Best British Bassist

[supabock]

Any one considered Paul Westwwod or Steve Pearce ??

[Doddy]

[quote name='supabock' post='652006' date='Nov 11 2009, 09:20 PM']Any one considered Paul Westwwod or Steve Pearce ??[/quote]

Now you're talking.
Both great guys as well as being monster players.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='jacko' post='651994' date='Nov 11 2009, 09:08 PM']Why not? Just because you think isherwood and mailer are better doesn't mean anyone else will neccessarilly agree with you. What one person thinks is good another person will think is pish as sure as eggs are eggs. like I said, music is not a competetive sport so there can be no winners or losers, only participants. Ok... I may have a preference for a certain player but it certainly doesn't mean that person is any better than someone who's music I don't like..

If the thread had been entitled 'favourite british bassist' then I think the discussion would be a whole lot more valid (although I have to say my favourite changes from day to day depending on mood and what I've been listening to).[/quote]

I have no preference for Isherwood or Mailer. My point is that a discussion on 'better' is as valid as one on 'favourite', arguably more so. Of course its not a competition but a comparison of skills, creativity, originality, core skills etc etc is more valid that one of 'sales'. The 'its all good' argument is a denial of passion and surrenders to the kind of ambivalence that results in mediocrity. I don't care who anyone likes or dislikes but I do want to know what people think about other people's playing. 'It's all good' is not an opinion. It is the absence of one. I want to know what folks think not what they don't!!

[___---___]

[quote name='Veils' post='366269' date='Dec 30 2008, 02:43 PM']For me, Alex James and James Leech are my biggest inspirations. I know they aren't technically astounding, but that doesn't matter.[/quote]

Alex James is a f***ing badass. Girls and Boys - pure disco.

X

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='371208' date='Jan 5 2009, 06:14 PM']I can’t believe Andy Rourke hasn’t had a bigger mention. Amazing bass player. Some of the lines he came up with for The Smiths were fantastic; so melodic, intricate, technical, and musically sound all at the same time.[/quote]

I've read most of the thread, and if you hadn'y posted him, I would've.

As an adjunct to that, I saw Morrissey last week. Highly entertaining! Played 6 Smiths tunes, too.
Boz Boorer and Jesse Tobias (guitars) were very good, but still not Johnny Marr.
Solomon Walker (Bass) was soild and didn't drop a note all night. Nonetheless, he was not Andy Rourke.
Okay, Matt Walker [u]was[/u] better than Mike Joyce!

[twodinners]

[quote name='BTGAndy' post='373978' date='Jan 8 2009, 01:18 PM']I'm with the it's too subjective camp, but my favourtie UK players are Tom Jenkinson (A.K.A. Squarepusher) and James Leach from SikTh.[/quote]
I found out only recently that Tom Jenkinson used to live directly across the street from me, as in looking into each others windows. That guy must have ripped off everything.

[J3ster]

I can never answer these questions as easily as that.

I have different favourites for different styles, I don't think any 1 single Bassist is my perfect all round fav, but can appreciate some of those on the original list.

[4000]

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='365919' date='Dec 30 2008, 12:44 AM']I'd sort of agree with some of your top 10, but Lemmy and John Taylor...mmm, not really what I'd call 'great', Shouldn't Jack Bruce sort of change places with one of them ?.[/quote]

Lemmy? Not great? He's a bloody legend. Without him I wouldn't even be playing!

Although it's purely personal taste some of my faves are probably (in no particular order) John Entwistle, Chris Squire, John Paul Jones, Leigh Gorman, JJ Burnel, Lemmy, Stu Zender, Geezer Butler, Mark King, John McVie, Gary Thain and Sir Paul.

Edited December 20, 2009 by 4000

[4000]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='636792' date='Oct 26 2009, 11:23 AM']Just to stir things up, I will offer some opinions (I have several) - I think Cottle is overated! What I hear is a man who has learned 1,000 licks off other people and who puts them together to create something, errr, the same. I was impressed with his technique at the early stages of hearing but, once I got past that, there was not a lot of him in there, just losts of other people. I would rather Steve Swallow (yes, I know he's not British) anyday, even though he has half the technique.[/quote]

Bilbo, for once we're in agreement. Seen him live a couple of times and he does nothing for me whatsoever. Probably a nice bloke though.

[4000]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='651953' date='Nov 11 2009, 08:25 PM']Disagree.... We can all argue over Christopher Isherwood vs Norman Mailer or Shakespeare vs Brecht but noone is going to say Jeffery Archer is a better novelist or Victoria Wood a better playwrite. There are obviously sujective elements to it but it is perfectly defensible to argue that a is better than b. Otherwise everything is great and it most certainly is not.

