The Consequence Bassist Survey: 34 Bass Players on Their Favorite Bassists of All Time
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The post The Consequence Bassist Survey: 34 Bass Players on Their Favorite Bassists of All Time appeared first on Consequence.
Consequence’s Bass Week couldn’t have come to fruition without the help of some of our favorite bass players. After the survey, read the picks of 10 albums with great bass playing from Mr. Bungle’s Trevor Dunn, Death Cab for Cutie’s Nick Harmer, and Blu DeTiger, and don’t forget to check out our list of the 100 Greatest Bassists of All Time.
As we here at Consequence turn down our subwoofers and close out Bass Week, we wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who made it possible — the actual badass, motherfuckin’ bass players themselves. We couldn’t have pulled together such a celebration without the input of some of our favorite players, and so it’s time to let them speak for themselves.
Below are the unabridged survey answers we received when we turned to the experts and asked, “Who are the five people you consider the greatest bassists of all time, and why?” Not every single player mentioned made the final list, but every single one of them most certainly deserves their flowers.
So join in on this low-end love circle and read who people like Cone McCaslin of Sum 41, Nestor Chumak of PUP, Julia Cumming of Sunflower Bean, Tobin Esperance of Papa Roach, and so many more think are some of the best to ever pick up a four-string.
Alex Bleeker (Real Estate)
Jaco Pastorius: Technical ability.
Paul McCartney: Endurance, legacy.
Phil Lesh: Thrill of risk.
Sting: Business acumen.
Charles Mingus: Innovation.
Alexander Brown (Gatecreeper)
ICS Vortex: The most badass bassist in black metal. Not only a spectacular player, which is displayed across his career with all of the legendary bands he’s played with, but also has the voice of a fallen angel and the sickest onstage swag.
Will Rahmer: Sickest bass sound in extreme metal! Total necrosound approach to the bass with that super scooped and fuzzed-out tone that peaks over the guitars in the mix. 666!
Joey DeMaio: Probably the most unique and inventive player on this list — tunes his bass an octave up and essentially plays as a rhythm guitar. However, dude’s got chops up there with all the six string godz and shreds like a psycho. And at unbelievable speeds! Joey plays with honor.
Markus Grosskopf : Tied with the next bassist on this list for having some of the best composed basslines in metal, Markus works synergistically with the guitars to create a sort of neoclassical power metal sound that’s uniquely his own. The trademark bass runs and tails to riffs he deploys which seamlessly tie sections in song together have left a colossal imprint on the genre that can be heard on countless records.
Steve Harris: Not much to add here that hasn’t been stated — Steve is THE nwobhm bassist. He’s got the sick-ass galloping, thoughtfully complements all the sick shit going on with the guitars, and looks really badass. Speaking of which, I was just jamming the criminally slept on Dance of Death record the other day, and that title track has some of the sickest bass parts ever! So epic!
Audrey Zee Whitesides (Speedy Ortiz)
Carol Kaye: I don’t even know how I would think about the instrument without her emotionally evocative, harmonically dynamic lines. Every good thing everyone’s said about her should be said a thousand times more.
Mike Watt: The reason I bought a bass. Model for how to approach it as an equal part of the band and share space while still having a voice.
Mike Mills: Some of the most memorable melodies on those early REM records are Mills on bass, as much as any vocal or guitar ones. Ridiculously fun to play along to.
Richard Davis: The bass solos on the Andrew Hill records he plays on are absolutely next level, maybe the best I’ve ever heard. All his work with any artist is great, but he has such a singular voice that comes through whenever he’s looking for it to pop out of the mix.
Satomi Matsuzaki: Deerhoof is one of the most consistently innovative bands I know, and even Satomi’s technically simplest lines are vital and thoughtful, moving the music forward to new places. Bass is an instrument that shines when it talks with other instruments, and she’s always finding the exact context to play with that.
Ben Stidworthy (Cola/Ought/Brooch)
Charles Mingus: The real king. All aspects from musicianship to composition to innovation are close to peerless.
Ray Brown: I rinsed so many Oscar Peterson records that he’s forever in my head. A true team-player.
Paul Simonon: A vibe-icon zen-God of the bass
Kim Gordon: A world-beating bassist who also happens to be good at everything.
Philip Frobos: Melodic-bass king, with the added complication of singing.
Blue DeTiger
Bernard Edwards: His sense of melody, bassline composition, and feel on the bass is one of a kind.
James Jamerson: His Motown finger style playing can be heard in so many after him.
Jaco Pastorious: Jaco elevated and revolutionized the way the bass could be played and used. His use of harmonics and solo bass compositions inspired so many after him.
Marcus Miller: Marcus is one of the best slap bass players out there. His tone is unmatched.
Larry Graham: Larry contributed greatly to the evolution of the instrument by introducing slap bass more into the mainstream culture.
Casey Orr, AKA Beefcake the Mighty (GWAR)
It’s impossible for me to say who’s the best bass player, so I’ll go with the five that most influenced me, in one way or another, throughout my life. In no particular order:
Paul McCartney: The first bassist I heard as a kid that really stood out from the guitars. His playing showed me that the bass doesn’t have to be a background instrument. Still some of the best rock bass runs ever.
