Favourite Prog Bassist?

[bobyoung53]

John Wetton, he had the best sound going with his Fender Precision. I have a lot of King Crimson, also saw him live in 77 with UK, unbelievable concert, they blew me away. Glenn Cornick, Jethro Tull was also another favorite of mine. I thought they were the neatest thing since sliced bread when they first came out, their first album This Was is still my favorite, to me it's the most real fusion of jazz and rock. I very rarely learned tune note ofr note when I was a kid but I can remember lifting the needle up and own for Bouree to learn the chord bass solo, I can still play it note for note, ut's not real difficult but is a very cool solo, and I never used it. Special mention goes to Chris Squire who also had a great tone.

 

[bobyoung53]

Rock bassist. Glass Harp has always been a rock band with some softer folk music elements to them.

At least, around here that's what GH has been.

Jeff, I see that you've changed your look and not for the better I might add. I still miss the fly.....not.

 

[Diesel Kilgore]

First person that comes to mind is Ralphe Armstrong - Mahavishnu.

 

[Jeff Scott]

First person that comes to mind is Ralphe Armstrong - Mahavishnu.

I saw Ralphe with JLP in '79, who I've seen lots of times. The only time I've seen the MO was in '72, with Rick Laird. They opened for FZ&TMOI. Now that I think of it, the first time I saw JLP was with Frank!

 

[Rickengeezer]

There's a town in Texas named Zuehl. The U and the E are out of place, but it'd be great to have a Zeuhlfest out there.

I think playing Magma live anywhere in Texas could empty out the state pretty quickly.

 

[Relayer71]

Too many amazing Prog bassists. But my favorites (in no order) would have to be:

- Ray Schulman (Gentle Giant)
- Chris Squire (Yes)
- Geddy Lee (Rush)
- Mike Rutherford (Genesis)

I've been a Genesis fan for ages and always appreciated Rutherford, but have been listening to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway every day for the past week (hadn't listened to the album in a few years) and not only does this album hold up better than most of that period's prog (sounds like it could have been recorded today and I find that Radiohead, though not considered prog, is the band that reminds me most of the last two Peter Gabriel albums with Genesis), but Rutherford was more amazing than I already gave him credit for.

Schulman, while in a band that was very "English Baroque" a lot of the time, could be really funky and he and John Weathers brought some serious groove on some tracks.

What hasn't been said about Lee and Squire? Haha. But to me, Lee will always be the most melodic and just plain "fun" bassist in rock and Squire had such a unique and inimitable playing style.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Too many amazing Prog bassists. But my favorites (in no order) would have to be:

- Derek Schulman (Gentle Giant)
- Chris Squire (Yes)
- Geddy Lee (Rush)
- Mike Rutherford (Genesis)

Um, that'd be Ray Shulman. His brother, Derek, has the same last name.

 

[Relayer71]

Um, that'd be Ray Shulman. His brother, Derek, has the same last name.

Thanks! Edited. I always mix those two names up!

 

[Bob_Ross]

I always mix those two names up!

Imagine how poor Philip Schulman must have felt!

 

[txdahaley]

I think playing Magma live anywhere in Texas could empty out the state pretty quickly.

They played in Austin a few years ago. Oddly, they played the same night Absu played a show in San Antonio. Suprised the state's still here. I guess the ghost of Bob Wills was around to hold it all together.

 

[Indiedog]

Sean Malone

Yes indeed, Sean Malone is an excellent player...innovative and wonderful tone.

Naturally, Lee and Squire and Rutherford are all favs but right up there is our own Rick Kennell from Happy the Man. He has a special sense of note choice/placement and a flawless sense of rhythm.

 

[rtav]

New MONSTER bassist discovery:

Simon Grove (Plini, etc.)

Beyond insanely great.

 

[BergerHead]

Yes indeed, Sean Malone is an excellent player...innovative and wonderful tone.

Naturally, Lee and Squire and Rutherford are all favs but right up there is our own Rick Kennell from Happy the Man. He has a special sense of note choice/placement and a flawless sense of rhythm.

Sorry, but this is a complete bore to me, i'm into Prog since the early '70s and this sounds like Peter Banks' Flash, Yes or Genesis for beginners, not more than lame plagiarism, -1/10.

 

[LBS-bass]

Percy Jones.

I'm going to see Percy Jones play with Brand X in a couple of days. I have loved that music since the day it was released, and have loved his work since before then (Another Green World, anyone?) so this will be a big deal for me.

 

[kesslari]

I'm going to see Percy Jones play with Brand X in a couple of days. I have loved that music since the day it was released, and have loved his work since before then (Another Green World, anyone?) so this will be a big deal for me.

Enjoy! I'm seeing them soon as well, and really, really stoked about it.

 

[Lobster11]

I'll be seeing (the always amazing) Julie Slick this week with Adrian Belew. This time around he's got a quartet rather than the power trio, so I'm eager to check out this new band.

 

[Relayer71]

Imagine how poor Philip Schulman must have felt!

That's why he quit the band! Too many Schulmans!

 

[LBS-bass]

I'm going to see Percy Jones play with Brand X in a couple of days. I have loved that music since the day it was released, and have loved his work since before then (Another Green World, anyone?) so this will be a big deal for me.

Percy was great. He played an Ibanez 5 string through an SWR 4x10 cab & SWR head. Had a big rack of stuff behind him. Very glad I was able to be there!

 

[Lobster11]

Got to see my personal hero/goddess Julie Slick last night with Adrian Belew. I don't have any video from last night, but here's a decent vid I found on YouTube from the opening night of the tour a couple of weeks ago:

 

[Jeff Scott]

View attachment 3356958

This is what he used when I saw him in '16.