I sorely missed Steve DiGiorgio in this video. He's THE example of an amazing fretless bassist that is not known for jazz, at least not most known for it. He's a metal legend, one of the first and few players to play metal on a fretless bass. He's got some chops, too. He definitely deserves more coverage from you guys. Evertything else on this video, I loved. Keep spreading love for the low frequencies!
Agreed big paws Steve DeGiorgio is an amazong wexample of avanguard musician, bringing the fretless into metal in a new and exiting way, not just on DEath, but also on the newer work "age of solipsism" by Mother of all. This music should never be forgotten!
Mick Karn was the guy who got me into bass--my first bass was a fretless. Another thing that was bonkers about him was that he hardly ever looked at the neck. Amazing.
I saw Mick Karn a couple of times (with Japan) live in the 80s. Wonderful player and sound. His "shuffle" was achieved by swivelling one foot to the left (say) but keeping his heal on the floor and the other foot also swivelling to the left but with his toes on the floor. So his feet formed a V shape. He then swapped which part of his feet stayed on the floor to form an upside down V. He obviously did it very quickly so that he moved smoothly like a sideways moonwalk. I also remember reading a scathing review in one of the "music" papers of the time saying he was like a little gnome playing at the bottom of Pastorius' garden. I didn't even know who or what Pastorius was at the time 😆
I presume that 17 was chosen to keep the video under 5 hours long but the Metal scene was missed entirely. Steve DiGiorgio. Sean Malone (RIP). Dominic Lapointe. Joe Lester. Robin Zielhorst. All incredible players. Away from the metal scene, the late great Brad Houser played stuff with Critters Buggin' and some superb pop with Paul Simon's wife Edie Brickell (that family knows some amazing players), Esperanza Spalding is known more for upright but plays almost exclusively fretless when on an electric bass. He's not that well known but Damian Coccio is one of the most amazing and beautiful players I've ever heard. His solo compositions are stunning. Yves Carbonne too.
@@dasel1n He was noticed, and DEEPLY Loved. His contributions to Music came from Spiritual Truth, but his Soul origin is Alien, at least partially. Same for all members of the classic Cynic lineup. They connected Spiritually through Music, but not always on the emotional level, because Emotion is alien to, well Aliens, lol. That's how they were ahead of their time, similar to alien technology.❤🌎
Indeed! I stumbled across the Brand X album 'Masques' twenty-odd years ago (bought it for the cover, didn't know the band! 😅) and adored the bass sound. Went down the rabbit hole to find out more and discovered Percy Jones' work.
@@gloppy1289 Thank you, gloppy1289 -- I'm duly blocking some time this weekend for a listening session, where I just *listen*, something I do far too rarely these days. Will cue those two up at the start.
Death - Human and Steve DiGiorgio's bass playing is the reason to this day fretless pops up frequently in death metal genre. wouldn't it be nice to include this?
I decided I had to play the bass in my teens and when I heard Japan's Tin Drum in 1989 at age 16 I decided I had to be a fretless bass player. Thanks Mick Karn, you'll never be forgotten! And, no John Giblin? He played great fretless lines with Kate Bush!
1000% agree about John Giblin! Such a great lyrical melodic sense. Very under appreciated. (Would've especially been nice to get a mention since he passed only so recently.)
There are so many favorites on this list but I have to admit, Michael Manring is the one who posesses the most sensitive and emotional vocabulary of them all. Listen e.g. to "On a day of many angels" or "When we last spoke", the latter allways brings me to tears.
So happy to see Tony Franklin on this list! I've loved his stuff since The Firm and I got to meet him during his Blue murder stint. He pulled me aside and we just talked shop & all things fretless for 30 mins! Just the nicest, down to earth guy😊🤘🏼
I'm missing Pedro Aznar, Argentinian legend who also nailed it on the fretless during his Seru Girán era, and who also played with Pat Metheny. You guys need to listen to him
While the dance moves were illuminating and entertaining.(He seems to have abandoned them post Japan) There were alot of things you could have said about Mr Karn, the blend of melody and funk in his ostinato lines, his unique complex articulations(I find it useful to think of them multisylabic words in a sentence) and his intentional use of 3rds and 7ths between major and minor and how this probably relates to the middle eastern music he heard growing up. His most "Mick" holding it down occurs on the Polytown album where he plays his powerful intricate ostinatos while Terry Bozzio plays "lead" drums.. Also, I realise in making a video like this you must balance quality of playing with popularity and cultural impact. But , especially by that yardstick David Gilmores playing on the intro of "Hey You" and Pink Floyd in general could be mentioned. So good to see Mr. Manring. I think it's nearly impossible to give him the credit he deserves.
