All New: Favourite Bass Riffs – with links!

This topic has 28 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 2 months ago by Tim.

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January 16, 2007 at 2:43 am #24020

1bassleft
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Thought I’d round up the nominated bass riffs from the previous thread here and (thanks to the wonders of YouTube etc) put some links so everyone can form an opinion. Please add to these nominations (links are a big help) and/or comment on what you think are the most impressive so far. I’m hoping to get this thread into a definitive. So far, listed only in a reverse order of those previously posted; we’ll make up our minds later…

Norman Watt Roy (Ian Dury and the Blockheads) “Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick”. Nominated by Lee_UK.
I’ve linked to the original promo vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O1Uer_f4NA which has a handy close-up of the bass fretting around 30secs in. Also, some “Clever Bastard” called Dale Newson does a commendable job of playing along to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZTDvUaLr2Y

Andy Fraser (Free) “All Right Now”. Nominated by Lee_UK. Live @ Isle of Wight 1970 (check out those Marshalls and the WEM PA 8) ) but you’ll need to FF 1min to get the bass coming in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=attWwz0u0HA

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) “The Lemon Song”. Nominated by Tim. Not The Man Himself, but a nice replay of the bass transcript, with drum accompaniment:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9-DNTY8ONw

JJ Brunel (The Stranglers) “Peaches”. One of many nominated by Pat McCunny. Most Stranglers clips are live and cack, but this one is live and good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAy9HG1XRos

and also “Genetix”. If you must have a short attention span, FF to 3mins but it rewards listening right through: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctW4byQcHiI

Felipe Andreoli (Angra) “Intro to Number of the Beast”. Nominated by Acoustica1. Noodlicious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYpfMsJDjz4

John Entwhistle (The Who) “Who Are You”. Nominated by 1BassLeft. You could whizz to 2:20 to listen for the flashy bit, but I like JE’s phrasing throughout, and it’s a great vid. Any drummer who Gaffa-tapes his ‘phones to his head has to be Keith Moon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPyWLkifO9Q while Tim nominates “My Generation” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnmLHcMSq_I

Matt Cheslin and Alex Griffin (Ned’s Atomic Dustbin) “Happy”. Nominated by 1BassLeft. One band, two bass players – enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmD08Na5VKI

Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) “N.I.B.”. Nominated by Skunny. Clip live from Paris, 1970: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJngeoD85PM

and “War Pigs”, nominated by Bassman5000: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbxfe7DMxVo

Roger Glover (Deep Purple) “Smoke on the Water”. Nominated by Bassman5000. Walks nicer than you might’ve thought: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bixUSXuh8J4

Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) “The Trooper”. Nominated by Bassman5000: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Vq293bfDg

Mark Wilson (Jet) “Are You Gonna be my Girl?” Nominated by Bassman5000. Possibly the best view through a glass stage since Jo Brand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMfZZWvIMHw

David Ellefson (Megadeth) “Lucretia”. Nominated by busy Bassman5000. Nice live clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52bs2ibHxHM

Gene Simmons (Kiss) “Detroit Rock City”. Bassman5000 again. Finding a Kiss clip without an overblown stage-entrance is like looking for milk ads that don’t mention calcium for healthy bones and teeth so I gave up. Here’s an overblown stage-entrance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLus5pdy9PE

Me’Shell NdegeOcello (John Mellencamp) “Wild Night”. Bassman5000 picked a song that tested my ability to type a name without resorting to cut + paste to the limit. Check this vid out; the girl plays a cracking bass riff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Bv0CdEz6Q

Tim Commerford (Audioslave) “Yesterday to Tomorrow”. Nominated by Tim (not the same Tim). Short but sweet, audio-clip only: http://www.mystrands.com/track/7435240

Simon Ricks (Kaiser Chiefs) “Oh My God”. Nominated by 1BasslLeft. Take a nice walk, Simon (although I do have strange urge to slap the singer): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsCJhy0GKwY

Gary King (Grover Washington Jr) “Black Frost. Nominated by KJP. Short audio clip only, sorry: http://www.last.fm/music/Grover+Washington+Jr./_/Black+Frost

Krist Novaselic (Nirvana) “Lounge Act”. Nominated by Tim. I went for sound quality over lip-synch for this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUUUocIvDT0

James Williams (Mc Fadden and Whitehead) “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now”. Nominated by 1BassLeft. The guy probably picked up a couple of twenties for playing the definitive bassline on this multi-platinum single. Unless you can stand butchery by baseball teams, I can’t find a vid. Here’s an all-too-short audio clip: http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/window/media/player/0,,128642-448975-WMLO,00.html

Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel) “Big Time”. Nominated by 1BassLeft. Specifically, the run after about 35secs into the vid. See page 1 of the previous “riffs” thread for the story of how the sound was created but, first, listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV4LgqR_p_Q

I’ll take a pause (getting late) and finish off with the last few nominated tracks another time. Meantime, post your own views 🙂
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- July 11, 2010 at 6:42 am #67620
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  Made the mistake of putting this on my iPod…really want to learn it now!
  
