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Indie Bassists

#43
mizmor said:
Not really. I don't see where you're getting that from. We're not naming jazz fusion/metal/pop artists here.


Radiohead are major. Not really indie. They have a huge fanbase all over the world. They just recently left EMI. Still, great band nonetheless.
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No, but a lot of the bassists that people have listed have incredibly different styles that run the gamut of the genres you listed. Here's the original poster's question:

jmcdan3 said:
what exactly would be considered "indie" as far as the bassists' approach?? very confusing question i know....
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I would say nothing. Not that I'd classify "indie" having a specific sound anyway.
 
#45
Infernal Affair said:
No, but a lot of the bassists that people have listed have incredibly different styles that run the gamut of the genres you listed. Here's the original poster's question:



I would say nothing. Not that I'd classify "indie" having a specific sound anyway.
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Genres I've listed? Where? Also, I agree somewhat that indie doesn't have one sound, but I wouldn't say anything can be indie....
 
#48
How come no one has mentioned Kim Deal's work with the Pixies? A lot of great bass playing, great picked PBass tone, great backing vocals, the perfect complement to Frank Blacks glorious madness. I was blown away by my first pixies album I got when I was 14, and I still rank Dolittle as one of my top 10 albums.

Also, Tina Weymouth with Talking Heads (they were indie at some point!) is one the tastiest players for creating grooves and licks that totally make the songs happen.

I don't like only chick bass players by the way... :)
 
#49
+1 on Battles and Brian Cook of Russian Circles. Surprised no one has mentioned the bassist of Mogwai. Jeff Caxide of Isis is a great bassist although not so sure they are indie...not really metal either though by traditional definition. Indie is a very broad definition which makes this discussion interesting because everyone seems to have different ideas on what indie is.
 
#52
engedi1 said:
How come no one has mentioned Kim Deal's work with the Pixies? A lot of great bass playing, great picked PBass tone, great backing vocals, the perfect complement to Frank Blacks glorious madness. I was blown away by my first pixies album I got when I was 14, and I still rank Dolittle as one of my top 10 albums.

Also, Tina Weymouth with Talking Heads (they were indie at some point!) is one the tastiest players for creating grooves and licks that totally make the songs happen.

I don't like only chick bass players by the way... :)
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Just added the pixies and talking heads to a "prominent bass lines" mix I made today.

It goes like this.....some are "indie" some aren't.....

Sterolab-"Rainbow Conversation" Bassist Simon Johns.
The Smiths-"There is a light that never goes out" Bassist Andy Rourke
The Stone Roses-"She bangs the drums" Bassist Mani
Portishead-"Undenied" Bassist Not Sure.
Talking Heads-"Psycho Killer" Bassist Tina Weymouth
Talking Heads-"I want to live" "" ""
311-"Prisoner" Bassist P-nut
Stereolab-"Diagonals" Bassist Simon Johns
The Prayer Chain-"Dig Dug" Bassist Eric Campuzano
Cocteau Twins-"Serpentskirt" Bassist Simon Raymonde
Yo La Tengo-"Damage" Bassist James Mcnew
No Doubt-"Spiderwebs" Bassist Tony Kanal
Stereolab-"Metronomic Underground" Bassist Duncan Brown
Joy Division-"Isolation" Bassist Peter Hook
The Smiths-"This Charming Man" Bassist Andy Rourke
Lightning Bolt-"The Fare Folk" Bassist Brian Gibson
Radiohead-"No surprises" Bassist Colin Greenwood
Operation Ivy-"Sound System" Bassist Matt Freeman
The pixies-"Gigantic" Bassist Kim Deal
 
#53
Great mix!!!

I am not trying to flame anyone here, but for what it's worth, it seems kind of lame that people are posting band names w/out the bassist. I can understand if someone is referring to a band that uses a hired bassist, or maybe if a band has had several bassists (The Cure) but let's give props where it's due...

