the stuff on Dirt and Facelift is amazing so my vote goes to Mike Starr.

No argument from me.

 

[DanGouge]

Jeff Ament for me.

 

[CapnSev]

"Would?" is one of the coolest bass lines ever and the rest of the stuff on Dirt and Facelift is amazing so my vote goes to Mike Starr.

Facelift has some great lines in it. It's a grunge album where the bass really sticks out too I think.

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

Robert DeLeo. His licks, hooks and grooves are consistantly tastey.

Rezdog

 

[EnderZ13]

sorry guys... I have to go there.

DeLeo!

How can you people forget about STP??? A little late, yes, but awesome and the same crowd! 1up

Ooh. +1. DeLeo is good.

+100000000000000000000000000000000000

Robert DeLeo has some awesome bass lines.

+1

That guy can grooooove.

I was trying to find a way to SCREAM about DeLeo's basslines in forum of late, Interstate Love Song, one fave lines

I guess I'm a simple bass player that loves melodic and groovy lines. Sorry I can't be Jaco, I'll settle for Jamerson slow and steady

 

[Eric Perry]

I love me some Mike Inez/Jeff Ament

+1!!! Definitely gotta add DeLeo too, however.

 

[kurtolo]

Jeff Ament

 

[Elrend]

If Blind Melon counts as grunge, Brad Smith.

If not I'm definetely gonna go with Jeff Ament.