Top 5 favorite bass players

[mech]

Not in any order, but here goes.

1. Geddy Lee
2. Les Claypool
3. Flea
4. John Paul Jones
5. Rodger Waters

 

[caupina]

1. Jaco Pastorius
2. Charles Mingus
3. Sting
4. Pedro Aznar
5. Mark King (Level 42)
6. Steve Rodby (bonus)

 

[BostonMark]

basses covered

At No one I would clearly put

STANLEY CLARKE, the guy is the Hendrix of bass guitar

after that

John Entwistle (The Who)
John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
Geddy Lee (Rush)
Sting (The Police / solo)

 

[JackT]

I agree with all those posted so far. here are some more in no particular order:

-John Taylor
-Andy Rourke
-Paul McCartney
-Bootsy Collins

Props to whoever it was that put the guy from Level 42!

 

[caupina]

Jack T : I couldn't leave Mark King out of this list. He was the first one (non-jazz) that came to my mind when I read the subject. I have an old documentary video of Level 42 called "Fait Accompli" and the guy is amazing.

 

[CosmicCharlie]

No particular order:

- Tony Levin
- Jack Bruce
- John Entwistle
- Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead)
- Geddy Lee

 

[mech]

I agree with all those posted so far. here are some more in no particular order:

-John Taylor
-Andy Rourke
-Paul McCartney
-Bootsy Collins

Props to whoever it was that put the guy from Level 42!

I didn't choose those but I love your list!! How could I forget Paul or Andy? haha

 

[GlocksRock]

I too would say Les Claypool and Flea.

 

[Jack Hammer]

In no particular order my favorites would have to be:

Les Claypool (Primus)
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Bootsy Collins (Parliament/Funkadelic)
Cliff Burton (Metallica)

 

[highfihoney]

1 Stanley Clark,the hendrix analogy is cool but to me its more like the steve via of bass guitar (Return to Forever)

2 Rick Laird (Mahavishnu Orchestra) allmost a tie for 1st place.

3 Scott Thunes (frank zappa)

4 Frank Zappa.

5 Allen Woody (Allman bros)

 

[johndoe]

the first four are in no order

- Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, and many more)
- Chris Squire (Yes)
- Geddy Lee (Rush)
- Paul McCartney (I forgot his band's name )

the fifth place could go to:

- Trey Gunn (King Crimson, The Trey Gunn Band, KTu, etc.)
- Jeff Berlin (Bruford and many more)
- Greg Lake (King Crimson, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Asia, etc)
- John Deacon (Queen)

The Level 42 guy is just as good, but I don't like his music, so he can't be my favorite.

 

[hondof1]

Wow. These are all really good picks. Being a bass player myself, this is a topic near and dear to my heart.

Again, in no particular order:
1. Jaco Pastorius
2. Victor Wooten
3. John Entwistle
4. Les Claypool
5. Stanley Clarke

An honorable mention to:
Daryl Jones
Geddy Lee
Percy Heath
Chris Wood
Chris Squire
John Paul Jones
Flea
Paul McCartney
Glenn Hughes
and pretty much anybody else who's been mentioned.

The guys in the top five are players who, to me, advanced or redefined the bass and what could be done with it. Of course there are others not mentioned who fill that bill, but these guys were the ones who had the biggest influence on me. (Not that I am in any way, shape or form even remotely in their league.)

 

[sholling]

And Marcus Miller didn't make anybody's list?

 

[Resident Loser]

Problem with...

...Stanley Clarke is he thinks he's a guitarist...and that's not what a bassist is supposed to be...

In no particular order Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Paul Chambers, Tim Bogert, Red Mitchell, John Entwistle, Charles Mingus, Ron Carter, Will Lee...

They aren't supposed to be frontmen, just part of the rhythm section and the guys I mentioned do it (did it) in spades...

jimHJJ(...just my .02...)

 

[Sleestack]

In no particular order:

Victor Wooten
Ray Brown
Niels Henning Orsted Pederson
Gary Grainger (his work with Dennis Chambers on Scofield's Pick Hits Live should be a part bass/drum lover's collection).
Charles Mingus

 

[Sheep]

Oh, I didn't know people credited bass players as musicians.

SheepStar

 

[billnchristy]

Im with Slee:

Victor Wooten.

I like Claypool and Flea as well, but nobody does it like Victor does it.

Im really suprised it took til page 2 to mention him.

 

[Nomo]

John McVie of Fleetwood Mac
Roger Glover of Deep Purple and Rainbow
John Paul Jones of Zeppelin
John Entwistle of the Who

Sorry, that's only 4. Apparently I don't get out much.

 

[grahammc]

Bass

In no particular order:

1: Victor Wooten
2: Victor Lamonte Wooten
3: Victor L. Wooten
4: Vic Wooten
5: Umm...Victor Wooten

 

[Sleestack]

One from Japan that should aslo be mentioned.... Tetsuo Sakurai.