Bassplayers who were a Key influence on your playing.

[Denis]

I think what he did worked pretty well for the JHE, but a lot of people do tend to be critical of him for playing bass like a guitarist, playing root notes too much, etc. 

Maybe they are critical because the JHE was damn good.

[leftybass]

Noel Redding was awesome!

NR was a guitarist who was in the right place at the right time. I personally never thought much of his bass playing.

[pbrocker56]

Entwistle - for obvious reasons. He got me out of playing just the root which was killing my interest in bass at the time.

Krist Novoselic - the first bassist I could pick out of any song, never got lost in the mix of Nirvana. The first bassist I actually payed attention to. Introduced me to pick playing actually, something I don't do often, but occasionally. Also got me into Gibson basses.

Mike Dirnt - A punk bassist that does a lot more than is really required of him. Inspired me change up my punk rifts when playing with friends.

Geddy Lee - Not only am I dumbfounded by his ability to sing and play such rifts, but I really like his tone. Not that I'm willing to buy a jazz bass just yet, not unless it has a P-neck.

Jack Bruce - Just for Sunshine of Your Love. The rift I play when I'm trying out any new bass/amp. Love it.

[dexter]

Andy Fraser was my biggest influence for years , then Jaco,  .....  ive gone back to listening to Free again after many years ... incredible band.

Ronnie Lane with The Faces is a big influence too .....

dex

[rockinrayduke]

There's 2 guys I never really appreciated until recently, Ronnie Lane with Small Faces and Chris White with the Zombies. After acquiring anthologies of each band I think I've subconsciously absorbed some of their style. Deceptively simple and solid.

About Noel Redding-he did pretty good for Jimi but IMO the best bass playing on any Hendrix records was from Billy Cox or from Jimi himself.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Andy Fraser was my biggest influence for years , then Jaco,  .....  ive gone back to listening to Free again after many years ... incredible band.

Ronnie Lane with The Faces is a big influence too .....

dex

Andy Fraser is amazing, ain't he? His playing on Mr. Big is The Ultimate Bass As Lead!
Here's the best LIVE version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhCilozomo&feature=related

[gweimer]

I actually like Andy's bass work on "Snakes and Swallowtails" with Sharks.

[Rocker949]

There's 2 guys I never really appreciated until recently, Ronnie Lane with Small Faces and Chris White with the Zombies. After acquiring anthologies of each band I think I've subconsciously absorbed some of their style. Deceptively simple and solid.

About Noel Redding-he did pretty good for Jimi but IMO the best bass playing on any Hendrix records was from Billy Cox or from Jimi himself.

The consensus seems to be that Billy Cox was a better bassist than Noel Redding.  When it comes to Hendrix's music, it's mostly "Are You Experienced," "Electric Ladyland," and "Axis Bold As Love" that I've listened to.  I actually don't have those albums anymore, but I do have the best of Hendrix CD.  So that's the only thing I have any of Cox's playing on.  He plays on "Freedom," "Night Bird Flying," "Angel," and "Dolly Dagger," the four songs which I consider the worst on the CD.  I don't feel this was Cox's fault and it's just my opinion that those are the worst songs anyway.  However, I will go as far to say that I don't particularly think that Cox's playing on "Angel" is very good. 

[rockinrayduke]

I appreciate your opinion but whereas Noel was a guitar player who was recruited to play bass Billy is an actual bassist. Your opinions about what are the worst songs are yours as well. That's cool. With all due respect I have to tell you that you have a lot more listening to do.

[Rocker949]

I never listened to the Band of Gypsies stuff very much; this wasn't something deliberate, it's just the way things turned out.  However, what I did hear, I didn't like as much as the earlier Hendrix songs which were more of a psychedelic rock sound (which is something I personally prefer).

[rockinrayduke]

I grew up with the early albums and I liked Noel's playing (and still do) and I have to confess that it took me a little while to accept Billy as the new bassist. Jimi's music changed and Billy was a better fit. I do understand what you're saying. Noel was an influence on me as well and those first 3 albums blew my mind back when they were new and continue to now.

I will say that Billy Cox is a better bass player than you heard with Jimi. Jimi had him playing a lot of patterns that they'd tie together, which sometimes didn't him a lot of freedom to stretch out. He's not a psychedelic rock and roll bass player but a down home greasy funky soul man.

[Rocker949]

I grew up with the early albums and I liked Noel's playing (and still do) and I have to confess that it took me a little while to accept Billy as the new bassist. Jimi's music changed and Billy was a better fit. I do understand what you're saying. Noel was an influence on me as well and those first 3 albums blew my mind back when they were new and continue to now.

I will say that Billy Cox is a better bass player than you heard with Jimi. Jimi had him playing a lot of patterns that they'd tie together, which sometimes didn't him a lot of freedom to stretch out. He's not a psychedelic rock and roll bass player but a down home greasy funky soul man.

It's obvious that you've listened to Billy Cox a lot more than I have.  I think I understand what you're saying.  Billy Cox was having to adapt quickly and playing some music which probably wasn't exactly suited to his style.  Cox deserves recognition and I think most people realize he was a better bassist than Noel Redding.  On the other hand, in spite of the fact that even Noel Redding himself looked at himself as a guitarist and not really a bassist, what he did still does have some merit.  I suppose I may still have somewhat of a romanticized view of all the members of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.  Redding lived for years in Cork, Ireland.  I visited Ireland a few years ago, and although I was mostly in Dublin, I did get to visit Cork once.  I can imagine what it might have been like had I visited a few years earlier and possibly glimpsed Noel Redding walking the streets of Cork.  Such things are not so far fetched.  In fact, some of the things that happened to me in Dublin were even stranger than that. 

