"The Others" Bass Guitarists!

Dellinger wrote: jude111 wrote: Seriously, Waters. He had a kind of style that was his own, and instantly recognizable. That slow thump with drummer Mason (also under-rated). He might not be Jaco, or Wetton or Geddy for that matter... but then, that wouldn't be Floyd, would it? He was instrumental to the sound of the band. But I somehow like better the bass sound from Gilmour, or the bass sounds used on Pink Floyd after Waters left. Of course, without Waters Pink Floyd wouldn't have achieved even a fraction of what they did, so it was much better having him as a creative force and a bass player than not having him at all. But for what it's worth, I believe Pink Floyd without either Waters, Gilmour, or Wright wouldn't have achieved a fraction of what they achieved together, it's only Mason that I'm more doubtful about the importance of his input to the band.

I know that Gilmour claimed to lay down the bass on many Floyd tracks for THE WALL, and perhaps prior albums. I have a few doubts about this, though. For one thing, Waters really did write nearly all the music for THE WALL. In my opinion, Waters is a much more talented musician than he is generally given credit for. (As a guitarist, I'm impressed by compositions like "Cirrus Minor" and "Goodbye Blue Sky," and was astonished to learn that Waters, not Gilmour, wrote those pieces of music. Ditto "Hey You," which, if you are a guitarist and can play this, must admire its chord progression, phrasing, and overall musical structure.)

Edited by jude111 - January 17 2013 at 21:00

Horizons wrote: Mason is not underrated.

Well, is it a coincidence that the two greatest bands in the world (the Beatles and Pink Floyd) had what "experts" consider to be the worst drummers in rock and roll?

No, just the other members in each band carried them on their back :D

jude111 wrote: Dellinger wrote: jude111 wrote: Seriously, Waters. He had a kind of style that was his own, and instantly recognizable. That slow thump with drummer Mason (also under-rated). He might not be Jaco, or Wetton or Geddy for that matter... but then, that wouldn't be Floyd, would it? He was instrumental to the sound of the band. But I somehow like better the bass sound from Gilmour, or the bass sounds used on Pink Floyd after Waters left. Of course, without Waters Pink Floyd wouldn't have achieved even a fraction of what they did, so it was much better having him as a creative force and a bass player than not having him at all. But for what it's worth, I believe Pink Floyd without either Waters, Gilmour, or Wright wouldn't have achieved a fraction of what they achieved together, it's only Mason that I'm more doubtful about the importance of his input to the band. I know that Gilmour claimed to lay down the bass on many Floyd tracks for THE WALL, and perhaps prior albums. I have a few doubts about this, though. For one thing, Waters really did write nearly all the music for THE WALL. In my opinion, Waters is a much more talented musician than he is generally given credit for. (As a guitarist, I'm impressed by compositions like "Cirrus Minor" and "Goodbye Blue Sky," and was astonished to learn that Waters, not Gilmour, wrote those pieces of music. Ditto "Hey You," which, if you are a guitarist and can play this, must admire its chord progression, phrasing, and overall musical structure.)   I think Mason's important as well. I mean, he's no Peart, sure. But Floyd was all about spaces between notes, less is more... Gilmour's solos were at half-speed, the Mason's beats, too... alot of space, haha. I wouldn't *want* Neil Peart in Floyd. It would sound like... I don't know, Eloy perhaps. (Who were good too :-)

However, it is two different things to write the music and to perform it. As it is two different things if the music is complex and if it is enjoyable. Now, I already stated that as far as writing I consider Waters essential for Floyd (and on the singing department too). As far as playing the bass, well they didn't need more anyways, and when they needed, Gilmour was a perfect fit if the sories are true. At least about the bass parts on Hey You, I do believe they are played by Gilmour, and I do like them a lot; and Waters surely wrote the guitar parts on that song, but surely it was Gilmour who played them, not Waters. I'm not really sure about other bass parts that Gilmour might have played for Floyd, except on "One of this Days", the beginning of which I understand was played by both Gilmour and Waters, and involved some overdubs. And indeed Waters wrote most of the Wall (as well as all of the Final Cut), and that's just the basis on which I say they were all important, because it shows in this two albums that they lacked the input from Gilmour and Wright, and not for the best, in my opinion.
As for Mason, what I meant about not knowing how important he was for the band is on the writing, or the sound of the band. Indeed, the band didn't need anything more, but I would guess there would be other drummers capable of playing at the right speed and so on... though I may be wrong, he might just as well have been the perfect fit for the band. As a matter of fact, I do love his drumming on some of the earlier songs, like "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", specially the live versions, and I wish he had done more of that sort of drumming withing the band (though it might have been out of place from Dark Side of the Moon and aftewards).

jude111 wrote: Horizons wrote: No, just the other members in each band carried them on their back :D And yet, here at PA, 3 of the top 10 albums are by Floyd (WYWH, DSOTM, Animals), while in the "greatest songs of each year" polls, Floyd's tracks have been voted the best of their respective years *6 TIMES*! (And maybe a seventh, if "High Hopes" wins.) No one else has even come close. Not too shabby, considering they had a dummer they had to "carry on their back."

