Greatest Bassists
 

There is a greatest guitarist thread, so I'm making a greatest bassists thread. Muahahaha. My list:

1. Victor Wooten
2. Steve Swallow
3. Jaco Pastorius
4. Louis Johnson
5. Stanley Clarke
6. Jay Bentley
7. Klaus Floride
8. Alaine (from The Devotchkas)
9. Steve Hansgen
10. Billy Sheehan

My top 10 list;

1. James Jamerson
2. James Jamerson
3. James Jamerson
4. James Jamerson
5. James Jamerson
6. James Jamerson
7. James Jamerson
8. James Jamerson
9. James Jamerson
10. James Jamerson

Hah. Sadly , I've only heard of Jamerson, but never heard. Some variety never kills, RT. Lol.

Everybody in the world has heard Jamerson.
Sadly not that many know it.

My Girl - Temptations
Bernadette - 4 Tops
Aint That Peculiar - Marvin ***e
Ooh Baby Baby - The Miracles
To Many Fish In The Sea - The Marvelettes
Uptight (Everything Is Alright) - Stevie Wonder
Heat Wave (U) - Martha & The Vandellas
This Old Heart Of Mine - Isley Brothers
I Heard It Through The Grapevine (2 recordings) - Marvin ***e, Gladys Knight & Pips
Where Did Our Love Go (U) - Diana/Supremes
Since I Lost My Baby - Temptations
For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder
My Guy (U) - Mary Wells
Your Precious Love - Marvin ***e/Tammy Terrell
You've Really Got A Hold On Me - The Miracles
Love Child - Diana/Supremes
I Guess I'll Always Love you
Dancing In The Streets - Martha & The Vandellas
Don't Mess With Bill - The Marvelettes
What's Going On - Marvin ***e
Standing In The Shadows Of Love - 4 Tops
Mickey's Monkey (U) - The Miracles
Cloud Nine - Temptations
Nothing's To Good For My Baby - Temptations
My Baby Loves Me - Martha & The Vandellas
You Keep Me Hanging On - Diana/Supremes
You Beat Me To The Punch - Mary Wells
Little Darling (I Need You) - 4 Tops
I'm Ready For Love
The Way You Do The Things You Do - Temptations
I Can't Help Myself - 4 Tops
Roadrunner - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
You're All I Need To Get By - Temptations
You Can't Hurry Love - Diana/Supremes
Shop Around - The Miracles
Ain't To Proud To Beg - Temptations
My Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
It's The Same Old Song - 4 Tops
How Sweet It Is - Marvin ***e
Take Me In Your Arms (And Rock Me A Little While) - Brenda Holloway
Ain't No Mountain High Enough (2 recordings) - Marvin ***e/Tammy Terrell, Diana/Supremes
My Baby Must Be A Magician - The Marvelettes
Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart - Diana/Supremes
Beauty Is Only Skin Deep - Temptations
Ask The Lonely - 4 Tops
Going To A Go-Go - The Miracles
I was Made To Love Her - Stevie Wonder
Hitch Hike - Marvin ***e
I Second That Emotion - The Miracles
Please Mr. Postman - The Marvelettes
Jimmy Mack (U) - Martha & The Vandellas
I Hear A Symphony - Diana/Supremes
Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over) - 4 Tops
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - Temptations
Get Ready - Temptations
The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
Stop! In The Name Of Love - Diana/Supremes
That's What Love Is Made Of
Nowhere To Run - Martha & The Vandellas
Seven Rooms Of Gloom - 4 Tops
Pride & Joy - Marvin ***e
(I Know) I'm Losing You - Temptations
Two Lovers - Mary Wells
I'll Turn To Stone - 4 Tops
Come See About Me - Diana/Supremes
Stubborn Kind Of Fellow - Marvin ***e
How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone
If I Were your Woman Gladys Knight & The Pips
My World Is Empty Without You - Diana/Supremes
The Tracks Of My Tears - The Miracles
I'm Wondering - Stevie Wonder
Can I Get A Witness - Marvin ***e
The Girls Alright With Me - Temptations
Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Da Day - Stevie Wonder
Reflections - Diana/Supremes
What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted - Jimmy Ruffin
Baby I Need Your Loving - 4 Tops
Quicksand... - Martha & The Vandellas
Reach Out...I'll Be There - 4 Tops
You Beat Me To The Punch - Mary Wells
The Bells - The Originals
Shotgun - Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
Fingertips (pt2)- Stevie Wonder
Hey Girl - Stevie Wonder
What Are You Gonna Do When I'm Gone (U) - Kim Weston
Still Water Runs Deep - Four Tops (Chuck Whaley)
All in the Game - Four Tops (Chuck Whaley)
My Baby - Temptations
The One Who Really Loves You (U)- Mary Wells
This Old Heart Of Mine - Isley Brothers
My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left) - David Ruffin
It Takes Two (U) - Marvin ***e/Tammy Terrell
Honey Chile - Martha & the Vandellas
To Busy Thinking About My Baby - Marvin ***e
When Your Young And In Love - Marvelettes
Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing - Marvin ***e/Tammy Terrell
Still Waters Run Deep - Four Tops
If I Were Your Woman - Gladys Knight & the Pips
I Want You Back - Jackson 5
It's Growing - The Temptations
Agent Double O Soul - Edwin Starr
I Can't Get Next To You - Temptations
I want A Love I can Feel - Temptations
Heart Breaking Guy - Supremes

Elliott Smith and Conor Oberst.


