JamesBass Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I've a very eclectic and ever growing list of influences! I never cease to find at least 1 song/band/musician per week that influences me in some way. I first started off being influenced by Steve Harris and Iron Maiden. Steve influenced me in a playing style and writing style, I then moved on and began to be influenced by many modern bands and their bass players, while still retaining my love for older bands. More lately I've been more and more influenced by the likes of John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Macca, Geddy and many of the other great rock bass players. I've also been influenced by the likes of Jaco, James Jamerson and Victor Wooten. But I'm not just a bass player, I'm a musician, I write songs, I arrange them and I compose. In terms of song writing and composition I'm influenced by Bach, Beethoven, Strauss, Debussy and Tchaikovsky. In terms of more modern song writers I'm heavily influenced by Pete Townshend, John Lennon, Macca, Steve Harris and Victor Wooten's arranging skills! You've gotta be willing to listen and learn otherwise you won't get anywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crag42 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Mark King Nuff said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Hm. I'd not be modest if I listed all of my influences on famous bass players, so I think i'll drop it. Not being a bass player yet, I can only mention a few who influenced my thinking as to bass parts: Monteverdi, JS Bach, Stravinsky, Chris Squire, Jaco Pastorius are the ones I remember right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarebear68 Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 John Taylor, Bernard Edwards Mick Karn and Sting at the beginning and then Stuart Zender pretty much re-ignited my enthusiasm when I was thinking about giving up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmo Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) I have always wanted to play an instrument. I wanted to play a guitar, but from a young age I got arthritis in my hands. For 20 years I had a burning issue to play a guitar as I loved music. Anyway, new treatments come along, and my hands eased and the pain stopped, so I thought it would be ideal to try to get some movement back. I knew the guitar would be difficult for me, so with the string spacing I thought a bass would suit better. The idea of being easier to play was soon quashed though.I started right hand, but my little finger is not functioning properly, i got so frustrated that I nearly gave up. I got a left handed bass about 4 weeks ago and had to relearn everything.. After the bass bash in Surrey, I saw all the basses and gear, and heard some great players. So after all the rambling, as I never wanted to be a bass player, I never really had any influences in the bass department.[i] had never heard of Jaco Pistorius until I joined this forum.[/i]So although this sounds mushy, I would say this forum is my biggest influence as I would have given up instead of trying left handed. I joined other forums, but this is the only one I use now. Edited October 1, 2013 by timmo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartelby Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Steve Harris was the first one to really start me listening to the bass, in the early 80s. My dad then made me listen to a load of The Who, so Entwistle was next. Cliff Burton really caught my attention, but it was Billy Sheehan and Les Claypool that made me want to buy a bass for my 16th birthday These days my main influences are JJ Burnel, Mike Watt and Ben Shepherd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I've always been a bass guitarist, never an upright player, so my usual list of influences is an interesting one - at least to me! Above all else: John Entwistle. I've spent my entire bass playing career wanting to sound like various eras of his tone - mainly the late '60s, growly P-bass tone (cf [i]Live at Leeds / Isle of Wight[/i]) and the early-mid '70s Thunderbird tone (cf [i]Quadrophenia, Who by Numbers[/i]). And then there's a handful of the usual suspects: Jack Bruce, Geezer Butler, Geddy Lee, Lemmy. But then - it must be the years with the old jazz group - a lot of upright jazz players. Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Charles Mingus, etc. I've always loved the sound of a well-constructed walking bassline, even though I've never been able to play the double bass. So I suppose my basslines are typically some strange combination of Entwistle-inspired tone and style with (I'd hope) a slightly jazz-informed choice of notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) JJ Burnell and Paul Gray (Damned, Hot Rods etc) I was a punk, and these guys had very different sounds to each other, but each played some brilliant basslines... Paul said his main influence was John Entwistle - and I really can hear that These days, I like John's basslines too Another big influence was Peter Hook - he just made the bass sound so different to everyone else and Andy Rourke of the Smiths Some of Johnny Marr's superb guitar playing must have been difficult to put basslines to but Andy managed to compliment the guitar superbly, with some of the best bass I've heard For DB, it has to be Danny Thompson, of course EDIT: Meant to say, some of Paul Gray's basslines are brilliant He got a superb sound from his Yellow Rickenbacker - never heard anything quite like it Listen to "The Black Album" to hear what I mean... Nice thread - please don't appologise for starting it Edited October 1, 2013 by Marc S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul h Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Steve