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Overrated bass players

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#722
Bryan said:
On the other side of bassists deserving more "props",I am curious to know who you think gets too much credit. The only one that instantly comes to mind is Les Claypool. I like Primus but I think his technique is sloppy. He is different but I can't listen to him for too long.I'm interested to know what everyone's opinion is.
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I know I'm gonna get spuds thrown at me but...

Several players turn me off just due to tone:
Tony Levin
Scott Lafaro

However, I think they are/were quite innovative note-choice wise
 
#723
old-timer1 said:
Why just pick on 2 or 3 people as overrated...there's plenty out there! How about Michael Anthony(Van Halen),Jeff Ament(Pearl Jam),Jason Newstead(Metalica),Flea(hey everybody under 30...Flea did'nt invent slapping!!),and for that matter any bass player in today's 'top' group's...take your pick!!..just one man's opinion.
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I am not a huge Chilli Peppers fan but everytime I hear there songs I cannot help but be impressed by Flea's playing. No he didn't invent slapping but so what?
 
#724
Ok, now I have read enough of these to be certain: This whole question is great for discussing on but I have no idea how you would find out how a musician is broadly (or not) percieved. Take the example of good ol' Flea. On the one hand you could say "overrated: Sloppy technique, ok, he slaps, plays fast and tight but so do I, he was only lucky to play in a band that became famous."
On the other hand you could say "what is all this fuss about? He's a rightly popular musician and I like the way he plays."
You could just go and apply this to any arbitrary successful musician. But could you not just say "I like 'em" or so!?
Maybe I havn't understood the whole issue. Please do not feel offended, rather feel free to explain how you determine under- or overrated.
Thanks in advance,
All the best,

Vincent
 
#728
It's such a subjective thing.
Personally although I am sure that they were/are all fine bassists I think that John Entwhistle, Les Claypool and Victor Wooten are all to a man overrated.
Whereas I happen to think that bassists like Peter Hook are very underrated.
It's just my opinion though, just as other's thoughts on Jason Newsted and the like are theirs.

I don't think it's something you can provide an objective answer to.
 
#729
Coming from a pop/rock background...

If I were playing guitar in a band- and John Entwistle was the bass player- I would not want to play with him.

I like melodic bass players- and had this discussion here a week or so ago- I don't view Entwistle as melodic. At all. There's a difference between a flurry of notes and a memorable, melodic line- and I can't think of a line of Entwistle's that falls under the latter. Can an Entwistle fan tell me a good, melodic Who song with a melodic bass line?

And I like the Who.


Want to talk about maligned bassists? Chaim Witz. Maybe it's because he dresses so doofy. Maybe it's because he spouts so much ridiculous garbage. Maybe it's because of his crappy tone. Maybe it's because his material is aimed at the lowest common denominator... But his bass lines PERFECTLY suit the songs- they create movement, they're rhythmic and melodic. IMO, that's the hallmark of a good bassist- not proving how badass you are on the fretboard.

And I'm just a casual fan of his band.
 
#730
The Golden Boy said:
There's a difference between a flurry of notes and a memorable, melodic line- and I can't think of a line of Entwistle's that falls under the latter. Can an Entwistle fan tell me a good, melodic Who song with a melodic bass line?
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Melodic lines? Pictures Of Lily, Won't Get Fooled Again, The Real Me are three that spring to mind straight off the top of my head. Lily is a melodic song, the other two are bash 'n' crash but the bass lines are melodic.
 
#736
ster said:
Gene Simmons overrated? I have never heard anyone ever say he was a great bassist.
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Agreed!!
But I once had these two bass students who were sooooo much into KISS, it was unreal.
And, you guessed it, they believed Gene to be the best bassist or at least one of the 5 best in the world.
These guys were 18 or 19 back then and it was impossible to make them see that Gene Simmons is not a great bassplayer at all.

I told 'em, "you can be a KISS fan, great thing. But don't confuse personal taste with quality."

Later on they got quite aggressive (everytime I explained that there're other and better players) to a point were I told them, "I can't teach you anymore, we have to part, look for another bass teacher."
Thank God they took my advice.
 
#738
caligula said:
Agreed!!
But I once had these two bass students who were sooooo much into KISS, it was unreal.
And, you guessed it, they believed Gene to be the best bassist or at least one of the 5 best in the world.
These guys were 18 or 19 back then and it was impossible to make them see that Gene Simmons is not a great bassplayer at all.

I told 'em, "you can be a KISS fan, great thing. But don't confuse personal taste with quality."

Later on they got quite aggressive (everytime I explained that there're other and better players) to a point were I told them, "I can't teach you anymore, we have to part, look for another bass teacher."
Thank God they took my advice.
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Exactly why is Gene Simmons not a good bass player?
 
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