Rockabilly bass players... take your pick.
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I love the Breeders. Kim Deal opened my mind to the fact that pick players have plenty to say as bassists. I used to be a ridiculously dogmatic fingerstyle-only chauvinist. No more! Life does open closed minds, from time to time 
I'd say Dee Dee Ramone for speed and accuracy without a doubt. Nothing fancy about power chord root notes!
Many of you spring chickens are too separated in time to remember the Band's Rick Danko.
Been a big Aerosmith fan since 1976 (and stopped with new material since about 88
) but yeah, love Tom's playing. Great tone, rock solid, and more creative than pedaling roots (NTTAWWT).No spring chicken here, Danko is great, and a great singer to boot. 40th anniversary of The Last Waltz coming up, where does the time go?
I guess these are 80s picks but Police era Sting, Rio era John Taylor, early Adam Clayton (first few albums had some fun basslines on it)
I think Ronnie Lane (Small Faces/Faces/solo) fits into this category really well. Really in-your-face tone, basslines that are catchy and aren't unbelievably bizarre (but not the easiest lines to play, either), following solid groove rather than cramming in loads of notes, playing with a pick (GASP), and all coming from a migrant from guitar (if I recall correctly). Great, horribly underrated player.
This is a great list, but I feel it's incomplete without the inclusion of Andrew Bodnar of The Rumor (Graham Parker).
Love his playing, and Stingray w/flats tone on this:
This band was so good live I can't stand it:
My first thought was whether Mike Dirnt fits in this category.
Dave Parsons of Bush, Kim Deal already mentioned a bunch, Jason Newstead all come to mind. There's nothing crazy difficult about what they play, it fits the song and there's spots where the bass shines through or 'makes' the song (most notably Greedy Fly and Cannonball)
Dave Parsons of Bush, Kim Deal already mentioned a bunch, Jason Newstead all come to mind. There's nothing crazy difficult about what they play, it fits the song and there's spots where the bass shines through or 'makes' the song (most notably Greedy Fly and Cannonball)
Given the amount of incredible bassists that most folks have ever heard of... I would venture to say that that luck factor extends pretty far.
Yes.... simple but rock solid .. for 5 decades.. I think Look and the Gang are one of the most underrated bands in the business.... and the core of the band has been the same since 1964. Monk .... was Kool's godfather... and Miles was a family friend.....
That's who I tought of right away. Not only non-technical, but lots of folks on TB would have kittens if they saw him play. His technique runs counter to conventional wisdom, but he sure did get the job done.
Maintaining the groove > Being a virtuoso
Paul Simonon. His growth from early Clash through London Calling and the rest is really pretty remarkable. Nothing super fancy, but perfect note placement and time over varying genre-bending tunes.
Even people who don't know it's the bass know that opening melody to London Calling!
Even people who don't know it's the bass know that opening melody to London Calling!
Yup, I just love his playing. Not many bassist could have added that funk to that "Hillbilly" music while making it sound totally natural.
Absolutely! golden hits in all 5 decades; Not all musicians can claim those numbers. what a family-what a career. And they keep it so simple its unbelievable.
