Best/most influential bass player

[Cailyn]

There are threads going about guitar players and drummers but nothing about bass players so I'm keeping this wide open. Talk up your favorite bass player, the bassist who influenced you most, whatever. I'm a bass player as well as being a guitarist and my influences are mostly old-school:

John Entwhistle
Jack Bruce
Stanley Clarke
Nathan East
and Tal Wilkenfeld

[Rax Jaggr]

Take a look at Louis Johnson or Larry Graham for in the pocket funk and slap. Victor Wooten's style of soloing is great, but you need to know how it started.
Also, I don't remember his name but the bass player for Tower of Power.

[TheShaggyDA]

The ones who have influenced me the most are :-

Herbie Flowers
Paul McCartney
Sting
Pino Palladino
Kelly Croucutt
Mark King

Each time I play, there's a little bit of one of them in it.

[Corndog]

Originally Posted by Rax Jaggr

Also, I don't remember his name but the bass player for Tower of Power.

Rocco Prestia.

[metal4ever]

Geezer Butler
Cliff Burton
the guy from Tool

[Vulconizer]

Nathan East impresses me in his ability to play for the song. Any song that he's involved with. Great tone and looks like he's always having a blast.

[Corndog]

Jaco???
How 'bout Will Lee or Steve Harris??? Jamerson, Duck Dunn Carol Kaye???

[BillyShears]

Paul McCartney - Brilliant and melodic. Check out Revolver and Abbey Road.

John Paul Jones - Doesn't get talked about enough. Anyone who can play amazingly good and interesting lines during a song with the same old boring blues changes (Eg: The Lemon Song) gets my vote.

[Corndog]

Originally Posted by BillyShears

Paul McCartney - Brilliant and melodic. Check out Revolver and Abbey Road.

John Paul Jones - Doesn't get talked about enough. Anyone who can play amazingly good and interesting lines during a song with the same old boring blues changes (Eg: The Lemon Song) gets my vote.

Same ol' changes???...then ya' gotta bring up Tommy Shannon or Dusty Hill...

[gg.gamble]

Hey guys,

John Entwhistle is most of my favourite aswell, after buying it for my Dad, watching the dvd the Kids Are Alright influenced me to start playing bass. There is a feature of watching him playing Baba O'Reily and Won't Get Fooled Again Live, the camera just stays on him for the whole performance which before i had picked up the bass left me gob-smacked.

Since then one of the most iinfluential players to me has been
'Ray Shulman' from 70's Prog Rock masters Gentle Giant.
I just find his basslines perfectly compliment the songs.

I'll be sure to check out this names i'm hearing for the 1st time,
Cheers