When I see him playing I just stare with my mouth agape and say out loud, "God, I hate you". He's one of those guys where there is NOTHING they can't play. Him and Tony Levin. It's like they're from another planet. I can't even count them as influences because I could never play like them in a bajillion years.
I never had the courage (or the finger length) to buy a 6-string. The neck is just too damn wide for me. I had a 5-string a few years back and it gave my hands an awesome workout ever time. Hope to have one again one day soon.
close but no cigar. Id go Norman Watt Roy from the Blockheads (Ian Dury)
remember the bass line in Hit me with your rhythm stick or Reasons to be cheerful? Thats him. Man's a legend of legends.
edit with added you tube bollox. There's Norman with hair. Shaven haired old man now but boy, he can still play and move about the stage like a teenager.
These are Rock bassists. None of 'em can be considered the best. Besides, Jazz bassists are the greatest musicians of all. Josh, you yourself should know that!
Scott LaFaro owns these guys. So does Charles Mingus, Jimmy Blanton, Ron Carter, Jimmy Garrison, Charlie Haden, Eddie Gomez, Jaco Pastorius, George Mraz, and Stanley Clarke--to name but a few. These guys crush everyone--not just with "flashy" maturbatory technique, but with the interplay in a group.
These are Rock bassists. None of 'em can be considered the best. Besides, Jazz bassists are the greatest musicians of all. Josh, you yourself should know that!
Scott LaFaro owns these guys. So does Charles Mingus, Jimmy Blanton, Ron Carter, Jimmy Garrison, Charlie Haden, Eddie Gomez, Jaco Pastorius, George Mraz, and Stanley Clarke--to name but a few. These guys crush everyone--not just with "flashy" maturbatory technique, but with the interplay in a group.
Stanley yes, but No love for Bootsy, Jim? Shame on you. Checkout Dee-lite Groove is in the heart. Dig that Boosty vibe.
These are Rock bassists. None of 'em can be considered the best. Besides, Jazz bassists are the greatest musicians of all. Josh, you yourself should know that!
Yes, of course. I was thinking only of rock bassists. Jazz is a whole different animal.
And since you mentioned Stanley Clarke, here's one of my favorite bass lines of his:
Anyways, Many people seem to forget or not even know that Sir Paul of McCartney is one very damned fine bass player...
Couldn't agree more. It's always been very fashionable for the greater listening public to rarely give props to Paul's playing skills. And that fact always reminds me the greater listening public rarely knows squat about talent and technique.
The man is an excellent player. Now, whether that's because he is simply gifted or if he's "just another frustrated guitarist" is anyone's guess. I don't think it's particularly relevant anyway. Regardless of what one may think of his songwriting talent, his playing talent speaks for itself and needs no defence. (As a wee teenager, when I finally worked out the bassline to "Martha My Dear" and learned to play it, I was on a cloud for weeks!)
The players I admire the most are the ones that don't need to hot dog. If you get too many of those kinds of players in one room together then it's no longer about music... it's just a bunch of guys whacking off in front of each other with their instruments.
As a guitar player I admire great bass playing, especially after my own risible attempts at playing it. The two bass players I most admire come from the rock and metal world: John Entwistle and Geezer Butler.
Not sure if you can call Claypool a rock bassist. He is the only man/band on planet Earth that received his very own ID3 genre tag, #108: Primus cause he was unique.
And other great bass players are here: Stanley Clarke, John Patitucci, Nick Fyffe, Randy Hope Taylor, Neville Malcolm, Chuck Domanico, Marcus Miller, Derrick McIntyre
Throw Larry Graham in there too, Oh Funky Bill Carson. 
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