Most underrated bassists?

[cavedog101]

"Under-rated" is definately an oxymoron simply because theres no doubt, a large group of people familiar with each individual that could be mentioned.Its more likely that some guy who's relatively unknown and playing in po-dunk bars ,anywheresville is going to truly be underrated.

That being said, heres a few players who probably only get KUDOS from their surrounding bandmates and could be largely overlooked as great players by a majority of fans...simply because the fans dont know or care how important the lines being played are to the songs that they adore as FANS!

Tina Weymouth.....REALLY...try playing those parts sometime.

Dusty Hill......The right hand NEEDS a strong left hand in a trio.

Tommy Shannon....Smooth sailing for the late,great,Stevie.

Kenny Gradney...For you youngsters who dont know him...all I gotta say is Little Feat.....get some and learn about being funky.

Alan Gorrie....Average White Band....an average white Scot playing bass with extreme funky soul.

The rest of the list is a kind of Bass players' bass players list...

Roger Waters....great songs...VERY important bass parts.
Berry Oakley...deceased...Allman Bros. He was the Daddy of southern-rock bassplayin.
Carl Radle...deceased...Why play two notes when one, perfectly timed will do...see-Clapton,Leon Russell etc....
John McVie...would it be Fleetwood Mac without him?
These last few are truly....Bassists' Bassists................

Randy Jackson...Yeah, that ONE! Man, can he play...
Pino Palladino....Never heard of him? Oh yes you have!
David Hungate...Studio master and early Toto...
Duck Dunn...okay, hes well known.....
David Hood...MuscleShoals Swamper
and finally, the revolving bassist responsible for all Steely Dan tracks,

Chuck Rainey
Wilton Felder
Walter Becker.......


Theres a lot of really good young guys out there....when they get old and have a huge history of a lot of recordings I'll add em in the list.

Oh yeah....I forgot one....Patrick O'Hearn.

 

[Kryptik]

Aren't all bass players underrated?

All I have to say is...
Thank You!!!!

I'll second McCartny. He is mostly known as a secondary singer for the Beatles. It's rare that I see him on lists of the greats. Though, I don't normally look at those lists, so what do I know .

As far as most underrated how about Eric Wilson from Sublime. He may not have the fastest fingers in the world (or at least he never uses them), but his mobility around the fingerboard is quite good. He also has that funky style which I'll give credit for above any technical factor.

 

[Fletch-X]

James Jamerson,Mel Schacher,Tommy Shannon,James Dewar, ect...

Yes as a rule all bass players are underrated or maybe a better term would be under appreciated.

 

[bubinski]

MARY ( whats her name ) from Southern Culture on the Skids.......

 

[DC-XPL]

- I also love Colin Moulding of XTC. Great tone, great parts, great songs.
- Dave Hope of Kansas was also mentioned. Nice parts, but didn't care for his tone.
- Ross Valory of Journey. Listen to their first 3 albums - without Steve Perry. You wouldn't recognize it as Journey

I'll also nominate Mike Rutherford from Genesis. Anyone that has to play songs called "Apocalypse in 9/8 Starring the Delicious Talents of Gabble Ratchet" deserves a mention. Oh yeah - he also had to play in 9/8 time!

 

[sbenak1@mac.com]

Graham is a great player. I saw him a bunch of times live when he played for TMBG.

I'd like to add Donald "Duck" Dunn and Tony Levin to the list. Duck's work with Booker T, Clapton, and The Blues Brothers is a clinic in tone, groove, and taste. Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel) is mind-numbingly powerful and innovative without compromising groove. I saw him play with California Guitar Trio and it was a almost a religious experience.

 

[gibsonguy09]

I don't know his name or if he is under rated though. THe bassist in Rancid is really good.

 

[zengeezer]

James Jamerson

The best that ever was, and totally underrated!!

 

[Bassman Brad]

I've always felt that the bass players who are the most "underrated" are the ones who avoid flashy, over-the-top solo-style playing, but are true masters of throwing down the groove in a tasteful and artistic manner. Some of these guys are absolute BRILLIANT players, but people tend not to notice them, or appreciate the skill that they have, unless they happen to be bass players, themselves.

