Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Upright and electric are really not that different IMO, I play both, it depends on your approach to them. You can transfer the styles to each other instrument.
I agree Andy, Jamerson was the best bar none, electric bass player ever. JPJ is very subtle and funky, very syncopated, try playing his stuff the way he played it, very difficult, he is a very advanced player and could probably play just about anything he wanted to. Zep I is my favorite album.

JPJ's playing in "The Lemon Song" is just incredible. I never understood the hubbub about him 'till I heard LZ2. Blew me away.

I dig Entiwstle and all, but was anyone else really unimpressed by that video?

My Personal Faves:
1. Geddy Lee
2. Chris Squire
3. Mike Rutherford
4. John Entwistle
5. Three-way tie between Greg Lake, John Wetton, and Tony Levin
6. Dave Meros
7. Paul McCartney
8. Jack Bruce
9. Les Claypool
10. Adam Clayton

Great list, minus Claypool and Clayton especially!

Mine:

1. Chris Squire
2. Geddy Lee
3. Mike Rutherford
4. Greg Lake
5. Tony Levin
6. Paul McCartney
7. Jon Camp
8. Jack Bruce
9. John Myung
10. John Wetton

No one's mentioned the blonde one - Billy Sheehan. I had never heard him until recently. His stuff isn't everyone's cup of tea but man, he's fast.

If its a list your after then:

1. Chris Squire
2. Jack Bruce
3. Stanley Clarke
4. JPJ
5. Billy Sheehan
6. Les Claypool
7. Flea
8. Geddy
9. Nathan East
10. JJ burnell

Another example of JPJ is on the live double DVD on "Dazed and Confused" when it goes into the fast part after Jimmy Page has finished bowing his LP. its not tremendously difficult but sore on the hands playing the same riff over and over. Or "Tidal", one of his more recent solo ones, played on 12 string bass but not like tom Peterson's one, this 12ver is a dual course 6 string instead

John, I have to agree. Entwistle has been my idol since childhood, there is no one else. But that video did nothing for me. The thing I love about the Who is the way the instruments play off of each other; everyone is more or less soloing at the same time. Yes, Entwistle was a great player, in fact the best in my book. But a bass solo--even by him--against a 4/4 backbeat doesn't do much for me.

I never realized how good Entwistle was. But... that was pretty awesome.

You guys need to stop naming off more and more bassist. The list of what to get is getting to long... lol.

The reason Adam Clayton is on the list is because he's the guy who inspired me to pick up a bass in the first place. U2 may have amazing layered guitars and great vocals, but without the bass, they are nothing . . . pretty much all of the songs off of "War", "Achtung Baby" and "The Joshua Tree" are bass-based. And actually, "Zooropa" too come to think of it. He's nowhere near as talented as tons of other bassists, but the fact that his bass playing is almost always at the front of the mix really caught my attention, and that's why he's on my list.

John Myung is hit or miss for me. Either, he plays something absolutely perfect and amazing ("6:00", "Learning to Live", "Scarred", "Fatal Tragedy", "The Great Debate"), or it's something really boring. He needs to stop cornering himself onto the B-string as he did on "Train of Thought". And his current bass tone sucks . . . bring back the Tung, John!

"Bobcat, JPJ was the backbone of possibly the greatest rock band ever. That alone is enough said....but if you still need convincing, lock yourself away in a room with Zep 2, 3 and 4 and really listen. Hopefully then you'll see it a little differently."

Oh, I know. I love Led Zeppelin. "Houses of the Holy" is one of my favorite albums ever. Robert Plant is one of the best vocalists I've ever heard, and Jimmy Page is just crazy. I've listened to every album many times over. I'm still not amazed at John Paul Jones' bass playing. Yeah, there's a couple of really cool things he does, but the only bassline he ever played that really made me go "WOW" was "The Song Remains the Same". That song is gorgeous bass/guitar interplay at its finest; I only wish he would've played stuff like that more often. Oh, and someone mentioned the live version of "Dazed & Confused" where he's playing that one riff a bazillion times really really fast; that was amazing too, because he manages to keep this perfect groove going in double time without missing a single beat. But there's not much else that gets me. I understand that he's a very good bassist, and that tons and tons of people idolize him, but it just doesn't strike me. I'll let you all know if it ever does.

Nice lists guys. My list is weird as I'm not everywhere with my tastes. This is it at this point in time.

1. Geddy Lee
2. Steve Harris
3. Paul McCartney
4. Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd)
5. Roger Waters
6. Geezer Butler
7. Billy Sheehan
8. Gene Simmons

Sadly I can't make a top ten. Those 8 are prety much all I know. I could tack on The Ox and Squire on the list just to complete it, but it'd be unfair.

And yes, I like Gene Simmons' playing. When he wants to play he's really good, and he's really really good and playing and singing in different rhythms.

interesting that Mark King didn't make anyone's top 10.

I bet if this vote was taken on a Fender, Warwick or Musicman forum that might not be the case.

Absolutely amazing - without doubt one of the greatest bassists ever.
If more proof were needed, check out Quadrophenia - awesome

That is some good playing by Entwistle ... it is a shame he didn't take care of himself ... I find most bands don't want a bass player to show off that much ... when I play with people I quite often "dumb down" my playing ... I play simpler and leave a little more air ...

Jeff, that is the sign of a good and mature bassist.

ya ... but when I get the chance I love to play like that ... one time I was playing in a band and the lead player was still learning his part in a song ... so I played his lead part on the bass better than he was playing it ... he got motivated to learn it after that ... or when I first plug in I will play some really fast stuff with hammer ons and harmonics and 32nd notes ... I pretend I am Billy Sheenan for 2 minutes ...

LOL, love it...!

I'm sure he did hit the right note once or twice............but he spent a long time looking for it