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Overrated bass players

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#321
Rockinjc said:
I’m on the devils side of the fence on this one. Paul Mc has stated how much he was influenced by Jamerson’s Motown work – see the Standing in the Shadows book and CD. That being true, I wonder why folks are impressed with such a poor imitation of the real stuff. In his favor he is an important part of Americana even as a Brit. Like others from GB, the Beatles took concepts from American R&B and repackaged it in a way that was safe mainstream popular culture. Good job there! I like a lot of hooks he put to the tunes, but to me this says more about him as a composer of pop music than being a great musician.

Music hall of fame=YES
Bassist hall of fame=NO WAY

jc
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+1 on this.... as musician, generally speaking, I admire Paul, but to be a great bass player....
I ---DON'T--- THINK ----SO----.
.. iT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE.....! GET IT... EHEHEH... PEACE!!!!

I believe that Ture Great bass players would only be appreciated by bass players as well. mass population just won't.... WHY? That's because "bass" is mysterious and only the chosen ones are able to understand it..... That's the truth... so don't expect the mass public to dig the great bass players... bass players appreciated by mass public(eheh) are because they're too cheesy... PEACE again...!
 
#323
cliff burton, he was good but he wasn't great.
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...he was definitely better than a lot of bass players in 80's metal. You also have to understand that he died just as Metallica was getting big. Which kind of adds to his mistique...kind of a martyr in a way. At any rate, I don't expect you to agree with me, but you have to admit he's a lot better than Newstead.
 
#324
He and Newsted were chalk and cheese. You should listen to Newsted's work on the first Flotsam And Jetsam album to see what he was really capable of. Joining Metallica was the death knoll of his development as a player.

As for Cliff, he died before he could really extend himself, he was only 24 and he achieved so much in the confines of a two g****r metal band. He wasn't in the band long enough to have much of an impression on the first album so gauge his influence on the second and third albums, in a span of about three years, and then decide if he was underrated. He could have on on to much greater things, his potential cannot be denied and that, in my opinion, is why he is lauded the way he is.
 
#325
now, i didnt go through all eleven pages to see if this has already been posted...but, how about flea? sure he can slap pretty well, and writes decent bass lines, but thats about it. im not by any means saying that he is bad, but he gets way too much credit for being just an average slap player. to the extent of my knowledge, he doesnt even use double thumb or anything special like that. hes okay, but he needs not to be worshipped as a god.
 
#326
Flea. I think he's a great bass player, but people speak of him as some sort of messiah of the instrument. He's a great player, but he's not the god he's made out to be.

Jack Bruce. Maybe it's just a lack of exposure, but I've listened to a lot of Cream, and, while I love the band and I think he's talented and fun to listen to, I wouldn't put him on a pedastal with the greats. He's good, but he's not mind-blowing good...and I certainly wouldn't call him a musical genius.

Billy Sheehan. The guy's got speed and a couple of fun noises...but I've never heard anything else from him that's deserving of the status he has.

...
 
#327
rontalsaurus said:
Billy Sheehan. The guy's got speed and a couple of fun noises...but I've never heard anything else from him that's deserving of the status he has.
:scowl: Whatsamattawhichu? Have you heard the solo he recorded from when he was with Talus? Its the "Eruption" of bass. I personally rank that as a major achievement in tone and innovation. He has a love it or hate it tone I suppose.
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#328
wow- tough thread. Where I like the idea of tossing a topic out for the sake of discussion, as I was reading it, I realized there is very little to be gained by talking about why you don't like bass players. You don't like Paul McCartney because he is not Jamerson. He doesn't like Billy Sheehan because he plays too fast. They don't like Nikki Sixx and Rudy Sarzo because they use hairspray... really? Is there any value in these slams? I don't see it. I find myself agreeing with some, but then getting really pissed about others - then I realized there was not a lot to enhance my playing or improve my understanding of music in this sort of discussion.

So I ask, in case I am missing the point... And I could very well be missing the point... but what is the point?
 
#330
malicous said:
I totally agree (although I am under 30). It really bugs me when people say things like "you slap as good as Flea!" Flea is probably a much better bassist than me, but if you want to compliment me, say that I slap like Marcus Miller!
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Funny, I thought you slapped as well as Flea. :hiding:
 
#333
rumblinbass said:
...he was definitely better than a lot of bass players in 80's metal. You also have to understand that he died just as Metallica was getting big. Which kind of adds to his mistique...kind of a martyr in a way. At any rate, I don't expect you to agree with me, but you have to admit he's a lot better than Newstead.
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Why? Because he played a Ric through guitar cabs with fuzz and a wah pedal?? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

When someone says about your "bass" playing, and this is quoting James Hetfield, "We heard this crazy, weird fuzz sound thing and we looked inside the club and couldn't believe that was bass!"

Now, I'm not sure exactly what you define as "the bass player", especially in a metal band, but it's not the "third guitarist". Jason was ALL about the support and the fundamental and his tone on those Sadowskys and Ampeg rig was insane. Saw him play with Ozzy at Ozzfest, and he rocked OUT that old Sabbath stuff. It was awesome.
 
#336
I donna know, I can't listen to DMB because the violinist doesn't play in tune, although I guess he is better now.

You know who I think is overated, and his slapping is so busy and non-rhythmic: Mike Gordon of Phish.

Liked him juch better in the early years when he played fingerstyle. But his attempts at "Funk" make me change the CD.
 
#337
BenWC87 said:
Anyone else think Stefan Lessard of the Dave Matthews Band is extremely overrated?
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Hardly. That guy really doesn't get much props except from most DMB fans. Not compared to others in "popular" music.

Plus, I suggest checking out some of their older live jam stuff, like the '95 Red Rocks disc before any of this "overrated" nonsense. ;)

Stefan is my #1 influence. He can wail.

What don't you like of his? Some of his solos are a bit iffy, but his playing within the context of that band can't fit any better. You could overplay the hell outta DMB and it probably sound good, but he's an extremely tasteful player IMO.

And considering he was like 17 or 18 when they recorded "Under the Table and Dreaming", well, that's just kinda sick. I don't know many kids who can barely drive who could put out an album like that.
 
#339
dougjwray said:
Most overrated?
I nominate John Paul Jones, a thoroughly professional, solid session musician who never played a single innovative note, or one with any real personality, on any Led Zeppelin song.
In fact, I've never understood Led Zep's popularity. They always seemed like an adolescent, cartoon superhero band to me. Page and Jones were studio pros who could cover lots of styles, none with any real heart (exhibit A: any blues thing they did) and Plant was a painfully bad singer. At least Bonham forged a personal style, and had a great feel, but his "pound 'em loud and heavy" credo buried the drumming style I loved, the interactive, mobile, jazz-influenced variety played by people like John Densmore, Mitch Mitchell, Ginger Baker and Keith Moon. When Led Zep comes on the car radio, I crank them the same way I crank, say, "Pleasant Valley Sunday" by the Monkees. Good high-adrenalin music with no substance.
:hiding:
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You must of been smoking crack when you wrote this right?
 
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