Richest bassist?

[kevbass5]

and i just saw the absurd statement that there's "nothing jaw dropping about his bass playing"

Paul is easily the most influential and copied player out there. He set the gold standard for taste, tone, feel and melody. Maybe you need to take a closer listen to the music.

 

[pbass2]

Maybe you need to take a closer listen to the music.

Ditto. Or if ya don't wanna listen, just think about popular music history as we know it for the last 30+ some odd years and how the bass fits into the picture.
And I'd say he IS rich in part to his bass playing, as many of his basslines are as much a hook in the song as anything else(in many cases more so). You really can't separate his bass playing from his writing. And it's his playing of those parts--his sound, phrasing, etc.--that ensured they were million-dollar hooks.

 

[Hans Gruber]

What about Will Lee? He does A LOT of session work, as well as his gig with Letterman. I'm sure they take care of him pretty well.

Session work does pay well, don't get me wrong, but it's not like being an area rock star.

Forgot about Randy Jackson. He has his hands in so many places as well.

They always say to diversify if you want to make many as a musician.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

paul is the only musician, bassist or otherwise, who is a billionaire.

so no one comes close.

Paul McCartney is not a billionaire and he never has been.

 

[Stumbo]

--his sound, phrasing, etc.--that ensured they were million-dollar hooks.

In Paul's case, billion dollar hooks.

He's been at it, what about 50 years, played all over the world, written and sang #1 songs, #1 covered songs, played bass, piano, drums, guitar, movie sound tracks, etc, etc. Even w/o the Beatles, his band Wings is known worldwide.

What's really outstanding about the Beatles is how their music changed over the years as they matured as people. They developed way beyond those first hit tunes.

His name will be known for many generations to come, way after all of us are long gone. That's priceless.

 

[BASSKADET]

I vote for Paul. I bet Geddys not doing too bad in the coin dept.

 

[pbass2]

Session player: Maybe John Pena

I have to admit, I've never heard of this cat until now. I looked him up--what's he got going on that would make you inclined to pick him for richest (which must mean either busiest, or most highly paid, or both) session player? Enlighten me!
I would have no idea who to pick (maybe Pino?), as has been mentioned, session players usually don't make nearly as much as we would like to think. I do union sessions for scale in LA, and from what I see, even the top dogs gotta work ALL the time to get by.

 

[Krinkle5]

I'll say Michael Manring is a billionare with his technique

 

[pedro]

I have my doubts about that.

I don't think he's a great player either, he just happens to be a Beatle. That's just my opinion.

He may be extremely rich...but not due to his bass playing. There's nothing jaw dropping about his playing at all.

I vote for Tom Hamilton from Aerosmith-if you just want to talk about bass players-real bass players. Aerosmith is one of the top paid bands IN THE WORLD.

2nd runner up would have to be Michael Anthony from Van Halen

(THUD!!! pedro faints.)

As to the original question I don't think this is even a close call - McCartney by a very, very, very long shot. I'm guessing Sting is second and then the rest.

 

[JimmyM]

Paul McCartney is not a billionaire and he never has been.

HUH?!?

 

[DanielleMuscato]

A quick Google search turned up two figures, [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and $750m (from 2000) for Macca re: net worth.

All figures from VH1 from the year 2000:

Here are the 40 richest British rock stars [Except for the Irish U2 - Paddy O'Ed.] according to net worth, estimated by Business Age:

1. Paul McCartney, $750 million

2. Elton John, $500 million

3. Mick Jagger, $225 million

4. Keith Richards, $220 million

5. Tom Jones, $149 million

5 (tie). Engelbert Humperdinck, $149 million

7. David Bowie, $145 million

8. Sting, $143 million

8 (tie). Phil Collins, $143 million

10. George Harrison, $128 million

11. Ringo Starr, $111 million

12. Eric Clapton, $108 million

13. U2, $105 million each

13 (tie). George Michael, $105 million

15. Rod Stewart, $101 million

16. Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones), $96 million

17. Cliff Richard, $89 million

18. David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), $86 million

19. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), $85 million each

20. Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones), $82 million

20 (tie). Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits), $82 million

22. Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), $74 million

23. John Deacon, Brian May, and Roger Taylor (Queen), $67 million each

24. Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), $64 million

25. Rick Wright (Pink Floyd), $61 million

26. Jim Kerr (Simple Minds), $60 million

27. Mick Hucknall (Simply Red), $57 million

28. Van Morrison, $52 million

29. The Bee Gees, $49 million each

30. Chris de Burgh, $45 million

31. Victoria Beckham (Spice Girls), $37 million

32. Noel Gallagher (Oasis), $36 million

33. Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), $34 million

34. Melanie Chisholm and Melanie Brown (Spice Girls), $33 million each

35. Emma Bunton (Spice Girls), $31 million

36. Liam Gallagher (Oasis), $28 million

37. Geri Halliwell (ex-Spice Girl), $25 million

38. Annie Lennox (Eurythmics), $22 million

39. Fatboy Slim, $21 million

40. Robbie Williams, $16 million

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[dlloyd]

Paul McCartney is not a billionaire and he never has been.

Depends what currency you're talking about.

According to the Sunday Times Rich List, which is as accurate as these things come...

Paul McCartney is worth an estimated £500M
Sting is worth £200M
Keith Richards (I've seen him with a bass once or twice) is worth £190M
Roger Waters is worth £95M
John Deacon is worth £65M

 

[DennyOnBass]

He's hovering right around the billion mark. His net worth at his recent divorce hearing was $800 million.

 

[UncleBalsamic]

They're working in "crazy billions"

But yeah, Paul isn't a billionaire.

 

[Elrend]

GENE SIMMONS

/thread

 

[DanielleMuscato]

Not by a long shot - he hinted at $100m net worth on his Rock School show. Other sources put him between $22m and $50m.

 

[pbass2]

John Deacon is worth £65M

And that's prolly largely from ONE song, "My Best Friend"

 

[dangnewt]

John W. Henry, commodities trader and principal owner of the Boston Red Sox played bass in college and his band recorded an album. Not sure if he plays much anymore. He is somewhere in the 500 million to 1 billion ballpark (nice ballpark!).

 

[Stumbo]

I heard Warren Buffet used to play bass in his nephew's band.
They used to drink tequilas after rehearsal.

 

[lawsonman]

I have my doubts about that.

I don't think he's a great player either, he just happens to be a Beatle. That's just my opinion.

He may be extremely rich...but not due to his bass playing. There's nothing jaw dropping about his playing at all.

With all due respect,then you either know nothing about bass playing or,you've never listened to him for more than five minutes.