crikey, where do you start with this.
Initially, The Police were my favourite band and it was easy to hear the bass guitar and copy it.
Then The Jam, same reason.
Then Duran Duran. Same reason.
I was 12 when I took up the bass in 1981 and there was plenty of good music about. My brothers listened to rock/ glam/ Pink Floyd, Yes and Rush.
Then I became a massive fan of Phil Lynott. I saw Lizzy in '83 at Reading then Grand Slam the following year. I thought Phil was great and I loved his live sound. The Roland bass through his Dynachord gear.
I was very aware of Nick Beggs playing and also Pino. I started buying albums because Pino was on them. Nick Heywood and Dave Gilmour both recorded with Pino.
and yes then there was Steve Harris. My eldest brother support Maiden when they played some shows in Italy, to break Bruce in. So I bought some Maiden to see who they were.
Over the years there are so many players that I discovered and loved. Larry Graham, Bootsy, Bernard Edwards, Lemmy, Andy Fraser, the list is almost endless