Favorite bassists who influenced your style

[Deleted member 409773]

My early influences: Mark King, Louis Johnson, Stuart Zender.
More recent ones: Justin Raines, Vincen Garcia, Andrew Gouche.

 

[Geepers]

Duck, the end.

 

[JRA]

ron carter, the beginning.


i've listened to the maestro's work since he was a youngster and i wasn't even a bass player yet (saxes). i like other players, too, and i listen to just about everyone, but ron's playing has informed a lot of my efforts.

 

[Jhalb]

Bruce, Jack Bruce

 

[brianrost]

I was inspired by a lot of bassists but I don't know if any of them influenced my style or not. Heck, I don't know if I even have a style.

I certainly am not playing remotely like Jack Bruce or Dave Holland who are my two favorites.

 

[Killing Floor]

Reggie Workman
Mike Watt
Paul Simonon
Pete Overend Watts
Billy Shears
Pete Quaife
Ric Grech

And probably whoever played on the Speed Racer cartoons

 

[ImTheOnlyOne]

The Ox
Juliana Hatfield
Steve Harris
John Doe
Graham Maby
Nick Harmer

Aspirationally:
Billy Sheehan
Chris Squire
Matt Sharp
Jaco

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Gary Thaine
Dennis Dunnaway
Randy Jo Hobbs
Martin Gordon
Ronnie Wood
Chris Glenn

 

[Jeff Scott]

Bach, Lee, Squire, Butler, Glover, Camp, Jones, Egan, Schacher, Waters/Gilmour, Lake, Rutherford, Shulman...

 

[bass12]

At the top would be Mark King and Meshell Ndegeocello, followed by Bernard Edwards - and then quite a few others.

 

[Michedelic]

My early influences: Mark King, Louis Johnson, Stuart Zender.
More recent ones: Justin Raines, Vincen Garcia, Andrew Gouche.

I've swiped, and sometimes rejected, bits and bobs from every bass player I've ever heard. I've got favorites, yes, but why would I want to play like them, or do what they do? What I take away isn't always obvious.

 

[retslock]

My early influences: Mark King, Louis Johnson, Stuart Zender.
More recent ones: Justin Raines, Vincen Garcia, Andrew Gouche.

Too many to name. Every time I heard something I liked I'd try to figure out they were doing. It all turns out blending into you eventually.

 

[KenD]

Being very old school, when I was listening to the radio and trying to learn to play bass, I tried to imitate James Jamerson (not easy for a beginner), Duck Dunn and David Hood.

 

[Deleted member 409773]

I've swiped, and sometimes rejected, bits and bobs from every bass player I've ever heard. I've got favorites, yes, but why would I want to play like them, or do what they do? What I take away isn't always obvious.

I don't want to play like them.
In the early '90s I was a big fan of Mark King, but I don't like his sound, I liked his slap technique, not his musicality. I liked Zenders musicality in Jamiroquai.

There are influences, but that is not a copy/paste process, it's a selective learning way combined with your personality.

 

[ryco]

In the very beginning it was Entwistle, Jack Casady, McCartney, and Jack Bruce.

A little while later it was JPJ, Mel Schacher, Tom Kriss, Rob Grange, and Prestia.

Then came Stanley, Jaco, Louis Johnson, and Larry Graham.

A little later John Seigler, Graham Maby, Ron Blair, and Pino.

 

[WG Plum]

David J
Paul Simonon
Tony Levin
Pino Palladino
Alan Spenner

 

[Jeff Scott]

I don't want to play like them.
In the early '90s I was a big fan of Mark King, but I don't like his sound, I liked his slap technique, not his musicality. I liked Zenders musicality in Jamiroquai.

What's your take on Alain Caron's slap playing?

 

[Dlew919]

Bruce, Jack Bruce

For the longest time on bass I was 'wwjd' - what would Jack do? I've since, like all of you tried to find my voice. And I love victor and Joe dart and Jaco and Marcus and John deacon and Esperanza and fifty million others. John deacons work with Queen - not really aobtd or under pressure. But the support stuff he does.

I have the James Jameson standing in the shadows book. That was huge too.

 

[TonyP-]

This guy, my friend and favorite musician of all time. Mr. Jonas Hellborg

 

[Sean150]

Narrowing it down to influences that would be noticeable in my playing it would have to be Flea.