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Best band where primary lead singer is the bassist?
Purple_Pills
Member Posts: 2,110
Best band where primary lead singer is the bassist? (Primary lead singer, so no Paul for Beatles or Benjamin Orr for Cars)
Best band where primary lead singer is the bassist? 25 votes
Wings (Paul McCartney)
0%
Rush (Geddy Lee)
12%
3 votes
Thin Lizzy (Phil Lynott)
20%
5 votes
The Police (Sting)
32%
8 votes
Primus (Les Claypool)
8%
2 votes
Cream (Jack Bruce)
16%
4 votes
Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead)
12%
3 votes
(Other)
0%
Comments
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The Police (Sting)Just to whet the whistle:
Wings - “Band on the Run”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZGurhtlve8
Rush - Spirit of the Radio”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPBinohXHLc
Thin Lizzy - “Cowboy Song”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMdmjoAB-5Q
The Police - “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aENX1Sf3fgQ
Primus - “John the Fisherman”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSmfK5rqcN8
Cream - “White Room”
https://youtu.be/VR90gQ-SIaY
Motörhead - “Ace of Spades”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMavhk16FJU
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The Police (Sting)Here’s an “other”:
James Dewar with Robin Trower:
Robin Trower - “Day of the Eagle”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kpdHWW9WD8 -
Rush (Geddy Lee)Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney both played bass but weren’t technically 100%, full time lead singers.
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The Police (Sting)YellowSnow said:
Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney both played bass but weren’t technically 100%, full time lead singers.
I already disqualified Paul from Beatles above, but not Wings. Brian Wilson was an easy disqualification because the nasally Mike Love was lead on many of The Beach Boys songs and Brian’s brother Carl was lead on their all time greatest single, “Good Vibrations.” -
Rush (Geddy Lee)Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it -
Rush (Geddy Lee)
I'm not quibbling, mind you, and mostly agree here.Purple_Pills said:YellowSnow said:Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney both played bass but weren’t technically 100%, full time lead singers.
I already disqualified Paul from Beatles above, but not Wings. Brian Wilson was an easy disqualification because the nasally Mike Love was lead on many of The Beach Boys songs and Brian’s brother Carl was lead on their all time greatest single, “Good Vibrations.”
I still struggle with the concept of Wings as a "band". To me, it's still "Paul McCartney and Wings".
Beach Boys were so similar to the Beatles in dividing up the lead singer role. Brian sang plenty of lead on a number of their early hits- e.g., In My Room, Don't Worry Baby, Surfer Girl, and a lot of their best known tracks had Mike and Brian sharing leads- e.g., Sloop John B, Wouldn't It Be Nice. -
Rush (Geddy Lee)
I have no more of a love / hate relationship with a band, than I do with Rush. It's hard, it's a process.Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it -
Cream (Jack Bruce)
Roger Waters as well…YellowSnow said:Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney both played bass but weren’t technically 100%, full time lead singers.
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Rush (Geddy Lee)
Suprised by this @BleachedAnusDawg ...Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it
I thought you'd appreciated Rush for their technically gifted, proggy playing. -
The Police (Sting)
Yeah, I can kind of appreciate their technical skill, but I can't stand listening to Geddy sing. He's on my Mt. Rushmore of annoying vocalists. I will avoid crapping on them because the band was certainly high level on the musicianship scale and I understand why lots of people like them.YellowSnow said:
Suprised by this @BleachedAnusDawg ...Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it
I thought you'd appreciated Rush for their technically gifted, proggy playing. -
Rush (Geddy Lee)
My position on Rush is softening as I listen to them more on the hi fi rig. Still hate Geddy’s vocals and some of his lyrics. But fuck those guys could play.BleachedAnusDawg said:
Yeah, I can kind of appreciate their technical skill, but I can't stand listening to Geddy sing. He's on my Mt. Rushmore of annoying vocalists. I will avoid crapping on them because the band was certainly high level on the musicianship scale and I understand why lots of people like them.YellowSnow said:
Suprised by this @BleachedAnusDawg ...Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it
I thought you'd appreciated Rush for their technically gifted, proggy playing. -
Rush (Geddy Lee)
The musicianship doesn’t get betterYellowSnow said:
My position on Rush is softening as I listen to them more on the hi fi rig. Still hate Geddy’s vocals and some of his lyrics. But fuck those guys could play.BleachedAnusDawg said:
Yeah, I can kind of appreciate their technical skill, but I can't stand listening to Geddy sing. He's on my Mt. Rushmore of annoying vocalists. I will avoid crapping on them because the band was certainly high level on the musicianship scale and I understand why lots of people like them.YellowSnow said:
Suprised by this @BleachedAnusDawg ...Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it
I thought you'd appreciated Rush for their technically gifted, proggy playing.
