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50 Greatest Bass Players - Can We Do A Better Job - Change of Plan


Mykesbass
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[s]Ok, we all have opinions on these polls that keep appearing, but can we create a more measured, definitive list? Only one way to find out...[/s]

[s]Here's my proposal: Any BC member can nominate one bass player, with a one paragraph reason why they think they should make the list. We then list all the nominees for everyone to vote on up to ten players and compile the list fro there.

If anyone has any strong thoughts on how this could run please post on here, but no nominations yet, I'd like to get the format right first.

We'll either end up with a great definitive list or if we can't get our own one together we won't be able to criticise others (like that's going to happen)![/s]

Seeing as this didn't quite pan out as I hoped I've taken a very different approach. I am now compiling, over on my blog, a list of 200 essential bass players - no judgment as to best/greatest, but just a selection of players that are important for a whole host of reasons - innovators, prolific session players, those that had a serious impact on the band/bands they were in, a few soloists and so on.

If, having seen my posts, there is a player I have missed and you feel strongly that I should include please send me a PM and I'll finish the series with a "How did I miss these" type round-up, but please wait to see what the subjects are, and who I've included first, thanks.

Also, if anyone has any great non bass guitar/double bass ideas (i.e. electronic music) then I'd be really happy to hear those suggestions.

Please take a look at the first one, I'll try and post every couple of days until I hit the 200 mark.

[url="http://modlock.co.uk/200-essential-bass-players-part-1/"]http://modlock.co.uk...players-part-1/[/url]

Edited by Mykesbass
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Good idea, IMO you should put in a cut-off date for everyone to vote otherwise this could go on for a very long time! :).

[b]Pino Palladino[/b] gets my nomination: Apart from the fact that he's one of the most tasteful bass players on the planet, he's also probably one of the most recorded bassists of the last 30 years. :)

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I have long since championed Stuart Morrow (New Model Army's original bassist) his style is so distinct, I cannot think of another bassist who plays in that style, reading biog's about the band Justin Sullivan has always said that it was what Stuart brought to the band that gave them the edge to get them signed. The way the counter melodies work under the song and the sheer amount of notes he manages to squeeze in without overcrowding the song, to me makes him special.

From memory of reading the biog's again according to Justin, Stuart just used to turn up and play these basslines he didn't sit down for hours on end working out the counter melodies he just knew what worked!

A massive influence to my playing and certainly worth a listen to (recommended listening "No Man's Land" or "Vengeance")

https://youtu.be/eE7WjPsrCf4

https://youtu.be/vxqWdSOVI9U

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The important part of the OP which seems to have been overlooked.

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1435431224' post='2808782']

If anyone has any strong thoughts on how this could run please post on here, but no nominations yet, I'd like to get the format right first.

[/quote]

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[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1435431224' post='2808782']
We'll .... end up with a great definitive list
[/quote]

It will "definitely" be a list of bass players, but I'm not sure it will be "definitive".

Anyway, why limit this to 50?

I'd suggest 100 greatest bass payers.

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1435496893' post='2809323']


It will "definitely" be a list of bass players, but I'm not sure it will be "definitive".

Anyway, why limit this to 50?

I'd suggest 100 greatest bass payers.
[/quote]

Which is exactly the sort of suggestion I'm looking for. 100 will require a lot of support, let's hope the BC membership get behind it.

As for being definitive, sure, no list ever can be, but I think we would have one of the strongest claims to it!

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[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1435602058' post='2810492']
So seeing as this post has less than 0.5% of the interest of the Alternative Rock Fact File I'll take it there is insufficient interest in doing our own poll :(
[/quote]

For what it's worth I am completely baffled by the popularity of the Alternative Rock Fact File thread....

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[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1435602740' post='2810506']
For what it's worth I am completely baffled by the popularity of the Alternative Rock Fact File thread....
[/quote]

I did contribute a couple in the early days but...

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[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1435602908' post='2810509']
Are there as many as 50 great bass players? :P
[/quote]

I'm now on a mission to get 500, but it looks like I'll be doing it without the help of the BC masses.

I now know how the monthly composition guys must feel!

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I think the problem is that as soon as people start posting their favourites people will start chipping in with "how can you say xxxxx is one of the greatest when xxxxxx hasn't been mentioned?"
The jazzers will start sneering at the rock/metal guys, the funk guys will start sneering at everyone else & that's how it will continue.

