Best Punk Bassist?

[mbell75]

Your cover is amazing!!

Wish it was my cover! haha

 

[descendent22]

Not in any specific order but Mike Watt, Karl Alvarez, Matt Freeman are 3 TRUE punk bassist that really exceed the average. These guys are very different And unique in there playing. Paul Siminon gets an honorable mention.

 

[mellowinman]

Of course it's Dee Dee. He is the essence of punk bass playing.

 

[Groovin-G]

Hi;

Currently, for me, I'd say Simon Gallup (The Cure, Lockjaw, The Mag/Spys, The Cry, Fools Dance).

Also, Steven Severin (Siouxsie and the Banshees), Peter Hook (Warsaw, Joy Division, New Order), Jean-Jacques Burnel (The Stranglers), Paul Simonon (The Clash), Dee Dee Ramone (The Ramones) along with many others already mentioned.

 

[cocoune]

Matt Freeman hands down. He's major influence is from the bassist of the who tho.

 

[murphy]

Did anyone mention Jean Jacques Burnell...the Stranglers

 

[Frampton]

Mike Dirnt doesn’t get a lot of love around here, but I think he’s pretty solid.

 

[Jazzcaster89]

Mike Dirnt doesn’t get a lot of love around here, but I think he’s pretty solid.

Agreed.

 

[J_Bass]

Paul Simonon.

 

[BenBreeg]

Punk is a broad category. Reading Maximum RocknRoll in the late 80s/early 90s there were a whole range of bands in there from NY hardcore sounding to the Bay Area stuff to the Dc and Chcago scenes. All punk, all unique.

I agree with Karl Alvarez and Matt Freeman and add Joe Lally from Fugazi, his lines are key to that bands sound and his solo stuff is bery good. Also Pierre Kezdy from Naked Raygun and Pegboy needs added to the list.

 

[spatchthepunk]

Punk is a broad category. Reading Maximum RocknRoll in the late 80s/early 90s there were a whole range of bands in there from NY hardcore sounding to the Bay Area stuff to the Dc and Chcago scenes. All punk, all unique.

I agree with Karl Alvarez and Matt Freeman and add Joe Lally from Fugazi, his lines are key to that bands sound and his solo stuff is bery good. Also Pierre Kezdy from Naked Raygun and Pegboy needs added to the list.

Lots of underrated players from the midwest scene,I got to play with Pierre dozens of times. He always looked like he wanted to toss you off a bridge but he was/is A really nice guy.

 

[PWV]

Simonon from your Final Four. Plus he smashed a P Bass - that’s punk.

 

[hardwired]

Some really good suggestions on this forum. But you missed one.

Violent Femmes founder and bassist Brian Ritchie is one of the top 3 bassists I've seen live. Not just for his playing which is phenomenal (upright or electric) but for his interaction with the audience, he was hilarious. I don't really do bass solos but if I ever did I wish I dreamt up Blister in the Sun or Add it up... I was a sad day when those guys stopped touring widely.

The other bassist who hasn't got a mention is Invalid Link Removed from New Model Army. He followed another legend in Stuart Morrow so probably didn't get the credit he deserved.

 

[dr doofie]

so latley a few of my friends and I have been having a debate over who is the best punk bassist. while punk is not known for its musicianship we still decided it was worth asking. so we asked around our local area and the 4 biggest names are:

Dee Dee Ramone (The Ramones)

Mike Dirnt (Green Day)

Paul Simonon (The Clash)

Krist Noveselic (Nirvana)

so which of these do u think is the best? note: dont pick based on how much u like any of their music, pick the 1 u think is the best bassist period.

Grant Jackson original bassist of Subhumans

 

[Christine]

If Ian Dury and the Blockheads count as punk (which I've heard they do) then Norman Watt Roy destroys everyone else with Rhythm Stick alone.

However, Bruce Foxton of the Jam is a close follower.

Growing up as I did in the midst of the punk eras in the UK, Ian Dury was very much a part of that scene. Even though the music was not perhaps what we might now call punk, my bet for an easy win goes on Norman Watt-Roy...

I have to side with Norman Watt Roy too, he was streets ahead of any other bassist at the time on the London scene and a lovely guy with it.

No mention for Steve Severin (Siouxsie)?

I'm playing in a Banshees cover band now, you could hardly call Severin great or even good but for sheer face to achieve what he did along with the others was pretty cool