There’s definitely some songs where Geddy’s vocals probably kept the band back from being bigger
The songs where the vocals work … hard to find much better -
Thin Lizzy (Phil Lynott)
Fuck yes. On my top ten album listPurple_Pills said:Here’s an “other”:
James Dewar with Robin Trower:
Robin Trower - “Day of the Eagle”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kpdHWW9WD8 -
Thin Lizzy (Phil Lynott)Waiting for some gay ass quook to vote for Kip Winger
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Primus (Les Claypool)I love me some Primus, not as much as some of the others here, but Claypool is on another level as a bassist according to my amateur ear.
I would've voted for Bruce otherwise since I like his vocals. McCartney doesn't qualify for the reasons already mentioned, and I can only handle 1-2 Rush songs before I'm ready for someone else. -
The Police (Sting)
Agree! Maybe slightly out of my top 10, but the above, title track, and “Too Rolling Stoned” are staples on my playlist.JoeEDangerously said:
Fuck yes. On my top ten album listPurple_Pills said:Here’s an “other”:
James Dewar with Robin Trower:
Robin Trower - “Day of the Eagle”:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kpdHWW9WD8 -
The Police (Sting)
Primus sucks!chuck said:I love me some Primus, not as much as some of the others here, but Claypool is on another level as a bassist according to my amateur ear.
I would've voted for Bruce otherwise since I like his vocals. McCartney doesn't qualify for the reasons already mentioned, and I can only handle 1-2 Rush songs before I'm ready for someone else.
Les Claypool on lead bass! They are a fun band. -
-
The Police (Sting)
A friend of mine was lead singer and rhythm guitarist of a band. I was gushing about Neil Peart one day and mentioned that Neil was also the lead songwriter. So he asked me, “what does the lead singer do, except sound annoying?” I answered back that he is bassist and does all the keyboard work since Rush is a trio. His reply was, “wow, they make so much sound I never considered they were a trio.” He became a casual fan, like many of us soon after. Geddy’s voice and some the fantastical lyrics and songs can be too much IMO, which drives some people away.BleachedAnusDawg said:
Yeah, I can kind of appreciate their technical skill, but I can't stand listening to Geddy sing. He's on my Mt. Rushmore of annoying vocalists. I will avoid crapping on them because the band was certainly high level on the musicianship scale and I understand why lots of people like them.YellowSnow said:
Suprised by this @BleachedAnusDawg ...Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it
I thought you'd appreciated Rush for their technically gifted, proggy playing.
-
Primus (Les Claypool)
But...the chorus of Temples of Syrinx is one of the great vocal moments in rock according to me.Purple_Pills said:
A friend of mine was lead singer and rhythm guitarist of a band. I was gushing about Neil Peart one day and mentioned that Neil was also the lead songwriter. So he asked me, “what does the lead singer do, except sound annoying?” I answered back that he is bassist and does all the keyboard work since Rush is a trio. His reply was, “wow, they make so much sound I never considered they were a trio.” He became a casual fan, like many of us soon after. Geddy’s voice and some the fantastical lyrics and songs can be too much IMO, which drives some people away.BleachedAnusDawg said:
Yeah, I can kind of appreciate their technical skill, but I can't stand listening to Geddy sing. He's on my Mt. Rushmore of annoying vocalists. I will avoid crapping on them because the band was certainly high level on the musicianship scale and I understand why lots of people like them.YellowSnow said:
Suprised by this @BleachedAnusDawg ...Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it
I thought you'd appreciated Rush for their technically gifted, proggy playing.
