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Most Influential Bassist
- Thread starter quasiz_bassist
- Start date
Too many genres to have just one influential player. So many great players, here are my best guesses:
R&B/Funk: James Jamerson, even the greats who followed him like Johnson, Graham, White, etc. owe a great deal to him.... and say it.
Prog Rock: Geddy Lee. Love how many notes he can play and it still doesn't feel to me like he's hot dogging. That is taste on top of talent.
Fusion: Jaco, who else?
Pop/Rock: P McCartney. He's not the flashiest, but too many of the greats, including Lee, Bruce and a whole bunch of others cite him as a big influence and a great player. Plus the enormity of the Beatles continuing success.
R&B/Funk: James Jamerson, even the greats who followed him like Johnson, Graham, White, etc. owe a great deal to him.... and say it.
Prog Rock: Geddy Lee. Love how many notes he can play and it still doesn't feel to me like he's hot dogging. That is taste on top of talent.
Fusion: Jaco, who else?
Pop/Rock: P McCartney. He's not the flashiest, but too many of the greats, including Lee, Bruce and a whole bunch of others cite him as a big influence and a great player. Plus the enormity of the Beatles continuing success.
1 Reggie from the Archies (attitude - he was such a prick)
2 JP Jones (for hiding funk in Zeppelin)
3 Geddy Lee (great agression, chops, tone)
2 JP Jones (for hiding funk in Zeppelin)
3 Geddy Lee (great agression, chops, tone)
Sting!
After seeing him act in "Dune" I am forever scarred!
You didn't say it had to be a POSITIVE influence
After seeing him act in "Dune" I am forever scarred!
You didn't say it had to be a POSITIVE influence
Sting!
After seeing him act in "Dune" I am forever scarred!
You didn't say it had to be a POSITIVE influence
That's funny. He isn't that bad a guy, is he?
I haven't read much about him, other than his ego-wars with Stuart Copeland over the years.
Coming up in the 70's, I would toss Chris Squire in there. To me his influence on the Bass really gave Yes their iconic musical voice. And yes, Bruford/White, Howe, Wakeman Anderson, etc were not too bad either....
Geddy Lee and Eric Johnson (the guitarist).
What I tried to cop from GL was always his sound. I actually liked the Wal/Steinberger sound the most, which seemed to be his least favorite. I loved those clear distinct staccato notes without the mud. His current sound I don't like at all but I still just love his playing.
Eric Johnson's progressions and scales are my favorite. I have always been amazed how impeccably in tune he is and how the notes just flowed out of his guitar like water. I've tried to put this type of scalar, flowing sound into my bass playing for years and years and years. Er, I guess I can hear it down in my mud somewhere so I have to count him as #2.
The other guys I've worked really hard to listen to are Billy Sheehan and Jeff Berlin. I can't list them as influences too much because their playing is so far above my level that it's basically inaccessible.
Chris Squire is another, again the sound and kind of flowery style of his was what I really liked, I tried to learn all kinds of Yes (I can do a passable Tempus Fugit).....
LS
What I tried to cop from GL was always his sound. I actually liked the Wal/Steinberger sound the most, which seemed to be his least favorite. I loved those clear distinct staccato notes without the mud. His current sound I don't like at all but I still just love his playing.
Eric Johnson's progressions and scales are my favorite. I have always been amazed how impeccably in tune he is and how the notes just flowed out of his guitar like water. I've tried to put this type of scalar, flowing sound into my bass playing for years and years and years. Er, I guess I can hear it down in my mud somewhere so I have to count him as #2.
The other guys I've worked really hard to listen to are Billy Sheehan and Jeff Berlin. I can't list them as influences too much because their playing is so far above my level that it's basically inaccessible.
Chris Squire is another, again the sound and kind of flowery style of his was what I really liked, I tried to learn all kinds of Yes (I can do a passable Tempus Fugit).....
LS
Bernard Edwards (Chic), Germaine Jackson (more the songs than the bassist, but he was good nonetheless), and Bill Wyman (I'm captivated by his tone)
Geddy just never did it for me, in fact, the only Rush song I really like is "Working Man"
Geddy just never did it for me, in fact, the only Rush song I really like is "Working Man"
Nobody mentioned Rocco Prestia. 
I love Rocco's style. He's one of the best I've ever seen, live. 16th note funk grooves for nearly the entire set. 
Gotta' love it! 
I think his influence came from Jamerson, though.
I love Rocco's style. He's one of the best I've ever seen, live. 16th note funk grooves for nearly the entire set. Gotta' love it! I think his influence came from Jamerson, though.
