Best musicians of all time? (1 Viewer)

[Ghost Rider]

What do you mean by "better?" Very few, if any better bass players in the history of rock and roll. And chances are whoever you cite was heavily influenced by Paul's playing.

Better is better.  And many better were influenced by Sir Paul?  And?  This idea that you can't better than the person who influenced you, which your comment implies, is hogwash.  Bass was McCartney's best instrument, and he had a cool melodic edge to it that was innovative for its time, but by the back half of the Beatles career, guys like Jack Bruce and John Entwistle had already blown past him and lapped him several times.  And the list of better players since then is very long. 

Not only that, I doubt that many bass players were as good as Paul on guitar, piano and drums.   

Oh, come on.  He is serviceable on drums and piano, but the list of players better than him on both is in the hundreds (at least). 

Now, I get that you mean "what bass players can play piano and drums?", but this is one of those jack of all trades, master of none situations.  The greatness of the Beatles was in their songwriting, their innovation and those voices, not their playing. 

 

[TheDirtyWord]

Miles Davis deserves mention here...and in terms of unique sound and breadth of catalog, Sting.

 

[wikkidpissah]

Miles Davis deserves mention here...

i dont necessarily get this. good player, great facilitator, immense cultural presence, but to list him before Trane, Bird, Pops, Monk, Tatum, even Diz......i dunno. Kind of Blue - a standalone album nm just jazz album - wouldnta happen without him but also wouldnta happened w just anyone else either. And he kinda surrendered jazz to those who would kill it. major figure, but far from runaway jazz representative

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Better is better.  And many better were influenced by Sir Paul?  And?  This idea that you can't better than the person who influenced you, which your comment implies, is hogwash.  Bass was McCartney's best instrument, and he had a cool melodic edge to it that was innovative for its time, but by the back half of the Beatles career, guys like Jack Bruce and John Entwistle had already blown past him and lapped him several times.  And the list of better players since then is very long. 

Oh, come on.  He is serviceable on drums and piano, but the list of players better than him on both is in the hundreds (at least). 

Now, I get that you mean "what bass players can play piano and drums?", but this is one of those jack of all trades, master of none situations.  The greatness of the Beatles was in their songwriting, their innovation and those voices, not their playing. 

Paul was a great bassist and I'd take his playing over a self-important fart like Jack Bruce any day. It's like comparing Hendrix to someone like that Yngwie dude metalheads worship or Eddie Van Halen - intent and feeling make all of the difference. The latter two were all "hit the right notes as fast as I can" and sterile as hell.

Entwistle was great, but spent his career ripping off James Jamerson (THE best bass player in rock history).

Your "master of none" comment is just silly. 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xYc4DT18EJg

I would stack those 5 guys on top of any mountain.

 

[Mister CIA]

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

Final Answer

Honorable mention Bo Diddley

 

[Mister CIA]

This is pretty awesome:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZJNbVRmI80&list=RDETj8kXNAtuE&index=7

 

[peaces]

https://youtu.be/RXLPveilqo8

 

[skycriesmary]

Individuals - Neil Young, Bowie, Nick Cave.

Bands - Radiohead, Pink Floyd.

 

[PIK95]

pretty sure it’s been done.  I think we’ve done everything at this point.

This is similar to the build a band draft.  I crushed with Bob Marley Songwriting, JJ on the Bass, and Marvin Gaye on drums.  That was a fun one.