Interpole's bassist bassist is Carlos Dengler
Yeaseyer's bassist is Ira Wolf Tuton
Minus the Bear's bassist is Cory Murchy
Death Cab's bassist it Nick Harmer
Battles' bassist is Dave Konopka
The Slip's bassist is Marc Friedman
The Smiths' bassist was Andy Rourke
Some folks i have't seen posted...
Kenseth Thibideau- Sleeping People
(Zach) Armistead Burwell Smith IV- Pinback
Stu Brooks- Dub Trio
Kristian Dunn- El Ten Eleven
 
#55
mizmor said:
Just added the pixies and talking heads to a "prominent bass lines" mix I made today.

It goes like this.....some are "indie" some aren't.....




Radiohead-"No surprises" Bassist Colin Greenwood
Operation Ivy-"Sound System" Bassist Matt Freeman
The pixies-"Gigantic" Bassist Kim Deal
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+1 Coling Greenwood. Although I love the playing most on OK Computer on Subterranean Homesick Alien and Let Down. His tone has a little crunch to it, that is so perfect. To me Colin does an amazing job of finding his own excellent place among all those swirling guitars, no easy task.

No Surprises is one of my favorite songs on this album tho...

LOL, I haven't thought about operation IVY in years. Thanks for reminding me of them. Great band I probably haven't listened to since high school.
 
#56
I am a bass player in an indie/rock band. I don't know how to categorize an "indie bass player", but I just try to play a legit line for the song...like any bass player would.

If you have any specific questions I'd love to answer them!

We are currently in the studio finishing up new tracks...I'll message you when they are online...for now you can check out some stuff that is from an EP that came out in May if you would like (Link Removed).

Best!
 
#57
mizmor said:
Genres I've listed? Where? Also, I agree somewhat that indie doesn't have one sound, but I wouldn't say anything can be indie....
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I was referring to this specifically:

mizmor said:
We're not naming jazz fusion/metal/pop artists here.
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I wouldn't say anything can be indie either, but it's not something that can be easily categorized and it often falls on fans to sort out the classification. Some refer to indie as not being on a major, while others feel that there's certain sound characteristics. While the latter might be the case when speaking for the whole band's sound, I'm not so sure when specifically talking about the bass. I've seen bass players in indie bands play in a wide range of styles.
 
#58
savagehenry4 said:
they're in ways indie, but probably more alternative
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I've always just assumed groups that came more out of punk rock and the Velvet Underground (and more recently people obsessed with "Pet Sounds") instead of Bruce Springsteen or Led Zeppelin have gone by different terms in the last 30 years. In the 80s it was called "college rock" (and sometimes even "progressive"), in the 90s "alternative" and in the last 10 years "indie rock."

Other than 1991-1998 when alternative rock was played on MTV and mainstream radio, aren't they all the same thing?
 
#59
The Jake said:
I'm into indie... :bassist: I saw that Minus the Bear and Deerhoof were both already mentioned; they're great.

Andrew Bird- not a bassist, but all of the playing on his albums is good and very tasteful
As Tall As Lions- some of the coolest grooves
Battles- I guess they're kind of indie?
The Black Keys- their album Attack & Release is good for bass, albeit simple
The Dead Weather- same bassist from The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes, also indie
Fleet Foxes- simple playing, fits the music well
Maps & Atlases- cool, catchy mathy stuff, a good bit of tapping
Portugal. The Man- I can always hear good tone
Russian Circles- indie? I suppose...
White Denim- YES! Just everything about them does it for me...
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+1 for Maps And Atlases. Some amazing musicians in that band.
 
#60
joshmickelson said:
I agree, indie is a super vague term. In general, I think people know what you mean when you use the term though.
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Indie is about as specific as jazz. You can spot an indie band when you hear it, just like you know what classical or jazz sounds like, but that is where 'indie' stops being descriptive.

By the definition of indie, an indie bassist would be any bassist who plays for a band signed by an independent label. You can't characterize his/her sound by that definition alone.
 

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