"Lead bass": a nonsensical term?

[HolmeBass]

This a term that only emerged during the period of rock music dominance, and only when there were musical substyles within that would encourage that style of playing. Yeah, you could say that Entwistle was the first true ‘lead’ bass player, beyond any other brief routine soloing which was a trickle down from jazz. Throw in the parallel stylistic breakthroughs from Jamerson and McCartney, which inspired players to struggle out of the roots/fifths straitjacket, and then Bruce, Squire, Wetton, and onward.

All I can say about fusion, which developed at roughly the same time as Prog, is that it was a reaction by younger jazz player to infuse rock ideas into a staid format, so you ended up with more boisterous playing, but with extended harmonic content, injected into the traditional ‘take a solo’ format. What I found interesting was the development, in the late 70’s, of a different ‘lead bass’ approach…that of Peter Hood, Barry Adamson, Steve Severin, and so on.

What I never understood was the point of “piccolo bass”. That’s an oxymoron, just a four string guitar.

I think you left out the Bay Area: Jack Casady, Phil Lesh, and Rocco Prestia. Anthony Jackson specifically calls out Casady as an influence, particularly with respect to the use of a plectrum, and Jaco Pastorius specifically calls out Prestia as an influence. I think these three were equally important to the electric bass revolution of the sixties, along with Entwistle, McCartney, and Jack Bruce. All of course in my opinion.

 

[gtirard]

For me, bass is (and should remain) a "support" instrument, not lead.

But, in the 80's there were a few bassists that I consider playing *lead bass* in that their part was the most important melody in the songs: Sting, Graham Maby (Joe Jackson), Simon Gallup (The Cure), Leigh Gorman (Bow Wow Wow), etc.

And in my own band, the band leader writes all the songs, and he's a former bassist, so he tends to write lead bass lines, which is both a joy to play (they are great bass lines) and a source of frustration (it gives me less creative freedom).

 

[longfinger]

Think of the term "Lead sheet".
What is a "Lead sheet"? It is a sheet with the melody of a song, the chords, the form, and sometimes the lyrics.

There, the "lead" refers to the melody.

So "lead bass" would be a synonym for "melodic bass" or "bass melody". Meaning, playing the melody with the bass instrument.

For much of music, who is leading, means who is playing melody at the current moment. Everyone else supports the current melody player.

In that context, the term "lead bass" has meaning.

 

[JimmyO]

If the bass player is out front with a lot of melodies than I think lead bass is a fine term.

I also think of a player like Peter Hook and his work in New Order, where a lot of traditional down low bass stuff was done on keys and then Hooky would be in the upper registers playing more melodic lines.

 

[WestyBassBob]

Bass is considered the lead instrument in reggae music.

I disagree. It’s the most melodic. But drums are the lead imho.

 

[bassfran]

Interesting thread. Claypool? Sure. When I've heard the term used it seemed to me to be referring to a bassist venturing more into "no money" territory- (i.e., above the 9th fret) and breaking away from the 'root note follows the kick' basic approach.

How about Bruce Thomas' work in The Attractions? IMO, dude always played the song but Man did he elevate the hell outta' those songs.

Was that also 'lead bass'?

 

[turf3]

Well, I think of Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, NHOP, Brian Bromberg as guys who can take a "lead" role using the bass as the instrument. In truth, of course, you can "play lead" with any instrument - tuba, string bass, bassoon, cello, are all instruments that generally play supporting roles except when they don't.

Now when I was in one band at the end of high school/early college, in that band we used to joke about "lead this" and "lead that" - "Oh, yeah, I'm the lead bassist, he's the lead drummer, he's the lead guitarist, he's the lead keyboardist, he's the lead rhythm guitarist, he's the lead auxiliary percussionist..." just to make fun of the obsession of teen musicians with being the "LEEEEAAAAADDDD" of everything. Yeah, everyone's got to be first chair, everyone's got to be the LEAD whatever, and so on. Now that I'm old and tired, I think back on how much energy we expended in our teens on stuff that - not only didn't it matter, it was counterproductive.

 

[Michedelic]

I think you left out the Bay Area: Jack Casady, Phil Lesh, and Rocco Prestia. Anthony Jackson specifically calls out Casady as an influence, particularly with respect to the use of a plectrum, and Jaco Pastorius specifically calls out Prestia as an influence. I think these three were equally important to the electric bass revolution of the sixties, along with Entwistle, McCartney, and Jack Bruce. All of course in my opinion.

Well, I didn’t get to funk or disco either, I just rattled off what immediately came to mind. I’m certainly a Jack C. fan(look at my icon pic), but his freewheeling style didn’t really hit me until after I heard Entwistle and Bruce, and I considered him a continuation or extention of what Jamerson and McCartney had started.
As for the Dead, sorry, but they just bored me. Phil did what he did, but it just kind of meandered. Rocco didn’t really have a high profile until the early 70’s, and I just thought of him as a hyperactive rhythmic player, not a standout in any ‘lead’ capacity.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

I don’t care what you call it — there is NOTHING wrong with a musician who plays his or her instrument in a musical, competent, inspiring, and creative way.

