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 3
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
76 - Jax
Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Pure bass awesome
77 - Jet in Columbus
"No More Tears" Ozzie
Nuff said?
78 - Jet in Columbus
Give me a couple of more weeks to recover from heart surgery and we'll see Jax... we'll see
79 - Dan
Going further into the vault; "Living in the U.S.A.' by the Steve Miller Band (Tim Davis?). But the most prolific, and very influential, has to be Carol Kaye.
80 - Scott from NoDak
Here are some great bass riffs that weren't mentioned:
Once In A Lifetime - Talking Heads
I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
Rain - The Beatles
Analog Kid - Rush
Flashlight - Parliament (does it have to have been done with a guitar?)
Last Chance on the Stairway - Duran Duran
Another One Bites The Dust - Queen (overplayed...yea, but you couldn't get that riff outta yer head)
I Love A Long Goodbye - Sloan
Last Train To London - ELO
Running To You - The Cars
81 - mkmk
David Essex - "Rock On"
82 - Steve
You can't leave out Jack Casady and White Rabbit.
My favorite bass players, being of a certain age, are Casady, Entwhistle, and Bruce. Each has a distinct approach to playing that sets them apart, regardless of the notes played. I also feel that Tiran Porter (Doobies) and Pete Cetera (Chicago) never got the recognition they deserved from the music press. Chicago's first album is simply awesome.
83 - Jet in Columbus
i agree, absolutely nothing NOTHING can beat "for the love of money" by the O'Jays
Those of you who are too young will recognize it as the opening to Donald Trumps' TV show "The Aprentice"
Period-end of statement
84 - Steve
Also Dale Peters of the James Gang.
85 - John
Wilton Felder-"I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5.
86 - chuck downfield
Mystery Achievement & Space Invader - Pete Farndon (Pretenders).
Actually, both of the Pretenders first two albums feature fantastic bass riffs!
87 - mark allums
I am having a brain spasm at the moment, so I am a little vague here, but: the bass line on that U2 song, whatsthename, on Achtung, Baby, I think. I don't think of U2 as a great band for bass lines but that one song... Also, any list that fails to mention Geddy Lee or Doug Pinnick (King's X) is too short.
88 - Artie Fufkin
Here's a few more:
Life's an ocean - The Verve
Ramble on - Led Zeppelin
Stay Away - Nirvana
89 - chester
Anything from this list
Bill Black Mystery Train (OK it's a double bass, but it drives the song). As does the double bass in Domino by Roy Orbison but I don't know who it is.
Guns Of Brixton - Paul Simonon (and later Fatboy Slim)
Jumpin Jack Flash - Bill W
Blitzkrieg Bop - Dee Dee Ramone
:)
90 - Ryan Collins
I can understand those listed are not the be all end all because the web page would simply get too long to read. But failure to include a few of the greatest rock bass players of all times simply amazes me.
First, Geddy Lee of Rush. Have you ever listened to him? I'm not talking about the screechy vocals. His bass playing is nothing short of excellent. And he sings and plays keys. Pure talent.
Next up, John Paul Jones. Simply put, the monster of a rock band Zep was would NOT have happened without him. His jazzy style coupled with Page's blues style made for a sound that was never equaled.
Another great player forgotten, Chris Squire of Yes. Where to begin with this thumper? His complicated yet funky bass lines for an Art Rock are unrivaled. Most likely this guy was forgotten because he plays Art Rock, which is black sheep brother in the Rock family.
So many other players too that have written great bass lines that I believe out do the listed songs. It all boils down to one thing...opinion. And we each have our own.
91 - chester
ooh I forgot Live With Me off Let It Bleed too...
And yes of course it's all about opinion. Mine is that generally less is more (with the bass) and some of those guys really should pick up a lead guitar ;)
92 - ummm
Umm 7 Nation Army doesn't have a bass on it. Jack is playing the riff on guitar using a pitch shifting pedal to drop it an octave.
93 - EFC1878
Jon, thank you for an interesting, well-written article but in missing out on the 80's you've missed out on the superb Peter Hook's work with Joy Division/New Order. Listen to Transmission's opening, New Dawn Fades or his, ahem, interpretation of Ennio Morricone in the biggest selling 12" disc of all time Blue Monday.
Mani (Gary Mounfield) put down a couple of classic riffs/lines on the opener and closer of the first Stone Roses album - I Wanna Be Adored and I Am The Resurrection.
Finally, you could pick out virtually any Yes song featuring Chris Squire to catch some amazing playing but a personal favourite is the fast-paced bass riff in the manic instrumental break in Perpetual Change.
94 - BFAD
The Stone Roses - Fools Gold!
Mani had the slinkiest, funkiest groove-aholic bassline; it still melts butter...
95 - EFC1878
BFAD, not sure Fool's Gold is a bass riff. I think it's John Squire. I remember an interview with producer John Leckie saying Squire played the whole thing in one go with no sampling. Mind you, there are so many excellent riffs in that song that we could be talking about different lines.
96 - AndyBL
To help fill in the 80's vacuum (and the mid-sized) US bias; you cannot discuss recognisable bass riffs in the 80's without Ceremony, This Charming Man and Fool's Gold. How did you miss these man?
1- Primo Place, Primo Bass. You cannot have any kind of Bass talk without Peter Hook of Joy Division-New Order, and any riff talk of JD-NO talk without 'Ceremony' (top of the pile), and the whole range from 'Transmission' to 'Thieves like us'.