James Jamerson: The O.G. Played on countless Motown hits and always flawlessly in the pocket. He knew how to serve the song and helped propel the biggest R&B artists up the charts, though few outside the loop ever knew who he was.
Steve Harris: He and Lemmy were gods to me in my teens. His galloping, machine gun bass playing was so up front and powerful. Even though I’ve always played with a pick, his playing was very influential to my playing.
Karl Alvarez: His basslines with both Descendants and ALL are amazing to me. For “punk rock” bass playing, he’s on another level. His lines are always moving around the fretboard, but never overdone. Always serving the song and the mood, while putting the bass up front enough to be impossible to ignore.
Lemmy: Probably the biggest influence on my playing style. Played bass like a rhythm guitar, which is how I play a lot of times, especially when playing with only one guitarist. Lots of chords, lots of grit, and tons of attitude. His style was almost like a laidback bulldozer. He was the coolest. Made it seem effortless.
Colin Caulfield (DIIV)
Paul McCartney: I owe a lot of what I know about bass to him. A friend recommended I just learn every line on Sgt. Peppers when I was first getting serious about playing. Best advice. Everything is so playful but complex, grooving but melodic. We were actually rehearsing at Center Staging in Burbank last year and he was next door. Played “Get Back,” “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite,” “Helter Skelter,” and “Sgt. Peppers” in a row. We just stood outside the door listening — it was fucked up. Later he was sitting in the distance and I couldn’t bring myself to wave or say hi. It’s a huge regret, hahaha.
Chris Squire: I remember really clearly the first time I heard “Heart of the Sunrise” driving around stoned with some friends in the dead of Minnesota winter. One of the first times I remember really focusing on a bass line. Iconic tone and sound on that song, but the performance is so effortless and expansive. At the climax of that song, a cop turned his lights on and followed us for a second but ended up passing. Extremely visceral, intense, and, in the end, euphoric listen. “Long Distance Runaround” played immediately after and everyone burst out laughing. Amazing bass on that song too, though.
Colin Greenwood: Not much to say other than he is one of the best and, for the most part, underrated modern bassists. He has a way of rarely saying the same thing twice, unless it’s to incredible hypnotizing effect like on “Nude” and “Karma Police.” Learning his parts reveals some of the mystery of their process too – sometimes he’ll link up with the vocal or guitar and I’ll wonder “which came first?” Really subtly great bassist.
Daryl Johns: Plugging my friend here who also happens to be a psychotically gifted bassist and musician in general. Love talking to Daryl about bass because he always brings me in on the complicated stuff despite a truly vast difference in ability. He’s a very accomplished upright bassist, but the music he makes under his own name is the most blissful and fun fusion that is as much influenced by Jaco and Pat Matheny as it is by his obsession with obscure power pop. Endlessly melodic bass playing. I love Daryl.
Peter Hook: I had a friend in high school named Gabe that had a car, and at a certain point he was the last hold out in terms of drinking and getting high, so he would usually end up driving the group around. We really pissed him off a lot of times and were generally demons to him, but whenever he would get super upset, all you had to do was put “Disorder” on full volume in the car and he would without fail get so hyped up beating the hell out of the steering wheel. He showed me Joy Division and as a result introduced me to Peter Hook. Sometimes when I need it, I’ll blast that song while driving.
Cone McCaslin (Sum 41)
Matt Freeman: When you think of early punk music, you hear the bass but you don’t necessarily think of or pay too much attention to the bass, but when Matt Freeman came along in the late ’80s with Operation Ivy he changed that forever. And even more so when him and Tim Armstrong formed Rancid. Matt is a busy bass player, no doubt about that, but not just busy to be busy. Every Rancid song has a bass hook, and yet it doesn’t seem like it takes away from the vocals ever. It complements the vocal and it happens in every song. Operation Ivy and Rancid don’t have their signature sound without Matt Freeman. Period.
Paul Simonon: Paul is such a melodic bass player, a bass player that you can hum the basslines. A lot of those grooves that The Clash were known for, a lot of that has to do with Paul’s bass lines. On top of that, he’ll always be the coolest looking bass player of all time.
Steve Harris: Well, when it comes to metal bass players there’s really no better than Steve Harris. I’m not sure what the technical term is, but I call it “the gallup”. The three-four finger gallup. The signature Maiden sound is what it is ’cause of Steve’s bass “gallup”. When you can hear five seconds of a song and you can say right away that’s Steve Harris and that’s Iron Maiden, that says a lot about a bass player. The bass is mixed high in the mix, rightfully so, and the basslines he came up with are just metal perfection.
Fat Mike: When people think of NOFX, they think of catchy songs, a fun band that jokes around at their live shows and doesn’t take themselves too seriously. One thing is for sure — NOFX are insane players! Fat Mike is as fast and dirty as any bass player out there. There’s no question Mike is one of the greatest punk rock bass players of all time. The basslines he’s come up with are some of the best not only in punk but in music. No question. Listen to “The Decline” to seal the deal.
