The most talented bass players in history

All discussion related specifically to Roger Waters.
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Annoying Twit
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The most talented bass players in history

Post by Annoying Twit »

Screenshot 2020-12-15 at 21.15.34.png
Hmmm.... I wonder in which way they say he is talented. Lyricist and songwriter - yes. However, as a player?

I had a look at the article and it starts with Victor Wooten. And, talks about playing not talents in other areas.

Now I'm going to have to hit the 'next' button time and time again, and predict that Rog will never turn up.

EDIT: He did! https://www.factable.com/discovery/thes ... e-bass/12/
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azza200
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by azza200 »

Talented in songwriting yes but as a Bass player yes and no. He should of play all the bass notes on OOTD for example on his last tour but he didnt. Guy Pratt is a better bass player then Roger
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by Yucateco »

I would rather say that on the last tour probably for the first time ever OOTD was played in the way it should be: 2 bass players just like on Meddle.

Guy Pratt ist undeniably the better bass player. Just not for Floyd tunes.
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

Christ... I was never a bass player. I've never played anything. I play guitar a bit on the records and would play bass, because I sometimes want to hear the "sound" I make when I hit a string on a bass with a pick or my finger; it makes a different sound than anybody else makes, to me. But I've never been interested in playing the bass. I'm not interested in playing instruments and I never have been.
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by battra »

Does anyone really think of Roger Waters as a bassist first?

FIRST and FOREMOST, Roger Waters is the PINK in Pink Floyd.

You can tell because their albums that you love so very much more than the rest, were written by him.

(Personally, we are on side 2 of Animals at present.)

I don't care if he's a good of bass player as Jaco Pastorius, Stu Hamm, Cliff Burton, Mike Inez, or Bootsy Collins.

Why?

Because not a single one of those dudes, whom I love, wrote anything approaching the God damned Wall.

Much less Dark Side of The Moonl

Or Amused To Death.

My cats are too big.
thefinalmutt
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by thefinalmutt »

I agree with pretty much everything, but not sure what the size of your cats has to do with all of this
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

battra wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 1:26 amFIRST and FOREMOST, Roger Waters is the PINK in Pink Floyd.
You can tell because the albums he made after he left are sorely missing the FLOYD.
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by battra »

thefinalmutt wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 2:12 pm I agree with pretty much everything, but not sure what the size of your cats has to do with all of this
If you saw the size of these land beasts... I think it would make sense. :)
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by battra »

ZiggyZipgun wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 3:00 pm
battra wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 1:26 amFIRST and FOREMOST, Roger Waters is the PINK in Pink Floyd.
You can tell because the albums he made after he left are sorely missing the FLOYD.
If by that you mean his albums would have been better served as Pink Floyd records, I can't disagree even a little bit.

But the four albums he did without Floyd are as close as we've gotten.

Gotta say though, I am warming up to Dave's solo stuff...I got On An Island recently and I've About Face in the mail.
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

I consider John Cale and Roger Waters to be peers, and though Cale certainly had a leg up on him in terms of musical knowledge, I'd argue that they're on the same level as songwriters. They're both usually referred to as "the former bassist and founding member of ________." Cale was classically trained on viola but always leaned heavily towards the avant-garde (it's entirely possible that the future Floyd members attended shows organized by Cale in London). His bass playing within The Velvet Underground was simple and effective, but he only occasionally played bass on his own albums, and rarely live, usually playing guitar and keyboards. Cale has recorded 16 studio albums, 6 live albums, and 28 soundtracks.

https://youtu.be/xBcRRawGqcw
https://youtu.be/L43n9IB635Q
https://youtu.be/BR4-spaE1AQ
https://youtu.be/8iAAe_7_HOw

I was tempted to include Jack Bruce, as a notable bassist/songwriter with a long solo career, but his technical ability is on another level. He was classically trained on cello but went straight into jazz, and continued to develop his bass playing long after Cream, even switching to fretless bass for most of his career. Also a great songwriter though, with 14 solo albums and 8 live albums.

https://youtu.be/OopeMZR7uzc
https://youtu.be/8iCFZ2iGeW4
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space triangle
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by space triangle »

Roger Waters is an interesting case. An average (at best) bass player, which basslines ranks quite high on many 'Top 100 basslines ever' lists.

100 Greatest Basslines

3. Money
11. Let There Be More Light
37. Young Lust
98. Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by Arnold Lane »

space triangle wrote: Thu Feb 11, 2021 6:12 pm Roger Waters is an interesting case. An average (at best) bass player, which basslines ranks quite high on many 'Top 100 basslines ever' lists.

100 Greatest Basslines

3. Money
11. Let There Be More Light
37. Young Lust
98. Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2
He's an average bass player but the reason money ranks high is because it's freakin awesome , catchy , instantly recognizable . It's simple but it's magic
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by theaussiefloydian »

I find that Waters was actually a pretty good bass player, but he seemed to get less imaginative the longer the band played. Some of the bass lines on Live at Pompeii for example are pretty fantastic, and things like "Let There Be More Light" are too. However on most of the studio albums he seems to play more functionally than anything else - which in of itself isn't a bad thing. If you can keep a groove with your bass guitar that's all you really have to do I suppose.
That said the addition Guy Pratt made to the live shows '87 onwards is unmistakable (though not just for his fantastic bass playing - his vocals on "Run Like Hell" are as harsh as Waters' ever was on that song!), and his bass solo on "One Slip" on DSOT is sooooo good.
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by Kerry King »

space triangle wrote: Thu Feb 11, 2021 6:12 pm Roger Waters is an interesting case. An average (at best) bass player, which basslines ranks quite high on many 'Top 100 basslines ever' lists.

100 Greatest Basslines

3. Money
11. Let There Be More Light
37. Young Lust
98. Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2
These lists are moronic. No offense.

(Check out Chuck Rainey)
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Re: The most talented bass players in history

Post by ZiggyZipgun »

theaussiefloydian wrote: Sun Apr 25, 2021 3:39 pm That said the addition Guy Pratt made to the live shows '87 onwards is unmistakable (though not just for his fantastic bass playing - his vocals on "Run Like Hell" are as harsh as Waters' ever was on that song!), and his bass solo on "One Slip" on DSOT is sooooo good.
Guy thought it was pretty funny that his audition only involved singing "Run Like Hell"; Dave just said, "I know you can play bass."