Most Underrated Bassists

[Pet Sounds]

Jim Fielder of Blood, Sweat and Tears. And Joe Osborn, despite (very briefly) having a signature Jazz Bass.

 

[39-Bassist]

I vote for Bob Daisley (Ozzy & Uriah Heep) - Great player with Very good writing skills too.
and for Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) - great song writer and bassist with an GREAT imagination.
Just my 2 cents or maybe 1 cent...

 

[peledog]

 

[JPSBassist]

Let me see...

Robert DeLeo... absolutely. The best part of most the STP stuff was his basslines.
Garry Tallent... The E-Street Band. Quietly backing Bruce Springsteen for 30 something years... listen to songs like "Tunnel of Love" to hear this very low-key and nice gentleman's genius.
One of my favorite newer bassists: Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Beck, Macy Gray, etc... but it was seeing him live with NIN that brought him to my attention. Solid, solid bassist. And another really nice guy.
And as much as I love Doug Wimbish... the first two Living Colour albums showed Muzz Skilling's genius... pound-for-pound against the monster that is Vernon Reid's guitar.

 

[frisbieinstein]

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.

 

[frisbieinstein]

Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) - great song writer and bassist with an GREAT imagination.
Just my 2 cents or maybe 1 cent...

Brian Wilson plays the piano. I forget who played bass in the early days -- Mike Love? -- but they hired bass players later. I think their records are all session men on bass. I know Carol Kaye plays on Good Vibrations.

 

[frisbieinstein]

The guy who played on the Michael Jackson Dangerous tour is the strongest I have ever heard. Don't remember his name either, but he also played with Vanessa Williams.

 

[pygmygrizzly]

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)

 

[frisbieinstein]

Jamie Crampton can do the Rocco thing better than Mr. Prestia. Amazing.

 

[Sliza]

Shawn Economaki from Sour.

 

[treekiller]

I just thought of another one, Andy Hess. Go check out the DVD "Tail of Two Cities" by Gov't Mule. He has also played with the Black Crowes among others.......

 

[pedro]

Brian Wilson plays the piano. I forget who played bass in the early days -- Mike Love? -- but they hired bass players later. I think their records are all session men on bass. I know Carol Kaye plays on Good Vibrations.

Brian definitely played bass.

 

[Tampabass]

not underrated by bassists, but underappreciated by other musicians and the public - Kai Eckhardt (Garaj Mahal)

 

[lovefist]

Trevor Dunn
David Ws Sims

 

[lmfreeman9]

The late Greg Ridley of Humble Pie and Spooky Tooth, a stone player.

 

[Toronto Bassist]

Already mentioned, but Dennis Dunaway of Alice Cooper's original group and Bruce Thomas of The Attractions for sure.

 

[lousybassplayer]

Sgt. Floyd Pepper. Some serious licks, although some have criticized his lack of either hand technique

 

[frisbieinstein]

Colin Hodgkinson. He was the first guy to make bass into a solo instrument, before slap came along.

Then there's Jerry Peek, who had a short career playing with Steve Morse. Wonderful solo on "Cruise Missle."

 

[bolophonic]

Scott Reeder's talents are vastly underrated.

 

[AltGrendel]

Ronnie Lane - Faces

I always liked what he did on "You Wear it Well", especially the intro.