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The Most Inspirational Bassist

T

tomber

Sep 8, 2010
20
0
#1
So, when I was about 12, I started getting into 1970s music a lot. And when I say "a lot" I mean I listened to everything from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer to Stevie Wonder to Black Sabbath. But my favorite was Led Zeppelin (still is) and after watching an old concert of them on TV, John Paul Jones quickly became my hero because he was so cool. I t was because of him that I took up bass guitar.
And of course later in life I started spreading out and listening to even more types of genres. Everything from Punk to Jazz, and admiring more bassists like Flea, Geddy, and even Colin Greenwood. But my favorite will always be Jones.

So I was just wondering what all of your most favorite, influential, inspiring bassists are.
 
#3
So many. When I was younger it was guys like Mike Gordon, Geddy Lee, John Myung, and Flea. I currently am liking Jeff Berlin, Micheal Manring, Tal Wilkenfeld, people like that, but I don't really learn their stuff. I've been learning stuff from Mikeal Akerfeldt-his fingerpicking stuff is chordally great, Jeff Beck-crazy note choice, and Gavin Harrison drum grooves.
 
#5
Doug Rauch w/ Santana 72 -73
Billy Cobham / George Duke 1976
Lenny White 1975

Ralphe Armstrong

w / Mahavisnu Orchestra 1974 -75
Jon Luc Ponty 1975-76

Dave Lario Sr

Lario and Lyles duo


SF South Bay area
during the mid-late 70;s
 
#6
For me its Geezer Butler and Justin Chancellor. I actually met geezer and the rest of Sabbath wiht dio(RIP) at a signing. When I told geezer hes the one who made me want to pick up a bass he let me come around to their side of the table and i got to talk with him and the rest of the band for a half hour while they finished the rest of the singings, it was life changing.
 
#11
Tom Araya.

Not just as a bassist, but as a person. Anyone who can be in a band with the lyrical content and image such as Slayer, and still be a Catholic and believe in God is an amazing person, with some damn strong personal values.
 
#12
Wow, tough question. So many greats, but going back to the beginning:
John Paul Jones (yeah, and he's *still* a huge inspiration to me)
Donald "Duck" Dunn (with the Blues Brothers)
Jaco Pastorius (totally blown away trying to find the guitar player who played at the beginning of Birdland- ***?!?! That was the bass???)
Roger Waters (I could *actually play* his bass parts, and the songs on Dark Side of the Moon are just excellent)
 
#16
All the usual suspects, though I do remember spending most of 1989 learning everything off Fishbone's 'Truth and Soul', so Norwood Fisher has to be in there for me, underrated IMO, wicked player, wicked band.

'Bonin' in the Boneyard' is a great slap line/solo to get around ; )
 
#18
John Paul Jones and Geddy Lee. They're both incredibly cool. I've seen both of them live and... they're just incredible. Geddy with his incredible technical skill and JPJ with his unquestionable groove and overall genius... Rush and TCV are both bands who are amazing because of their bassists.
 

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