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Geddy Lee, best bass player.
- Thread starter BassismT20
- Start date
I - like many - like and respect Geddy. But the best?
Nope.
Nope.
Last edited:
Some guy briefly mentioned Geddy Lee here back in late 2009. Hasn't been much mention of him after that.
I don't know who the best is, but I know it isn't Geddy Lee.
Because there's an entire world of bassists out there that sound amazing outside of the realm of Rush and Talkbass.
He's the best bassist for Rush, but I'd personally rate a lot of dead guys higher on my list of "best" moderately famous players, such as James Jamerson, Chris Squire, Jack Bruce, John Entwistle and Jaco to name a few.
For living bassists, I'd rate George Porter Jr higher and someone will probably be along to nominate Micheal Anthony soon. Do you see the futility of such a premise yet?
True, true. It is a completely subjective thing. I guess my thing is how much influence he's had on my playing.
Completely understand. Welcome to Talkbass
If you like Geddy, you've come to the right place. He's discussed quite often here.
I might not put him quite at the number one spot for rock bassists, but if someone else did, I'd have a difficult time framing a logical argument as to why he shouldn't be there.
Haji
Supporting Member
I'd rate him higher as a multi-instrumentalist than I do as just a bassist, although he's a great bass player. The thing is, the best you can do is rate a list of players within the genre that the player in question is a part of. It also depends on how you rate "best". Too many angles to look at things with to pick one as the single "best".
Why does someone have to be the best? Why does music have to be competitive? I enjoy Geddy's playing. He's been a huge influence on me, but to me a truly great player can play outside of the genre he's known for. I don't see Geddy fitting in well in a funk or jazz situation. That doesn't mean he's not great at what he does. Someone already said he's the best bass player for Rush, and that about nails it.
Haji
Supporting Member
Seems like everybody wants to be the best. Except me. I have the "Worst Bass Player Ever" spot LOCKED DOWN!!!
I will agree that his techniques are impressive, but I rather dislike his basslines.
There is no best when it comes to art, but Geddy Lee certainly is a phenomenal bass player, song writer and singer (even if you don't like his voice). The fact that he can play what he does and sing over top of it, not to mention play keyboards and pedals often all at the same time, is a testament to the talent he has. He (and Rush) is a significant pioneer in the development of rock music.
I love his tone and his lines, but for rock stars or famous bands I'd say John Entwistle had him beat, or even Steve Harris from iron maiden, that just my personal favorites though....
- Oct 18, 2012
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The "best" is subjective. We all have different likes and dislikes. I think Geddy is in the top 20, maybe the top 10 but he is not the best.
