Question of the Week: Who are your influences?

Here’s another question taken from our Player Spotlight questionnaire. (By the way, the Player Spotlight is open to all bassists).

The question this week: Who are your influences?

Answer below in the comments, or on our Facebook page.

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  1. M Cardona

    John Deacon

  2. Tom Huskinson

    I started playing at 9 years old (1970) with my family band in Minnesota.At that time I didn’t know that you were suppose to play with the kick drum.I then heard Sly Stone and it pointed me in a different direction. I then started playing on the road as soon as I was old enough and learned that to really be syncopated I needede the right Drummer.The drummers in my life influenced me as much as the Bass players by giving me a platform to work things out.I was in Seattle in 1979 when I first heard Jaco playing. Wow, it truly effected and I started to learn the Bass as a voice and not just melodic rhythms. I turned to the frettless and tried to play it on everything we did.It was about 1983 when my drummer turned me on to Jeff Berlin. His technical expertise was amazing to me. The way he and Bill Bruford were syncopated inspired me greatly. It really has been an amazing journey and my style is truly my own now. I owe everything to the people that helped me along the way.Without them I could have never really expressed myself like I do.

  3. Tom

    Steve Harris, John Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Lee Rocker…
    I could keep doing this for a while but I’ll stick to moderation. :p

  4. Carl Radle, Duck Dunn, Willie Weeks, Carol Kaye, Ray Brown, the simpler the better

  5. John Paul Jones and James Jamerson.

  6. Starbuck Avon

    The Jam’s Bruce Foxton and Duran Duran’s John Taylor. I owe my love of playing, although not necessarily my technique, to those two.

  7. tom

    First and foremost, Duck Dunn. Then, Paul McCartney, Jerry Jemmott, James Jamerson, Ray Brown and Tim Bogert,

  8. Iain H.

    My influences are Audie Pitre, Steve Harris, and Victor Wooten

  9. J Hunt

    The most influential player in my life has to Marcus Miller… His groove, tone and his technique. Another big influence on my bass playing is the one and only Stanley Clarke… I love his melodic take on playing the bass, also the respect he instils in people for the instrument in general.

  10. Mike Farley

    James Jamerson, John McVie, Harvey Brooks, Todd Johnson, Gail Ann Dorsey, Jerome Arnold, Roger Waters. Lots of others – I tend to be a bit of a magpie…

  11. James Jamerson, Jerry Jemmott, John Paul Jones, Paul McCartney,

  12. Eric

    I’d have to go with and Mr. Pastorius.
    Jaco opened the doors for me to a different style of music, where as alot of other bassists didn’t. I loved their playing, but it didn’t influence me to get into their style.

  13. In order of my musical journey, Geezer Butler, Noel Redding, Billy Cox, Dusty Hill, Berry Oakley, Duck Dunn, James Jamerson, Steven Stills, Paul McCartney, anyone who played on top 40 radio hits, Chris Squire, Greg Lake, Rick Laird, Miroslav Vitous, Alphonso Johnson, Doug Rouch, Stanley Clarke, Jaco, Ron Carter, Ray Brown, PC, Israel Crosby, John Patitucci, Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Oteil Burbridge, Mike Pope, Major Holley and a ton of others I’m 4getting and lots of guitarists, drummers and song writers.

    L8r.

    peecnlub,
    k-dub

  14. DC Walsh

    Leo Lyons, Jack Bruce, John Paul Jones, Paul McArtney, John Entwhistle, Jack Cassidy, and Noel Redding.

  15. MUD

    In no particular order… Dusty Hill, Les Claypool, Bootsie Collins, Flea, John Entwistle, Paul Mcartney, Carol Kaye, Roy Vogt, and the upcoming Tal Wilkenfeld!!

  16. Alex

    Kirk Hammet, JPJ, Geddy, Jaco, Roscoe Beck, Noel Redding, Cliff Burton, Flea, James Jamerson, Alain Caron, Tim Commerford

    I think that’s it.

  17. Michael Earnhardt

    Stu Cook , Duck Dunn , John Mcvie , Carl Radle , Jerry Scheff , James Jamerson

  18. WB Longshanks

    Flea, Flea, Flea, Bootsy, Adam Clayton (oh the simplicity), John Paul Jones, and a little bit of Cliff.

  19. Tom Lorenzo

    Steve Harris of Iron Maiden,Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath,Cliff Burton of Metallica,Pete Way of UFO,John Entwistle of The Who.

  20. Mr. Eko

    Geezer Butler-Black Sabbath
    John Entwistle-The Who
    John Paul Jones-Led Zepplin
    Martin Mendez-Opeth
    Troy Sanders-Mastodon
    Steve Harris-Iron Maiden
    John Campbell-Lamb of God

    and Jagermeister

    • Mr. Eko

      just remember
      Geddy Lee-Rush
      some Jaco and Cliff thrown in for fun aswell