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Old 06-27-2009, 03:18 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Default 100 Greatest Bass Players in Rock/Pop



I did one for guitarists, so why not one for my favorite instrument? The most underrated instrument in rock music, what gives rock and pop music it's groove and it's soul.

I tried to be as objective as possible and shine a light on all genres. Influence, impact, popularity, originality and skill make up the criteria.

1. James Jamerson (Funk Brothers, session work) - Essential record: What's Going On? (Marvin Gaye) (1971)
2. John Entwistle (The Who) - Essential record: Live at Leeds, Deluxe Edition (The Who) (1970, 2001)
3. Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone) - Essential record: There's a Riot Going On (Sly & The Family Stone) (1971)
4. Tony Levin (King Crimson, Liquid Tension Experiment, Peter Gabriel, solo, other projects, session work) - Essential record: So (Peter Gabriel) (1986)
5. Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings, solo) - Essential record: Abbey Road (The Beatles) (1969)
6. Chris Squire (Yes, solo) - Essential record: Fragile (Yes) (1972)
7. Bootsy Collins (Parliament, Funkadelic, Bootsy's Rubber Band, James Brown, solo, other projects) - Essential record: Mothership Connection (Parliament) (1976)
8. Jack Bruce (Cream, solo, other projects) - Essential record: Wheels of Fire (Cream) (1968)
9. Geddy Lee (Rush) - Essential record: Moving Pictures (Rush) (1981)
10. Donald "Duck" Dunn (Booker T & The M.G.'s, session work) - Essential record: Otis Blue, Otis Redding Sings Soul (Otis Redding) (1965)
11. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers, session work) - Essential record: Mother's Milk (Red Hot Chili Peppers) (1989)
12. Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath, solo) - Essential record: Black Sabbath (Black Sabbath) (1970)
13. Les Claypool (Primus, Oysterhead, solo, other projects) - Essential record: Sailing the Seas of Cheese (Primus) (1991)
14. Louis Johnson (Brothers Johnson, session work) - Essential record: Off the Wall (Michael Jackson) (1979)
15. Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead) - Essential record: Live/Dead (Grateful Dead) (1969)
16. Willie Dixon (Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Howlin Wolf, Bo Diddley, solo - Essential record: The Great Twenty-Eight (Chuck Berry) (1982)
17. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin, solo) - Essential record: Led Zeppelin II (Led Zeppelin) (1970)
18. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) - Essential record: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Iron Maiden) (1988)
19. Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, The Stooges, solo) - Essential record: Contemplating the Engine Room (solo) (1997)
20. John Wetton (King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Asia, U.K., solo, other projects) - Essential record: Starless and Bible Black (King Crimson) (1974)
21. Aston "Family Man" Barrett (Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Wailers Band, solo) - Essential record: Catch a Fire (Bob Marley & The Wailers) (1973)
22. Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) - Essential record: Bless It's Pointed Little Head (Jefferson Airplane) (1969)
23. Cliff Burton (Metallica) - Essential record: Master of Puppets (Metallica) (1986)
24. Bob Babbitt (Funk Brothers, session work) - Essential record: Sky's the Limit (The Temptations) (1971)
25. Carol Kaye (session work) - Essential record: Pet Sounds (The Beach Boys) (1966)
26. John Deacon (Queen) - Essential record: The Game (Queen) (1980)
27. Greg Lake (Emerson, Lake & Palmer, King Crimson) - Essential record: Brain Salad Surgery (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) (1973)
28. Billy Cox (Band of Gypsys, Jimi Hendrix) - Essential record: Band of Gypsys (Band of Gypsys) (1970)
29. Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power) - Essential record: Tower of Power (Tower of Power) (1973)
30. Chuck Rainey (session work) - Essential record: Aja (Steely Dan) (1977)
31 & 32. Bernard Odum and "Sweet" Charles Sherrell (James Brown, session work) - Essential record: 20 All-Time Greatest Hits! (James Brown) (1991)
33. Roger Glover (Deep Purple, Rainbow, solo) - Essential record: Made in Japan (Deep Purple) (1972)
34. Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics, solo) - Essential record: Foxtrot (Genesis) (1972)
35. Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order, session work) - Essential record: Closer (Joy Division) (1980)
36. George Porter, Jr. (The Meters, Runnin' Pardners, session work) - Essential record: Rejuvenation (The Meters) (1974)
37. Mick Karn (Japan) - Essential record: Tin Drum (Japan) (1981)
38. Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers Band) - Essential record: At Fillmore East (Allman Brothers Band) (1971)
39. Sting (The Police, solo) - Essential record: Zenyatta Mondatta (The Police) (1980)
40. Paul Simonon (The Clash, other projects) - Essential record: London Calling (The Clash) (1979)
41. Andy Rourke (The Smiths, session work) - Essential record: Meat is Murder (The Smiths) (1985)
42. Bill Black (Elvis Presley, Bill Black's Combo) - Essential record: Elvis Presley (Elvis Presley) (1956)
43. Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) - Essential record: Fear of Music (Talking Heads) (1979)
44. Bernard Edwards (Chic) - Essential record: Risque (Chic) (1979)
45. Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings) - Essential record: Let it Bleed (Rolling Stone) (1969)
46. Verdine White (Earth Wind & Fire, solo) - Essential record: That's the Way of the World (Earth Wind & Fire) (1975)
47. Rick James (solo) - Essential record: Street Songs (solo) (1981)
48. Billy Sheehan (Mr Big, David Lee Roth, Steve Vai, Niacin, solo, session work) - Essential record: Eat 'Em and Smile (David Lee Roth) (1986)
49. Bruce Thomas (Elvis Costello & The Attractions) - Essential record: This Year's Model (Elvis Costello & The Attractions) (1978)
50. Jah Wobble (Public Image Ltd., solo, other projects) - Essential record: Metal Box, Second Edition (Public Image Ltd.) (1980)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Strummer521
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crowquill View Post
I only listen to Santana when I feel like being annoyed.
I only listen to you talk when I want to hear Emo performed acapella.

