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When I was like 14 or 15, I thought what Les did was impressive, but I definitely didn't idolize him. I've never been into the slappity stuff.

Burton, definitely yes. I loved Cliff.

You know who else I fucking loved when I was in HS? Matt Freeman from Rancid. His bass playing was fucking NUTS, and I never hear anyone ever talk about how awesome he is. Listen to "Maxwell Murder" sometime. Dude be crazzzyy. He was more of a hero to me than Les.

Freeman was beast. I dug that Rancid shit for sure (prior to Ruby Soho coming; my tastes changed around that point). His grasp of melody and movement on the bass and how fast he could do it was impressive for sure.

Yeah I don't play like anybody that has been mentioned today. I think I am more into playing for the song these days (I always though this was a lame saying when I was younger) AND throwing my licks in for fun. I don't solely play a support role but am willing to support when it makes the song stronger. Plenty of my bands songs are based around the bass line. Plus of course I fucking freak out on some songs. Love me some noise too.

warwick.hoy wrote:...an early influence, purely from the standpoint that it opened my ears to the bass being a credible creative instrument as opposed to purely a supportive instrument...

For me, it was Chris Squire...first time I'd heard a bass as an additional lead instrument, rather than someone simply banging out roots, 5ths, etc. Both his and JPJ's playing styles are what got me to pick up a bass, and while I try very hard to not just 'copy' what they both do, I am guilty of thinking about their respective styles when I'm working on a new bass line for something.

And yeah...Matt's one of the most under-rated bassists around, IMO. AMAZING stuff, especially for a punk band.

Rancid was pretty awesome.

heh. one of the guitar players dated a friend of the family's daughter. she was.... a'ight. but came from MONEY. like, silly money. as soon as they blew up? all talks of marriage and shit were over, he broke up with her and went to get his "i'm financially sound" pussy on.

but yeah, Freeman KILLS.

IDK,...I made the conscious decision when I was five that I wanted to learn an instrument on my own. Really I wanted drumset but the Grandparents found a disused baby grand piano from a family member and some how got it down from Pennsylvania to Virginia Beach and bam,...I was in piano lessons without ever even really being exposed to any sort of music.

When I was 13 or 14 I can remember going to my other grandparents house in Florida (they had cable) and my other red headed not hot not first cousin pointing out the different instruments on the STP Plush video that popped up on MTV. "Here is the guitar,...here is the bass,...it's kinda like guitar but it's easier to play" I was like easier to play? I wanna try that and for my 14th birthday I bought a bass out of a pawn shop (Oscar Schmidt OEB-3,....P-Bass knock off with a maple neck,...actually made for a pretty good first bass).

So if the definition of an influence is "who made you want to play bass" I guess you could say that Robert DeLeo (with a little introduction from that cousin) was my biggest influence; or at least the guy who made me want to start playing bass, and while I consider him a tasty bassist,....I'm not particularly sprung on STP these days

Melvin Gibbs and Les Claypool made me a happy faggot in the '90s.

And that feeling still carries.

behndy wrote:Freeman KILLS babies in his spare time and is overrated.

Why yes, I couldn't agree more!

Roger from Less Than Jake gets no love, too. He's pretty awesome and underrated.

Roger is a strange bird. I have met him a time or two here in G-ville. Chris is pretty cool from LTJ.

Roger's bass work is fantastic. Freeman too.

Honestly, I only started playing bass about two years ago (two years today, actually), and I've only in the past year or so started really looking at some of the "bigger name" bassists. This year was my first listen to Primus, LTJ, Rancid, properly listening to Flea, etc. Still a ton of bassists out there for me to learn from.

HAAAAAAAAAAAY SOUSAPHONE

+1 LTJ bassist,...so frustrating to play those basslines that I usually give up trying to learn em after the first bar.

nad wrote:Melvin Gibbs

LOVED his work with Rollins Band!

Op. Ivy kicks the shit out of Rancid.

I still throw on their compilation cd from time to time and drunkenly shout most of the words.