Which Bassist "Made" a Band?

[oZZma]

The parameters have to be more clearly defined for any answers to really be meaningful. Are we talking just playing bass or are we taking into account other contributions (fronting the band, stage presence, composition, etc.)? If it's just bass playing then I have a feeling the answers coming from bassists versus those coming from non-bassists are, for the most part, not going to line up.

IMO a HUGE contribution in composition as well
as a HUGE involvement in defining the style/concept would be required.

 

[Biggbass]

Sir Paul. Not only would The Beatles not be anywhere near the same without him, he opened the door for everyone else to follow their dreams.
And that said, every band I can think of that's made it has had the right line up of players, including bass player, to accomplish their unique sound. The list is far too long to itemize.

 

[madbass6]

Having turned to bass only recently, and having been here just a short time, there are a lot of threads about who's your favorite, who's the most underrated (and probably who's the most overrated, but I haven't seen that one, yet). It got me to wondering:

Is there a bass player in your opinion who, without having been in a specific band, would have caused that band to be just mediocre?

Put another way, while there may be flashy guitar players and superstar singers, would there have been a band that wouldn't have succeeded without the solid playing of a talented bass player?

Sorry but honestly in my opinion if it wasn't for Jaco pastorious weather report would be just another good band out there! same goes for bela fleck and the flecktones! Victor wooten most defenetly sticks out in that band as well! & I mean that with all do respect to both of these amazing talented groups! Of course then there's James Jamerson funk brothers (Motown) and the Legend himself,
Sr. Paul McCartney !

 

[ThudThudThud]

Not musically, but Sid Vicious in the Sex Pistols. Without his anarchy, instability, and unpredictability the Sex Pistols would have been less of an act.

 

[murphy]

Bernard Edwards...Chic

 

[krovx]

Tom Araya of Slayer
Mark Hoppus of blink 182

 

[murphy]

Louis Johnson...the Brothers Johnson.....(MJ...George Benson...Quincy Jones)

 

[murphy]

Black Uhuru ...Robbie Shakespeare

 

[murphy]

Family Man....Bob marley

 

[Pops OB]

Me. Well, you asked.

 

[murphy]

Jean jacques Burnell...The Stranglers........Forever!!!

 

[Sequential]

Somebody already said Mark King, right?

 

[obimark]

John Taylor
Andy Fraser
Allen Woody
John Paul Jones
Geddy
Paul McCartney
Flea

 

[bearfoot]

The dead would still have been the dead even if they never had any bassist at all and the low end were handled by a keys player.

Objectively false. The Dead's quintessential jam-band sound has a LOT to do with Phil Lesh, and the contrapuntal and brass player mindset he brought to bass, working and playing off what Garcia was doing.
No Phil Bombs, no Dead. Phil was a main ingredient.

You'd have to pick an act with a far less characteristic bassist to classify them as an optional component.

 

[Gizmot]

Mark King - - Level 42

 

[BergerHead]

Having turned to bass only recently, and having been here just a short time, there are a lot of threads about who's your favorite, who's the most underrated (and probably who's the most overrated, but I haven't seen that one, yet). It got me to wondering:

Is there a bass player in your opinion who, without having been in a specific band, would have caused that band to be just mediocre?

Put another way, while there may be flashy guitar players and superstar singers, would there have been a band that wouldn't have succeeded without the solid playing of a talented bass player?

Sting & The Police, in that case less is more than more ...

 

[cnltb]

Interesting, as good as Darryl Jones is the Stones just don't have the same feel without Wyman's quirky playing.

I think they sound a lot better with Darryl Jones.

 

[oZZma]

Not musically, but Sid Vicious in the Sex Pistols. Without his anarchy, instability, and unpredictability the Sex Pistols would have been less of an act.

I disagree... He wasn't even in the band at the beginning, I see him as a pawn in Malcolm McLaren's plans, nothing more. Not relevant as for the music, but not even relevant in conceiving anything about the band's style or message either.

 

[mikeswals]

Incubus - Dirk Lance (original bassist) made that band.
As expected they went down the toilet shortly after his leaving.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Having turned to bass only recently, and having been here just a short time, there are a lot of threads about who's your favorite, who's the most underrated (and probably who's the most overrated, but I haven't seen that one, yet). It got me to wondering:

Is there a bass player in your opinion who, without having been in a specific band, would have caused that band to be just mediocre?

Put another way, while there may be flashy guitar players and superstar singers, would there have been a band that wouldn't have succeeded without the solid playing of a talented bass player?

All of them. If the bass sucks, the band sounds bad. Bass makes everything sound good. It also brings everything together and makes it all sit.