Which Bassist "Made" a Band?

[Sequential]

Back when Paul Young was in the charts, Pino Palladino was the star of that show and recorded one of the finest examples of electric bass ever captured on "The Secret of Association" album.

 

[4stringsjack]

Mike Watt - Minutemen

 

[higain617]

Ray Manzarek played a Fender Rhodes bass keyboard. Bassist, just not bass guitarist. He definitely made the band, though.

The Doors had session bassists on their studio recordings.

 

[Gyver]

Darryl may be the better instrumentalist (and i play drums as same as good as Charlie W.) but being a good musician is definitely never tied on its virtuosity but the trace he left in music history. And yeah, being not more than a clever copyist Ron Wood will never climb on Mick Taylor's level. Keef is way best riff composer ever with rather limited tec-spec.

If technical proficiency was the defining criteria of a great band Toto would be bigger than those hacks the Beatles!

 

[Paulabass]

Level 42 (Mark King)

 

[K2000]

Okay.

We disagree. No biggie.

LOL, you said people are drawn to the RHCP because of the singer. He's pretty terrible!

Not sure if you're trolling this thread, or if you just have a tin ear.

You also said that anybody could play Flea's part "with enough practice" LOL. Hey, I could be rich (if I had a million dollars). Anybody could do it!

Stop embarrassing yourself...

 

[Picton]

LOL, you said people are drawn to the RHCP because of the singer. He's pretty terrible!

Not sure if you're trolling this thread, or if you just have a tin ear.

You also said that anybody could play Flea's part "with enough practice" LOL. Hey, I could be rich (if I had a million dollars). Anybody could do it!

Stop embarrassing yourself...

Ooookaaaay....

Nope. Not trolling. I just disagree with the notion that all the most iconic bands are determined by the greatness of... the bass player.

Your judgement on Kiedis’ talent has nothing to do with this thread, nor do your ad hominems about my taste. I get that Flea’s playing is absolutely fundamental to RHCP’s sound. I feel the vocals are even more fundamental, as they are in most bands.

I feel that’s a pretty simple point, with a lot of evidence to back it... evidence that plainly doesn’t matter to you. Fine. You can feel free to disagree, preferably without the ad hominems.

 

[K2000]

Ooookaaaay....

Nope. Not trolling. I just disagree with the notion that all the most iconic bands are determined by the greatness of... the bass player.

I feel that’s a pretty simple point, with a lot of evidence to back it... evidence that plainly doesn’t matter to you.

Sorry if my reply seemed harsh, but you earlier stated that basically bass players are all interchangeable. So, anybody could be the bass player in the RHCP. According to you, if "generic bass player" was playing bass for Yes, it wouldn't make a difference. This is just plain wrong. And embarrassing for you to post this on a bass player's forum. You don't seem to value bass players enough, and you should listen more, and more carefully. You haven't posted any "evidence" at all.

Here's an idea... try to imagine swapping bass players in different bands, and what that would sound like. What if Chris Squire played bass for RHCP, and Flea played bass for Yes? Wouldn't those bands sound a lot different? Now do you understand how dumb your "the bass player doesn't make a difference" position is?

 

[Picton]

Sorry if my reply seemed harsh, but you earlier stated that basically bass players are all interchangeable. So, anybody could be the bass player in the RHCP. According to you, if "generic bass player" was playing bass for Yes, it wouldn't make a difference. This is just plain wrong. And embarrassing for you to post this on a bass player's forum. You don't seem to value bass players enough, and you should listen more, and more carefully. You haven't posted any "evidence" at all.

Here's an idea... try to imagine swapping bass players in different bands, and what that would sound like. What if Chris Squire played bass for RHCP, and Flea played bass for Yes? Wouldn't those bands sound a lot different? Now do you understand how dumb your "the bass player doesn't make a difference" position is?

No. I don’t. Though, by all means, keep being “harsh...”

My feeling is that bands “make it” because they’re different from other bands. They need something distinctive, unique, something that sets them apart.

My further feeling is that the unique thing is more often the singer’s voice than any of the instruments. I hardly think that’s a revolutionary idea.

Your misguided notion that it’s somehow wrong for me to have that opinion, simply because this is a bass board, strikes me as silly. My opinions are my own. I don’t need your permission to post here.

 

[K2000]

My feeling is that bands “make it” because they’re different from other bands. They need something distinctive, unique, something that sets them apart.

Right! And one of those things is the bass player! That's why Flea (great bass player) could never be replaced by Chris Squire (also a great bass player).

I could easily argue that great singers are a dime a dozen, and you could replace Diana Ross with Aretha Franklin and nobody would know the difference. That's basically the argument you are making. And it's dumb.

 

[Picton]

Right! And one of those things is the bass player! That's why Flea (great bass player) could never be replaced by Chris Squire (also a great bass player).

I could easily argue that great singers are a dime a dozen, and you could replace Diana Ross with Aretha Franklin and nobody would know the difference. That's basically the argument you are making. And it's dumb.

Okay.

Have a pleasant evening. I’m far too old to let the internet get me worked up.

 

[Lardass5000]

The guy from Grand Funk Railroad

 

[Lardass5000]

That guy that recorded all those bass lines for the Beatles. What's his name?

 

[roller]

perry farrel had/has an awful voice. Almost as bad as Bob Dylan's.

Oh, I disagree... but to each their own. Although unique, I think Perry's voice was fantastic... and he was a bad*ss frontman to boot.

Jane's never got their full due... unfortunately, kinda got gobbled up by the hair band scene of the late 80s/early 90s. But there's no doubt that each member of the band was superb at what they did, especially Navarro and Perkins who are real powerhouses. Navarro is one of the all-time quintessential rock guitarists.

 

[patrickj]

Mark Hoppus of blink 182

Totally agree.

New guitarist comes in and you still have Blink. Take away Mark and you’ve got Boxcar (with Barker) / Angels, neither is Blink. Hoppus is that band.

 

[Pauly 4001]

Any band with Glen Hughes playing bass & singing.....

Any band except Deep Purple that is since Roger Glover also sang and played bass for them and they were better in so many ways during his time with the band.
Yes without Chris Squire is no longer Yes.

John Entwistle was the most interesting thing about the Who.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I can’t think of any. Other than Violent Femmes.

For bands who made it big, I feel the only really indispensable folks are the lead singer and, to a lesser extent, the lead guitarist. Why? Because the frontman’s voice is more distinct than any other single instrument in the band.

Big-name bands have a star. That’s almost always the singer.

Jack Bruce, Stanley Clarke, Gedie Lee ( heavens, not for his vocals), to name a few...

 

[Jeff Scott]

Yes was only, really, Yes while Chris Squire was a part of it.

 

[58kites]

....and i play drums as same as good as Charlie W.

LOL

 

[LordRyan]

I would give McCartney and Squire extra credit for being among the best looking Bass players in their prime.