In no particular order: McCartney, Bruce, Casady.
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I'd be at odds, if THAT Spidey also played bass...
I started playing bass sort of without even knowing what a bass was. Of course byu the time it was in my hands 5 seconds later, I had then heard of it, but I didn't really know any bassists until after. Since then, I think it'd be difficult to find a bassist in a band I listen to that doesn't make me love bass even more, though. Many genres, many levels of technicality, many different basses. They're all groovy people.
First song I was truly attracted to bass was Don't Stop Believing so Ross Valory for me. I bought a bass right after that.
Those that continued to inspire me: Geddy, Steve, Flea, Duff, and Gene.
Those that continued to inspire me: Geddy, Steve, Flea, Duff, and Gene.
Flea.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik came out when I was in high school and it had a huge impact on me. I played guitar at the time, but the bass suddenly seemed so much more fun. Two years later I would switch to bass "for good" (i.e sold all my guitar stuff to fund bass gear).
Blood Sugar Sex Magik came out when I was in high school and it had a huge impact on me. I played guitar at the time, but the bass suddenly seemed so much more fun. Two years later I would switch to bass "for good" (i.e sold all my guitar stuff to fund bass gear).
As a teen in the 80's for me it was John Taylor
Thanks for all your replies. it is great to hear about all your influences.
Partially this, but in my case it was a strange combination of Chris Squire and Gene Simmons. I know. There's no accounting for the workings of the 13-year old mind.
The other guitar player in my first band whose talent I knew I would never touch
Fred Hammond, I met him when I was a freshman in college and he was a junior in high school and he was playing at Greater Grace Temple Church in Detroit.
"they" put me on Baritone Horn in 7th grade c. 1969 because the school band needed it, and I developed a taste for low notes and bass lines that lasted beyond when I was allowed to go back to trumpet. ("The Beat Goes On" or "25 or 6 To 4" are Baritone register, 4 string bass is Really a baritone compared to Tuba which goes an octave or more lower, I realize double bass violin is the same notes as bass guitar, but it sounds lower because of...physics) I was 1st chair on trumpet by 10th grade and was invited to join the local symphony orchestra where I got to hear 4 bowed double basses up close. Almost as good a buzz as a brass ensemble! After that it's maybe hearing the whole Live At Leeds album on WBCN c.1973, but I didn't know the guy's name until years later.
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Although I started playing before then, I was stationed at Fort Polk in the army in 69, and Wayne Cochran and the CC Ryders played a concert there. They had 17 year old Jaco playing bass. Even then he was incredible, and transcended the abilities of any bass player I had ever heard or seen.
Flea, Matt Freeman, Steve Harris, Karl Alvarez and Tim Commerford were the big ones.
Jack Bruce playing Crossroads on the Wheels of Fire album did it for me. I was amplified at the time.
Rick Danko and Paul McCartney caught my ear as a teen.
This guy:
...just kidding. Chris Squire and JPJones.
...just kidding. Chris Squire and JPJones.