James Jamerson: If you’ve ever listened to Motown and/or danced to Motown music, there’s a really good chance James Jamerson is the one thats made you dance. He’s played on so many Motown classics that we all love today. The bass in those songs are whats making you move, and James was a genius at creating these bass parts that made people happy and made people dance. I can’t think of another bass player in history thats made so many people dance the way James Jamerson has. There isn’t another.
Karl Alvarez: When you talk about the best punk bass players of all time, theres no way you can ever skip over Karl Alvarez. Just as an example, go listen to the Descendants album Everything Sucks …. Enough said…..
Paul McCartney: What can be said about Paul that hasn’t already been said? Obviously, he’s influenced and still influences every bass player in music. Paul has a knack for filling in the gaps, so to speak. Some Beatles songs were driven by the bass, but some weren’t. Paul could bring it all together by playing around the vocal melody and the other instruments. He could really make something melodic on the bass that if you were to take the bass part out… It’s not the same song anymore, and it’s not as good. He has a real gift, but we all know that already.
Dan Molad (Coco/Lucius)
Pino Paladino: One of the greatest electric bass players ever. His pocket is undeniable and you can hear him on everything from early Peter Gabriel records to Dangelo to modern pop records. He is a chameleon, while at the same time having a sound so distinctive. Probably one of the biggest influences in getting bass players in recent years to sit far behind the beat. He is a bass player’s bass player, while at the same time always serving the song so perfectly.
Jaco Pastorius: One of the most “punk” jazz bassists of all time. Also a sound that is so distinctive and so copied. His penchant for melody on the bass is second to none, and he’s perhaps the bassist most synonymous with electric fretless bass. I would say one of my favorite records with Jaco would be Pat Metheny’s Bright Size Life.
Christian McBride: One of the greatest modern living upright players. Whenever I hear Christian’s bass, it always sounds like a really big hunk of old wood. His upright tone is perfect, and his technique is too. He swings, he can play straight, and he is well-studied. I would call this guy “Doctor upright bass.”
Flea: He made slap bass cool even when it wasn’t. There are a lot of bands where it’s about the singer and lead guitaris, but in RHCP I would argue that Flea’s impact was the greatest of all of the members. Not many bands have that claim to fame while also being extremely musical and forever cool — even when their band is not (HOT TAKE!).
James Jameson: I don’t even think this one needs explanation. So many great stories of this man. From lying down on his back while playing hit records to playing extremely intricate parts with only one finger. So melodic. Incredibly detailed lines that played by anyone else would be way too busy. This man is as important to Motown as Berry Gordy or Stevie Wonder.
David Ellefson (Dieth/Kings of Trash)
Michael Anthony: First off, imagine how difficult it must have been to create the standout basslines alongside the mighty Eddie Van Halen! The man’s guitar work was spectacular, and he was one of the top innovators on the guitar next to Les Paul and Jimi Hendrix.
BUT, before most of us ever even heard Eddie play, we first heard Michael Anthony’s bass line on the Van Halen debut needle drop, with his eight driving, distorted quarter notes on the intro of “Running with the Devil,” which would define his legacy as the foundation to the mighty Van Halen forever. Michael’s tone and free-form ad lib parts (especially on Women and Children First) were the underpinnings of Eddie’s musical odyssey.
And Michael could sing!!! He understood the low register on bass and expressed the highest registers of vocal harmony like no one else in the day (basically creating a new ’70s California vocal sound akin to the legendary Beach Boys of the 1960s), and that puts Michael’s abilities at the top of my list.
Steve Harris: Being a chief songwriter who defines an iconic musical legacy is a once in a lifetime feat. But, to do that while leading the band from the bass guitar position is a challenge rarely seen in any musical genre, let alone heavy metal. Yet, Steve does just that! His tone and his parts are the leader of the band, with guitars nestled around it. And, Steve is just as much the frontman as any singer… which brought the bass guitar front center to heavy metal in a way no one else had ever done.
Plus, Steve writes historical and intellectual lyrics which challenge us listeners to rise up and think deeper while enjoying his unbelievable two-finger gallop — which most of us couldn’t do with all of our fingers combined or even with a plectrum! So, up the Irons for Steve Harris!
Geddy Lee: Geddy has proven to be a fantastic bassist, but so much more. Playing bass, keyboards, bass pedals, and even guitar on his double-neck, all while fronting Rush as the vocalist. He writes and even tells the stories of the prolific professor Neil Peart’s mind-blowing lyrical theater, all while shredding through otherwise very heady prog-rock songs, often in 5/4 and 7/4 odd time signatures. It’s like doing math while in literary class, yet enjoying every moment of it! If there is a PhD in rock bass, it belongs to Geddy Lee. My favorite Rush era is their debut up through Exit Stage Left.
Bob Daisley: The opening bass notes of “I Don’t Know” on Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Oz album hints at everything we needed to know about Bob and his super inventive and melodic bass work. Even more, he wrote the lyrics for at least the first several Ozzy albums, thus creating Mr. Osbourne’s solo career persona post-Black Sabbath.
And let’s not overlook his writing and work with Rainbow on Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll and Uriah Heep’s Abominog, to name just a few more.
