Glad to be adding to the mention for Kim Deal, rather than originating it.
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Favorite singer/bassist
- Thread starter Doctor Intrepid
- Start date
Lot of Great's mentioned but I have to go with 'The Walrus'; was my inspiration to pick up Bass.
Tal Wilkenfeld gets my attention since I saw her with Beck. Trying to sing and play Bass I found daunting.
Tal Wilkenfeld gets my attention since I saw her with Beck. Trying to sing and play Bass I found daunting.
Check out any of the Beach Boys videos where they are playing live, Brian was the real deal. The bass lines that Carol Kaye played on the Beach Boys recordings were written by Brian.
I don't know all the bassists equally well, and as far as Rush fans go I'm not rabid, but Geddy really does it for me as a bassist/singer. I think he's tops. I did see the Police tour behind Synchronicity and Sting was really impressive fronting that band and singing all the while carrying those Reggae inspired lines. Great performer as well.
Cool thread. Like so many of the bassists listed in the poll.
Doug Pinnick is my favorite... the first 4 King's X albums were incredible.
Sting, "Led" Claypool and Geddy Lee are also top notch.
I have to include the late, great Peter Steele of Type O Negative. He was very unique. Singing voice that would make Darth Vader tremble and basslines that complimented the songs of Type O very well.
Doug Pinnick is my favorite... the first 4 King's X albums were incredible.
Sting, "Led" Claypool and Geddy Lee are also top notch.
I have to include the late, great Peter Steele of Type O Negative. He was very unique. Singing voice that would make Darth Vader tremble and basslines that complimented the songs of Type O very well.
It's been mentioned before, but I feel compelled to re-state how amazing Michael Been of The Call was.
He played that fretless Ampeg scroll bass (he took over bass duties from Greg Freeman at some point; the bass was like the one Levon Helm played in The Band) so expressively, it was like a separate voice. His singing was powerful and operatic. I got to see The Call live in Portland, Maine for the Reconciled tour and have been a fan ever since (they opened for Simple Minds, who were good but were significantly upstaged by The Call).
Tragically, Michael died in 2010 at the age of 60 running sound for the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in which his son, Robert Levon Been, was playing bass. Been left behind several great albums with The Call and one solo record, movie soundtracks, and other appearances too numerous to mention. The elder Been was beloved for his unusual approach to songwriting, touching on deeply personal and spiritual topics with great eloquence, although I don't think anyone would classify The Call as a “Christian” rock band in the conventional sense (and I am pretty sure the guys in The Call kept their religious beliefs more or less to themselves).
I attended that show in Portland with three wonderful friends (I think it was in 1986) whom I love and it's a really special memory.
He played that fretless Ampeg scroll bass (he took over bass duties from Greg Freeman at some point; the bass was like the one Levon Helm played in The Band) so expressively, it was like a separate voice. His singing was powerful and operatic. I got to see The Call live in Portland, Maine for the Reconciled tour and have been a fan ever since (they opened for Simple Minds, who were good but were significantly upstaged by The Call).
Tragically, Michael died in 2010 at the age of 60 running sound for the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in which his son, Robert Levon Been, was playing bass. Been left behind several great albums with The Call and one solo record, movie soundtracks, and other appearances too numerous to mention. The elder Been was beloved for his unusual approach to songwriting, touching on deeply personal and spiritual topics with great eloquence, although I don't think anyone would classify The Call as a “Christian” rock band in the conventional sense (and I am pretty sure the guys in The Call kept their religious beliefs more or less to themselves).
I attended that show in Portland with three wonderful friends (I think it was in 1986) whom I love and it's a really special memory.
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Jack Bruce is on the list so have at'er. If you want to vote for someone not on the list pick 'other'.
