Who's Your Favorite Bass Players; Why?

Laura Ballance of SUPERCHUNK fame. If you've ever seen her play live you know what I mean - her bounce around is better than a Box Furniture Co. D4A rack!

Slightly OT, but related.

Richard Thompson has composed a song cycle call "Cabaret of Souls" that is designed to showcase the double bass skills of (unrelated) Danny Thompson. They are touring with a limited # of performances (LA on Nov 19). Fans of the instrument may want to investigate.

Marty

Notec, Ballance is a great add to this list. Just saw them play and ohmigod.

i don't believe anyone's mentioned my fave, andy fraser (free). not the most technically proficient player, but among the most unique--he plays bass like a lead guitarist; more melodic than rhythmic, kinda trebly, fast without being flashy. check out "all right now" or "fire and water". i also think paul simonon (clash) is underrecognized--his style is extremely basic, almost primitive, but he's got the dub/white boy reggae feel down; social context and songwriting smarts aside, the clash records always sound great, and i think that throbbing, pulsing bass is the key.

Who ever played bass for Robin Trower because most of the songs really hinged on a bass riff as much as a guitar riff.

Did anyone say John Paul Jones? Some one came close by naming Zepp's drummer. (hehhehe) Anyway I thought JPJ was really great and lent allot to the Zepp sound and I think Jimmy Page at one time addmitted that JPJ had the most musical knowledge in the band, or it was page and jones that did most of the techincal stuff.

Any bass player in a rock trio (as zepp really was because Plant never played anything) needs to really pull double duty as a rythem and bass player. Like someone mentioned M Anthony from Van Halen who was more like playing rymthem guitar and lead bass allot. imo