As creative as Bob is for his music and lyrical talents, he should be equally commended for his steadfast and unwavering professionalism during his years in the business. We could all take a cue…..
Tom Scholz: We all know Tom as the guitarist and brilliant mastermind of all things Boston. But, what most of us didn’t know (including me!) was that he also played bass on all of the albums! Most notably, the first two albums, Boston and Don’t Look Back, offer sheer R&B genius on the bass. Slick, fluid lines which drive the songs but add melodic counterpoint in the same way James Jamerson did for Motown and John Paul Jones did for Led Zeppelin. Maybe not a stand-alone bassist per se, but in my opinion, Tom has earned his stripes as a creative and powerful bass player in any right!
Eduardo Arenas (Chicano Batman)
Guadalupe Esparza: I’m a sucker for any player that is known for their voice yet everyone forgets they play bass. He’s Bronco’s cumbia master, plays the bass like he’s a horse.
Miguel Gonzalez: For what he did on the merengue party classic “Suavemente.” Slimy. slippery, unpredictable.
Moacyr Albuquerque: A prolific MPB brasileiro bass player of the ‘70s, just listen to Caetano Veloso’s Transa record.
Bobby Valentine: A salsa legend, they call him “El Rey del Bajo.” He’s a chosen one.
Julio Ernesto Estrada: A salsa visionary/composer/madman in Colombia’s Discos Fuentes. He knows how to throw a party.
Haylen (Hotline TNT)
Tony Kanal: Tragic Kingdom is one of my all time favorite albums and it has some of the coolest basslines. They are impossible to ignore.
Mani: He may hold the record for the most iconic bass riffs on one album. I spent a summer learning as many of them as I could.
Keith Freeman: Have you ever seen Restraining Order live? No? Look up a video right now. Watch Keith. He’s a machine. Easily my favorite contemporary bass player in punk/hardcore.
Jason Black: Any bass player that’s my age or older and came up in the same scene as me knows why this guy made the list. Hot Water Music has so many iconic bass lines. He strictly plays with his fingers and absolutely rips.
Mike Watt: Last but not least.. Minutemen and fIREHOSE are completely driven by the basslines in my opinion. Watt played some of the coolest, most unique basslines all while singing. Lots of mixing of funk and jazz with their classic punk sound.
Jeff Pilson (Dokken/Foreigner)
Paul McCartney: His melodic lines and creativity are second to none. And he truly defines making bass parts which enhance the feel of the track and make the song so much better. He really intertwines the bass with the rhythm track so the song itself becomes deeper and more interesting. Plus, he is such a huge influence on so many bassists.
James Jamerson: Again, limitless creativity, feel and chops — all with one finger!!!!! A giant influence on an endless amount of bassists, some who may not even know his name, but they know his basslines!
Chris Squire: This is a bit of a personal choice, but bass tone changed radically after and because of Chris. His sound was jaw dropping at the time and his basslines were so fluid, melodic, and exciting. He drove Yes like only such a strong bassist could.
Cliff Williams: The king of the groove in a band that grooves like no other! Subtle but driving, his bass parts were perfect. He makes it sound simple, but that’s only because he’s soooooo in the pocket. Underrated for sure!
Billy Sheehan: You have to give Billy his due. He was the first real rock bass virtuoso. Plus, Billy really grooves and knows how to tastefully employ his amazing chops. He does it artfully, which is important. And by the way, I consider this a rock bass list more than all bassists, or you’d have to include Stanley Clarke, Ray Brown, Chuck Rainey, and a host of others.
Jepha Howard (The Used)
James Jameson: He created some of the most powerful and rememberable basslines that lead and carried entire songs! Plus, he never changes strings, which is amazing.
Verdine White: Earth ,Wind & Fire has always been my top guilt pleasure of mine. Verdine is the creator of some of the greatest grooves in history.
Les Claypool: No one ever has had a style like this guy. It’s articulate and remarkable.
Bootsy Collins: He’s a funk legend
Larry Graham: The inventor of slap and a serious god of funk.
Julia Cumming (Sunflower Bean)
John Entwistle: John Entwistle’s performance of “My Generation” on Smothers Brothers single handedly made me want to be a bass player. When he reaches the solo, his eyes lazily address the crowd as if he was taking a nap and not playing one of the coolest bass riffs ever written. I knew at that moment that there was nothing cooler on earth than being a bass player.
Carol Kaye: Carol is a studio legend, forever embedded in some of the greatest recordings known to man. The strength and evenness of her playing is to die for, and the feel of her fingers and timing could bring a tear to your eye. She is an inspiration to every bass player, especially the girls like me who always dream of being inside such powerful music.
Brian Wilson: Brian taught me that you could be the bassist in the band and also the songwriter, and perhaps your understanding of bass would lead to better songs. I love the way Brian writes bass lines, holding down the soulfulness of the track while also playing around inside the chords like a kid on a playground.
Tina Weymouth: Tina Weymouth cannot be imitated or replicated. Besides her genius inclinations as a player, her presence in the world of rock and new wave history make her a living legend. Seeing players like her on stage created a space that can never be bought, only fought for.