[Freuds_Cat]

.  In fact, some of the things that happened to me in Dublin were even stranger than that. 

haha, I so relate to that comment 

[Highlander]

Gotta read thru this thread properly to catch all that has been laid down here, and as part of my reformation, I thought I'd post some of my own pics along the way, If anyone declares an interest in what I post PM and I'll be happy to discuss a trade but no sales...

I started to note some of my influences on my own post, the RD was it...? but I'll try and be more cohesive and on thread here...
(HAH...! chance'ud be a fine thing...)

Uwe, you mentioned that you liked the Ian Gillan Band - took a bit of digging but I found this...

Mr John Gustafson fits the bill...

Mr G with a WAL on stage at the Marquee... my copyright...
... some of the negs/slides have some scratches but this is one I 'shopped before uploading...

... and your welcome to a scan of the set if you would like them (about 30 or so), I know you weren't there, and there is nothing I can do to help that so this is purely by way of a thank-you and to share the memory... I remember a lost and lamented guitarist with the initial SRV (along with the most excellent Tommy Shannon and Chris "Whipper" Layton- never parting with that programme) gracing me with 20 minutes or so, sharing his memories of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley, backstage at Reading in '83, and gracefully reminding me that Little wing, which he'd played earlier, was originally recorded by a certain Mr Hendrix and not by Clapton (how dumb did I feel, and I said it!), who he also discussed, and I remember an American talking to me about Woodstock - his lasting memory of those 3 days was, "the smell", and then we went in to watch Skynyrd play That Smell as a brand new unreleased song, along with a set similar to their first official live album...
No matter how young, or old, there will almost always be somone with older memories to share... and share we should...

I was lucky enough to see Ian Gillan about 5 times at the Marquee (I only remembered 3 times but pics show me differently) IGB, the Steve Byrd line up 3 times
(DRAT, DRAT and TREBLE DRAT... the night Blackmore came on I'd left the "Baby" at home...! - "Baby" was the nickname my buddies gave my old now retired Pentax A - odd thing with her was that I could drink like a fish, and often did in those days... but when ever I was with "Baby" some inner defence mechanism would always protect me from harm and I'd remain compus-mentus... wierd...), anyway, I digress, also the torme lineup...
It is dificult to keep me on track without some tangentelisms taking place... err, I digressed again...
so... I followed all of the Deep Purple spin-offs, I missed the #3 but did see Bolin (Taste' is an excelent Purple LP, even if it is more Bolin/Hughes than Bolin/Coverdale/Hughes/Lord/Paice, even got some pics in a (WS) tour programme and had John Lord set me up with some hard-to-get seats for their show at the Rainbow Theatre in the late 70's, not an intentional name drop, just a thank-you Mr Lord to an extremely generous man - I think he had to buy them from a tout with his own readies...!

Uwe, you mentioned Kenny Aaronsen above (loved HSAS... love his playing) and seeing him play in Billy Squiers line-up - was that supporting Whitesnake, I was at the Dusseldorf show...

back on thread... They (IGB) played a sparkling set and his voice was spot-on , hitting all the whoahs, just like DP's MIJ , right to the top of the scale - I think the only other men to have effected me so much with their voices are probably Paul Rodgers and Ronnie Van Zant, both of whom I was lucky enough to have seen in the 70's - encoring with the obligatory Smoke' - seeing him sing Child In Time was something else - my only regret was no live version of Five Moons, probably my favourite IGB track... the set was similar to the BUDOKAN recordings, but in a pub/bar type location...
The band played like excrement of a shiny digging implement: John Gustafson's seminal sparkling runs with his WAL bass rumbling along in my ear-hole (I was sat on the edge of the stage in front of the stack for most of the gig, having a buddy get me the occasional (poor quality, vastly extortionate, but still quite refreshing) lager from the bar, Mark Nauseef's jazzy fills, Colin Townes' beautifully melodic keys, and Ray Fenwick's underestimated Strat' work...


a close-up of JG's spare WAL resplendant with leather tooling on the front - kinda weird to me... my copyright...

The next lineup produced one of the great lost rock lps , never having being properly re-issued as it came out of Japan, and featured an awsomely under-rated guitarist, Steve Byrd...


"The Voice" with Mr Byrd... I had forgotten these existed until I went digging... my copyright

... and a drummer that blew his chances (Gillan's words), Pete Barnacle, Mr Townes again on the keys, and my dad, the inimitable John McCoy, him of the gut wrenching bass-lines and jumping around like no-one his size or-ta be doing...

this shot was from a set of the Torme line up at the Marquee...  my copyright...

Mr McCoy has been a major influence in my life and for the offer he made re Samson I will never forget him, although it was a path I chose not to follow...
Thank you anyway John...


I mean, I seem to have turned into a clone, except what's left is greyer...
the "eyes must be that bit of the devil I have yet to exorcise... off stage checking the sound levels...


... and resplendant with hat 'n' keepin' it tight with "Bomber" Cornwell...

sorry, Uwe, my "jack" is a bit of a pin-cushion, err... kinda happened..., anyway, I have to admit my to my sins before I can truly reform... I wonder what else I can dig out of the pit that is my negative box...?

Lord, hear mah words, ah beseach yah, before ah's dragged dahn to the farrrreee pit...


psst, anyone got some good ones I can add to...  wh... what was that noise back there...

... ARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH......

[Pekka]

Sorry for digging up old threads but I couldn't resist.

Some great names mentioned (like the underrated Johnny Gus above) and I'm sure my list wouldn't look too different:

Lately (the last 4 years...), I've been shamelessly copying the licks and the style of the late great Doug Rauch. Not underrated, just too unknown, he was funky!