Overrated bass players

[dreadheadbass]

you know what i'm gonna take the opposite route and say no one is over rated
at the end of the day thier onstage selling albums when you get fame like that some people become obsessed and put thier "fave" bass player on a platform waaaay up in the clouds so what? we all have influences and we all have our faves and even though it contadicts things i've said in the past

if i had a choice of being "over rated" and onstage selling records, touring countries and nailing groupies
or
sat in my bedroom being under rated and skint pointing at "over rated" bass players n saying things like "pffft he thinks thats a solo i can do better"

i'd choose over rated anyday

 

[yaniv]

i know that most of you will disagree with me,but victor wooten and flea are the most overrated bass players on earth

 

[ster]

i know that most of you will disagree with me,but victor wooten and flea are the most overrated bass players on earth

 

[Geddyfleaharris]

That's like watching Ron Coleman "Road to Mr. Olympia" videos and the insane amount of weight he lifts......it either inspires you or makes you feel like you have no talent what so ever and should just give up fooling yourself. IMO of course.

 

[improvpwnd]

Paul-"OK", I'll bite...Why?
You don't think Paul Mac raised the bar for Pop/Rock bass playing? Even just a "little"?
Try playing "I Saw Her Standing There"...yeah, it's just a very basic Rock n Roll tune, however, a pretty darn good warmup for your plucking hand.
Later...

Even with a pick--the way Paul played it?

Musically, Paul McCartney is amazing... but I wouldn't say technicality is his strong point.

 

[PaulMacCnj]

Victor's bass solo...

Personally, I don't like Victor's (or anyone else's) ultra fast playing. All I hear is a bunch of clicking, not a heavy bass tone that I enjoy. When he slows down, he has an amazing amount of feel to his groove. For example, his slower tapping techinique is beautiful, as well as his two finger plucking.

 

[ster]

That's like watching Ron Coleman "Road to Mr. Olympia" videos and the insane amount of weight he lifts......it either inspires you or makes you feel like you have no talent what so ever and should just give up fooling yourself. IMO of course.

After watching this I feel inspired and distraught at the same time. But remember, this guy does this for a living and has been doing this for a long time. At least that's what I tell myself!

 

[Kgoodrich]

oh man, i'm gonna get murdered for this.

but, IMO* alot of these tappy, tappy, slap, pluck guys just sound like they are making noise.

Now I can relate as people who are DJ's can easily say the same things about those who scratch, "all they are doing is making noise, not playing music"

*-In My Opinion which is biased as I play in a metal band.

 

[3toes]

See, this is a perfect example of WHY I think he's overrated. All the avant-garde stuff that gets thrown in, while technically impressive, completely destroys the groove in my opinion.

 

[Mr.Phil]

I know McCartney gives a lot of credit to "the guy from Motown"(Jamerson)...really, though, except for MAYBE a couple tunes, I don't hear McCartney as a "poor imitation of the real thing". Jamerson was coming out of the upright/jazz vibe whereas McCartney was a guitarist who was into R&B, skiffle, & (later)some avant garde jazz. Honestly, my appreciation for McCartney grew as I got more "learned"...yeah, he's not real flashy-but, hey, there's another thread at this site that talks about "keeping it simple".
Entwhistle, like Jack Bruce, played in a band unlike The Beatles...both The Who & Cream used only THREE instruments; as a result, the respective bassists had a lot more room/freedom to "pull out the stops".
Bill Wyman? I honestly can't think of anybody that cites him as an influence. He's a decent enough player; I know he didn't float my boat.

Umm... Playing in trio makes the bassist job more difficult, and I would say less free. In this setting you are the only rhythmic and harmonic backing... That makes the job a little tougher.

 

[T-MOST]

Victor Woten is the single most influential bassist since Jaco., Jamerson & Graham. You don't have to like his music or his style but you have to repect his talent and imprint he has left on the bass commuinity. But Like it or not it's true and can't be disputed.

 

[NYCBass]

The MOST overrated Bass Player in my Book, Jack Casady ! ! ! Never got it, never will and I thank God for it every day.

 

[MikeBass]

Victor Woten is the single most influential bassist since Jaco., Jamerson & Graham. You don't have to like his music or his style but you have to repect his talent and imprint he has left on the bass commuinity. But Like it or not it's true and can't be disputed.

Influential to bass players yes. And MAYBE a small portion of the general public.
But I'd be willing to bet a great deal of cash and say that Mark Hoppus or the tool from Fall Out Boy alone have influenced more to pick up the bass than Jaco, Marcus and Wooten combined.

And why do we even recognize the boner from Fall Out Boy as a bass player anyway.....Talk about over rated!!!!

 

[The Golden Boy]

Victor Woten is the single most influential bassist since Jaco., Jamerson & Graham. You don't have to like his music or his style but you have to repect his talent and imprint he has left on the bass commuinity. But Like it or not it's true and can't be disputed.

What MikeBass said.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Umm... Playing in trio makes the bassist job more difficult, and I would say less free. In this setting you are the only rhythmic and harmonic backing... That makes the job a little tougher.

I don't know about tougher- it gives you an opportunity to cover a lot of ground. You definitely need to think when you're playing as a 3 piece.

 

[Count Bassie]

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.

...

I'll just say that Jack Bruce was one of the first to take the bass out of the background to the front of the house. He did it with style and brass cojones, and sensible musicality.

Like it or not, by some extension, you do what you do because he did what he did. Give it up where it's due.

As far as the rest of these guys, whatever. They have a gig because they're good. Done.

 

[Count Bassie]

Lol you listen to the beatles and rather the bass is simple as **** and I don't see the whole hype about it. They are just simple bass lines and alot of them suck because listen to penny lane he lets go of the note early and its like note hold pause note hold pause. I really like the bass and it adds to the songs GREATLY but I rather don't see whats so AMAZING about him. Don't **** on me I still like his bass playing I just think he's rather overrated highly.

I totally disagree. Those things are what make the bass line hold up so well in the song. It's more about context and interplay- meant or not- than technical prowess. Your critique might be flawed not by grammar, but lack of perspective (IMO). Think about it- what makes a performance, anyway?

So I went off on your bashing his playing- but yeah, I think that almost anyone in the limelight is overrated! So I kind of do agree as far as that is concerned. Anyone can get blown out of proportion...

Yet I think Paul's shark-like business ethic might come under more scrutiny...

 

[KamikazeSkies]

I never understood the whole Cliff Burton rage. Sure, he didn't suck, but he was nowhere near amazing.

Go listen to zydeco, that's where the real rhythm's at!

 

[The_Orlonater]

My god, what is everyone's problem with flurries of notes? Some people like playing really fast and you don't always HAVE to groove. I love grooving and playing flurries of notes. Lay off.

Some things sound better slower and some things sound better really fast, you don't have to go calling people useless players because they can play faster then you. You REALLY seem like a jackass.

 

[Count Bassie]

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.

My Generation- a very oft-copped bass solo, and a crowd-pleaser mostly, therefore memorable... The bass line to Substitute may be simple but it carries the song... Who Are You... a good bass line is often a supportive melody, and Entwhistle has a ton of memorable ones. You (I mean the OP! ) just don't remember any!

Calling Entwhistle overrated is a bit rash, and sounds uninformed- and just a bit ornery. It's like calling Jack Bruce overrated, who was one of the first (I believe I said this one time before...) guys to take the bass to a new level as a player, and deserves his cred. No, he's not God, but for some of us he got close!