2 - Andy Rourke for the bass playing on the guitar-bass-combo riff that is 'This Charming Man' as well as most of 'Strangeways', but right out to to Heaven knows I'm miserable now, Cemetry Gates etc.
3 - Stone Roses - Fools Gold, classy, funky and cool. Ignited loads of sh!t going on deep into the 90's as well.
On a more Rock track, must be some Iron Maiden riffs out there - their bass player was good but did he riff/lead it?
Great to see so much talk about Bass though, good list & comments. Personally, going back, way back my hero was Chris Squire (but he never had that many popular/memorable riffs) as well as Lemmy (I'd loved him from Hawkwind to Motorhead) but he played it as a guitar so maybe his counts more as guitar riffs.
Not Only But Also...
best goddamn bass INTRO ever - Smoke on the Water
best song about bass - Addicted to Bass - Puretone (Drum'n'bass it maybe, but v. v. cool).
97 - Lost & Sound
Ok, it's not a riff, it's just a slide. But what a slide it is! Chuck Berghofer opens "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" (Nancy Sinatra) with a great slide on his string bass.
98 - Mike The bass player
dude any true bass player would have at least one of fleas and or matt freeman aka best bassist evr on there especially detroit
99 - Jet in Columbus
This may date me, but the best is "Peter Gunn" by Henry Mancini-it was also used on the Sopranos
100 - GMoney Maker
Kudos Mike the Bass Player -
Absolutely no disrespect intended, but yall need to check out Maxwell Murder on ...and out come the wolves. Then tell me what you think a great bass riff is. That is the definition right there.
I mean, I love Entwhistle and The Who but everyone who thinks they're a bass player NEEDS to listen to that riff. PERIOD.
101 - thumbed
Fishbone - Bonin' in the Boneyard
Easily one of the sickest bass lines ever.
102 - Srini Kumar
Mike Watt.
The Minutemen.
End of story :)
-srini
103 - John Martin
Great list, but I might add "I'm Your Captain" by Grand Funk Railroad
104 - Vig
What about "Walking on the moon" by the Police? Absolutely simple yet brilliant!
105 - some1
I think one great bass riff is from Christopher Wolstneholme from MUSE with Hysteria.
That is a great bass riff
106 - chris
You forgot the BEST riff of all time
Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin
John Paul Jones is without a doughbt the best bassit ever.
107 - Dustin
I agree with what you said about John Entwistle, but I still think that a song like "The Real Me" or "Dreaming From the Waist" deserves mentioning because they weren't solos; they were basslines.
108 - DuWayne
Great ear my friend. I love every song on your list. I am a rock bassist. However at this time I can't get Malcom Foster's work on the Pretenders album Learning To Crawl out of my mind. His lines on My City Is Gone perfectly underscores Chrissie Hydes' laments of the degenerative change she sees in her hometown. In the pocket with percussion it sets the mood for a clasic song. A great listen.
109 - Brian
Great pics here of course. But while there is so many to name all based on opinion and popularity, I would have for sure added 'Red Hot Chile Peppers' (Under the Bridge). Great riff by flea. If you're really interested in base playing and would like to dig into the great old underground, be sure to check out a player named Victor Wooten. His bleend of funk, soul and super-fast licks will blow your mind. Check him out on youtube. Happy holodays to all.
110 - guitanorak
Sting's 'Walking on the Moon' Bassline is a simple but class line I think, among many other's he came up with.
Anyone into 'flashy' Bass Playing? Check out the album 'Road Games' by Allan Holdsworth with the amazing 'Jeff Berlin' on Bass.
Rock solid when needed but then he goes off on a crazy tangent. Its absolutely manic in parts and all perfectly controlled.
The album is sorta heavy 'Jazz Rock' I suppose you could call it. Let's not even mention the guitar - that you won't believe if you haven't heard Holdsworth before.
Drums are 10 out of 10 aswell from a guy called 'Chad Whackerman' - he was only 19 or so when it was recorded in '84.
Takes a bit of getting used to, many people I know either love it or hate it.
The neighbours mightn't like it :). guitanorak
111 - Bill
Doesn't anyone know Donald "Duck" Dunn????
What a bunch of dweebs......
112 - charles briscoe
of all the really good bass players i've heard the work of joe osborn (aquarius/let the sunshine in) always blows me away. what a talent. the list of work he did is as long as your arm. nokie edwards of the early ventures did good work too.
113 - charles briscoe
Here are two more who did solid work: Noel Redding and Felix Pappalardi
114 - Katie
Good collection. However, you missed Harry Nilsson's "Jump Into the Fire". That bass is effing EPIC.
115 - Chris Nichols
What about Adam Clayton with U2s' "New Years Day"? What A Drive!!
116 - Leaux
This guy is not a bass player. Too many omissions to mention.
117 - Leaux
Ok, re: my comment that "This guy is not a bass player," let me just cite five, and there are many, many more:
1)Free: All Right Now
2)Who: My Generation
3)Jethro Tull: Bouree
4)Mayall/Larry Taylor: Off The Road
5)Zep: Heartbreaker
118 - Leaux
If some real bass players out there can't come up with fifty better than mine, I'll be surprised.
119 - Leaux
I apologize for and withdraw the phrases "real bass player" and "not a bass player," which are too personal. I should have just said "here are five of my favs."
120 - Richie
How could Hysteria by Muse not be on this.
Listen to the first few seconds of that song and the base will bring orgasm to your ears.
Also Futurism by Muse has an amazing bassline as well.
Listen to them and I promise the base will hypnotise you.
I'm sure you will agree that they should be on the list once you have listened to them.