The Greatest Bass Line of all Time

Valdez wrote: mellotronwave wrote: Golden Earring Radar Love Fantastic and a huge hit

Hi,

(a little aside!)

In the old days ... my roommate and friend Guy Guden (Space Pirate Radio) played a lot of things that the rest of the station would not touch, because they were deaf to anything that was not "listed" and some fake periodicals that tried to tell us what the hits were (hello Virgin with fake lists that helped their sales!) ... and of the many European things Guy played, Golden Earring was one ... and one night, he was playing "Are You Receiving Me" and one of the other cardboard dj's interrupted the song to say ... it's not "rock'n'roll" and Guy, being quick on the wit side of things, slowed down the whole thing to a stop and then said "who cares! It's great music!", and immediately brought the song back up!

Guy should have gotten a Golden Record for Golden Earring, Gentle Giant, Average White Band (Guy a comedian and actor, had created an advert of music bosses saying that the AWB would never make it ) -- probably a sound off by some of the folks in the station, that had as much taste as kitchen wallpaper!

And sure enough, a couple of weeks later, it exploded in LA ... but the cardboard dj's weren't man enough to appreciate someone that had an ear for music, instead of hits and then only playing the stuff that was known ... now you know why Space Pirate Radio has lasted for 51 years, so far and counting!

Back on the top ...

Bass ... there are way too many differences and uses for it that makes a call on this really tough. I like to hear Charlie Haden, Miroslav Vitous, Eberhard Weber, David Darling, mainly as their work is varied so much and neat, as opposed to so many bar room bass players in so many rock bands, and specially progrock bands!

In rock music, Mike Howlett, Hugh Hopper, Richard Sinclair, Patrick Djivas, John Glascock specially with Carmen), Dave Pegg as just fantastic folks to listen to, but their music is very different, thus making it tougher to make a call as to which is better.

Edited by moshkito - 4 hours 40 minutes ago at 12:00

Valdez wrote: peaches!!

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Floydoid wrote: Pink Floyd 'Sheep' - contains some of Roger's most menacing bass playing and he somehow manages to hold the whole track together.

A couple of my favorites that come to mind...

John Wetton of K.C. on "We'll Let You know".
Ralphe Armstrong of Jean-Luc Ponty "Struggle of the Turtle to the Sea, pt. III".

Hi,

Logan wrote: Here is Paganotti with Paga's Une parcelle d'Urantia only because it popped into my mind, not for having the greatest bass line.

I know nothing about greatest bassline as such. For me, three of the most memorable is perhaps:

The one that came to mind first, is the bassline Rutherford starts playing ca. 3:40 into Fountain of Salmacis. One of the few basslines that sometimes get stuck in my head (and I don't even mind it).

The second I thought of was Cecil McBee's walking double bass line that goes on throughout Journey in Satchidananda's opening title track. It sings.

Thirdly my Zeuhl-awaking started with the infectious groove of Francis Moze introductory bass riff on Kobaïa - the opening song on Magma's masterful debut album.

-others will come to mind as soon as I post this, I'm sure:)

The late, great Gary Strater on Starcastle's "Dawning of the Day":

I've always loved this track specifically because of the bass:

Edited by I prophesy disaster - February 16 2025 at 00:42

Yes, I love that thumping bass-line from Chris Squire on City of Love.