Am I the only one here who sees the value in debate? Some folk seem to think the only 'cool' space to be in is to live and let live and agree that everything is brilliant. Serene but BORING

Maybe its a Welsh thing? [/quote]

Sadly, I disagree with at least part of the above . Live and let live isn't about thinking everything is brilliant, it's about understanding that your criteria may not match someone else's. For instance I much prefer Lemmy to Laurence Cottle. Laurence has a thousand times the technique and would be much better in 99% of musical situations but Lemmy is unique, which matters far more to me; I also much prefer his tone and approach, even though that will be incomprehensible to some (I'll add I'm also a big fan of jazz, just in case anyone thinks Im purely a rocker).

Also you can argue quality by educated consensus/historical impact but ultimately these things are still all subjective and can be affected by all sorts of experiential and cultural issues.

Edited December 20, 2009 by 4000

[Matty]

[quote name='EskimoBassist' post='366755' date='Dec 31 2008, 12:10 AM']A player I think you guys should check out: NEIL MAHONEY, from the band AMPLIFIER - [url="http://www.myspace.com/amplifiertheband"]www.myspace.com/amplifiertheband[/url]

And also, of course Chris Wolstenholme. Technically, not as formidable as someone like Victor Wooten, but to me an intelligent and interesting player. I realise I sound like a Muse fanboy saying this! But even so...[/quote]

Mahoney is awesome.

[Gary Holder]

Herbie Flowers.

[4000]

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='651979' date='Nov 11 2009, 08:45 PM']I heard this recently from the deep dark 70s, there's some scary bass playing......

[/quote]

What do you expect from the Messiah? Check out 2:59 and 4:33 approx.

Seriously though, I always loved Mike's playing on this track and am a big fan of his playing generally.

Which brings me to a question; is it considered more important to be a well-rounded player who would cope in a lot of different situations or to be the best possible guy in a particular band and to have a unique voice? Many of my favourite players probably wouldn't cut the mustard anywhere too far removed from their own musical situation, and yet many of the players who are probably great all-rounders I'm not particularly interested in, although I have all the respect in the world for them.

Edited December 21, 2009 by 4000

[Bass_In_Yer_Face]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='652891' date='Nov 12 2009, 06:37 PM']I've read most of the thread, and if you hadn'y posted him, I would've.

As an adjunct to that, I saw Morrissey last week. Highly entertaining! Played 6 Smiths tunes, too.
Boz Boorer and Jesse Tobias (guitars) were very good, but still not Johnny Marr.
Solomon Walker (Bass) was soild and didn't drop a note all night. Nonetheless, he was not Andy Rourke.
Okay, Matt Walker [u]was[/u] better than Mike Joyce![/quote]

Yup Andy Rourke is right up there for me......a tune within a tune is what I heard his bass playing described as.

[Bass_In_Yer_Face]

[quote name='4000' post='689885' date='Dec 20 2009, 04:38 PM']Lemmy? Not great? He's a bloody legend. Without him I wouldn't even be playing!

Although it's purely personal taste some of my faves are probably (in no particular order) John Entwistle, Chris Squire, John Paul Jones, Leigh Gorman, JJ Burnel, Lemmy, Stu Zender, Geezer Butler, Mark King, John McVie, Gary Thain and Sir Paul.[/quote]

John Taylor gets dismissed as he was a pretty boy but he could play his bloody instrument, don't worry about that.

[hillbilly deluxe]

[size=7]BILL WYMAN[/size]

Edited December 21, 2009 by hillbilly deluxe

[4000]

[quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='690495' date='Dec 21 2009, 11:27 AM']John Taylor gets dismissed as he was a pretty boy but he could play his bloody instrument, don't worry about that.[/quote]

Oh I know, I saw him live this year. Rio = stonking line.

[Mog]

[quote name='barneyg42' post='366024' date='Dec 30 2008, 09:45 AM']Phil was born in West Bromwich!![/quote]

To quote the long fella,
"When I'm away, I say I'm from Ireland. When I'm in Ireland, I say I'm from Dublin. When I'm in Dublin, I say I'm from Crumlin. And when I'm in Crumlin, I say I'm a Lynott"
Back off, Phillo is ours! Ya'll can have Bono if ye want!
Best British bassist IMO is John Paul Jones. Closely followed by Noel Redding.

[arabassist]

justin chancellor.

[witterth]

Andy Rourke ....yes..
Alex James...............just, no....no.......no.....no....