Everyone knows the vocalists and most know the guitarists from their favorite groups but, with only a few exceptions, they would be hard pressed to tell you the bass player.
MusicRadar decided to find out just who their readers thought were the greatest of the bass players that they DID know in a new poll. The site first asked readers to name their candidates for the sixty greatest bass players of all time. All of the suggestions were cut down to 60 nominees and a new vote was taken to get the new ranking.
...and what a list it is. In a day and age when people tend to name their current favorite band's in any pole, MusicRadar has managed to get their readers to rank a list where 57 of the 60 bassists have been recording for 20 years or more.
Bravo for recognizing the brilliance of James Jamerson, Bernard Edwards (come on, Rock Hall...let's induct Chic), Tony Levin, Carole Kaye and Jaco Pastorious. While we may not agree with John Taylor, Simon Gallup and Mark King being in the top five, they all certainly deserve to make the list. The only real question is, where is Sting?
Here are all the veteran bassists who made the list. To see who the other three were and read a lot more about each artists, along with hearing song samples, go to the MusicRadar article:
01. John Taylor (Duran Duran)
02. Geddy Lee (Rush)
03. Simon Gallup (Cure)
04. Mark King (Level 42)
05. Jaco Pastorious (Weather Report)
06. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
07. John Entwistle (Who)
08. Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones)
09. John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
10. Paul McCartney
11. James Jamerson (Funk Brothers)
12. Les Claypool (Primus)
13. Cliff Burton (Metallica)
14. Bernard Edwards (Chic)
15. John Myung (Dream Theater)
16. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden)
17. Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel)
18. Mick Karn (Japan)
19. Billy Sheehan (session bassist)
20. Chris Squire (Yes)
21. Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath)
22. Jack Bruce (Cream)
23. Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)
24. Stanley Clarke (jazz)
25. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
27. Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead)
28. Pino Palladino (session bassist)
29. Larry Graham, Jr. (Sly and the Family Stone)
30. J.J. Burnel (Stranglers)
31. Bootsy Collins (Parliament/Funkadelic)
32. Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver)
33. Donald "Duck" Dunn (studio musician for Stax Records)
34. Stuart Hamm (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, etc.)
36. Nathan East (studio bassist)
37. Charles Mingus (jazz)
38. Verdine White (Earth, Wind and Fire)
39. Mike Watt (Minutemen, Stooges)
40. Kim Deal (Pixies)
41. Carole Kaye (studio bassist with the Wrecking Crew)
42. Anthony Jackson (studio bassist, inventor of six-string bass)
43. Colin Greenwood (Radiohead)
44. Aston "Family Man" Barrett (Wailers)
45. Gene Simmons (KISS)
46. Jeff Berlin (jazz)
47. Gary "Mani" Mounfield (Stone Roses)
48. Leland Sklar (James Taylor, Jackson Browne, etc.)
49. Bruce Foxton (Jam)
51. Mike Rutherford (Genesis)
52. Pete Trewavas (Marillion)
53. Jah Wobble (Public Image Ltd)
54. Doug Wimbish (Living Colour)
55. Roger Glover (Deep Purple)
56. Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers)
57. Colin Moulding (XTC)
58. Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr.)
59. Chris Laswell (studio musician)
60. Joseph "Lucky" Scott (Curtis Mayfield)
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