Waters is my favorite IMO. They are all very good, but the funky bass parts on Echoes and AHM drive me nuts. And the use of effects on One of These Days is just superb... 

Dellinger wrote: jude111 wrote: Dellinger wrote: jude111 wrote: Seriously, Waters. He had a kind of style that was his own, and instantly recognizable. That slow thump with drummer Mason (also under-rated). He might not be Jaco, or Wetton or Geddy for that matter... but then, that wouldn't be Floyd, would it? He was instrumental to the sound of the band. But I somehow like better the bass sound from Gilmour, or the bass sounds used on Pink Floyd after Waters left. Of course, without Waters Pink Floyd wouldn't have achieved even a fraction of what they did, so it was much better having him as a creative force and a bass player than not having him at all. But for what it's worth, I believe Pink Floyd without either Waters, Gilmour, or Wright wouldn't have achieved a fraction of what they achieved together, it's only Mason that I'm more doubtful about the importance of his input to the band. I know that Gilmour claimed to lay down the bass on many Floyd tracks for THE WALL, and perhaps prior albums. I have a few doubts about this, though. For one thing, Waters really did write nearly all the music for THE WALL. In my opinion, Waters is a much more talented musician than he is generally given credit for. (As a guitarist, I'm impressed by compositions like "Cirrus Minor" and "Goodbye Blue Sky," and was astonished to learn that Waters, not Gilmour, wrote those pieces of music. Ditto "Hey You," which, if you are a guitarist and can play this, must admire its chord progression, phrasing, and overall musical structure.)   I think Mason's important as well. I mean, he's no Peart, sure. But Floyd was all about spaces between notes, less is more... Gilmour's solos were at half-speed, the Mason's beats, too... alot of space, haha. I wouldn't *want* Neil Peart in Floyd. It would sound like... I don't know, Eloy perhaps. (Who were good too :-) However, it is two different things to write the music and to perform it. As it is two different things if the music is complex and if it is enjoyable. Now, I already stated that as far as writing I consider Waters essential for Floyd (and on the singing department too). As far as playing the bass, well they didn't need more anyways, and when they needed, Gilmour was a perfect fit if the sories are true. At least about the bass parts on Hey You, I do believe they are played by Gilmour, and I do like them a lot; and Waters surely wrote the guitar parts on that song, but surely it was Gilmour who played them, not Waters. I'm not really sure about other bass parts that Gilmour might have played for Floyd, except on "One of this Days", the beginning of which I understand was played by both Gilmour and Waters, and involved some overdubs. And indeed Waters wrote most of the Wall (as well as all of the Final Cut), and that's just the basis on which I say they were all important, because it shows in this two albums that they lacked the input from Gilmour and Wright, and not for the best, in my opinion. As for Mason, what I meant about not knowing how important he was for the band is on the writing, or the sound of the band. Indeed, the band didn't need anything more, but I would guess there would be other drummers capable of playing at the right speed and so on... though I may be wrong, he might just as well have been the perfect fit for the band. As a matter of fact, I do love his drumming on some of the earlier songs, like "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", specially the live versions, and I wish he had done more of that sort of drumming withing the band (though it might have been out of place from Dark Side of the Moon and aftewards).

I'm gonna go with Jannick Top on this one,  he;s got some  funky basslines.

jude111 wrote: I saw an interview with Waters on youtube recently, in which he talked about going to college as a young man... When the interviewer asked if he had met Gilmour at college, Waters scoffed, "Gilmour isn't a university-educated bloke," or something to that effect. It really rubbed me the wrong way. But it made me think about the divisions in Floyd in a whole new way...

well from what I understand Gilmour was the only one in the band who didn't come from a relatively wealthy background so Waters probably sees him as more like 'common folk' or something. Sure sounds like something Roger and his ego would do

Edited by Sumdeus - January 18 2013 at 04:01

 I totally agree, especially about Mason who's also a great producer. (Gong's Shamal just to mention one album)