Favourite under the radar bassist

[Old Blastard]

Larry "The Mole" Taylor from The Monkees, Canned Heat, Bluesbreakers, Tom Waits and other bands. Helluva player and personality.

Larry Taylor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[scrubhelmet]

I’ve been playing bass for over 50 years and I still can’t come up with original parts or play as good as Ronnie Wood. Check out his work with the Jeff Beck group and particularly when ‘Rod’ did his first solo album and listen to the intro of “an old raincoat will never let you down’! Wow!

Speaking of Jeff Beck, Tal Wilkenfield.

 

[SunByrne]

The Fixx's Dan K. Brown




Curve's Dean Garcia

 

[devnulljp]

Willie Weeks

 

[SactoBass]

Tom Scholz from Boston.

Good one!

 

[bassman4jc]

Percy Jones - Brand X, Brian Eno

 

[crucislancer]

Charlie Colin - bassist for Train on their first three albums.

 

[lunarpollen]

Maurice Gibb was my primary influence when I started playing bass, and has remained so over the years... Ronnie Lane is probably the next biggest influence on my current bass playing... Joe Long from the Four Seasons is another... Rick Huxley from the Dave Clark 5 was not really a huge influence on me, but when I listen to material from the DC5 (because I generally really enjoy it) I notice that the bass playing often sounds a LOT like what I do. So maybe he was a more unconscious influence. Or maybe my bass playing and how he played just happen to sonically coincide because our individual particular tastes, styles, and influences add up to the same general result...

For the past 5 years or so I've mostly been playing bass in bands doing 1960s covers or '60s-influenced stuff. I also enjoy playing a lot of 1980s-influenced stuff, post punk/new romantic/dreampop stuff, so there are other influences that come into play in that musical context. Players who aren't all exactly "under the radar" in their respective genres (Peter Hook, Steve Severin, Will Heggie, etc.). But I haven't been playing much music like that in recent years. I would definitely like to again.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Me!!

 

[Wavy]

Joe Macre of Crack the Sky

 

[Plectrum72]

Both borderline under the radar depending on how big a fan of these bands you are:

Simon Gallup - The Cure
Garry Gary Beers - INXS

I really enjoy a lot of what they produced with their respective bands.

 

[digmeout]

I've always liked Leon Medica. The first time I heard him was with Louisiana LeRoux. I love that album! Studio player, back up for Gatemouth Brown, Clifton Chenier, and just a really tasteful player. Listen to the bass line on New Orleans Ladies.

 

[Cardsfan85]

I stay close to the Christian music circle so:
Bryce Vaughn from Gateway
Tanner Erickson-Bethel
Matt Ogden-Bethel
Shae Wooten-Elevation
Adam Kiser-Bethel
Gabe Gamboa-UpperRoom

All have crushing tone and tastful licks.

 

[booch29]

Tim Drummond!!! An unknown legend...

Also, Tommy Cogbill.

 

[noahw1]

So many great under recognized bass players out there that have already been mentioned. I will add Travis Carlton to this thread. I absolutely love his playing on Chris Cain's "So many miles" album.
Colin Moulding of XTC has super cool lines.

 

[HolmeBass]

People are mentioning bassists like Graham Maby, Bruce Thomas, and even Chuck Rainey! Even Anthony Jackson!

These guys are pretty well “sung”, and on the radar, it seems to me, at least among bassists.

I was very impressed with Hamish Stuart’s bass playing in Ringo Starr’s All Starr band. Hamish was the lead guitarist and a song-writer in Average White Band, but with Ringo he handles most of the bass duties, and sings lead and backup vocals while playing bass. Solid as a rock with good sensibilities. His bass playing was better than Steve Lukather’s, which surprised me a little bit.

 

[almost human]

Juan Croucier, people are so quick to make fun of him for wearing glam clothes and dancing onstage. They don't stop to think about how talented he actually is musically.

I agree! Juan and Blotz were a great rhythm section, and their groove is one of the reasons RATT was a cut above many of the other bands in that genre.


I'll add to the thread:

Lulu from Electric Moon.
Nothing flashy, just the right notes as that band took you on a sonic journey...

 

[Peteyboy]

Adam Ant plays bass pretty well on his solo records after Malcom McLaren stole his rhythm section.

 

[roadyboy]

I haven't seen Felis Pappalardi mentioned yet, which qualifies as under the radar.

 

[TonyP-]

Jimmy Earl