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MEGA THREAD:: Favorite/Best Punk Bassist

#769
i play bass in a punk band but we add a lot of late 70's and 80's rock in to our songs . i take pride in my playing and the face that i feel like i brake some of the stereotyping that is punk music as far as bass players go. my lines are quite hard to play not super hard but hard enough that a noob coudent pull them off hahaha
 
#771
JohnSS said:
There are a number of punk bassists who have been consistently underrated. Bruce Foxton of the Jam was quite a deft player. Glen Matlock, the original Sex Pistols' bassist, has had some interesting moments with the reunion tours. During the 80's Matlock had a band with ex TRB guitarist Danny Kustow called The Specters, and he played some very impressive bass parts. Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads also has had some innovative lines,a nd I'm sure she learned a few things from Busta Jones when he toured w/them.
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Only Matlock could be considred a punk bassist. The Jam were not really punk and Talking Heads certainly not. They all came out around the same time and the "new wave" bands (like the two just mentioned) and punk from that era are often lumped together.

You're right about the realitve merits of all those players though. Matlock actually wrote most of the Sex Pistol's tunes but left the band before they broke big, and now legendary, with Sid Vicious.
 
#772
My two favorite punk bassists would have to be Darryl Jenifer of Bad Brains and Paul Hinojos of At the Drive In. They're amazing at creating distinctive basslines, while still adding energy to the track and going crazy live.
 
#773
I think that there are/were hundreds of talented punk bass players (the bass players are usually the most talented in the group), but punk was never really about musicianship. It was an attitude, a movement, and a philosophy. No band before/since had a better work ethic or was more intense than Black Flag, but its hard to say that any of thier bass players was overlooked. They came out and beat you upside the head with a brick of pure explosive energy and power. Same with the Circle Jerks. I see kids nowdays wearing Misfits shirts with messed up looking clothes they bought for $85 at Hot Topic and it kinda bums me out. Punk was all about DIY. Half these people think Sid was a great bass player, when in fact he sucked, and he knew it. He also looked really cool, which was part of the reason he was there. I think punk is one of the few forms of music that shouldn't be judged on its musicianship, but rather, judged by its message and overall sound. I can dissect a progressive bands songs' comfortably, because they are a "musicians" band. There is a lot of musical noodleing. Punk is such a broad term covering a wide variety of bands, but generally I just decide if it appeals to me on some level. Sorry for the rant.:hmm: If anybody wants an interesting book to read about the early 80's punk scene, I recomend Henry Rollins book "Get In The Van"... Would probably open alot of peoples eyes....:smug:
 
#774
So many good punk bassists.

Craig Setari is my favoutie tho,
Fat Mike is good
Matt Freeman is overrated, if you have ever seen rancid live, you would surely agree with this, he plays fast, sure, but christ, no timing!
Jay Bently is good
The guy from anti flag is good
And as has been said, the guy from Bad Brains, mon' Banned in DC!
 
#775
Chuck just killed with that bass. My local favorites bass player is Chuck D. , and that Mc.Donald kid from Red Cross. My style Gene Simmons, the original 999 bass player and Dhuck D. & Dee Dee Ramone. Put it together and what do ya get? A ball of filthy simple bass lines that are just catchy.

punk since 76"
 
#779
#2 from Anti-Flag definately deserves a mention here. The bands earlier more raw and immature "punk rock" stuff, in my opinion wasn't that great. However, When this guy joined the band... Well, his basslines are the real musical drive behind the band, IMHO. They do follow the same basic scale every now and then, so some of his Lines CAN sound a little repetitive. I feel though for the most part, He plays some totally kick @$$ lines AND manages to SING (lead vocals, not just background, though he does those too on songs He's not doing lead on) while playing them. Not to mention Everytime I've seen them live, he's got MASSIVE stage presence and when it comes to playing live He's rock solid and hardly ever misses (Read: I've never heard him screw up) a beat.

Though I am biast, because I must say He's probably one of my "bass heros". Check his stuff out. My fav's from him are the lines for: "the press corpse", "The Project for a new american century", "Stars and stripes", "Angry young and poor" and last but not least "Spaz's house destruction party". Hell, I'm going to stop now before I list all thier stuff :smug:

I've always liked Hunter from AFI's style too (wasn't too fond of thier first bassist). Matt Freeman's OP:IVY days still inspire me till this day. Lotsa good punk bassists out there!:bassist:

EDIT: DOH, I forgot the bassist of Stiff little fingers! He rocked!
 

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