John McVie: I have tried many times to play like John McVie, or to at least incorporate his sensibilities into my playing. His playing has a warm and round feeling, yet loud and present. His work reminds me that the job of the bass player is to enhance the song and create that melodic depth without distracting from the heart of the song. A true master!
Justin Smolian (Dirty Honey)
Paul McCartney: Along with being one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Paul McCartney is an amazing bassist also. His sense of melody is unmatched, while his tone and phrasing are masterful, especially on the later Beatles records. Check out “Something” or “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).”
James Jamerson: James Jamerson created what would become the foundation of rock and roll and R&B bass as part of the Motown house band The Funk Brothers. His basslines created the core of most of the Motown hits, and he was essential part of the Motown sound. Jamerson’s ability to creat iconic basslines such as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and then execute multiple permutations on those ideas without distracting the listeners while continuing to push the song forward, are a masterclass in bass playing. If you do your research, you will find almost every bass player from the ’60s and ’70s list him as one of their main influences.
Flea: Most people love Flea for his slapping style, but for me it’s his finger style playing that I really love. He has a very aggressive attack with a deep sense of groove and melody. He pushed the bass to the front of one of the biggest rock bands today, as well as commanding the stage as an amazing performer. Listening to Flea as a kid opened me up to the world of funk and turned me on to all the great bass players in that genre, such a Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, Louis Johnson, and so many more.
John Paul Jones: John is a master of both groove and melody. He was Led Zepplin’s secret weapon. As well as being a great bassist, he also did all the string arrangements and keyboards for Led Zepplin, as well as writing some of their most iconic riffs, such as “Black Dog.” I love his bass playing on songs such as “What Is and What Should Never Be” and “Ramble On,” and his tone on “Heartbreaker” is just plain nasty.
Tim Commerford: As far as rock bass tone goes, Tim Commerford is one of my favorites. His sound is so huge, and I love how he splits his signal using both a heavily overdriven amp and a clean amp. Rage Against the Machine is one of my favorite rhythm sections from that era because you can tell it is them immediately by how they play together and their tones. They were one of the heaviest shows I’ve ever seen, and their ability to slow and speed up as a unit is just amazing live.
Matt Maust (Cold War Kids)
I decided to do a very minimal version. It was more my style. Hard to narrow this down from 27 bassists or so…. I think the baselines speak for themselves.
Jah Wobble: Because “Death Disco” AKA “Swan Lake.”
Paul Simonon: Because “History Song”
Adam Clayton: Because “Please”
Flea: Because he’s FLEA
Martyn P. Casey: Because “Babe I’m on Fire”
Nathan Vasquez (Be Your Own Pet)
Aston “Family Man” Barrett: From my earliest memories, Bob Marley is the first music I’ve ever loved. And although he’d already penned some of his biggest hits by the mid ’60s, there definitely was a period in the late ’60s when he was struggling to find his sound. But when he hooked up with the Family Man and Carly Barrett rhythm section in the early ’70s, he never looked back. That rhythm section made him.
Kirk Kirkwood: Meat Puppets were another huge one for me as a kid, especially the Up on the Sun and Out My Way records. The brothers Curt and Kirk Kirkwood both just play such an imaginative dance around each other, with Kirk playing the bass like it’s second guitar.
Debbie Googe: When I first heard Isn’t Anything, from the moment the opening track “Soft as Snow” kicks off, with that crazy bass riff, I knew I was in for something pretty unusual and was about to have my mind blown. Also worth mentioning is the immaculately fuzzed-out bass tone on the absolute wrecking ball of a song “You Made Me Realize.”
Colin Moulding: Not only is he a terrific bassist but he’s an incredible songwriter too. I especially love his bass playing on XTC’s Drums and Wires album. It’s just very colorful in a way that’s not too show-off-y.
Paul Gray: On the other end of the spectrum from Colin Moulding is Paul Gray. This cat is just a motherfucker on the bass! Very exceptional at his craft in the whole grand scheme of the ’70s punk thing.
Nestor Chumak (PUP)
Geddy Lee: Not only is Geddy a great bassist in one of the best rock bands ever — but his book about his collection of basses is incredible. I reckon it would encourage anyone to get a couple of basses.
Carol Kaye: She’s written and/or played some of the catchiest basslines ever.
Les Claypool: His approach to the bass is idiosyncratic. It’s weird and out there, but you always know it’s him playing, and it’s always awesome. Watch any live performance of Primus playing “Tommy the Cat.”
Phil Lynott: Incredible rock riffs. Have they put up a statue of any other bassist?
Matt Freeman: Dial 999 if you really want the truth.
Nick Harmer (Death Cab for Cutie)
Mike Mills: Mike’s basslines are a masterclass in glue and beauty. I am constantly learning about rhythm and melody from studying his parts.
Simon Gallup: A sonic anchor in a churning sea of texture and emotion, Simon’s basslines are an indelible contribution to each song he plays on.
Kim Gordon: Beyond exuding pure cool, Kim’s playing makes Sonic Youth make sense. I like to think of her parts like a rocketship blasting through the noise and chaos swirling around her.
