Top 10 Rock and Metal Bass Players

 Bass players - the bastard children of the rock world. Usually relegated to the instrument because "somebody has to be the bass player", some players embrace their position and rise above the obscurity. And as a side note it's been my personal experience that the bass player is one of if not the coolest person in any given band.



10) John Paul Jones - Led Zeppelin, Them Crooked Vultures

Though rarely mentioned, John Paul Jones was responsible for the balls in Zeppelin's sound. Without him Jimmy Page's sloppy playing would be even more evident.



9) Jack Bruce - Cream

Years ago someone told me that the only influence a bass player needs is Motown and Jack Bruce. I'm inclined to agree with that statement.



8) Geddy Lee - Rush

I'm not a big fan of Rush, but there's no denying Geddy Lee's talent. The fact that he can sing, play keyboards and play bass all at the same time is amazing. A normal person's head would explode if they tried to split their brain like that.



7) Alex Webster - Cannibal Corpse

Getting recognition as a bass player is difficult, it's infinitely harder for a death metal bass player. Alex made huge advances for extreme metal bass players to not only be heard, but also be recognized for their talent. Plus, he doesn't use a pick!



6) Lemmy - Motorhead, Hawkwind

If I may quote a rather stupid movie, "Lemmy IS God."



5) Jaco Pastorious - Weather Report

Although Weather Report is more of a jazz fusion band Jaco had to be included. Simply put, Jaco was a bad, bad man. His playing helped inspire generations of bass players.



4) Cliff Burton - Metallica

Every time I hear an old school Cliff song, it makes me hate the new Metallica even more. Dammit why didn't that bus kill Lars?



3) Billy Sheehan - Mr. Big, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth

Billy Sheehan is a freak. 'Nuff said.



2) Steve DiGiorgio - Sadus, Testament, Death, Control Denied, Iced Earth, Dark Hall

Steve is a legendary journeyman in the metal scene. He's played with some of the titans and made them even better. His fretless bass lends a unique quality to the genre. His instrumental jazz project Dark Hall really showcases his phenomenal talent.



1) Geezer Butler - Black Sabbath, GZR

Let's put this in perspective - Tony Iommi wrote some of the most crushing riffs ever known to mankind. Geezer made them even heavier. That's like saying "You're tank is cool, but let's strap a fucking nuclear missile on top of it."

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10 Best Metal Guitar Players

With a 40 plus year history, metal has spawned some of the greatest musicians ever known. This list is compiled measuring influence, technical prowess and above all else my personal opinion.


10) Dimebag Darrell - Pantera, Damage Plan

Love him or hate him, there is no denying his place in metal infamy. His stellar work with Pantera and Damage Plan inspired an entire generation of metal players.




9) Marty Friedman - Cacophony, Megadeth, Solo

Already know for his stunning playing while in Cacophony, Marty elevated Megadeth to a new level of technical excellence when he joined in 1990. Exotic scales and blinding speed are hallmarks of his style.




8) Muhammed Suiçmez - Necrophagist

Muhammed has a very unique talent as a guitarist - he can give you an inferiority complex about your own musical abilities.





7) Andy LaRocque - King Diamond, Death

Insane neo-classical shredding and dive bombing madness at it's best.



6) James Murphy - Death, Testament, Obituary, Cancer

 Extreme metal's resident journeyman. Repeat after me: James Murphy is a bad, bad man.



5) Alex Skolnick - Testament, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Alex Skolnick Trio

The wunderkind of metal. From his jaw dropping early work with Testament to his forays into jazz, Alex is never anything less than phenomenal.



4) Trey Azagthoth - Morbid Angel

The mastermind behind Morbid Angel, Trey brings complexity and experimentation to the table. His infusion of atonal soloing and industrial influences among other things have expanded the horizons of death metal.



3) Chuck Schuldiner - Death, Control Denied

The Godfather of Death Metal. Largely self taught, Chuck was a pioneer in the efforts of technical metal. Never before has someone done so much with the harmonic minor scale.




2) Randy Rhoads - Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot

While more technically adept players have come in his wake, Randy brought classically influenced metal to the forefront. His playing spawned droves of Bach inspired shredders. Special note: Randy gets points deducted for having one of the worst recorded guitar tones.




1) Tony Iommi - Black Sabbath
Does this really even need an explanation? Every badass heavy riff you can think of, Tony thought of it first. All metal flows from his mangled fingertips.



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