/willl think of a real list later.

I don't think I've heard any of those songs. Maybe in a movie when I wasn't paying attention. However, I think he had a guest appearance on a Wooten album. You should check him out if you don't know him.

Who? woten? ho hasn't head of wooten, the guy's a genius.

No Jamerson. And I've heard of him. Just not heard him. Although when I was little I listened to a lot of Stevie Wonder, so I might've heard him.

Geddy Lee
Victor Wooten
But mostly Geddy Lee

Jamerson influenced Wooten and even Geddy Lee admires Jamerson's brilliance.

PaperHurricanesAndPlanes...I can't believe you haven't heard of those songs I listed.

*hopes that's what he was banned for*

No there seems to be a trend of people making their user titles account disabled..

Two bannable offences for the price of one?

I started the motherfuckin' trend. I did it on MX, too.

YYZ!

No, BungalowBill did it way before you.

BungalowBill didn't do it before me on MX, though. And this thread is getting off topic.

Did you know that the Welsh for Railway is...



RLY.

Simon Gallup.

Mmm, Cygnus X1 too

Flea from the red hot chili peppers is awesome. i love the bass he pulls off in suck my kiss and tell me baby.

no mention of les claypool?

Claypool is okay, but way overrated. I never found Primus to be all that interesting.

i think his singing can get annoying...but some of the basslines are off the hook...plus add the fact that he is their vocalist as well.....

I loved primus, and he's earned alot of the credit, he is a great bassist, just not the greatest in the world.

Once again Chris Squire gets completely ignored. :mad:

It's not like you have to like Yes to appreciate the guys undeniable greatness.

Hah, I didn't know his name. Yes is good though.

1. Flea
2. Jaco
3. Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Sadus, Testament, Quo Vadis etc)
4. Geddy Lee (Rush)
5. Les Claypool (Primus etc.)
6. Marcus Miller
7. Tony Levin (King Crimson, LTE...)
8. Rob Trujillo (Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Metallica)
9. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
10. Dirk Lance (Incubus)
11. John Myung (Dream Theater)
12. Billy Sheehan

Sorry for being a thread necromancer but this is my kind of topic. There are just far too many bassists to make a top 10 (or 11). Nathan East who tours with Hanc0ck, Pete Perez (Spastic Ink's insane bassist), Tony Choy, Chris Squire, Sean Malone, Cliff Burton, Pete Trewavas, Wooten, Patitucci etc... list goes on.

I don't think Myung is that great. Not greater than Wooten, Squire and Entwhistle. He can get sloppy at times, and he's one of the most show offy bassists I have ever heard. Nice to see Dirk Lance get a mention though.

John Paul Jones is underrated here.

Another really good bassist is Percy Jones, he played bass for the prog band Brand X with Phil Collins, he also played for Brian Eno.

Rob Trujillo for sure.....nobody has mentioned Mark King (not a great fan of Level 42 but he can sure frickin play bass)

Jaco Pastorius.
Stanley Clarke.
Geddy Lee.
Les Caypool.
Danny Thompson

I think my favourite (not necessarily the greatest) bassists are Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Trevor Dunn, and Mike Gordon. The bassist from Stereolab has some pretty cool/quirky basslines that I like, although they're not exactly hard to play. That's about all I've got to say on the subject.

YouTube - Victor Wooten with brother Regi on Guitar

Now thats some f*cking fast bass playing.

Rob Trujillo doing his thang....
YouTube - Infectious Grooves - Violent & Funky 1994

I saw that video some time ago. I decided to save it to my favourites on youtube.

I also found a video of Victor Wooten teaching his bass playing style. It's interesting to see when he plays it slow compared to when he plays it fast. YouTube - Victor Wooten - Bass Guitar Double Thumbing Lesson

Andy Rourke had some sexy basslines.

floride should be at least 3rd and you need cliff burton on your list, then it will be good.

I gotta say Tim Ward..not necessarily the "Greatest" but super damn good.

How many times do I have to say it?

Burton is great, but he's not THAT great.

YOU DONT HAVE TO SAY IT AND I NEVER SAID WHAT NUMBER CLIFF WOULD BE, ALSO LIKE YOU SAID HE IS GREAT BUT WHO DECIDES WHOS GREAT AND WHOS NOT? I THINK IF YOU PLAY BASS THEN YOU CAN DECIDE.:nono:

I do play bass.