Tina Weymouth: Tina’s parts are a study in exactly what to play and how much. She can add melodic counterpoint but also take a single note and make it feel so good you want to listen to it for hours.
Ben Shepherd: Ben’s playing is sneaky awesome and fun to discover. The way he plays in and around Matt Cameron’s drums and Chris Cornell’s vocals add a rhythmic and melodic depth that is often overlooked.
Nicolette Alvarez (Pool Kids)
Carol Kaye: Her contributions as a session player are legendary. Her ability to elevate already beautiful songs to icon status with her inventive lines has influenced countless players. She made Paul McCartney want to be better; she makes me want to be better. Tougher and better than the rest, I treat her attitude towards the instrument and the craft as gospel.
Esperanza Spalding: “Virtuosic” generally gets thrown around a little too casually for my liking, but I do believe that Spalding is the real deal. She is a damned amazing player on both double and electric bass and conquers any genre she decides to dive into. Her well rounded background has pushed the discipline of “bass” further. We should all be paying attention to her.
Charles Mingus: I love Mingus for contributions as a composer, but his playing is so distinctive it blows my mind. So much personality can come through in his playing. Every note was as big as a house. One of the first players to really have an attitude that translated to style we are all still trying to copy.
Bakithi Kumalo: His playing is busy but not overbearing. His inventive blend of South African, Jazz, and Motown inspired bass lines. He makes playing bass sound the most joyful it ever has.
John Paul Jones: At a very impressionable age, I was told that if I could learn to play as many Led Zeppelin songs on bass as I could that I would be rewarded by becoming both an improved player and also a really cool seventh grader. One of these things came true… barely.
Nikki Monninger (Silversun Pickups)
Tiran Porter: The way he feels a song is next level. His bass playing is so inventive and becomes the focal point of every song he touches. He is the reason I follow basslines in every song I hear.
Eric Judy: His playing has a perfect mix of melody and repetitive groove. Such a huge influence on me.
Holger Czukay: I am a fan of repetition and he is the master.
Michelle Mae: Everything about her is mesmerizing. Her bass playing had such a big impact on me at the time we were starting silversun.
Mikaela Oppenheimer: Yay! The new generation! Her bass lines travel in an innovative world of their own. I never know where she is going to go as she sprinkles her magic dust throughout each song.
Noor Khan (Mamalarky)
Mark DuBois: Their bass lines are my obsession. I love how the rhythm section leads the music in a way that isn’t the case in a lot of cases. Big respect.
Patrick Paige II: Pat was low key the reason I started playing the bass at all — the first accomplished bass player I ever knew!! He encouraged me to get a bass and start learning. Plus, he’s dummy talented of course.
Esperanza Spalding: When I was first getting into the bass, I remember finding a live performance she did on YouTube and was so obsessed. She’s just all around so talented.
Chester Hansen: I’ve always loved BADBADNOTGOOD, but what really put me on to Chester was his work on Jerry Paper’s album Toon Time Raw! Those are some of the coolest and challenging bass parts I’ve ever heard.
Verdine White: Some of the first songs I learned on bass were “That’s The Way of the World” and “Footsteps in the Dark!” I’ve always been super inspired by Verdine’s basslines.
Olli Matela (Blind Channel)
Flea: Surely one of the greatest, and probably every young bass player has learned a few lines from that guy along the way, including me.
Fieldy: One of my all-time favorites. He absolutely blew my mind when i heard Korn for the first time. Mids out the window and beating the hell out of that bass — love it.
James Jamerson: The basslines. I think every musician should take a closer look in his work, because there is so much to learn from him.
Jaco Pastorius: What would be the world without a little bit of Jaco in it? He showed me that bass isn’t just a “background” instrument going in sync with the drums but you could really play beautiful melodies and harmonies.
Thundercat: Absolutely deserves a spot among the GOATs. I feel like he sets the bar for modern bass players in hip-hop and R&B, and that bar is sky high.
Patrick Feeley (Super American)
James Jamerson: “I Was Made to Love Her” by Stevie Wonder. “Who’s Lovin You” by the Jackson 5. “The Tracks of My Tears” by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. His bass playing is so embedded in and elemental to these songs, to the sound of soul and Motown in general. A sunburst Fender Precision bass never looked or sounded better.
Paul McCartney: “Something,” “Oh! Darling,” “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” He was always great, but these songs toward the end of the Beatles career really highlight his ability to elevate musical masterpieces with his mind-expanding creativity and taste for melody
Mark Hoppus: There’s no reason a three piece, crappy punk rock band should be so fun to listen to. A huge reason for that is Mark’s iconic bass playing style, his memorable fills and melodies, inventive bridges, and additive bass chords.
Bernard Edwards: Disco legend Nile Rodgers’ partner in crime gave us some of the best basslines of all time, including my personal favorites Chic’s “Good Times” and Sister Sledge’s “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” which was later sampled on Will Smith’s ’90s smash hit “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.” Right now I’m wondering why I didn’t put him #1.