I recommend to listen to Pedro Aznar, an argentinian bassist and multinstramentalist who popularize the fretless in the country. Check the stuff he did in Seru Giran. He also played in the pat metheny group.
Gary Willis blew my mind in my 20s. Wooten started it, discovering Jaco changed me, and Gary set it in place. Thank you to these guys, among many others, who honed my focus on the bottom end. So unique, so unnoticed by many, soooooo delightful to some of us who are amazed at ever listen.
I can't believe you guys have not included the recently passed John Giblin in your list, he was the guy that played a lot with Kate Bush and his work on Babouska and Breathing is simply incredible, and the sound is other worldly, sublime work, a proper fretless player all tune and melody........
Played a Pedulla in a shop one day and didn’t even realize it was fretless for a while. Should have bought it… Always love a little reverb on my no fret.
John Giblin, Jaco Pastorius, and Mick Karn were the 3 bassists that convinced me to pick up a fretless. I'm really bummed that all of them have passed because I can't thank them for inspiring me
Great vid Scott & Ian. John Giblin was my idol growing up and made me determined to be a session player by the time I was 10.. His Fretless Wal lines on Kate Bush's, 'Babushka,' and Peter Gabriel's, 'Family Snapshot.,' (alone), should land him on this list. I've never heard a fretless sound so perfectly gorgeous and mellifluous. His attention to detail is uncanny... . Not to mention that he played with: Phil Collins, John Martyn, BrandX, Fish, Simple Minds, Scott Walker, Joan Armatrading, Annie Lennox, Roberta Flack, The Everly Brothers, Gerry Rafferty, Jon Anderson, Alan Parsons and a myriad of Italian artists during the later years of his life. His playing spans so many verticals of genre. He's oft overlooked, as he doesn't overplay, so his brilliance shines within the context of the songs. Cheers everyone!
Dominic "Forest" Lapointe is my favorite bassist hands down. His playing is so majestic and he just glides across the fretboard like nothing. It's already crazy enough he does fretless, but six string and left-handed?! This guy is the go-to example of a fretless bassist for modern metal in my humble opinion. Besides the more popular "Omnipresent Perception" his more recent contribution in First Fragment's - "La Veuve & Le Martyr" is just bewildering. Sorry for the rant, I really love this guy. He's the reason I got into fretless bass. :)
Mark Egan played a Pedulla "Buzz". Mike Pedulla used a polyester resin coating on his fretless fingerboards. Jaco / Weather Report *A Remark You Made" turned me on to fretless.
Love the fretless electric. Early adopters: Jack Bruce, Rick Danko. David J Kev Hopper Patrick O' Hearn Alphonso Johnson Arthur Barrow Bill Laswell (on some things). J. Clifton Mayhew- played on the two first Adrian Belew albums then seems to have disappeared.
You should listen to Pedro Aznar, he's a fretless bassist from Argentina who played in one of the biggest rock groups of the country. He also played in the Pat Metheny Group. I recommend the Eiti Leda bass solo.
You should listen to fretless bass player Pedro Aznar, from Argentina. He was in a prog rock band from Argentina called Seru Giran. Later, he was summoned by Pat Metheny. Listen to songs from Seru Giran like "La Grasa De Las Capitales", "Viernes 3 AM", "Voy A Mil", "Noche De Perros", "Eiti-Leda", "Autos, Jets, Aviones, Barcos", "Perro Andaluz". They are all unbelievable songs and Pedro Aznar play is amazing. He was only 18 when he join the band.
13:18 Yes, Scott! Nail on the head. There was so much fretless on film scores then and I grew up *loving* it. Anyone else familiar with Éric Serra's work on the soundtrack to 'The Big Blue' (Le Grand Bleu)? Brings me right back to 1988! The movie was panned but I still adore it, as much for the sound as anything else.
Great vid. Hopefully you'll do a deep dive into Mick Karn bass playing. Lucky enough to have seen Japan live. I bought a Wal fretless in early 82. Still have it. From my experience is the distortion comes from the bass with a bit of flanger on it.
