Question: What’s your favorite bass line?
Emma Ruth Rundle
Photo by Kristin Cofer
A: Tony Levin comes to mind right away, for his musicality, inventiveness, pocket, and creative voice and approach to his instrument. I think he’s my favorite bass player of all time. I’m going to go with “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel—how funky and sick is this bass line? I cannot help but dance every time it comes on! Can you hear Tony’s joy in the records he’s made? I think I can.
Obsession: Lately I’ve been obsessed with ’90s trance music, especially “For an Angel” by Paul van Dyk. If anyone has recs for me from this era, please send them to my email address.
Erick Bertin, Reader
A: As a singer-songwriter who plays bass and guitar to write songs, I’ll go with Thin Lizzy’s “Waiting for an Alibi” as my favorite bass line!
Obsession: As far as obsessions go, I’ve been trying forever to get my hands on a flame top/sunburst Explorer guitar and an Epiphone Nighthawk!
Jon Levy, Publisher
A: There are so many amazing bass lines—I can’t name just one because I change my mind every 15 seconds. Here are two faves: One defines the song, and one defines the player. Roger Waters’ instantly identifiable line on “Money” is the backbone for the Pink Floyd masterpiece. Paul McCartney’s “Penny Lane” exemplifies his genius with the Beatles and as a solo artist: bouncy-yet-moody, effortlessly navigating multiple key changes, and perfectly supporting the main melody.
Obsession: The Wrecking Crew. I recently watched Denny Tedesco’s documentary on the famed Los Angeles session players and was reminded of their collective, gobsmacking brilliance. I have been in a miles-deep rabbit hole ever since.
Luke Ottenhof, Associate Editor
A: Few basslines excite me as immediately as Adam Yauch’s opener in “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys. That perfectly gnarly tone, the slide up to the first tone, the syncopated strumming, the tension of the interval between the two notes; bass riffs like this have a unique power that 6-string electric parts can’t touch. That bass part will always compel me to hurl bricks or get into some other sort of mischief.
Obsession: The Toronto Blue Jays’ implosion from World Series competitors to last place in the abjectly awful AL East. I really think this team ought to be studied as an example of the damage visited upon a collective of human brains by being that close to winning it all and watching it slip away. At least there’s Kazuma Okamoto!
