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Favourite 80's pop bassist?

T

Tituscrow

Inactive
Feb 14, 2011
1,502
1,727
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NW England
#1
Stumbled across a box of old vinyl and hidden amongst the sabbath, ACDC and kiss was 'the hurting' by tears for fears. Gave it a spin and man there's some great bass work going on, especially the extended 'change'. Got me thinking about how growing up as a metal kid I used to nevertheless be hypnotised by anything with killer bass that happened to be on the radio in the charts. And it was only years later I actually admitted that any bass driven 80's pop was my guilty secret pleasure!

So a nod to Curt Smith, Nick Beggs and the great Mark O Toole for giving us Relax and Two Tribes!!!

Who else needs a mention?
 
#4
I wouldn't consider Sabbath, AC/DC or KISS to be pop. When I think 80's pop, I immediately think of Duran Duran, U2 and The Police. They basically defined the 80's sound. I generally don't like pop, but these bands had some great songs. My favorite bassists from the 80's are John Taylor, Adam Clayton and Sting. However, I am not as impressed with Taylor as I used to be. I recently saw a special where he said that many of his parts were over dubbed in the studio and he couldn't play them live.

Adam Clayton is very basic but plays what is appropriate for the song. He is great in his simplicity.

Sting can do it all.
 
#7
My choices are John Taylor for his work with Duran Duran and the KILLER first Power Station record and Patrick O'Hearn from Missing Persons. Spring Session M is one of the greatest 80's pop rhythm section (O'Hearn and Bozzio) groove albums.

Oh - and Pino's fretless stuff with Paul Young is awesome too

Rockmusician said:
However, I am not as impressed with Taylor as I used to be. I recently saw a special where he said that many of his parts were over dubbed in the studio and he couldn't play them live.
Click to expand...

Just saw JT with Duran Duran live at the Coachella fest, and he played everything live and just killed it. They were great.
 
#11
Rockmusician said:
However, I am not as impressed with him as I used to be because I recently saw a special where he said that many of his parts were over dubbed in the studio and he couldn't play them live.
Click to expand...

That's because he didn't play them originally ;)

Terry Jackson, Thomas Dolby/Michael Jackson bassist, unfortunately he died in a plane crash aged 28, he was a great bassist and a big influence.

Invalid Link Removed
 
#20
+1 to
John Taylor
Curt Smith
Sting

Great call on Colin Moulding - "Mayor of Simpleton" is killer.

Another great call on Nick Beggs (I couldn't remember his name, but, that bass line in "Too Shy" was also killer).

Michael Mills needs to be mentioned.

PS - strange how there seems to be a strong correlation between peeps who grew up as 80's metal heads (myself included) and secretly jammed to the pop stuff, too...
 

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