Best Rock Bassists of the Sixties
Submitted by Jake-O on Sun, 10/23/2005 - 09:56
Tags:
- 1) James Jamerson: You honestly can never say enough about Mr. Jamerson. He is often regarded as the best bassist in popular music history, and sometimes best ever. He played with a style that is hard to describe, yet you know it right away like it's your little sister. He played on most every Motown song (along with fellow respected vet bassist Bob Babitt) The guy just cranks out jazzy, catchy, driving bass lines, all with one finger! I'd love to play more like him....
- 2) Paul McCartney: Another bassist that you can hardly say enough about. Yet, amazingly, I sometimes feel Sir Paul isn't always given proper recognition to his superb bass playing as his songwriting, paino playing, and other efforts recieve. If you play bass, do yourself a favor and just try to learn all his parts. He and James were the two first guys to bring reall interesting, moving parts to popular music for the low end.
- 3) Jack Bruce: This guy's a genious. His basslines proved that the bass could do plenty more in the blues than simply walk or riff. He squeezed out sweeter tone than anyone, and still does. Great voice that accompanies his lyrical playing. Clapton may have been the flashiness that made Cream such a success, but real fans know that the magic was coming from Ol' Jack.
- 4) Rick Danko: The Band was glorius in so many ways, and alot of it came from Danko. His unique vocals, multi-instrumental contributions, jazzy basslines, and just overall presence really helped make what The Band what it was. He was also one of the first guys to use a fretless, and could really move around on that too!
- 5) John Entwhistle: The Ox was a total bad-ass and could pump out low end. He had that weird "typewriter" playing style that was a predescessor to tapping. He had the first bass solos I can really think of in "My Generation" that weren't like an extention of the bass part, just played by itself.
I find that music of the sixties was some of the most influential, best written, and best played music than any other decade. Ths is my little tribute to the bass player who really glues those great tunes together and made them what they really were.