Think about how empty and meaningless your favorite music would be without the bass.
It's time to give the bass its due.…
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Rock's Greatest Bass Riffs - Comments Page 2
Think about how empty and meaningless your favorite music would be without the bass.
It's time to give the bass its due.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - jaz
El Bicho nails the flip side of the presented Coin.
Part of "hip" is contextual...I tend to think that it's when something becomes a "trend"...but the real cool is always there...no matter the form or style...
what's real, transcends
27 - Jon Sobel
Anthony Jackson's part in the O'Jays' "For the Love of Money"? I'd think that would be on everybody's list.
Damn! How'd I forget that?
28 - Lono
here is my take. I am primarily a guitar player, but have a bass as well. There are very few riffs I know that I have committed to memory, and so are my highest praise. They are as follows, in no order
Led Zep > Ramble On
Bob Marley > Stir it Up
Van Morrison > Into the Mystic
Cliff Burton (Metallica) > anathesia
the reason why I bought a bass was to learn that Cliff Burton song. I miss him, he was a bass god to me.
29 - Adam Ash
You forgot to mention the bass riff under Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, which he copped from somewhere else, I think it was invented on the song called Black is Black or something.
That riff is the most copied riff in bass history.
30 - Daryl
Wow. I'm not the ONLY person in the entire universe who appreciates John McVie as a bassist. I think I can sleep easier tonight.
31 - Michael J. West
Beck's bass riff on "Devil's Haircut," incidentally, is a sample. It's from "I Can Only Give You Everything" by Them with Van Morrison.
32 - Eric
One of the other great McCartney bass riff is "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" on Abbey Road.
33 - Al Barger
Outstanding list and commentary. I am, of course, especially pleased to see props for the White Stripes. This also, though, reminds me to put in a plug for Graham Maby's bass for Joe Jackson, particularly "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" which was also the basis for the bass of "Steady As She Goes" by Jack White's Raconteurs.
34 - Al Barger
Wait- stop the presses! Holy crap, I just noticed that there's no John Entwistle up in here. What kind of foolishness is that? How about props for "The Real Me" perhaps?
35 - saudade
Absolutely agree about David J, El Bicho -- brilliant basslines and completely overlooked. His work built Bauhaus songs. Partial to Stigmata Martyr for its simple driving bassline that defines the assaultive, crazed nature of the song. Most of his stuff was like that -- simple but fierce. He's why I play bass.
Also got to give props to Peter Hook (Joy Division) for redefining bass as a lead instrument in rock. Everything he did was also simple but amazing.
Sorry my comments are more about about certain bass players and their army of riffs rather than just particular ones...here's a couple basslines I think are definitive in their genres (and because you guys need more girls mentioned here) ;)
Patricia Morrison, Lucretia, My Reflection (Sisters of Mercy)
Kim Deal, Here Comes Your Man (Pixies)
36 - Jon Sobel
A quick one on Entwhistle: Al Barger, if you read the article you'll see that I discussed Entwhistle as an overall "bass god" rather than someone who came up with specifically seminal bass riffs. If I'd remembered "The Real Me" I would have included it in my list, but I stick to my guns on the general point I was making, that it's a good thing most people don't emulate his style, because how could you? Phil Lesh was the perfect bass player for the psychedelic noodlings of the Grateful Dead, but he sure isn't a bass player to emulate (unless you're in a Dead cover band, of course.) Same with Entwhistle in a completely different style, of course. The guy uses all four fingers on his right hand, for gosh sake. And they move so fast you can't even see them. And he plays so many notes. He was the perfect bass player for The Who, and a musician like no other. I even wrote a tribute song for him when he died. (When I get around to recording it I'll post a link!) But I consider him to be basically (no pun intended) a one of a kind. Pro bass players need to absorb a bit of every style, of course, but if up-and-coming players modeled themselves after Entwhistle, we'd have chaos.
37 - Al Barger
Chaos, I tell ya! I'm sure it's not quite your intent, but that seems like you're discounting his work because he was too good.
I would dispute the chaos theory as well. Most players probably couldn't much emulate Entwistle very well because they simply don't have the high technical ability. But if you COULD try to emulate Entwistle, it would depend on what you thought that would mean and how you took it.
Entwistle was famously the quiet one, and wasn't trying to take over a stage with splashy displays running over top of the other instruments. Keith Moon on the drums might have been accused of that from time to time, but not Entwistle.
Now, Entwistle was just so good that he would have not been a good fit and would have overwhelmed a lesser group of players. Hey, Entwistle wouldn't have worked as a member of the Kinks - but neither would Eddie Van Halen for much the same reason, as good as he does with Kinks covers. One style doesn't fit all.