Unfortunately that's the problem when trying to compile lists of something that is completely subjective, and when everyone thinks that they've got better taste than everyone else. :)

For instance, I could write a list of 100s of what I would consider "great" bass players (i.e. I personally like what they do) & I can guarantee that Mick Karn won't be on there. Can't stand him, never could, but he's worshipped by large numbers of people on here.

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[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1435603776' post='2810528']
I think the problem is that as soon as people start posting their favourites people will start chipping in with "how can you say xxxxx is one of the greatest when xxxxxx hasn't been mentioned?"
The jazzers will start sneering at the rock/metal guys, the funk guys will start sneering at everyone else & that's how it will continue.

Unfortunately that's the problem when trying to compile lists of something that is completely subjective, and when everyone thinks that they've got better taste than everyone else. :)

For instance, I could write a list of 100s of what I would consider "great" bass players (i.e. I personally like what they do) & I can guarantee that Mick Karn won't be on there. Can't stand him, never could, but he's worshipped by large numbers of people on here.
[/quote]

I think that would have made it interesting. See, we can't even agree on that :D

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well I suppose if everyone contributes their top bassists then you can build a list, then from that you can make a poll to see how that list gets arranged & then you'd have your results. :)

Here's some contributions...

Tina Weymouth
Pete Trewavis
Rob Amster
Melvin Dunlap
Ron Carter
John Davis
[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Terrance Palmer[/font][/color]
[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Les Claypool[/font][/color]
Bond
Janek Gwizdala
Abraham Laboriel
Marcus Miller
Pino Palladino
That bloke from the Beatles
Geddy Lee
Donald Duck Dunn

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I'm not sure what the point is. All that happens when someone produces a list of so many greatest somethings is that lots more people ask why x is on the list, why y isn't on the list, and why a is ranked higher than b.

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[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1435608342' post='2810611']
I'm not sure what the point is. All that happens when someone produces a list of so many greatest somethings is that lots more people ask why x is on the list, why y isn't on the list, and why a is ranked higher than b.
[/quote]
Part of my thinking was to do a slightly more sophisticated poll, perhaps a couple of rounds to whittle them down, and the fact it would be voted for by bass players should have given it a bit more authority than the one that cropped up this week. Still, it seems I misjudged other people's interest in such a poll.

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Lists can be fun, but at some point you always end up trying to compare apples & oranges.

eg. How do you decide whether Les Claypool should be ranked higher than John Deacon?

Les is an avant-garde genius who plays the instrument like just about no one else, whilst Mr Deacon is absolutely solid as a rock, has written many classic lines & songs & is pretty much everything a traditional rock bass player is supposed to be. They both undoubtedly (imo) deserve to be on a list of the top 50 bass players but as to where abouts on that list in relation to each other I have absolutely no idea where to even start.

Edited by Cato
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[quote name='Cato' timestamp='1435609377' post='2810638']
Lists can be fun, but at some point you always end up trying to compare apples & oranges.

eg. How do you decide whether Les Claypool should be ranked higher than John Deacon?

Les is an avant-garde genius who plays the instrument like just about no one else, whilst Mr Deacon is absolutely solid as a rock, has written many classic lines & songs & is pretty much everything a traditional rock bass player is supposed to be. They both undoubtedly (imo) deserve to be on a list of the top 50 bass players but as to where abouts on that list in relation to each other I have absolutely no idea where to even start.
[/quote]Perhaps we run it (yes I think we should do it despite the low take up so far) like the Oscars: best player in a supporting role; best lead player; etc. So, rock, prog, pop, funk, icon, etc. That way apples and oranges don't get mixed up, but can feature in more than one category. Waddya think?

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[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1435610402' post='2810651']
Perhaps we run it (yes I think we should do it despite the low take up so far) like the Oscars: best player in a supporting role; best lead player; etc. So, rock, prog, pop, funk, icon, etc. That way apples and oranges don't get mixed up, but can feature in more than one category. Waddya think?
[/quote]

If your'e willing & able to take the time to set it up, I'm more than willing to vote. I suspect many other people will be too.

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[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1435610402' post='2810651']
Perhaps we run it (yes I think we should do it despite the low take up so far) like the Oscars: best player in a supporting role; best lead player; etc. So, rock, prog, pop, funk, icon, etc. That way apples and oranges don't get mixed up, but can feature in more than one category. Waddya think?
[/quote]
I did have some type of categorizing at the back of my mind. Either that or the whittling down process that could lead to Mark King, Les Claypool and Sting as the top 3!!

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