Rick James: “Super Freak,” “Give It To Me Baby,” “Mary Jane” — Rick used the bass as his primary songwriting tool and to great effect on his biggest hits such as “Super Freak” (the most iconic bass line of all time?) and “Give It to Me Baby.” He is a Buffalo, NY, legend; a musical and cultural icon.
Sean Tibbetts (Kamelot)
Ryan Martinie: Ryan is probably one of the best bassists I’ve ever heard or seen. His style is simply amazing, combining slap, tap, and fingering technique that makes his playing so recognizable.
Geezer Butler: Geezer is the founder of heavy metal bass. The first bassist to really put distortion on the instrument. His writing speaks for itself, writing so many of our favorite classic metal songs.
Les Claypool: What can I say? The man is an innovator who brought bass guitar to the front of the band and reinvented the instrument.
Billy Sheehan: Billy’s right hand technique is nearly untouchable and is a stand out sound in every band he plays in.
Geddy Lee: The man writes perfect music. Another stand out artist who’s style and tone is unmistakable.
Sean Neumann (Ratboys)
Eric Judy: Eric Judy’s early Modest Mouse bass melodies have a big influence on the way I think bass should be there to not just drive a song on the root notes, but also stretch it out in different directions and explore its limits. His basslines reflect other melodies so well, and sometimes it just feels like he’d take a vocal hook or a guitar riff, spin it around a few times, and find this invisible, perfectly fitting puzzle piece to match it.
Kim Deal: The Pixies have this way of taking a riff and just circling different melodies around it over and over again in the most infectious way, and so many of them are Kim Deal’s basslines. But I think Deal’s whole, well, deal is why I look up to her so much, with her work in The Breeders and being a songwriter her whole life. I think approaching songs with the entirety of it in mind has a profound impact on how she plays. Plus, she just nonchalantly oozes cool and calmness when she plays. Like, who just holds a lit cigarette in their hand while playing bass and singing at the same time?
John Paul Jones: I don’t know what I could possibly say about John Paul Jones that hasn’t been said already, but that heavy Motown-infused style he has is Mt. Rushmore-type material for any bassist. It’s so tantalizing and impactful when he and Jimmy Page lock in together on the same riff (“Black Dog,” “Immigrant Song”). And then, on songs where he ventures off on his own, he shows off how dizzyingly good he is at the instrument (“Ramble On,” the first half of “All My Love,” etc.). He set the bar higher than heaven.
Nick Harmer: I don’t know, Nick just bops! He comes off as so assured and it makes for these amazing, winding basslines, like on “Summer Skin” or “I Will Possess Your Heart.” He also always seems to find the perfect transitional note when he’s walking up to the next part of a measure (“Soul Meets Body,” “Grapevine Fires”), and I think when those little notes flash by, it carefully turns the screws on everything around it and locks a song in.
Carlos Dengler: Talk about weird shit! Carlos Dengler wrote some of the most intricate and unpredictable basslines I’ve ever heard on the first few Interpol records. His melodies totally pivot from the rest of a song but still somehow ride along perfectly with the other parts of the song. It’s like the whole team is having a meeting on the mound, and he’s out in left field seeing how big of a hole he can dig in the warning track. But, like, he’s still in the ballpark, and he never digs one deeper than he can climb out of. I don’t think that’s great for most songs with a traditional folk structure, but it’s so captivating when it’s in a weird-ass art rock track like the ones that fill up Interpol’s early records. Each bassline is like a cool new tentacle poking out of an already veiled and mysterious arrangement.
Steve Blanco (Imperial Triumphant)
Jaco Pastorius: Redefined electric bass playing. Brought fretless into light. Used effects and created imaginative solos. Use of harmonics was stellar. Incorporated many styles/genres into his playing. Got an amazing warm and punchy tone throughout his short-lived career.
Larry Graham: Invented slap technique. Used loud distortion/fuzz and played wild but grooving lines. Wasn’t afraid to take a solo. Grooved the fuck out.
Geddy Lee: Iconic tone, both dirty and clean. Created memorable basslines with unconventional harmonic movement. Reinvented himself through stylistic changes over the years.
Cliff Burton: Created a metal sound for bass playing that still resonates today. His use of fuzz/wah was unique, punchy, and creative. Made some iconic bass melodies, tones, and lines, and wasn’t afraid to take a solo.
Les Claypool: Created a pretty unique language mixing slap, tapping, and chordal playing. Respectable use of repetitive lines to make for a minimal and effective style. Captured some amazing bass solo moments on record.
Timmy Pee (Alien Ant Farm)
Bubby Lewis: Just pound for pound, a bass god. The guy has all the speed and all the theory and all the chops. Some of the chords he plays are outta this world, with stretches that reach across way too many frets. The dude is an alien who continues to inspire.
Flea: Such a staple in rock and a funk rock trailblazer. His aggressive playing and in-your-face style have been a strong influence of mine from the first time I picked up the bass.
P-Nut: One of my biggest influences. So rhythmic. Always tasteful. Super rad player with super rad parts, in a super rad band.
Les Claypool: A monster player who basically invented his own sound/genre. Such a ripper and such a creative mind. Going down a Primus rabbit hole is a must for any bass player.
Paul McCartney: A bricklayer for all rock players to follow. Great lines, and so different from anything that was being done at the time.
