Which Bassist would you hire?

shemp

Silver Member
You are recording a 5 song EP and the stars have aligned....you have a $50k budget for the bassist....fly them in, accommodations and for their studio time....who do you try to acquire? You can have multiples but that may inform the "name" value of the player.

my list...of which I would secure only 1

(1) Leland Sklar
(2) Gary Weinrib
(3) Steve Harris

If they were still alive...
Boz Burrell, or, Leon Wilkeson
 
Number 2. I've heard so much of his bass playing over the years, I think I know his voice very well, and I think his playing will be rooted when needed, and melodic when appropriate.

Also, quite sneaky using his legal name.
 
I think it would be tough to just choose just 1

Kasim Sultan(because I know him)

Jack Bruce..he can still sing,and plays multiple instruments,and he's a living legend who played with Cream...for crap sake.

Billy Sheehan.another good voice,and flat out great bass player

Greg Lake...what can I say

And old thunder fingers himself John Entwistle..if he was still alive...just because I can.

There are lots of other guys,like Macca,who's bass playing is very underated,IMHO
,and maybe Geddy Lee,...as long as he dosen't sing.Another underated player.

Let the flames begin. HAGA.:):)

Steve B
 
John Paul Jones.

Multi-instrumentalist, song writer, incredible groove and feel, and he knows how to rock. Plus he was in Led-freakin-Zeppelin. Always been one of my favorites.
 
The *name* value on your recording and for advertising cannot be overstated, but it will be costly...

Leland Sklar is going to deliver the correct tone, feel, groove and "reading" of the song every single time...and will not step on your musical creation...it will be god-like, massively respected studio pro all the way...But John Paul Jones name on your EP will add quite the visibility.

Thats the conundrum when you have a budget and also have a recording that needs visibility.

I asked this question because a jazz drummer friend of mine does this with guitar players, percussion and Sax...
 
I'm just going to clarify why I chose Leland Sklar.

If I was hiring a musician to make the most out of my material, provide insight, ideas, production techniques and a guarantee that they would be professional, courteous and hard-working then Sklar would be the guy. The amount of work he gets is absolutely extraordinary and his attitude (in interview and from what I've read) is exactly the kind I would like to work with - precisely why he gets hired.

Yolanda Charles would be a great choice, too. Having met her I can say that not only is she a phenomenal player but also a fantastic person to be around.
 
Sheesh, for $50k I will learn to play bass!

Lee Sklar is hard to beat.

Bermuda
 
I'd hire my current bassist for $1,000 then pocket the remaining 49K. :)
 
I don't think my projects would be helped by bringing in a name player who I have no working relationship with. I would sooner take a portion of the 50k and put the band on retainer to play every day for a month, and use the remainder to lavishly fund my next 7-10 records. If my crazy-bastard wealthy benefactor insisted I use the money on a famous bass player, though, I would probably seek out:

1) Charlie Haden
2) Steve Swallow
3) Miroslav Vitous
 
Chris Squire. Unique tone and note placement, oh and he can sing.

The first bassist I ever played with, If I could spend on having him reincarnated. Played bass like Keith Moon played drums. Utterly unique. I would love to see the awkward git again.RIP. mate.
 
Good question!
For the stuff we're working on at the moment - and I am actually being serious - it would be a really, really tight toss-up between

Lemmy Kilmister
or
Paul McCartney

Might prove to be impossible to choose one over the other
 
Lemmy Kilmister
or
Paul McCartney

Wow, completely overlooked Paul. Shows how seldom the front man is also the bassist!

Obviously he can play, but the caché that Paul's name brings is well worth 50k!

Bermuda
 
Yolanda Charles would be a great choice, too. Having met her I can say that not only is she a phenomenal player but also a fantastic person to be around.
She would genuinely be my number 1 choice, & it wouldn't blow the budget either. For me, she has exactly the right mix of chops, flair, restraint, & empathy. I've heard her pull out the chops just noodling away from recording/cameras, & she just blew me away - totally. World class, world respected, & as you point out Duncan, just a lovely warm & humble person.
 
Bill Wyman,

Reason..he never cares to lock in with the drums......

If he were alive..of course.. John Enwhistle.....never cares on what the drummer does.
 
I remember a fellow talking about his days teaching at GIT and a conversation where he asked Larry Carlton what it would take to get him on a personal EP. Larry just named his going rate. That's what these guys do.

Having a name on your record really helps get attention too. Also adds some cred even though you just paid them.

While it would be fun to play with Leland and feel first hand what that is about. I know enough cats (while not big names I hesitate to call them B-level) that I have actually played with and know what their groove is about.

Myron Dove - Santana
Steve Evans - Roy Rodgers/Ray Manzrack
Darryl Anders - all over guitar hero and I don't know how many other things
Victor Little - Curtis Salgado, Gatemouth Brown, etc

These guys all have a feel I love and I know what's going to happen.
 
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