How one accomplishes the above task is what makes being a musician, and in our case, bass players, so exciting and enticing!

 

[HolmeBass]

Well, I didn’t get to funk or disco either, I just rattled off what immediately came to mind. I’m certainly a Jack C. fan(look at my icon pic), but his freewheeling style didn’t really hit me until after I heard Entwistle and Bruce, and I considered him a continuation or extention of what Jamerson and McCartney had started.
As for the Dead, sorry, but they just bored me. Phil did what he did, but it just kind of meandered. Rocco didn’t really have a high profile until the early 70’s, and I just thought of him as a hyperactive rhythmic player, not a standout in any ‘lead’ capacity.

Casady was a contemporary of Bruce, McCartney, and Jamerson.

Regardless of your personal opinion of the Dead, Lesh had a huge influence on many players who eschewed the classic I - V bass formula and played compositionally.

I mean are you talking about actual history or just what your favorites are?

 

[Ostie]

Perfectly describes Marcus Miller.

Jaco and Stanley Clarke come to mind as well, and many others that I can’t conjure up just now.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

According to my 1st drummer (one of my favorite drummers) - I played "lead bass".
This is when I was 16, and got recruited into a working band - playing (electric) bass for the 1st time.
I hadn't quite figured it all out at that point; so I figured it was the perfect opportunity for Geddy & Entwistle to shine through.
The drummer would just smile, shake his head (in amazement of course) and say "Reeds (his nickname for me) on lead bass!"

We got to play together in another band about 10 years later, and he'd give me the occasional curious look - like "why aren't you letting it rip?!" - so I'd occasionally oblige...

These days, I'm more than happy to sit back and find a great pocket in a blues band. But when I see him - he still reminds me....

 

[Michedelic]

Casady was a contemporary of Bruce, McCartney, and Jamerson.

Regardless of your personal opinion of the Dead, Lesh had a huge influence on many players who eschewed the classic I - V bass formula and played compositionally.

I mean are you talking about actual history or just what your favorites are?

Casady came along after the groundbreaking moves and impact of Jamerson and McCartney were in place. As far as Bruce is concerned, he may have been a contemporary, but due to the nature of Cream, how their music was structured, and that he was the default front man, he had a higher profile.
There were plenty of bass players breaking free of I/V and providing inspiration to fledgling players before Lesh, even before the Monterey Festival cultural turning point.

 

[Neil Folkard]

Or, for a time in the band Magma, they had both Air Bass and Earth Bass.

 

[AK Bass Guy]

Bass is considered the lead instrument in reggae music.

I’m going to say this has some validity. Take almost any Bob Marley and the Wailers song, remove the bass and vocal tracks and you probably couldn’t tell which song was being played. The bass parts are the hook.
I think the Ox in the Who is a good example of lead bass too. The bass parts have some of the most dynamics and movement and most of the time Pete is just hammering out power chords.
Just my subjective opinion.

 

[RandomKaren]

It's a term used by guitarists who think bass players are only there to prop up their solos.

"Lead" bass players are just players who move out of the on-the-beat root and fifth straightjacket - Andy Fraser, Jack Bruce, Noel Redding, John Entwistle, Chris Squire etc.

 

[GretschWretch]

The only time "lead bass" makes sense is if "lead" is pronounced as "led," and the reference is to either a Peavey T40 or a Gibson Victory.

 

[dustinymichaels]

I like my music with the bass up front as long as it's a good player. But, like bassdude51 said, the bass and bass drum are going to carry a lot farther than traditional lead instruments.
That "lead bass" title probably influences talented players to over play all of the time.
Nobody has mentioned Cliff Burton yet? Listen to some of his isolated parts. Madness. Definitely should have been more forward in the mix more often.
But I also feel like bass and drums are the song, while vocals, guitars, keys, horns, etc... are decoration. You can't f up on bass or drums or everyone knows it.

 

[klattman]

Yeah a couple of my basses are very heavy so could be considered lead bass.

I think lead implies there’s more than one of an instrument and in a lead part. So applies well with Stanley, Marcus and Victor playing together and switching off the lead part.

 

[coyote1]

I saw a vid with Ray Brown and John Clayton. One would be the featured bassist in a segment of music, while the other would emphasize the rhythm and chords. Almost by definition, the ‘featured’ one in that moment was playing lead bass.

So “lead bass” is only a silly term if you’re stuck in what should be. If otoh you’re a fan of what CAN be, then “lead bass” is a perfectly valid and reasonable concept.