Which Bassists were your inspiration when you started playing?

[secondbestcody]

Matt Freeman.

First song I ever learned was Journey to the End of the East Bay by Rancid. But I messed up learning to play bass. I learned how to play songs, not scales and whatnot.

 

[BOOG]

Doh....can't forget about Timmy C!

 

[bongostealth]

For me it was whoever played the synth bass lines for the Mega Man X video game series on the Super Nintendo during the early 90s.

 

[Muddslide]

I started out in '78 and really just tried to learn stuff that was on the radio that I'd tape off onto cassettes.

Mostly I had KISS albums (hey, I was 10 and it was 1978) so I learned a mess of that stuff.

But something happened a couple years later...1980-81. I ended up getting into punk and new wave, and it really inspired my playing.

Now, I'm the first to say that a lot of punk was kind pretty generic, and there was some pretty goofy new wave. (At the same time I'd argue that a good bit of those genres--along with some early goth and postpunk--hold up well today and involved some damn good and interesting musicians.)

The main thing is, a great deal of what I was listening to by then was really bass heavy.

I learned the basslines to entire albums. Just ate it up. By 1982 I had a very good bass too.. MIJ Squier P bass...black with black pickguard, rosewood fingerboard. Wish I still had it.

I actually started playing in my first (embarrassingly horrible hardcore punk) band in '82 or '83, but on guitar...soon after I was the Bass Guy and played bass in many bands for about the next 20 years.

Anyway, as far as early inspirations:

Dave Allen (Gang of Four, Shriekback)
Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order)
Steve Severin (Siouxsie & The Banshees)
Steve Hanley (The Fall)
Jon Archer (Hunters & Collectors)
Jean Jacques Burnel (The Stranglers, solo)
Mick Karn (Japan, solo, Dalis Car)
Les Pattinson (Echo & The Bunnymen)
Brian Ritchie (Violent Femmes, solo)
Neil Mackay (Loop, Hair & Skin Trading Co.)
Klaus Flouride (Dead Kennedys, solo)
Chuck Dukowski (Black Flag)
Jeff Pinkus (B-hole Surfers)
Clint Conley (Mission of Burma)
Steve Smith (The Vapors)
Dick Crippen (Tenpole Tudor)
Simon Gallup (The Cure)
Mark Burgess (The Chameleons)
Will Heggie (early Cocteau Twins)
Cris Kirkwood (Meat Puppets)
Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, etc.)
Tracy Pew (Birthday Party)

...and from a bit later..

Joe Lally (Fugazi)
David Wm. Sims (Scratch Acid Jesus Lizard, unFact)
Dave Riley (Big Black)
Joe Preston (Melvins, Thrones)

 

[Jigmay]

Like it was yesterday....

Laying on my living room floor listening to Jack Bruce (Cream- Disraeli Gears & Cream Live). What tone, what great improvising, what great ballsy in your face feel.

 

[milesdavisblue]

Ray Brown, James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, Gary Willis, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Steve Rodby, Stanley Clarke, Christian McBride, Richard Bona, John Clayton, Jaco, John Entwistle, Jeff Berlin, Larry Grenadier, Bootsy, Roscoe Beck, Flea, Mark King, Chuck Rainey, John Pattitucci, Ron Carter, Paul Chambers, Dave Holland, Man I could list many names forever I love em all. I have been blessed to meet many I have listed and they are such great people just a great inspiration.

 

[Jigmay]

Like it was yesterday....

Laying on my living room floor listening to Jack Bruce (Cream- Disraeli Gears & Cream Live). What tone, what great improvising, what great ballsy in your face feel.

 

[2112]

 

[andreiforce10]

Steve Harris, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, Paul McCartney

 

[TNCreature]

That's basically my list as well!
When starting out, and you can still hear it in my style.

Deja thread.

Same answer I always give:
Simon Gallup of the Cure
Peter Hook of Joy Division
I'll also add Geezer because thinking back I learned a lot of Sabbath tunes early on.

 

[Dr. Love]

Seeing Doug Wimbish live about 10 feet in front of me put bass on my radar before I ever played one. There were multiple "What the...!?" moments that night.

 

[onamission]

Forgot John Glascock, his work on Songs from the Wood really made me appreciate my Pbass. RIP brother.

 

[jnewmark]

Duck Dunn, David Hood.

 

[phudson]

Flea, Duff McKagan, Billy Cox, and Tina Weymouth.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

The guy in my avatar (Mel Schacher) of Grand Funk - first 5 albums for sure, but everything else, too. (I Come Tumbling!)

Dave Brown - Early Santana, "Lion" album & Abraxas
Dennis Dunaway - Alice Cooper, Love It To Death, Killer, School's Out, Billion $ Babies
Larry Graham - Sly & Family days (If You Want Me To Stay!)
Jack Bruce, Cream days. Politician!
JP Jones - wore out "The Lemon Song" cut on LZ II
Dusty Hill - ZZ Top, simple & straight bass you can hear was a pre-internet learning tool. Master of Sparks
Last, but not least in any form, Phil Chen with Jeff Beck. Freeway Jam!!!

 

[shadven]

Stu Cook, Paul McCartney, Jamerson

 

[MaplePrecision]

Steve Harris made me decide on bass as the instrument to play. I went through a lot of other players stuff to get to Maiden level comfort. Still love to throw on some early Maiden and play along.

 

[MrCrane]

Dee Murray
Kenny Gradney
Jack Casady
Danny Thompson
Lemmy (with Hawkwind. Never really took to Motorhead)

 

[rtslinger]

Butler, Simmons, Harris

 

[JimK]

The guy in my avatar (Mel Schacher) of Grand Funk - first 5 albums for sure, but everything else, too. (I Come Tumbling!)

Dave Brown - Early Santana, "Lion" album & Abraxas
Dennis Dunaway - Alice Cooper, Love It To Death, Killer, School's Out, Billion $ Babies
Larry Graham - Sly & Family days (If You Want Me To Stay!)
Jack Bruce, Cream days. Politician!
JP Jones - wore out "The Lemon Song" cut on LZ II
Dusty Hill - ZZ Top, simple & straight bass you can hear was a pre-internet learning tool. Master of Sparks
Last, but not least in any form, Phil Chen with Jeff Beck. Freeway Jam!!!

Love your list! Schacher, Dunaway, Graham, Bruce, Dave Brown, Bruce, JPJ, Phil Chen!!!
...I don't think Graham played on "If You Want Me To Stay".