Harris got me playing. Mark King demonstrated there was more than metal. Larry Graham showed me how it should be done. Disappointingly I sound absolutely nothing like any of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1380376254' post='2224463'] Mike Howlett, Keith from Here & Now, Tommy Shannon [/quote] I love Mike and Keith too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) [quote name='darkandrew' timestamp='1380398702' post='2224845'] I'm surprised at all the John Giblin references, to my mind Derek Forbes was the better bass player of the two and probably the one above all others who most influenced me. [/quote] People aren't mentioning Giblin as an influence because he was with Simple Minds for a while, they're mentioning him because of his astonishing catalogue of work with some of the most influential & innovative artists of the last 40 years: Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel & John Martyn to name but a few. Edited October 1, 2013 by RhysP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Mmm, I was a guitarist before being a bassist, Alex Lifeson was and still probably is my biggest guitar influence, but bass is different, I got into bass out of necessity not desire. Nevertheless I suppose Geddy and Chris Squire were good sources of bass information for me, and also Vivian Weathers, and Sting. Guitar is highly stylistic, but bass is a supportive role, or should be (I can't stand solo bass), so my bass influences are more philosophical than stylistic. I adore Scott Thunes because he is so romantic with his phrasing, truly beautiful. But really, a study of harmony and understanding the needs of the song and the song's leader is way more important than any stylistic leanings on bass. If I'm playing with London Zulu I'm definitely pumping out my dub and reggae influences, people like Viv W, Sting, Robbie Shakespeare, all those guys on the old records. But in Kit's band, I'm often thinking more orchestrally, so I use a lot of volume pedal and effects, deffo Squire and Scott influences in what I do, but I'm thinking of dynamics and harmony, and how to make the vocal sound gorgeous in the context of the song and band more than any influences, so maybe I'm finally in the cycle of influencing and inspiring myself in that situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1380640204' post='2228298'] I love Mike and Keith too. [/quote] A man of taste, evidently. Looking at (and listening to) your soundcloud offerings there are some familiar sounds there. You mention Transglobal Uunderground, who seem to include some of the remains of West London band Furniture who I knew well some 30 years ago. I wonder if our paths crossed somewhere between Acton and Hammersmith back then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) [quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1380645283' post='2228394'] A man of taste, evidently. Looking at (and listening to) your soundcloud offerings there are some familiar sounds there. You mention Transglobal Uunderground, who seem to include some of the remains of West London band Furniture who I knew well some 30 years ago. I wonder if our paths crossed somewhere between Acton and Hammersmith back then? [/quote] Ah, interesting I play in London Zulu with Tim, Hami, TUUP and Larry from Furniture/TGU, they are old friends. We may well have a few other mates from Acton and H'Smith in common. Edited October 1, 2013 by xilddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Years, decades even, since I've seen them. At one time Hami was living in the flat across the hall from me in Pierrepoint road in Acton. Were you ever part of the Meon Terrace (or was it road?) gang, A Scanner Darkly emerged from there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 [quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1380648019' post='2228457'] Years, decades even, since I've seen them. At one time Hami was living in the flat across the hall from me in Pierrepoint road in Acton. Were you ever part of the Meon Terrace (or was it road?) gang, A Scanner Darkly emerged from there as well. [/quote] Amy Villas ring any bells? I moved to London too late for that scene. Simon B sadly died a couple of years ago, he was one of my closest friends. I played in his bands too. We should do this by PM really shouldn't we Off to rehearsal shortly. Will PM you later mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 .... and in my earlier post, how could I have missed mentioning Steve Harris? o: and Cliff Burton... For very different reasons to my other influences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I'm like Mr Big Red X. I like songs. If I hear technical bass playing above the band mix I start reaching for my gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 These days if any particular instrument stands out to me on casual listening it's because IMO it's doing something wrong in the context of the whole piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1380703837' post='2229069'] These days if any particular instrument stands out to me on casual listening it's because IMO it's doing something wrong in the context of the whole piece. [/quote] What happens when you casually listen to Van Halen mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1380708059' post='2229175'] What happens when you casually listen to Van Halen mate? [/quote] That the keyboard sound on "Jump" is Oberheim OB-Xa is preset #1 without any modification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1380708681' post='2229185'] That the keyboard sound on "Jump" is Oberheim OB-Xa is preset #1 without any modification. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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