Who inspired you to play bass?

[MilkMan007]

Me personally Ryan Martinie from mudvayne inspired me to pick up bass.

 

[pingvuiini]

 

[AK Bass Guy]

For me, 2 people.
First would be my high school band director who switched me from trombone to tuba to bass guitar.
Second would be Donald "Duck" Dunn because I listened to the Blues Brothers albums on cassette tape all the time back in the day.

 

[LiptonJigglers]

Jah Wobble
Tracy Pew
John Archer
Dave Alexander

 

[Lowbrow]

I guess Bill Wyman because somebody's big brother told me that 4-string guitar was a bass, whatever that meant.
EDIT: By that logic the l guess I really should credit somebody's big brother.

 

[UntitledProject]

Berry Oakley. Bought live at the Fillmore thinking I was going to be a big time guitar player. Spent all my time humming the bass lines instead of singing guitar licks. Dropped two strings and an octave and never looked back.

 

[JRA]

a drummer.




edit: i was offered a gig by a sax player friend who needed a bass player, and a drummer friend 'coaxed'/encouraged me.

 

[bholder]

[This invalid link has been removed]

 

[retslock]

Me personally Ryan Martinie from mudvayne inspired me to pick up bass.

No single person. It was a combination of Motown, Stax and other American soul/rhythm and blues artists and the English bands of the '60s - the Beatles mostly but Spencer Davis Group, The Hollies, The Kinks, Yardbirds, Animals etc.
The first time I ever played bass live on stage was at a camping park in Rosebud, Victoria in 1966. I sat in with the band there and played Roll Over Beethoven and In The Midnight Hour.

 

[lowplaces]

Second would be Donald "Duck" Dunn because I listened to the Blues Brothers albums on cassette tape all the time back in the day.

Same here. Was sitting in my truck one night listening to the Blues Brothers and told myself I should play bass.

I was probably 18 at the time.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Chris Squire, after seeing Yes in concert with Bill Brufford and most of original lineup back in '71., which is why I went out and bought a Rick back in '72 for $700. Wish I'd kept that Rick. When I saw Stanley Clarke back in '76 or '77 with Chick Corea's Return to Forever, he made me want to throw my bass in the lake, I knew I'd never get even close to that! I still try, for what it's worth.

 

[Froski]

I got into it through reggae, rocksteady and ska

 

[Wasnex]

Some of older brothers played in orchestra. One of them left a viola in the house when he flew the nest. So I started on viola in 5th grade. It was convenient and sort of seemed like family tradition.

Second year on viola and I started asking to play bass. I was above average on viola, which is coveted, so my instructors were reluctant to allow me to play bass. 2-3 years later, one of instructors finally relented after consulting with my mom.

I have early memories of listening to Beer Barrell Polka on 45 and really focusing on the tuba part. I sort of feel like I was born to bass.

 

[Shepsdad]

Berry Oakley for me. Oddly enough, I had played guitar for decades before, but maybe 8-10 years ago, I was in my garage drinking a few beers and tinkering around with some random project. I have a 1970s stereo receiver out there, and had hooked up a cd player to it and got out a box of cds, I dug through the box and found one of several copies of the Fillmore concert. For whatever reason, that particular day I just completely focused on Berrys bass lines, and was totally blown away! How had I not paid attention to this before?

It was that day, after almost 40 years of guitar playing, never even considered playing bass, that I decided I needed to get a bass.

 

[AK Bass Guy]

Same here. Was sitting in my truck one night listening to the Blues Brothers and told myself I should play bass.

I was probably 18 at the time.

This is the cassette I remember playing to death.

 

[lowplaces]

This is the cassette I remember playing to death.

Yes, same one !

 

[JJP_1984_LB50]

For me, the two John's…

Entwhistle
Paul Jones

 

[Ocean Man]

John Deacon.

 

[MilkMan007]

[This invalid link has been removed]

Goat

 

[mambo4]

Dad, Sting