Tobin Esperance (Papa Roach)
James Jamerson: James Jamerson is my number one and most people’s number one for a reason. When I was a little kid and first discovering and falling in love with bass, it was because of James Jamerson playing on Marvin Gaye’s album Whats Going On. My bedroom wall backed up to my mom’s stereo speakers and that sound is ingrained in my brain. I’m still blown away by his playing on “Darling Dear” by the Jackson 5.
Paul McCartney: Paul is a musician, songwriter, arranger, and had some classic basslines to my favorite songs. Paul is the man!
John Paul Jones: First song I ever learned on bass was “How Many More Times.”
Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett: “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” His basslines with Bob Marley are classic and they just HIT DIFFERENT!
Flea: DUH!!! FLEA… anyone who started playing bass in the early ’90s learned a thing or two from Flea. It’s PUNK, FUNK, MELODIC, SIMPLE, FEROCIOUS — everything I love about music!
Todd Morse (The Offspring)
Paul Simonon: Having only switched to bass four years ago, Paul is my main inspiration. He was still learning how to play bass for The Clash only two years before he recorded London Calling!! In my opinion, this is one of the most diverse rock records of all time, and Paul played every style as if he’d been doing it for decades.
Aston (Family Man) Barrett: The bass player for Bob Marley’s Wailers. Family Man passed away this past February, and it made me go back listen to just how crucial his basslines were to Bob’s message. He was driving the rhythm simultaneously with a sense of melody and urgency.
Geezer Butler: I recently had to learn “War Pigs” for a gig, and I was reminded of how much more Geezer was putting into Black Sabbath songs. Then I saw him sit in and jam, and his feel was effortless!
Bill Wyman: The rhythm section of Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts had a secret sauce that, to this day, no one has been able to recreate. Much respect to Darryl Jones for keeping the party going.
Eric Avery: Janes Addiction was a breath of fresh air for the Sunset Strip. Eric’s basslines became instantly iconic on songs like “Three Days” and “Mountain Song.”
Tommy Wall (Undeath)
Victor Wooten: Probably the most versatile bassist I can think of. Mastered every type of technique (and made up a few along the way), all the while making it look effortless. The global bass community’s bass IQ has collectively raised the past three decades he’s been teaching and playing across genres due to his efforts.
Les Claypool: Combining funk chops with thrash metal aggression and taking notes from Captain Beefheart and the Residents to make it all weird as hell earns you a spot as one of the best in my opinion. I once read his goal in Primus was to play rhythm guitar and bass simultaneously, and I’ve never heard a more perfect description for his style. Only amendment I’d add is he managed to make it sound like drums along with the other instruments.
Chris Squire: A bass tone that stands out is a beautiful thing, and Chris Squire probably has the earliest example of a tone achieving near perfection for aggressive music. Doesn’t hurt that he’s no slouch with his left hand either.
Carles Benavent: If flamenco titan Paco De Lucia chooses you to provide his low end for decades, you must be one of the best to ever do it, right? Incredible percussive playing that can act as an entire rhythm section unto itself but also allows for lightning quick flurries of fills.
Steve DiGiorgio: Best death and thrash metal bassist bar none. A three finger technique innovator who keeps up with some of the fastest riffs ever put on wax without half timing his attack. His left hand provides some of the best fills you’ll hear in metal, and a significant amount of it is done on a fretless bass, allowing for a whole new sonic palate in the genre of extreme metal.
Turanga Morgan-Edmonds (Alien Weaponry)
Nathan Watts: Has written the basslines that have inspired me throughout my entire musical journey, not just as a bass player.
Ethan Trembath: Everything I learned about bass, I learnt from the player who wrote most of Alien Weaponry’s basslines. Auditioning for the band was the whole reason I picked up the bass in the first place.
Victor Wooten: One of the first truly exceptional bass players I fell in love with watching and hearing, even well before I was a bass player myself.
Clay Gober: An incredibly technical player who, to me, utilizes a bit from each and every technique that I love.
Bootsy Collins: I mean, seriously, just a legend in funk bass, enough said.
Tyler Affinito (Earthburner/Gloryhole Guillotine)
Steve Harris: Steve Harris has been inspiring players for decades at this point with his playing. He is the reason why anyone interested in metal would pick learning bass over a guitar.
Brian Gibson: Criminally underrated. With a five string bass in cello tuning, using banjo strings in place of a high A and E, this man’s playing is complete madness. Gibson is a player unlike any I’ve ever seen, nor do I think there will ever be a player quite like him again.
Simon Gallup: Gallup’s hypnotic basslines elevate what are already amazing songs into something unforgettable. He makes the goth Cure songs darker and the pop Cure songs more fun.
Al Cisneros: While Cisneros’ work with Sleep is more well known, his project Om is where his playing really shines. Cisneros’ bass work is unlike anyone else’s, metal or otherwise.
Lemmy: The reason why anyone puts down a guitar, picks up bass, and continues to play it like a guitar. Enough said.
The Consequence Bassist Survey: 34 Bass Players on Their Favorite Bassists of All Time
Consequence Staff
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