Most Influential Bassist (In General)?

[mcblahflooper94]

Before I start, I want to begin by saying "Why didn't you mention x? He/she's highly underrated." I did not mention him/her not because he/she is not a fantastic bass player; this poll is not based on who is the BEST player, it's based on who (in your opinion) made the most people want to play bass or play differently.
A list of fantastic bassists who faced consideration, but didn't make the list (only 20 variables avaliable, and it's a popularity contest, not a skill contest):
-Victor Wooten
-Marcus Miller
-Tony Levin
-Peter Hook
-Chris Wolstenholme
-Billy Sheehan
-Leland Sklar
-Michael Todd
-Tal Wilkenfeld
-Paul Simonon
-Larry Graham

 

[FranF]

Well, there were a lot on the list, but Jamerson was IT for me! Probably IT for a few others too!

 

[IGotGas]

Gene Simmons. Period!

 

[gumbynotpokey]

Gene may have made the MOST WANT to play.

John Entwistle may have made the most want to play DIFFERENTLY.

 

[kilgoja]

i've never even heard of james jamerson. what band does he play for? or is he a solo bassist or something?

anyways i'd say flea.

i like Krist novaselic too. great tone.

 

[Marial]

Gotta be Macca or Jamerson.

 

[4StringAxe]

That's some list, I can only vote once ?
I voted Geddy ... big influence on me. Hemispheres made me want to play bass.

 

[Sean Riddle]

i've never even heard of james jamerson. what band does he play for? or is he a solo bassist or something?

Jamerson was the house bassist for Mowtown in the 1960's and early 70's. He has played on more number one hits than any musician or group ever. His bass playing very funky and melodic, almost like a counter melody to the vocalist at time. He changed how the bass was played for ever and has inspired nearly all of today's top bassist. He is a legend and the greatest of the greatest period.

 

[Sean Riddle]

Plus he did it all with one finger.

 

[48thStreetCustom]

Yeah, I'd say Jamerson or Paul McCartney because the inspired everyone

 

[gard0300]

These aren't mine, but if you say "influential"..... Here would be my 2 cents.

Fieldy - Korn
Flea - RHCP
Gene Simmons - Kiss
Paul McCartney - Beatles
Geddy Lee - Rush
Steve Harris - Iron Maiden
Cliff Burton - Metallica
Glenn Hughes - Deep Purple
Les Claypool - Primus
Duff McKagan - Guns N Roses


These are mainly people I've heard other players say caused them to pick up the bass. For me personally it was my uncle.

 

[kilgoja]

i've never even heard of james jamerson. what band does he play for? or is he a solo bassist or something?

Jamerson was the house bassist for Mowtown in the 1960's and early 70's. He has played on more number one hits than any musician or group ever. His bass playing very funky and melodic, almost like a counter melody to the vocalist at time. He changed how the bass was played for ever and has inspired nearly all of today's top bassist. He is a legend and the greatest of the greatest period.

ah yeah now i see. he was way before my time. most of those influencial guys are before my time like him, jaco, and so forth. i wasn't born until 1975 and i didn't pick up a bass until 1996.

so you can see why i picked the guys i did. they are in my time period. haha

 

[Jeffrey Avrin]

And no one mentions Jaco. Whew - has it been THAT long since he passed?

 

[SoCal1]

Gene Simmons. Period!

This is not supposed to be about the bassist who claims to have the biggest schlong....

 

[jerry]

Most people my age: Paul McCartney then subliminally because we didn't know his name yet :Jamerson

 

[zeyqer]

DAVID ELLEFSON!

 

[electracoyote]

I would have gone with McCartney; however, McCartney had some profound influences, and none of them are on the list.

 

[Deathblade Eric]

Another vote for Jamerson here. If multiple choices were allowed I'd have put Dunn, McCartney & Kaye as equal seconds.

Despite not being much of a Motown fan, that label's output pretty much defined popular music on both sides of the Atlantic for a generation or more. Throw in The Beatles & Stax and that just reinforces it IMO. All of it (well, nearly) is well-crafted songmanship where all the musicians play for the song alone.

Many on the rest of the list are influential in their way, but tend towards the specific rather than the general.

 

[FranF]

Actually McCartney cited Jamerson as his biggest influence on many occasions. Along with Brian Wilson and Bill Black to a lesser degree, and others.

 

[Konza]

I though I had a lot of influences, but they all turned out to be either Joe Osborn or Carol Kaye.