  Black Sabbath – Wicked World
  
  Nothing sounds quite like a tight 3-piece IMO
- December 31, 2008 at 9:55 pm #67661
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  Jean-Paul, this chopped pork and ham is starting to get a little irritating.
- August 2, 2008 at 11:23 pm #67657
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  I didn’t want to replicate Jamerson’s style (can’t anyway 🙂 ) but I did want a “whump-thump” sound out of the flats and the D’ads are too bright for that. I’ll report back in five years when they’ve oxidized a bit.
- July 27, 2008 at 5:04 am #67621
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  Yeah, definitely sounds the part, the strings are a part of it but the style is very well studied too, dunno that I’d want to specialise that much but to sweep 3 or 4 strings with one finger is pretty impessive, gives you an idea how good Jamerson really was to do this originally
- July 27, 2008 at 3:28 am #67652
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  That bloke on YooToob really did sound authentic (unlike another clip of Patitucci “doing” Jamerson with nasty, pdoink-dink, strings). I wish I’d had LaBellas on my fretless, rather than the D’adds flats the tech chose.
- July 22, 2008 at 3:08 am #67622
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  Lovely bit of Jamerson:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCrO3iVWZE8&feature=related
  
  And if you like James Jamerson’s stuff this guy is well worth checking out, IMO:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Nnq-E2QAA
- December 30, 2007 at 12:45 am #67637
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  Exactly what I was thinking. Any higher in the mix would have been obtrusive, too. Just right. I think I read somewhere that Tina went on to be an in-demand session player and she certainly sounds like no line is beyond her.
- December 29, 2007 at 4:32 am #67644
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  Nice. Just holds back enough to not be widdly for the sake of it.
- December 28, 2007 at 1:32 am #67634
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  HereÂ´s a seasonal offering with a great bassline; The Waitresses “Christmas Wrapping”. CanÂ´t find a video worth watching, but close your eyes and listen to the lovely notes:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP_WH4heId4
  
  Tracy Wormworth, I believe, deserves the plucking plaudits.
- October 27, 2007 at 7:37 am #67626
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  Great bassline for Dry Cell. Wasn’t convinced by the Toots, though. All those ska/reggae/2tone guitarists, lazy gits with their strumming and fretting hands barely moving; leaving it all to the bass player. I can think of more deserving cases, in my humble 🙂
- October 27, 2007 at 4:24 am #67653
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  Don’t actually like the song but a great bassline from Dry Cell:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8mcKaAX-F0
  
  Absolute classic, you have to love Toots and the Maytals:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWZB7tF5GbE
- October 25, 2007 at 5:13 am #67660
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  Yes, for those who don’t know this comedy, typing “Alan Partridge” and probably “tax” into Youtube’s search will turn up a great piece of “air-bass” playing by the spoof local-radio DJ.
- October 22, 2007 at 11:06 am #67623
  
  Michael
  Participant
  
  Thank you for now making me want to watch Alan Partridge at work 1b.
- October 21, 2007 at 3:29 am #67635
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  For ages, I’ve been meaning to put in Pino Pallodino for the bassline on Gary Numan’s “Music for Chameleons”
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=ur6GcXXWrV4
  
  This appearance on Top of The Pops features those “trouserleg” drumkits I remember at the time.
- October 19, 2007 at 8:26 am #67638
  
  Decepe
  Participant
  
  I want to nominate this song:
  http://youtube.com/watch?v=LPkBqB9JKds
  Just love Chuck Raineys groove
- May 1, 2007 at 7:59 am #67663
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  Also unusually, a good live recording put up on youtube. Wonder how long it’ll stay?
- April 24, 2007 at 5:57 am #67639
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  Lounge Act, unusually, you can actually hear a lot of the bass fills on this recording.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHd08XXZEtc
- April 24, 2007 at 5:40 am #67664
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  [quote=”1bassleft”]Tim Commerford again, [/quote]
  