Last edited by boo boo; 06-29-2010 at 02:07 AM.
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Old 06-27-2009, 03:18 PM   #2 (permalink)
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51. Colin Moulding (XTC) - Essential record: Drums and Wires (XTC) (1979)
52. Holger Czukay (Can, solo, other projects) - Essential record: Ege Bamyasi (Can) (1972)
53. Bruce Foxton (The Jam, Stiff Little Fingers) - Essential record: All Mod Cons (The Jam) (1978)
54. Hugh Hopper (Soft Machine, session work) - Essential record: Third (Soft Machine) (1970)
55. George Murray (David Bowie, Iggy Pop, session work) - Essential record: Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (David Bowie) (1980)
56. Richard Sinclair (Caravan, Hatfield & The North, Camel) - Essential record: In the Land of Grey and Pink (Caravan) (1971)
57. Dave Allen (Gang of Four, Shriekback, other projects) - Essential record: Entertainment! (Gang of Four) (1979)
58. Simon Gallup (The Cure, other projects) - Essential record: Disintegration (The Cure) (1989)
59. Joe Osborn (session work) - Essential record: The Age of Aquarius (The 5th Dimension) (1969)
60. Stu Hamm (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, solo, session work) - Essential record: Passion and Warfare (Steve Vai) (1990)
61. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy, solo) - Essential record: Bad Reputation (Thin Lizzy) (1977)
62. Martin "Youth" Glover (Killing Joke, other projects) - Essential record: Killing Joke (Killing Joke) (1980)
63. Ray Shulman (Gentle Giant) - Essential record: In a Glass House (Gentle Giant) (1973)
64. Nick Lowe (Rockpile, Brinsley Schwarz, solo) - Essential record: Jesus of Cool (solo) (1978)
65. Billy Gould (Faith No More, other projects) - Essential record: Angel Dust (Faith No More) (1992)
66. John Myung (Dream Theater, Platypus, The Jelly Jam, other projects) - Essential record: Image and Words (Dream Theater) (1992)
67. Steve DiGiorgio (Death, Testament, Sadus, Control Denied, session work) - Essential record: Human (Death) (1991)
68. Norwood Fisher (Fishbone) - Essential record: Truth and Soul (Fishbone) (1988)
69. Klaus Flouride (Dead Kennedys) - Essential record: Fresh Fruit for Rotten Vegetables (Dead Kennedys) (1980)
70. Kim Deal (Pixies) - Essential record: Doolittle (Pixies) (1989)
71. BB Dickerson (War, Eric Burdon & War, Lowrider Band) - Essential record: The World is a Ghetto (War) (1972)
72. David Steel (The English Beat) - Essential record: What is Beat? (The English Beat) (1983)
73. Trevor Bolder (David Bowie, Uriah Heep, session work) - Essential record: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (David Bowie) (1972)
74. Stu Cook (Creedence Clearwater Revival, Southern Pacific, session work) - Essential record: Willy and the Poor Boys (Creedence Clearwater Revival) (1969)
75. Mike Howlett (Gong, other projects) - Essential record: You (Gong) (1973)
76. Dirk Lance (Incubus) - Essential record: S.C.I.E.N.C.E. (Incubus) (1997)
77. Marshall Lytle (Bill Haley & His Comets, The Jodimars) - Essential record: Rock Around the Clock (Bill Haley & His Comets) (1955)
78. Eric Avery (Jane's Addiction, Polar Bear, other projects) - Essential record: Ritual De Lo Habitual (Jane's Addiction) (1990)
79. Mike Gordon (Phish, other projects) - Essential record: A Live One (Phish) (1995)
80. Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, other projects) - Essential record: Mr. Bungle (Mr. Bungle) (1991)
81. Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash) - Essential record: Argus (Wishbone Ash) (1972)
82. Horace Panter (The Specials, General Public) - Essential record: The Specials (The Specials) (1979)
83. Carl Radle (Derek & The Dominos, session work) - Essential record: Layla and Other Assored Love Songs (Derek & The Dominos) (1970)
84. Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead, Hawkwind, other projects) - Essential record: Space Ritual (Hawkwind) (1973)
85. Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth, Free Kitten, other projects) - Essential record: Goo (Sonic Youth) (1990)
86. David Ellefson (Megadeth, other projects) - Essential record: Rust in Peace (Megadeth) (1990)
87. P-Nut (311) - Essential record: Music (311) (1993)
88. Rick Danko (The Band, Bob Dylan, solo) - Essential record: The Band (The Band) (1969)
89. Roy Estrada (Mothers of Invention, Little Feat, other projects) - Essential record: Freak Out! (Mothers of Invention) (1966)
90. John McVie (Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers) - Essential record: Rumours (Fleetwood Mac) (1977)
91. Fred Smith (Television) - Essential record: Marquee Moon (Television) (1977)
92. Justin Chancellor (Tool, Peach) - Essential record: Lateralus (Tool) (2001)
93. Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave) - Essential record: Rage Against the Machine (Rage Against the Machine) (1992)
94. Joe Lally (Fugazi, Ataxia, other projects) - Essential record: 13 Songs (Fugazi) (1989)
95. Gary "Mani" Mounfield (The Stone Roses, Primal Scream) - Essential record: The Stone Roses (The Stone Roses) (1989)
96. Bruce Palmer (Buffalo Springfield) - Essential record: Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield (Buffalo Springfield) (1969)
97. Matt Freeman (Rancid, Operation Ivy) - Essential record: ...And Out Come the Wolves (Rancid) (1995)
98. Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam, Green River, Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog, other projects) - Essential record: Ten (Pearl Jam) (1991)
99. Robert Trujillo (Suicidal Tendencies, Metallica, Infectious Grooves, other projects) - Essential record: The Plague That Makes Your Body Move... It's Infectious Grooves (Infectious Grooves) (1991)
100. Stefan Lessard (Dave Matthews Band) - Essential record: Under the Table and Dreaming (Dave Matthews Band) (1994)