Jethro Tull has always had some incredible bass players. On the early stuff, I believe the guy's name was Glenn Cornick (or maybe Gornick). He was later replaced by John Glascock, who is also extremely tasteful and talented (and totally ignored in all the "best bassplayer" polls). Supertramp's Dougie Thompson was one of my most important influences. His bass lines were always PERFECT. His replacement in the modern Supertramp (or the "Rick Davies Solo Band," depending upon who you ask) does an almost perfect imitation of Thompson's fretless bass playing style. Van Morrison recordings always have sublime bass parts, and they are always recorded beautifully. Listen to the bassline to "Fire in the Belly" from The Healing Game. I think he has had the same bass player for many, many years. Don't remember his name, but the guy is awesome. Isn't that terrible? I'm a bass player myself, and even I can't remember the guy's name. One of the misfortunes of being a bass player. You are often doomed to anonymity.

 

[Garry Sharp]

Who played bass for Ian Dury's Blockheads? The bass line in Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick is amazing.

 

[Nakatira]

Chriss squire is not underrated, I think he`s got some kind of a record for being bass player of the year in some bass mag.
nor is geddy lee underrated.

John Deacon is underrated, He`s a cool cat.

 

[dawg2k5]

Doug Pinnick.

 

[ahuimanu]

I'll give three here:

Joe Lally - Fugazi (tone, solid playing and tone)
Patrick Dalheimer - Live (knows about doing the bottom end, compliments his drummer)
Peter Hook - Joy Division, New Order (bass as lead)

Oops, forgot:

John Norwood Fisher - Fishbone (just listen to him... you'll know)

 

[ZoSo58LP]

yeah i agree wiht Rob DeLeo..truley in my mind one of the most creative bassists out there...but i'd also say tim commerford from rage..he can lay down a solid line and hold the whole thing together. hes a very tight bassist, even if a lot of rage bass songs don't take much talent to play.

 

[johnnyfever]

Not to pick fly-shit out of pepper, but.....

If the thread states "underrated", please don't mention really famous players. Paul McCartney, Sting and Geddy Lee are not quite underrated. I always thought underrated meant people who are great but have not become "famous". How about Martin Turner from Wishbone Ash? There's a bass player who has never really gotten his due. Martin's playing is very melodic while at the same time is right in sync with drummer Steve Upton. These two were one of the best rhythm sections of 1970's rock.

 

[F_cksia]

Roger Glover (Deep Purple) and the guy from the Elton John band.

 

[Phildo]

Jeez, I can't believe that no-one's mentioned Gail-Ann Dorsey (Bowie's right-hand woman). An object lesson to all of us in understated class and style.

 

[Kasey]

flea from RHCP!! ...just kidding.

Aren't all bass players underrated?

no, bass players are not human beings.

 

[zengeezer]

I'm guessing ANY bass player NOT of world class stature would be considered under-rated, including me!

 

[seamus]

Robert DeLeo was a great suggestion, his lines really complete the other elements of that band with stellar results. I have enjoyed playing a great many of his lines myself over the years.

Dirk Lance did the same thing for Incubus. He had a great sound, and I thought he played some interesting lines at times that served their songwriting quite well as they matured over the years. Ben Kenney is a good musician, but he plays far too much like a guitar player 'filling in' on bass.

Here's a curve ball, how about Stephen Stills? I believe he played bass on CSN's impressive debut album, and possibly more beyond that. A guitar player who can move into the role of bass without constantly riffing or simply holding the root is extremely rare.

Jack Casady from Jefferson Airplane, I really dig his tone and playing. Want to hear something interesting? If you dig both bands, compare both CSN's and Airplane's versions of 'Wooden Ships' to hear some very contrasting yet flavorful interpretations of the same exact song. Different guitar lines, bass lines, vocal harmonies, etc.

I also think JPJ was probably underappreciated throughout much of Zep's career, but has gained more recognition in recent years. Zep wouldn't have been the great band they were without him, but I think he was largely overshadowed by other members in their heyday.

Roger Waters was arguably just an average bass player, but had some great moments in that role as well. For example, check out the bass behind 'Have a Cigar' sometime. The various slides and inflections in that song are not the type of thing most can just jump into and make it sound right, it takes a certain degree of intimacy that goes beyond the notes to get it right.

Steely Dan has employed a multitude of simply awesome musicians throughout the years, and the bass players were no exception. Chuck Rainey was a groove machine, and Tom Barney has been fantastic as their most recent addition, though I doubt most people know who he is.