Overrated Bass Players

[Batmensch]

Lawrence Welk. Oh, wait...

 

[DwaynieAD]

stupid thread, that being said, duff's basslines are some of the most fun for me to play

 

[peledog]

'The bassist you love to hate' would have been a better thread title.

 

[Alan Vorse]

The thing about these threads is, you take a "down and dirty meat and potatoes" bass player like Duff or Gene Simmons and there are people who hate them and there are people who love them. Then you take progressive, forward thinking chops heavy players like Wooten, Jaco or Geddy Lee and you have people who hate them and love them.

The truth is: every player in this thread has been paid to play in front of large groups of people with recordings that have sold high numbers and I'm willing to bet that most (if not all) of the posters in this thread are driving in to a day job tomorrow morning.

 

[Winnb]

The thing about these threads is, you take a "down and dirty meat and potatoes" bass player like Duff or Gene Simmons and there are people who hate them and there are people who love them. Then you take progressive, forward thinking chops heavy players like Wooten, Jaco or Geddy Lee and you have people who hate them and love them.

The truth is: every player in this thread has been paid to play in front of large groups of people with recordings that have sold high numbers and I'm willing to bet that most (if not all) of the posters in this thread are driving in to a day job tomorrow morning.

+1. Well said.

 

[pbasswil]

Honestly, I don't know if there's much to be gained by rating bass players. What I notice is: my own playing seems to progress when I catch a spark of passion from a player (bass player or other) who inspires me.

And who inspires me usually has little or nothing to do with who is currently considered hot, or "highly rated".

 

[s_mcsleazy]

oh god no not this thread again

 

[fourstringburn]

Is this thread really about overrated bass players or is it about the ones you hate or are jealous of the most???

 

[E2daGGurl]

It's about jealousy (and people pretending to be able to imagine the music in question with some other bass player - themselves? - playing instead).

To my way of thinking, the Beatles are a good band (just to name one band whose bass player was called "over rated").

 

[Imyrhuckleberry]

I don't know if it's his tv show or his playing. But lately I've really enjoyed hating Gene Simmons.

 

[lousybassplayer]

EVIL THREAD LEAVE TB! THE POWER OF (over-rated bassist's name) COMPELS YOU!

 

[what the pluck]

I reckon over rated bass players are some guys who have all the gear, the hair and the clothes but not the chops.

 

[LaklandBass]

All of those players are great.

 

[MOTORHEADBANGER]

I agree. Cliff was good as a thrash bassist, but he was not versatile. He should never be entered into a conversation about bassists other than thrash bassists.

I personally think its not that hard to play fast on a low-action bass if you hide behind distortion and effects. Cliff's playing was, I think, a little bit too reliant on distortion. Once again that is perfect for thrash, but not the alpha and omega of bass playing. Moreover if he had not died in such tragic cirumstances then who might still be talking about him today?

I respect your opinion, but I do not believe that Cliff was "hiding behind his effects".
First off, you say that he was too reliant on distortion, but most Metallica songs from the first three albums have very little "truly distorted" bass. Anesthesia, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Orion, and Call of the Ktulu are the only ones (that I know of) that have effects driven bass. His tone was somewhat aggressive and had a bit of "overdrive" to it, due to the high volume settings and is no more of an "effect" than Jaco's nasally tone.

Also the effects that Cliff or any other bass player use are not to "hide behind" but to bring out a particular approach to a song. Using distortion and a wah is just like vibrato or any other technique.

And lastly, you say that Cliff may not have been so admired if he had not died so tragically. I find this ridiculous. Cliff was admired quite a bit when he was still living and I believe like any other musician that over the years he would have developed even more. Plus look at other thrash metal players from the same era like Jason Newsted, Dave Ellefson, and Frank Bello. They are still widely discussed today and they are no more special than Mr. Burton.

 

[leegreenman]

Paul McCartney.

He may have been melodic and all, but he is nowhere near as good as any of the bassists I grew up listening to. Not as good as Chris Squire or Geddy Lee.

Sorry Paul McCartney fans.

I know Chris Squire would disagree with that statement. I've read articles where he list McCartney as his primary influence.

 

[hoshbrown41]

Pete Wentz. A thousand times Pete Wentz.

 

[dieterdiettrich]

CLIFF BURTON!!!!!!!

 

[rtslinger]

Okay I am going to go with underrated: I'm going to say John Deacon from Queen. He never gets a mention but, listen to his lines and hes one hell of a player! overrated I will go with Jack Casady. I have listen to tons of Jefferson Airplane and Hot tuna stuff in my opinion just at the right place at the right time.He is consider a legendary? bassist John Myung of Dream Theater I would consider legendary.

 

[cioppo]

John Myung is an overrated bass player, he makes music only with tecnique and without heart

 

[calypsocoral302]

Me!
...cause it makes my life a living HELL, okay?....a living HELL!

and THAT'S why I won't do two shows a night. I won't do it! I won't!!

Wow... I think that's the first time I've ever seen a quote from that movie used in a forum...

Kudos!