38 - Jon Sobel
Well, I'm not intending to discount his work at all - I'm about the biggest Who fan you can find. But I'm going from personal feelings and general experience on this. If you ask a bass player (at least, a bass player over 35) about his/her influences, as a general question, you would find some of them including Entwhistle, for sure. But if you asked them to specifically think about their own style and technique, and what bass players really informed their own playing to a large degree, I think most of them would probably not talk about Entwhistle. Of course that's a totally nonscientific impression - I could be wrong, it would be interesting to do a real study, but then, there are more important things for scientists to be doing I guess.
39 - Al Barger
Jon, I certainly would not doubt your love for Entwistle. But maybe that's a question of how your parsing out your categories. If the nominal category is "rock's greatest bass riffs," that might be something different than "most influential." Could be that some of the greatest players get less imitation because young players are intimidated to even TRY to play like him.
Whereas a lot of guitar players go around trying to sound like Neil Young, cause his crude, undeveloped half-assed squawling would likely be a lot easier to imitate than would be a serious guitar player like Hendrix or Richard Thompson.
40 - Jon Sobel
Hey, Al, what have you got against Neil Young's one-note guitar solos?
I am happy to admit that my category for this article is a little vague or shifty-eyed. And there's been so much food for thought in the comments that I may end up doing a follow-up piece.
41 - jaz
Good thinking , Jon.
You handle riffs...i've been pondering a study on Players, we will see.
oh yeah, to big Al...
Neal Young > Jack White
nuff said
42 - Jon Sobel
You handle riffs...i've been pondering a study on Players, we will see.
Sweet. The lack of articles about great bass playing is being remedied!!!
43 - JR
Aerosmith - "Sweet Emotion"
44 - AES
How could you forget the classic "Rapper's Delight"? by The Sugar Hill Gang. It's probably hard to find someone who doesn't at least recognize that bass line.
45 - Rob
Let's give credit where credit is due.... Chic's Good Times (which begat Another one Bites the Dust AND Rappers Delight).
46 - Rob
One that I'm surprised doesn't get mentioned is the bass riff in Smoke on the Water. The guitar riff is one of the most famous in rock, but the stinkin bass is what drives the song.
47 - Jon Sobel
I seriously considered "Smoke on the Water," and it's true the bass drives the song, but the famous riff is generally considered a guitar riff. Really I'd consider it a guitar-and-bass riff, so maybe it could be included because of that... decisions, decisions. I am putting together a "Rock's Greatest Bass Riffs, Part 2" piece, by the way.
48 - SFC SKI
Won't argue with your list, I love all of the riffs.
For the '80's there was Pete Farndon of the Pretenders, (take the bassline out of Brass in Pocket and it loses it's urgency) albeit for too short of a time.
Bruce Foxton of the Jam, Nelson of New Model Army, Youth of Killing Joke, Klaus Flouride of the Dead Kennedys, David J of Bauhaus, not to mention all the skinny tie new wave Brit bands, bass was front and center in a lot of '80's mussic, but the best stuff was seldom on the radio.
49 - Maria
Maybe someone metioned it but Iron butterfly In-a-gadda-da-vida has the most awesome bass part ever! And it goes the whole way through for like 20 minutes.
I am a budding bassist and that song is an inspiration!!!
bam bam ba ba ba ba bam bam bam ba
o.k so not the best representation but it is trully amazing.
50 - pop n slap
BON JOVI... Alec John Such is a genius...Living on a pryaer is the ultimate bass line
51 - David Dell'Anno
How about adding Rock Me by Great White, Another Bites the Dust by Queen, and My Sharona by the Knack
52 - Jon Sobel
Great suggestions!
53 - Joshua
Get the Funk out - Pat Badger (Extreme)
Killer Bee Hop - Stu Hamm
Peace Sells But Who's Buying - Dave Ellefson
54 - Eric Y.
Regarding Pete Townshend, "Gonna Get Ya", Tony Butler (of Big Country fame) is the bass player, not John Entwistle. (At least according to the CD liner notes.) Tony played bass on all songs, save "And I Moved" and "Keep on Working" - which if I recall correctly - were the songs Entwistle played on. But I will have to check my vinyl copy to verify. FYI: Entwistle's name is not listed in the CD version liner notes ...
55 - Eric Y.
I pulled out my Empty Glass vinyl -- Am I showing my age? -- and checked the liner notes. John Entwistle is not mentioned is not mentioned anywhere on the liner notes.
(In that regard, no bass player is mentioned for the songs "And I Moved" and "Keep on Working" -- so it is still open as to if John Entwistle played on these songs as I stated above ... ;-)
Regarding my statements as to John Entwistle playing on Empty Glass, I guess I was thinking about Roger Daltrey's McVicar album where Entwistle appears on a few songs.
So, it must assume that Tony Butler -- who is an amazing bass player in his own rights -- was the bass player Pete's Empty Glass's "Gonna Get Ya (Anyway)" and not John Entwistle.
56 - Eric Y.
The above being said above ...
