Most Underrated Bassists

[rubendlr]

Wow, 17 pages and not one mention of either of the bassists from The Descendents. Take any album from them or ALL. Mike Dirnt gets a signature model from Fender and he's not 1/5 the bassist of either Tony Lombardo or Karl Alvarez.

For your consideration, Karl's walking line on Clean Sheets:



Tony's intro and line from Bikeage:


These guys pretty much defined Pop Punk bass. Green Day, Blink 182 and all the rest owe it to these guys.

 

[rubendlr]

While I'm at it, Chris Bauermeister from Jawbreaker is also unsung.

Example- the highly melodic line from Unfun's Want:

 

[mellowinman]

Well, I didn't go back and read all 18 pages, but Roger Glover should be on the list.

 

[PlatypusBassist]

Never really hear much about Sean Malone from Cynic

 

[rubendlr]

I think Glover is mentioned a few times. He and Hughes both, I believe.

 

[GoLeafsGo]

J.J.Burnell from the stranglers.

Absolutely. Just listen to Ratus Norvegicus, any song but especialy Walking on the Beaches (Just Looking at some Peaches).

 

[HolmeBass]

It's interesting, I didn't read all of it, but people bring up Juan Alderete, Pino Palladino, Mike Watt, and John Paul Jones as underrated, and I am thinking, "These guys are all pretty highly rated... they all get lots of love here on TB and quite a number of non-bassist non-musicians know who they are too." Maybe I am cloistered in the community of bassists, but these guys are all well-acknowledged heroes in my book, rather than being underrated.

Not that it's not worth mentioning them again as excellent bassists, which they all are.

 

[Willopis]

Paul Jackson
Check out the bass line in the first song.
He was playing in the Oakland symphony as a teenager and
I guess he moved to Japan at some point.

 

[mbart203]

Randy George is a monster of a bass player that I think a lot of peoplemay not know about.
His work on Neal Morse's albums, along with Mike Portnoys drumming just blows me away.

 

[rubendlr]

I have one more. When I was a kid I was thought Dan K. Brown from the Fixx was the shiznit. His lines are so strong.

 

[higain617]

x2 on Karl Alvarez. Easily a top 5 punk bassist.

 

[MarkA]

Paul Jackson
Check out the bass line in the first song.
He was playing in the Oakland symphony as a teenager and
I guess he moved to Japan at some point.

Just listened to this whole thing. Nice all around. And I was surprised at the end!

 

[Christopher Sadler]

What about Mike Mills?

 

[Sethakamoe]

Even brewer and Alex Webster oh and Steve Harris

 

[Sixgunn]

No one mentioned Danny Partridge?!?!? It's criminal I tell ya!!!

Dan The Man

• Sixgunn
• Jul 30, 2014

 

[tallmanitw]

Guy Pratt? The best bassist you never heard about?

+1 for JPJ, Cetera, Jaco (of course), Townshend(-NO- I meant *Entwhistle*, duh, what I get when I haven't had my AM coffee) Squire, et. al.

Guy Pratt without a doubt. Get a hold of Toy Matinee's only album. Some of the best bass playing I've ever heard.
Also check out Chris Maresh on Monte Montgomery's early albums - defines the term "tasty licks"

 

[carsbybigd]

Here's a guy who escaped me earlier , Dean Sutherland of the Australian Acid-funk band " Skunkhour " He was kind of ahead of his time. Good player.

 

[ChefKen]

For the unknown player...Chris Jefferson the funk machine. From the past who no one knows.......Rick Laird from Mahavishnu. Anyone who can stay in Billy Cobham's pocket needs some love!

 

[Manc_Chris]

Absolutely. Just listen to Ratus Norvegicus, any song but especialy Walking on the Beaches (Just Looking at some Peaches).

Never mind the playing, just listen to the bass SOUND on that album. Dirtiest bass sound ever. JJ is my God!

 

[henry_du]

bassists from Skankin Pickle!!