Most Underrated Bassists

[Plstrns]

Bob Daisley, Rudy Sarzo, Robert Deleo, Doug Pinnick, Ross Valory, Jimmy Bain, Tom Hamilton, Eddie Jackson- the original Spector rock tone. Micheal Anthony, Tony Franklin and I don't think John Myung gets enough credit.

There are more, I'm sure.

 

[LAKland_24]

Uriah Duffy...that man can play any style he is one of the most versatile players out there soooo underated. better than mutemaths bass player anytime not even close

 

[rzpooch]

Johnnie B. Gayden!
Check out Albert Collins recordings with the Icebreaker. He was also the session bassist for Alligator Records.

 

[greenboy]

Rod Ellicot, of Cold Blood, way back when. Played the entire neck, had a cool sense of placement, really had a concept of the role beyond the obvious, funky as hell, advanced melodically and rhythmically, yet primal.

I really hope he's appreciated today in Oklahoma City or wherever he is.

 

[frisbieinstein]

The guy in Dukes of Stratosphear a.k.a. XTC is great. No one ever seems to mention him.

 

[GregC]

Add to the list Chris Wolfsen....Wolfien....whatever his last name is (Man, it's hard to spell) of Muse. Great bassist.

Also, John Paul Jones deserves more credit. Revolutionary, hard hitting lead player that gets seriously overlooked sometimes.

pino palladino. i hadnt heard of the man until like a few months ago. wouldve helped me in my playing early on soo much

Tal Wilkenfield I believe it is? She plays bass for Jeff Beck and is often overlooked but she really is pretty amazing. And she's a babe. Sha-wing.

Don't forget Rocco Prestia of Tower of Power. Very funky.

Tim Commerford from RATM/Audioslave is one bad dude. His tone was always MONSTROUS, and his groove is tight and focused. He really holds it down while Morello does his thing.

Steve Harris - Iron Maiden

I think cliff burton was doing things on bass before guitar players, and I don't think his old band metallica even remembers who he is. underrated... is trevor dunn, and most (if not all) the teachers that have ever taught at berkley or musicians institute, (and that's not just for bass)

Most underrated, really? These are all very fine-to-excellent players, but they get tons of love on TB. Sometimes I think Cliff Burton is the second most-discussed bassist on TB after Jaco...

Andy Metcalfe (Robyn Hitchock... one of pop music's best musicians and sadly unnoticed by many. His crafty and melodic bass lines were one of the reasons I, as a guitarist, learned to GREATLY respect bassists).

(sound quality not that great but you can still hear the great melodic playing)

Now we're talkin'! Andy never gets mentioned, he did indeed craft a lot of great lines for Hitchcock.

 

[MikeM]

Randy Jackson..... He ghosted for some of my fav players so i have to like him.

 

[Duke21]

Listen to these...



After 167 posts without a mention, who's more underrated than Mr. Percy Jones?

Yes, Percy Jones is amazing, and so is Brand X. Many do not know that Phil Collins played in Brand-X either.
Just listen to Jones and Collins on Nuclear Burn!!

 

[mtman1]

And Sean Hurley too. Saw him with John Mayer this Summer and he was great!

 

[jeffbrown]

The guy who played on those big Boz Scaggs hit records. The guy who played fretless for Toy Matinee. Both are so underrated I don't even know their names.

Tetsuo Sakurai of Japan. But he is quite famous as Da Man there so maybe that doesn't count.

The player for Toy Matinee was Guy Pratt. VERY tasty stuff there. And Tetsuo is in a world of his own. His stuff w/Casiopea was remarkable, IMNSHO. Haven't heard much about him lately....

 

[BASSATTACK]

ever heard of Chuck Zayas?

didn't think so.

 

[Bigbaz]

Rhonda Smith has to be a contender, I really like her style.

 

[Orangeclawhammr]

ROCKETTE MORTON from captain beefheart's magic band was one of the most insane bass players ever. also jeffrey hammond from jethro tull. these guys played bass as if they had never heard anyone play bass before. it's amazing how unique and cool they were.

+1000. Then again, I'm a huge Beefheart fan.

 

[panamonte]

Carl Radle

Gail Anne Dorsey

 

[zachoff]

Lou Barlow. Dude rules.

 

[DocGeorge]

I think that if you can name a band with a strong lead guitar frontman, or just a really well know guitarist, there is a "publicly" underrated bass player because their ears don't hear the whole mix. They hear and see what is put in front of them. WE on the other hand listen a bit differently... JMHO

 

[musicman1119]

I've always thought that Bruce Thomas for Elvis Costello and the Attractions was pretty crafty at the lines he wrote. I still think John Paul Jones is one of the most under-rated musicians of all time. Carol Kaye is often overlooked as well, probably one of the most recorded bassist ever. Oh yeah and Leland Sklar is also one that comes to mind.

 

[oldbassplayergu]

Cris Kirkwood - Meat Puppets
Mike Watt - Minutemen
Greg Norton - Hüsker Dü

damn right, klause floride Dead Kennedys also

 

[musicman1119]

Oh yeah, I forgot the late T-Bone Wolk, very tasty lines for Hall and Oates.

 

[Ursus Tyrannus]

Rob Wright from Nomeansno. If you listen to them your not long figuring out how good he is but they don't get the credit they deserve.

Rob Wright is my bass hero.
Nomeansno has been so painfully overlooked over the years even in the underground scene. While Rob Wright with his brother John Wright on drums are considered a tremendous influence of many bands and originators of "math rock" (I never liked that term) he has never got the recognition he deserves.


Klaus Flouride (Dead Kennedys) is another bass player who is overlooked. I recall so many praises heaped upon East Bay Ray on guitar (deservingly so) that I think Klaus got overshadowed.

Rob, Klaus, and Lemmy, my holy trinity.