I will have to throw out a few bass players and their songs I have admired through the years -- and hopefully I post more as time comes.
Bass players:
Tony Levin -- Mainly Peter Gabriel's bass player -
Song: Secret World - US
Peter Cetera: Bass player and singer for Chicago
Song: Old Days ... I never thought I would say this, but his bass on this song is amazing. Again, I am NOT a formally trained musician -- or even a musician in general -- but, given that -- I still feel that I can recognize a great song and bass line when I hear one. Thoughts???
57 - Jon Sobel
Eric Y., you're not the first one who noted the Townsend/Entwistle thing, and actually if you read the article carefully I didn't say Entwistle played the part on Empty Glass - I know he didn't, I just meant to use the mention of that album as a way to bring Entwistle into the discussion - but the way I wrote the section was confusing, my bad. All props to Tony Butler.
"Old Days" has a good bass part, but I wouldn't have thought of it as having a particularly memorable "riff." (The song's famous "riff" is a guitar melody, the bass just plays along.) YMMV of course!
A lot of great bass players don't get recognition in lists like this because there isn't a particular part that stands out. Gary Tallent of the E Street Band comes to mind. Listen to "Point Blank" for an awesome bass part.
58 - Josh
One I've always loved, too, is "Is This It?" by The Strokes.
59 - stanman
what none from the south?Berry Oakley jezz.John
paul Jones best rock player.Jaco is still the man.
60 - mikey2gunz
PIXIES, planet of sound.
Kim Deal hangs it out to dry
61 - Douglas Mays
John Entwistle (the Who) 'My Generation'
Chris Squire (Yes) 'the Fish'
And give credit to the bassist on Pete Townsend's "White City' album with the song singing about how We gotta judge the judge...
just a thought at 2am.
best,
DM
62 - Douglas Mays
OK, riff vs. groove....it is a question. My above mentioned Chris Squire track is a case of a riff turned into some groove. Good choice with JT's Bouree. And Floyd, of course. We can alter My Genereation (riff oriented) to "My Wife". Entwistle carries the load on that song.
Ugh! Technicalities....But all above choices are great. Might as well throw in some Jaco Pastorius works while we are at it...
me again,
DM
63 - Douglas Mays
And hell, you know who else was a good bassist? Mel Scheaffer (sp?) of Grand Funk railroad. He carried the band pretty well. The live version of T.N.U.C (spell that backwards) is a prime example of wailing rockin' bass holding it together.
Another thought that just popped into my head. I'll shut up go to bed now....
bottom,
DM
64 - SFC SKI
Pete Farndon of the Pretenders, his bass playing is so prominent, it frames the song to allow the guitaris t and vocalist to do whatever the hell they want to, and if you remove the basslines from the tracks on the first two albums, the songs have almost no coherence.
65 - chuck downfield
I agree with all of the afore mentioned (I just added many that were missing from my Ipod "bass riffs" playlist) and I recommend the following masterpieces...
- How Many More Times, Song Remains The Same - JPJ
- Heart Of The Sunrise - Chris Squire
- Sympathy For The Devil - Bill Wyman or was it Keith Richards?
- Hot 'lanta & Whipping Post - Berry Oakley
- Sparks - John Entwhistle
- Anything by Geddy Lee, including but not limited to Cygnus X1, YYZ, Driven
- The theme song from Seinfeld!
66 - steve
entwhistle; 5:15
jaco; teen town, black market
lesh; scarlet begonias
67 - John Wilson
Bass Theology...big dang church you have here..
I'll add "Roam" by the B-52s.
68 - Tony
John Paul Jones .... The Lemon Song ... enough said
69 - LimoZeen
Steve Harris of Iron Maiden -- any song.
You mention you missed out on most of the 80's, and IMHO your list is serverely limited due to this anomaly.
Go listen to any Iron Maiden album from any decade and then come back and redo the list.
UP THE IRONS!!!!!
70 - Billy Rageguy
You're missing:
Dazed and Confused - Led Zep
I Will Survive - Cake
If You Want me to Stay - Sly and the Family Stone
Sir Psycho Sexy - RHCP
Great list, though!
71 - Jet in Columbus
Hypnotized by Fleetwood Mac
72 - Spittman
One of my favorite bass songs is "NIB" by Black Sabbath.
73 - ghdggh
where's geddy lee???
74 - jim marr
lets not forget about Tiran Porter of the Doobie Brothers.
Takin' it to the Streets has a great bass riff.
75 - Joe Mig
Since you're looking for riffs, I would have to add:
Sweet Emotion seems like an obvious one
Rotten Apple by Alice in Chains
Whipping Post, the Allmans
Shining Star, EW&F
Jeremy, Pearl Jam
Freewill, by Rush. Sure the guitar does it too, but so what?
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) come on, you gotta have Larry Graham on the list...
I could go on and on....