Honorable mentions

Roger Waters (Pink Floyd, solo) - Essential record: Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd) (1973)
Jerry Scheff (Elvis Presley, session work) - Essential record: LA Woman (The Doors) (1971)
Ian Hill (Judas Priest) - Essential record: Killing Machine/Hell Bent for Leather (Judas Priest) (1978)
Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) - Essential record: OK Computer (Radiohead) (1997)
Juan Alderete (The Mars Volta, Racer X) - Essential record: Frances the Mute (The Mars Volta) (2005)
Colin Edwin (Porcupine Tree, other projects) - Essential record: Lightbulb Sun (Porcupine Tree) (2000)
Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, solo, other projects) - Essential record: Appetite for Destruction (Guns N' Roses) (1987)
Billy Bass Nelson (Funkadelic, Parliament, session work) - Essential record: Maggot Brain (Funkadelic) (1971)
Doug Ferguson (Camel) - Essential record: Mirage (Camel) (1974)
Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne) - Essential record: L.D. 50 (Mudvayne) (2000)
Tom Bogert (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus) - Essential record: Vanilla Fudge (Vanilla Fudge) (1967)
Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr, Sebadoh) - Essential record: Bug (Dinosaur Jr) (1988)
Peter Quaife (The Kinks) - Essential record: The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (The Kinks) (1968)
Dave Alexander (The Stooges) - Essential record: Fun House (The Stooges) (1970)
Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd, session work) - Essential record: The Division Bell (Pink Floyd) (1994)
Garry Tallent (Bruce Springsteen) - Essential record: Born to Run (Bruce Springsteen) (1975)
Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith) - Essential record: Toys in the Attic (Aerosmith) (1975)
Andrew Bodnar (The Rumour) - Essential record: Squeezing out Sparks (Graham Parker & The Rumour) (1979)
Mike Starr (Alice in Chains) - Essential record: Dirt (Alice in Chains) (1992)
Chris Wolstenholme (Muse) - Essential record: Origin of Symmetry (Muse) (2001)
Peter Cetera (Chicago) - Essential record: Chicago (Chicago) (1970)
Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, other projects) - Essential record: Blues for the Red Sun (Kyuss) (1992)
Richard Hell (The Voidoids, Heartbreakers, solo, other projects) - Essential record: Blank Generation (The Voidoids) (1977)
Krist Novoselic (Nirvana) - Essential record: Nevermind (Nirvana) (1991)
Michael Anthony (Van Halen) - Essential record: Van Halen (Van Halen) (1978)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Strummer521
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crowquill View Post
I only listen to Santana when I feel like being annoyed.
I only listen to you talk when I want to hear Emo performed acapella.

Last edited by boo boo; 06-28-2010 at 09:21 PM.
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Old 06-27-2009, 03:26 PM   #3 (permalink)
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I think that I should be on that list.

Is this in order? Or just a list?
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Old 06-27-2009, 03:38 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Nah, of course it's not in order, how else would you explain Jamerson and Novoselic, bass players of equal greatness, being at opposite ends?
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Quote:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crowquill View Post
I only listen to Santana when I feel like being annoyed.
I only listen to you talk when I want to hear Emo performed acapella.
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Old 06-27-2009, 03:43 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Easily. Someone divided by zero.
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Old 06-27-2009, 04:03 PM   #6 (permalink)
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I know he's not particularly well known and his song writing and singing is horrible at best, but this guy Nathan Hughes is a monster on the bass. Here's a video of him:

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Old 06-27-2009, 04:49 PM   #7 (permalink)
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IMO this list--like a lot of these lists--is biased towards classic rock, prog (not a surprise), and generally older music. Overall, a good job and one of the best lists of this kind I have seen, but I have a few observations.

Les Claypool seems too low for my tastes; he may be hurt by his product not being as cohesive of an effort, but his bass playing is incomparable.

I love seeing Dirk Lance and P-Nut.

Justin Chancellor may be one of the bassists who I think was affected by your bias. Also Rob Trujillo and Tim Commerford. I would really like to hear your thoughts on their placement.

Like I said, a good list. A few other bassists I enjoy and believe are deserving of an "honorable mention": Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh), Mike Dirnt (Green Day), Eric Wilson (Sublime), and Shavo (System of a Down)...
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Old 06-27-2009, 04:52 PM   #8 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Violent & Funky View Post
Justin Chancellor may be one of the bassists who I think was affected by your bias. Also Rob Trujillo and Tim Commerford. I would really like to hear your thoughts on their placement.
What do you mean? Do you think they're too low or that they shouldn't be on the list?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Strummer521
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crowquill View Post
I only listen to Santana when I feel like being annoyed.
I only listen to you talk when I want to hear Emo performed acapella.
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Old 06-27-2009, 04:54 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Nice list boo boo! There are several people that aren't on it that I would've included but I was happy to see some of my favorites on there.
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Old 06-27-2009, 04:54 PM   #10 (permalink)
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What!?!?! No this guy? No that Guy? WTF!?!?!? *elitist garble* WTF?!?!?!

P.S. Billy Sheehan's bass playing was at it's peak @25 years ago with an obscure little metal band called Talas.
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