Sunday, January 16, 2011

Minneapolis Guitar Lessons - Bass Guitar Players Who Changed The World

By Christine Jackson


Some individuals reckon that if you wish to change the world, you don't become a bass player, but get into something more challenging and stimulating such as the Post Office. But does this myth portray how bass players truly are? Let us take a step back from our persistent way of seeing bass guitar players as necessary but boring members of the group. Just like accountants. Sure we acknowledge the excellent contribution they make to their bands by supplying the bass lines and paying for the beer, but do they actually do anything really creative? This brief listing of some prominent men (and woman) of bass will allow you to see that this apparently self effacing member of a musical group could be the creative powerhouse.

Let's start with the leather jacketed but overpoweringly feminine Suzi Quatro. A vocalist and bass player who had a bunch of hits in Australia and Europe in the early seventies, her popularity in the USA stemmed from her role as Leather Tuscadero in Happy Days.

John Entwistle pioneered the use of the electric bass guitar as an instrument for soloists. His aggressive approach to the bass guitar influenced numerous other bassists.

Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers impressed a lot of musicians with his popping and slapping technique which was originally invented by Larry Graham of Sly And the Family Stone. Flea's innovative use of effects pedals has also influenced numerous bass players.

Jack Bruce wrote the majority of supergroup Cream's hit songs. Among his other achievements are fighting constantly with Cream's drummer, Ginger Baker and surviving a liver transplant.

Greg Lake is yet another artist of the early seventies who played with a number of innovators from the glam rock era. Lake is most commonly known for his vocals, bass and guitar work with Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Rob Bailey is a bassist who plays loud and aggressive. His bass playing is an important element in the music of AC/DC.

Benny Rietveld, a Dutch musician who went to college in Hawaii, is admired for his musical and individualistic style of playing. He worked with Barney Kessell, Sheila E, Huey Lewis and Miles Davis. He's also created an album featuring Carlos Santana. Talk about diverse.

Paul McCartney played bass with the Beatles. Numerous bass players say he's really good, but he changed the world with his romantic song lyrics.

Considered by some to be the king of bass players, Stanley Clarke uses a variation of the pop and slap technique to create some truly innovative bass guitar music. His 1976 album, School Days, is acclaimed by many critics as one of the greatest bass albums ever.

A true bass lead guitar player, Billy Sheehan has won Guitar Player Magazine's "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll five times. Why a "bass lead guitar player"? Because Billy plays bass as if he were playing lead.

So if you are unfamiliar with bass guitar players, I hope this article has whetted your appetite. Why don't you spend your next rainy Sunday watching a few of their work on YouTube?






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