  Yeah, bit of a theme isn’t there? He is great though, and versatile too from the very mellow to the massive and noisy. I’ll shut up now and try and find some other bassists…
- April 22, 2007 at 10:53 am #67641
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  Tim Commerford again, and he doesn’t take the easy route of playing it off the A string. Incidentally, I have noticed that over 60% of the above youtube links have been closed down because of “copyright violations”.
  I figured this would happen; but “buttocks” all the same.
- April 21, 2007 at 7:02 am #67643
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  Great song, Great band…
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqPiiz8F1l4
- March 29, 2007 at 8:08 am #67630
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  A very recent song. Not technically difficult or anything, but I love the sound and it sits in my head. The Klaxons’ Gravity’s Rainbow:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re9M0znrsV0
- February 8, 2007 at 10:00 am #67625
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  Youngwasp over on guitar just reminded me that another funk classic deserved inclusion.
  Bernard Edwards (Chic), “Good Times” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCCvaNam2H4. This clip is from Italian state television, and the attire of “Disco Stu” in the audience provokes much mirth in the comments posted under the video window.
- February 8, 2007 at 3:43 am #67627
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  [quote=”1bassleft”]
  
  Twiggy Ramirez (Marilyn Manson) “I Put a Spell on You”. AFAIK, this is the bass player to be credited for this track from the album “Smells Like Children”. If you know different, please tell.[/quote]
  
  In the sleeve notes Twiggy is credited for “Mini-cassette, Fag Bass, Wigs” so I think thats a yes…
- February 7, 2007 at 8:40 am #67631
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  Here are some more:
  
  Cass Lewis (Skunk Anansie) “Twisted”. Nominated by Tim. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AWEVv0Q27w. A cracker, but 1Bassleft also nominated “I Can Dream” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJRIY9U4zhQ because it hurt his hand when he had to cover it.
  
  Jack Bruce (Cream) “Tales of Brave Ulysses”. Nominated by Tim – get your Gibson EB bass ready… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHMCfEhdX1E
  
  Twiggy Ramirez (Marilyn Manson) “I Put a Spell on You”. AFAIK, this is the bass player to be credited for this track from the album “Smells Like Children”. If you know different, please tell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SuqU9G-3lA
  
  Paul McCartney (The Beatles) “Come Together”. Can’t believe I had to type the name of the band the bloke used to be in. Nominated by Tim, a fine example of his many bass contributions (and a lefty!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QsjUrBv1dw
  
  Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine) “Killing in the Name of” nominated by Tim. Simple but oh-so effective http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMEqVAt7s8U
  
  Duff McKagan (Velvet Revolver) “Sucker Train Blues”. Nominated by Tim, this is a live clip with surprisingly decent audio for a parking lot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKdO1uLZx_Q
  
  Peter Hook (Joy Division) “Love Will Tear Us Apart” nominated by 1BassLeft. Did I mention he once heard a tape of my old band and made enquiries about managing us? We’d split up by then, unfortunately. Not the reason why I nominated the track; it remains one of my reasons for wanting to be a bass player http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkI9sMTlLDI
  
  Jack White (The White Stripes) “Seven Nation Army” nominated by 1BassLeft. Yes, I know; this is recorded on that detuned plank of a guitar of his through a sub-oct pedal. That’s not the point. It is still a bass riff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW1IHgMoi_E
  
  Murdoc (Gorillaz) “Feel Good Inc” nominated by 1BassLeft. OK, having nominated a guitarist, I’m now putting up an animated character. It’s still good bass, though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhJZ2vBq1Cs
  
  John Wetton (King Crimson) “Starless” nominated by 1BassLeft. Can I find a useful clip of this anywhere? Not surprising, given that some nine minutes are needed. Ah well, I found a cover that’s quite good (video extremely boring though) by a band called Nurkostam. Also, they get to the bass riff by 2mins 20secs; a lot quicker than Crimson do on their own version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhJZ2vBq1Cs
- February 5, 2007 at 10:03 pm #67642
  
  lee_UK
  Participant
  
  Well done Bass, nice to see you putting a bit of effort in at last… 😆 😆
- February 5, 2007 at 8:28 am #67649
  
  1bassleft
  Participant
  
  I have a few more from the previous thread to update with links. Apols for the delay; should’ve been done by now but will be soon I hope.
- February 5, 2007 at 6:29 am #67655
  
  Michael
  Participant
  
  It is a great list, good work 1B. I thought of some more over the weekend… what were they.
- February 5, 2007 at 5:34 am #67646
  
  Tim
  Participant
  
  Man, you’re a funkin legend, would never have had the patience myself. My PC has decided not to produce sound (literally, DVD, Games, Internet all silent!) but I’ll have an audio-feast when it recovers. Tracked down some good Tim Commerford (Audioslave and RATM) on Youtube will post links when I can check them first!
  
  P.S. to anyone interested, apparently RATM (and Crowded House…) are reforming, Google it to find out more.
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