The Jambar
For any band, arguably the most important member of the group is the bassist. The Jambar has talked about the greatest guitarist of all time, but never the bass player.
From funky grooves to octave chord progressions, bass players keep the rhythm of a band together. Publications such as Rolling Stone and Guitar World have released articles about the subject in the past, but leave out the overall technique and change bassists have brought to their respective bands.
The Jambar’s list of the top five bassists of all time covers a wide variety of musicians, throughout multiple decades, who have reshaped the use of the bass guitar or added a new element that is still used in today’s music.
To start the list at No. 5 is Metallica’s former bass player Cliff Burton. Although Burton died in 1986, he appeared on three studio albums for the band.
“The Call of Ktulu” featured a distorted bass solo, which was new to the metal genre in the ‘80s. The most popular and groundbreaking track featuring Burton’s new bass technique is “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
The widely-known song was not Burton’s first track to feature his crunchy bass lines and heavy distortion, as its first appearance is on the four-minute bass solo titled, “(Anesthesia) – pulling teeth.”
At No. 4 is Geddy Lee, the bassist, keyboardist and frontman for the Canadian rock band Rush.
Whether it was Lee’s brilliant improvisational bass riffs in “YYZ” or his complex technique on “Tom Sawyer,” he created new sounds by changing the way he attacked the neck of the bass.
Funking his way to No. 3 is Victor Wooten. One of the most musically inclined bass players on the list, Wooten combines both music theory and parts of jazz to create harmonies and elegant bass solos.
Wooten’s ability to easily solo on a bass during a jam session can be seen on YouTube videos. Wooten’s song “Funky D” adds a groovy and jazzy feel to the bass guitar that lays perfectly under an alto saxophone solo.
A controversial pick at No. 2 is Primus frontman and bass player, Les Claypool. Before the current Primus lineup, Claypool auditioned to replace Burton in Metallica after his death, but was ultimately passed up for Jason Newsted.
Although Primus can be considered obscure or weird by both haters and supporters of the band, Claypool introduced funk to the metal genre. Tracks such as “Tommy The Cat,” “Too Many Puppies” and “My Name Is Mud” showed the true talent level Claypool brought to the bass guitar, as he utilizes both the six-string and the standard four-string bass guitar.
The No.1 spot on the list goes to the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, Michael Balzary, known professionally as Flea. Recognized for his slap technique on the bass, Flea popularized this on tracks such as “Higher Ground,” “Weird Like Me” and “Give It Away.”
Besides RHCP, Flea’s iconic bass lines are heard on the 1989 track “Bust a Move” by rapper Young MC and on the Alanis Morissette track “You Oughta Know.”
With newer bass players already making waves in the music community like Stephen Bruner, known as Thundercat, The Jambar’s list will continue to change.