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Who started it all for you?

#321
I got a classical guitar for my ninth birthday, because my Aunty persuaded me. I wanted a piano, but we were too poor.
I took lessons and learned all the basics, but I basically sucked.
I got an electric strat cheapo Korean POS when I was about 13, still sucked.
Bought a Casio POS keyboard because I sucked at guitar. Sucked at keyboard too. (And I whined about spending all my pocket money!)

Friend had a POS Legend bass, terrible terrible piece of driftwood, but suddenly, a light went on!
Bought my first bass (a very nice lefty Ibanez) and never looked back.
I'm a bass player. Just is.

Oh, and Geddy Lee was my first influence - used to sit and play along with the cassettes!
Rock and/or Roll!
 
#322
For me as a teenager growing up in the early 70's, I was playing tuba in band and started on guitar. It was a natural switch to bass musically so that I could play bass in the high school jazz band.

For inspirations, it was a combinaton of Geezer in Black Sabbath and Mel Schacher of Grand Funk Railroad. I played along with all of those early albums!
 
#323
I used to play a lot of hockey growing up. I was on the provincial-level team, and had my sights on the major junior system that feeds the NHL draft. Then I tore ligaments in my back right before the playoffs. I went through lots of physical therapy, they gave me laser treatments and a bunch of other cutting edge stuff at the time to prepare me in time for the playoffs. Crazy, right? Yup. I played half a game before I could barely stand upright. My season was over.

In the offseason, I did tons of rehabilitation and strength training to get back to top shape. And I felt great! Practices started up in the fall again, all was ok. When we had our first scrimmage, I was nailed to the boards with a 'regular' check. And I crumbled because the pain was so intense. So, hockey career over.

I was pretty depressed (as a junior high school kid, hockey was my universe). One day my grandfather comes over and says "I have something for you. It's a bass guitar. Why don't you give it a shot?" I took one look at it... Fender? Doesn't that belong on a car? And what's with the ugly metal plate over the strings? Whatever, sure, I'll give it a shot.

Turns out it was a 1966 Fender Precision with a 1966 Fender Bassman head and cab. I thought it was garbage at the time. But, I loved playing so much, I stuck with it. It came pretty naturally to me.

Biggest influences from the early days would be McCartney and Geddy Lee. Because of them, I've never looked at or played the bass as a 'back in the mix' kind of instrument. I've always seen it as having its own identity, and wanting to come to the forefront now and then with strong melodies and creative patterns. That being said, there's always a time and place for a solid, simple groove on the back beat, of course. ;)

Anyway, that's my story.

PS - I still have the Fender Bassman amp, but not the cab. I no longer have the bass as he eventually took it back to do some gigs (he was a regionally known jazz bassist), and I was living across the continent. He sold it at some point. I was kinda disappointed, but I never did develop an affinity for Fenders. Still, it would have been nice to keep it in the family.
 
#326
I came to the Bass late in life (I'm 58 and just getting started). I wasted a lot of time before figuring out that music was and had always been the driving force in my life. The first bassist that made an impression on me was The Ox. Then Chris Squire. Then Geddy Lee. But if I have to choose one, it would be Tony Butler. The bass line from "My City Was Gone" made me realize what bass could really do.
 
#327
My brother is responsible for me getting into bass.
Was trying to learn guitar, sucked at it, remembered how my brother said he could always get a gig playing bass, and asked my guitar tutor to teach me bass instead. Haven't looked back since.
 
#329
Keith Ferguson.
IMG_0324-Version2.jpg
 
#332
Flea, RHCP, Under the Bridge. But I didn't pick it up right away. Years later, it seemed that every time I heard a RHCP song, I wanted to play. I wanted that tone. That tone drove me wild and it eventually pushed me to give bass a try.
 
#333
For me it was Tim Bogert, when he played with Vanilla Fudge. I was in high school at the time and I saw them on TV playing "Shotgun". His incredible bass playing blew me away. I was also very impressed with the bass player for Jefferson Airplane at the time. Later it was Mel Schacher of Grand Funk and John Entwisle and Larry Graham. Now days there are so many great bassists out there it is hard to pick just one. :):cool::bassist:
 
#334
Well, the man who started it all for me is not really a famous bassist. Or even a lesser-known bassist. Or a bassist at all, for that matter. I was playing classical guitar (been taking lessons for a few years) in a musical association when the association band's head guy comes waltzing up to me, says that they need a bassist to play at the show at the end of the year, basically dumps the instrument in my lap and moonwalks out of the place. Funny guy. It's been 4 years now, never stopped playing.
 
#338
Say what you will ... Gene Simmons. I was a little kid when I saw Kiss on tv, and there was the demon. Friend told me "That's gene simmons, he plays bass" It started me on the path of music and soon after I discovered Yes and Rush. Left Kiss behind quickly ... but, it still started there.
 
#339
I have played Acoustic guitar for some time. but on bass Larry Grahame and his funk

Victor Wooton

John Entwistle From The Who

Norm Stockton

This lady funk bass player L'slide

Divinity Roxx

these are some of the artists that inspire me to play bass.
 
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#340
no bassist 'started it ' for me at all, but enjoyment of the role a bassist fulfills, bridging melody/harmony /rhythm.
The prospect of more work than one might have if playing other instruments also played a role. i didn' know any bassists at the time I started playing the instrument as I came from piano.
 

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