Agree otherwise. -
The Police (Sting)
That and “Working Man” were my gateway drug into Rush.chuck said:
But...the chorus of Temples of Syrinx is one of the great vocal moments in rock according to me.Purple_Pills said:
A friend of mine was lead singer and rhythm guitarist of a band. I was gushing about Neil Peart one day and mentioned that Neil was also the lead songwriter. So he asked me, “what does the lead singer do, except sound annoying?” I answered back that he is bassist and does all the keyboard work since Rush is a trio. His reply was, “wow, they make so much sound I never considered they were a trio.” He became a casual fan, like many of us soon after. Geddy’s voice and some the fantastical lyrics and songs can be too much IMO, which drives some people away.BleachedAnusDawg said:
Yeah, I can kind of appreciate their technical skill, but I can't stand listening to Geddy sing. He's on my Mt. Rushmore of annoying vocalists. I will avoid crapping on them because the band was certainly high level on the musicianship scale and I understand why lots of people like them.YellowSnow said:
Suprised by this @BleachedAnusDawg ...Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it
I thought you'd appreciated Rush for their technically gifted, proggy playing.
Agree otherwise.
-
Rush (Geddy Lee)I get the views that people have with Geddy’s vocals
For me his vocals are as much a unique musical instrument as they are the medium that delivers the lyrics
One thing I’ve been thinking about lately with songs/bands is the (in)ability to cover songs and understanding the ability to do in a way that works
Recently there was a country tribute album to The Rolling Stones that I thought the intention was good but trying to put a country musicians spin on Stones songs largely doesn’t work. The one exception was the ZBB and “Paint It Black”
In that context, you almost never see covers of Rush …
Is it because they sucked? Clearly not
Was it because they weren’t influential? Too many are on record as saying they were major ones
What I keep coming back to is that taking one of their songs and doing it any kind of justice is almost impossible and the top end of artists know that …
Sure you might be able to play a competent drum or guitar or whatnot …
But the ability to put all the pieces together and then get the vocals where they need to be …
I just find more and more appreciation and Geddy’s voice is part of what makes them a true 1 of 1 … which is rare in music -
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Cream (Jack Bruce)
For me it’s A Passage to Bangkokchuck said:
But...the chorus of Temples of Syrinx is one of the great vocal moments in rock according to me.Purple_Pills said:
A friend of mine was lead singer and rhythm guitarist of a band. I was gushing about Neil Peart one day and mentioned that Neil was also the lead songwriter. So he asked me, “what does the lead singer do, except sound annoying?” I answered back that he is bassist and does all the keyboard work since Rush is a trio. His reply was, “wow, they make so much sound I never considered they were a trio.” He became a casual fan, like many of us soon after. Geddy’s voice and some the fantastical lyrics and songs can be too much IMO, which drives some people away.BleachedAnusDawg said:
Yeah, I can kind of appreciate their technical skill, but I can't stand listening to Geddy sing. He's on my Mt. Rushmore of annoying vocalists. I will avoid crapping on them because the band was certainly high level on the musicianship scale and I understand why lots of people like them.YellowSnow said:
Suprised by this @BleachedAnusDawg ...Tequilla said:Yella …
When I get down to Bend to play golf this year you’re going to listen to non-stop Rush while we play and you’re going to like it
I thought you'd appreciated Rush for their technically gifted, proggy playing.
Agree otherwise. -
The Police (Sting)
I'm not a Primus fan, but he is very good.chuck said:I love me some Primus, not as much as some of the others here, but Claypool is on another level as a bassist according to my amateur ear.
I would've voted for Bruce otherwise since I like his vocals. McCartney doesn't qualify for the reasons already mentioned, and I can only handle 1-2 Rush songs before I'm ready for someone else.
https://youtu.be/kY7jSesdxl0?si=r8DLzu-UnBfwLawF