Best Bassists that AREN'T Slap/Poppers or Funk

[MrBagel]

Still on an Overkill binge and DD Verni has always stood out to me. I love his tone and high mix in the songs. He's got some serious chops; knows when to show off but also knows when to keep it easy and steady. Criminally overlooked in the grand scheme of things BUT he's generally the first to be thought of in the world of Overkill when people aren't bitchin' about Blitz's voice.

[kytepunches]

I like what Matt Freeman brings to Rancid. Like in any punk band , the bass lines can be very simple and boring. I think he fills a lot of space and adds a level of professionalism to their sound.

[Grendel]

Peter Hook from New Order and Joy Division was awesome

[Traxan]

Steve DiGiorgio

[SterileEyes1]

Maybe not the absolute best but in rock/hard rock John Paul Jones and Robert DeLeo deserve mentions.

If it’s picking, Duff and Mike Dirnt. Very creative basslines.



Edited just to say re: below I’m not the biggest Kiss fan but it is correct to say that Gene is a very good bass player with very good pocket. Someone in the press compared his style to Paul McCartney recently and I get that’s it’s easy to mock a Beatles vs. Kiss comparison in any context, but that is Gene’s style as a bass player and he does it very well.

[FreddyFender]

As a lifelong bass player, the gold standard kinda rock bass players to me are guys like Mikey and Gene Simmons. I don’t even like Kiss, but there is an immaculate sense of pocket in everything they play and they play to the song.

Others I dig:
-Guy from Sade (not gonna bother lookin up his name but he’s great)
-John Siegler / T Bone Wolk - bass on Hall and Oates 80s hits is split between these two. Both animals.
Pino - all the great 80s fretless stuff outside of Sledgehammer is him

[Bono Nettencourt]

As a lifelong bass player, the gold standard kinda rock bass players to me are guys like Mikey and Gene Simmons.

So you suck.

[MIInsane]

I've always thought that Eric Avery from Jane's Addiction doesn't get half the credit he deserves.

[MrBagel]

As a lifelong bass player, the gold standard kinda rock bass players to me are guys like Mikey and Gene Simmons.

I won't be as harsh on ya as my ol' pal, Bono N, but I do scratch my head a little when you mention Gene Simmons and it's not for the normal reasons. Gene is fuckin' fantastic...when he wants to be, BUT he got lazy a loooong time ago and when you mention Gene as playing "in the pocket", I don't think he's playing in the pocket at all...I think he's just being lazy.

Now, if you were to take some of his earlier stuff (and he DOES have a few tasty licks during the non-makeup era but they are few and far between), Gene is awesome. Songs like "Two-Timer" and "Almost Human" are the first two that come to mind, but he's got quite a few hidden gems in the non-hits of that era. He's all over the fret board but he's not overdoing it either. There was a very VERY short period where Gene and ol' Pete were fucking phenomonol together musically (the b&w Winterland show comes to mind). Gene, with his travelling bass lines and Peter's "almost" jazz playing was unique and really could've put them in the same musical league as Ace, as far as music (not rock star) influence goes...BUT...they both got lazy in their own ways once success really hit. Pete with drugs and Gene with fame.

It's actually a shame but...oh well. Neither one could care less so I'm not going to either.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Twasnt Gene so much... he's at least halfway competent. The only things Sauce Sobolewski was good at were staying the fuck out of Eddie's way and singing like his balls were in a vise.

[Venus Flytrap]

Paul McCartney
John Taylor

[dmbrocker]

Croucier for inventing the Sidejuander. /thread

[VinnieVincentsVag]

Maybe not the absolute best but in rock/hard rock John Paul Jones and Robert DeLeo deserve mentions.

If it’s picking, Duff and Mike Dirnt. Very creative basslines.



Edited just to say re: below I’m not the biggest Kiss fan but it is correct to say that Gene is a very good bass player with very good pocket. Someone in the press compared his style to Paul McCartney recently and I get that’s it’s easy to mock a Beatles vs. Kiss comparison in any context, but that is Gene’s style as a bass player and he does it very well.

Agree on all of this

[FreddyFender]

Busyness and complexity are minor when talking rock bass. Sense of time and pocket comes first, second, and third. Can’t tell you how many bass players, especially from the 80s era, can solo like they’re Cliff and lay down complex basslines in the studio but then you see them live and they can’t hold a groove when riding the 8th notes at all.

