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Isolated Bass Week 2 Archives

The Police: Sting’s Isolated Bass on “Next To You”
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The Police: Sting’s Isolated Bass on “Next To You”

In 1978, the Police debuted with the release of Outlandos d’Amour, an album dominated by punk influences. The opening track, “Next To You,” is a perfect example of this, especially when you hear the isolated bass line from Sting. The muted notes really act like a train engine, and gives greater impact to the end of the song where he...

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Flea’s Isolated Bass on “Scar Tissue”
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Red Hot Chili Peppers: Flea’s Isolated Bass on “Scar Tissue”

Flea can be a crazy funk-rock bassist, but here we get a look into the mellower side of the bassist with his isolated bass track from “Scar Tissue” from the 1999 Red Hot Chili Peppers album Californication. He sets a steady groove with some nice higher melodic content. Interestingly, you can hear the use of some flanger, which isn’t as...

Cliff Burton: Metallica’s “Orion” Isolated Bass
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Cliff Burton: Metallica’s “Orion” Isolated Bass

“Orion” is a heavy metal masterpiece, mostly due to the incredible bass work by the late Cliff Burton. Released on the groundbreaking 1986 album Master of Puppets, the instrumental track is the band’s most progressive work up to that point. Burton plays “lead bass” throughout, with in-your-face distortion and wicked solos. The interlude changes the feel completely with the bassist...

Won’t Get Fooled Again: John Entwistle’s Isolated Bass (Live, 1978)
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Won’t Get Fooled Again: John Entwistle’s Isolated Bass (Live, 1978)

Has there ever been anyone cooler than John Entwistle? I don’t think so, and here’s Exhibit A – the Ox’s isolated bass from “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, performed live in Shepperton, UK in 1978.

James Jamerson: “Bernadette” Isolated Bass
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James Jamerson: “Bernadette” Isolated Bass

This wouldn’t be much of an “isolated bass week” without including the legend, James Jamerson. So here’s a (mostly) isolated bass track from the 1967 Four Tops hit, “Bernadette”. There’s some disagreement about whether this is the bass on the actually released single, or if it is an out-take from the Motown vault. Doesn’t matter to us… it is still...

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird”: Isolated Bass & Drums
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Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird”: Isolated Bass & Drums

The 1973 studio version of “Free Bird” appeared on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album, from Pronounced ‘Leh-‘Nérd ‘Skin-‘Nérd and featured Ed King on bass and Bob Burns on drums. Here’s the duo in isolation on the track, showing just how a drummer/bassist pairing should be. King is reportedly playing his 1964 Fender Jazz on the tune. Sweet.

Pearl Jam’s “Alive”: Isolated Bass & Drums
Bass Videos

Pearl Jam’s “Alive”: Isolated Bass & Drums

Based on the huge popularity of the isolated bass tracks, we’ve decided to do our second “isolated bass week”. (Check out our previous isolated bass week, after this video.) Here’s Jeff Ament‘s classic bass line on the Pearl Jam hit single, “Alive”, from the album Ten. Such a cool line, with all the right mix of awesomeness: fretless (I believe...