5 Great Underappreciated Bass Performances (rock division)

[RandomKoolzip]

We all know How great John Entwhistle, Geddy Lee, Flea, Chris Squire, Jaco, etc. are. It's time now to mention 5 performances on bass that have gone largely unheralded by critics, fans, etc. and feel free to add your own to this list.

1. Emotional Rescue, The Rolling Stones; Bill Wyman on bass
From the Stones's "fallow" years, one of their lesser efforts, according to just about every critic you can consult. Admittedly, it's no Exile on Main Street, but It's a solid B- in my book, except in one area: Bill Wyman is KICKING ASS all over this album. His bass is mixed front and center, sounds luscious and full, and is driving all the tunes. Listen to "Summer Romance;" what could be an average Stones punk homage a la "Respectable" is turned into a showcase for some of the best bass playing I've ever heard. It's really quite unlike any other Stones record in this regard; usually it's Keith who's mixed high and the main locus of texture. Wyman alone should receive more credit; for what he does on this album, he deserves worship.

2. "Once in a Lifetime," Talking Heads; Tina Weymouth on bass
In my book, Tina Weymouth is probably THEE underrated bassist. Is it cuz she's a girl? I dunno; I DO know that it takes far more skill than most bass players have to "Keep it Simple, Stupid" like Weymouth does here and many many other Heads tunes. Do you know of any other players who could make three notes sound so godly? Her use of silence and space is incredible.

3. "Future Days," Can; Holger Czukay on bass
Czukay's bass on this song and most of the others from the album of the same name, consist of one single harmonic hit every two bars. Most bassists would rather give up marijuana for a year than play so minimally, yet that one harmonic is EXACTLY what the song needs. More instrumentalists need to think of their performance in terms of how it aids the compostition rather than show off; Czukay is doing that perfectly here.

4. "Radio Sweetheart," Elvis Costello; Nick Lowe on bass
Mixed high, Lowe stomps on some very well-chosen notes on the intro to this song. Elvis's minor-key chords provide just the right backing for what amounts to a solo. Very ominous, very tasteful.

5. "Uncle Walter," Ben Folds Five; Robert Sledge on bass
In the rush to exclaim "curiosity!" over Folds's use of grand piano in an indie-rock band, Robert Sledge's deft bass work was largely ignored. Yet no one else under 40 was playing "walking" lines in 1995; Robert Sledge was. The textural focus in BFF was indeed the piano. What gave his band "indie" aura was Sledge's use of his disortion pedal, which he used to give the songs "heaviness." Switching between picking and fingering, noise and melody, New Orleans funk and headlong punk velocity, Sledge's style virtually came out of nowhere and stands alone even today. In "Uncle Walter," Sledge plays A BASS SOLO (!) in an indie-rock song in 1995. What balls! It's a shame Folds broke up the five; Sledge was the man's perfect foil. Plus he could sing wonderful harmony.