Mikey has the touch as good as anyone I’ve heard. Watch him play “Finish What Ya Started” with Sammy on Stern.

People that think he sucks are probably guitarists and therefore their opinions are irrelevant.

[Aerosmith87]

I've always liked Sami Yaffa's playing. It's always fitting to the music.

[Ozzy Stradlin]

I've always liked Sami Yaffa's playing. It's always fitting to the music.

I concur.

I’ll add:

Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick)
Simon Gallup (The Cure)
Tommy Stinson (The Replacements)
Paul Raven (Killing Joke)

[risingfarce]

As a lifelong bass player, the gold standard kinda rock bass players to me are guys like Mikey and Gene Simmons.

I won't be as harsh on ya as my ol' pal, Bono N, but I do scratch my head a little when you mention Gene Simmons and it's not for the normal reasons. Gene is fuckin' fantastic...when he wants to be, BUT he got lazy a loooong time ago and when you mention Gene as playing "in the pocket", I don't think he's playing in the pocket at all...I think he's just being lazy.

Now, if you were to take some of his earlier stuff (and he DOES have a few tasty licks during the non-makeup era but they are few and far between), Gene is awesome. Songs like "Two-Timer" and "Almost Human" are the first two that come to mind, but he's got quite a few hidden gems in the non-hits of that era. He's all over the fret board but he's not overdoing it either. There was a very VERY short period where Gene and ol' Pete were fucking phenomonol together musically (the b&w Winterland show comes to mind). Gene, with his travelling bass lines and Peter's "almost" jazz playing was unique and really could've put them in the same musical league as Ace, as far as music (not rock star) influence goes...BUT...they both got lazy in their own ways once success really hit. Pete with drugs and Gene with fame.

It's actually a shame but...oh well. Neither one could care less so I'm not going to either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KLQr8xV4HE

[Hellsinkey]

Paul Ryder (Happy Mondays)

[risingfarce]

Croucier for inventing the Sidejuander. /thread

That was a funny thread.

[veritas]

Geddy Lee is always a safe answer.

I also think Bob Daisley is excellent.

Duff is also fantastic for GnR - usually adds something fantastic, like the bass in Sweet Child is a semi-hidden weapon - adds melody and drive to the song.

[John Shaft]

Though he was pretty pedestrian at first, Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers eventually became a STELLAR bassist. Extremely under rated.

[VinnieVincentsVag]

As a lifelong bass player, the gold standard kinda rock bass players to me are guys like Mikey and Gene Simmons. I don’t even like Kiss, but there is an immaculate sense of pocket in everything they play and they play to the song.

Others I dig:
-Guy from Sade (not gonna bother lookin up his name but he’s great)
-John Siegler / T Bone Wolk - bass on Hall and Oates 80s hits is split between these two. Both animals.
Pino - all the great 80s fretless stuff outside of Sledgehammer is him

Love Pino on “Give Blood” by Townsend. Also has Gilmour on guitar

[Bono Nettencourt]

We're heading for the day of reckoning, I'm telling ya.
Its all building up to something,
Something that can only be redeemed with fire!

[jens]

Garry Tallent has always been (one of) the secret weapons of the E Street Band. Fantastic player.

[thebends]

I would add
Mike Mesaros- smithereens
Sven Pipien- black crowes
Phil Leah - Grateful Dead

[RonJovi]

Geezer butler. His counterpart to Tony and Bill and Ozzy was phenomenal

[Van Ailin']

Chris Squire

John Entwistle

Geddy Lee (only very rare slap/pop)

Jeff Berlin (did it on 5G, but I haven't heard on other tunes from him)

Ron Carter

Viktor Krauss

Edgar Meyer

Billy Sheehan

Colin Moulding (XTC)

Pete Trewavas (Marillion)

Bernard Edwards (Chic)

[GreatWhiteSnake]

The Dream Theatre dude works his way around a bass pretty good. Also Tony Levin...

[Bono Nettencourt]

Tony Levin slaps...

[Van Ailin']

The Dream Theatre dude works his way around a bass pretty good. Also Tony Levin...

Levin slaps and pops a fair amount or at least he did with the 80's King Crimson and also when he pulls out his "funk fingers." I have a set of those, and they are fun to use on a bass.