Yes please celebrate Bill Wyman 🎉a wonderful and very creative musician - hidden in the center of a forest behind other big trees - but gluing the band’s music so gracefully
What a fantastic video about one of my absolute favourite things in the history of ever: the fretless bass. I love the sound of fretless, I love playing fretless, damn, I wish I could play it at least half of the time (but not all the time, as I love fretted too ;-) )! And thank you so much for mentioning Mick Karn - he's one of my greatest bass heroes. What a man, what a legend. He's sorely missed. Two things though: 1. To get Mick's tone (Japan-era) you don't need distortion. What you need is a shitload of chorus or even flanger. 2. There are two names this video should include: Bunny Brunel and the late great John Giblin. I absolutely adore the latter's work with Kate Bush. He was the one behind the absolutely bonkers bass line in Babooshka (and the flowing beauty of Breathing, and many others). He's one of my heroes, up there with Mick (and Pino, and Tony Levin - but these are alive and well and I hope they'll live and play for looong years to come in good health!). Oh, and that Ibanez Musician fretless... GAWD. This is one of my top dream basses. For real. And I actually think it's one of the most beautiful basses to ever exist. So if Ian ever decides to donate one of his babies to a future giveaway... this is the one. Under one condition: I have to win it!
I was in a recording studio in Queens 15 years ago replacing 2 bass tracks on my alembic that tony Franklin had played believe it or not where they decided they didn’t want fretless. Sir lord Baltimore album “raw”. They had lots of guitars and basses hanging on the wall, the studio owner was a collector and I’m just walking around checking everything out when I come across a Gibson SG bass with the certificate next to it which reads this is the bass jack Bruce used to record sunshine of your love. Whoa!! He saw I was looking at it and said go ahead take it down and play it! Well what do you think was the first thing I played on it.
Might be my favorite episode. I love fretless bass. Took some lessons with Gary Willis and he is as great a teacher as he is player. There is a live version of Pat Metheny playing his tune "Jaco" with Mark Egan on bass. Mark plays such a great solo on it. This episode may make me set down my upright and pick up one of my (many) fretless basses.
What about Rick Danko of The Band ? Robbie Robertson described it when Rick sang lead and played fretless bass simultaneously, without looking at his fingers once during the song , that he had no idea to this day how he achieved it . That's a very strong endorsement of talent ,don't you think ?
Im sure everyone has their guy that wasnt mentioned but i have an immensely underrated fretless player and just an overall badass and that would be Mr. Steve Digiorgio , check out the work on "Control Denied -The Fragile Art of Existence" also his work with Death and Testament
Percy Jones was such a hero for me as a little boy, & his playing still informs me to this day. On the Brand X front, it’s also worth mentioning John Giblin, another amazing fretless player.
Great episode! Percy and Mick were early influences for me too, along with John Giblin’s work w/ Brand X. Although I’m a rock player, I played my 1990 fretless Warwick Thumb 4 (lined) nonstop in my gonzo bluegrass prog rock band and other bands in the mid 90’s to early 2000 or so. Still have that bass and it’s got a killer tone although it’s *heavy*. A few years ago I picked up a beautiful 77P unlined fretless, maple neck, natural finish. This had been sitting under a bed for 40 years and it was pristine. I pull that one out at the blues jams when I want a little workout! The “one that got away” for me was a white fretless rosewood 70’s P bass that I played in high school. I really do not remember why I sold it, but I’d sure love it back today. Playing fretless is a blasts no matter what genre you play. I’ve played lined and unlined, and honestly in a bar gig you know you can’t see the lines or dots either way so you just gotta user your ears and develop a kinesthetic sense of where your hands are. These days I have T-I flats on my 77P and LaBella Deep Talking on my Warwick. You can most definitely slap on a fretless! I’ve used rounds on a fretless, but I mean, c’mon, flats are where it’s at! Here’s my Percy story. I can’t remember exactly when it was, but I think it was sometime in the mid-90’s or so, Brand X was going on a US tour. They played Max’s on Broadway in Baltimore with some teenage kid I think on drums. Baltimore was the first show of their US tour and my drummer buddy and I went. He was the guy who actually turned me on to Brand X and we learned a few of their tunes and tried to play them. Yeah, “tried” to play Percy lines! Anyway, Brand X came out and played a 45 minute set and just blew us away. I was in awe of Percy’s technique, let alone tone, feel well, everything. So they go off stage after the set and we thought they were going to play another set. After a short break they came back and said “We played everything we know. We can either all go home or we can play that same set again for you”. Well, you know what we audience wanted and yes, they came back and played that same set and blew us completely away again. Max’s was a pretty small but well known venue (I played there many times back in the day) and I was maybe 10’ from the stage. Unforgettable.
Stand with your heels together, feet turned outwards Pivot on your left heel and the ball of your right foot simultaneously until big toes touch, heels apart Now pivot on your right heel and ball of your left foot until the heels touch Repeat Back in the late 70s I used to be in a band on the Ariola Hansa record label at the same time as Japan who were already signed to them. Mick Karn and band came to see one of our gigs at the Music Machine in Camden and he asked me all about my fretless bass after the show. I like to think I might have given him some inspiration 😊
Missing some essential death metal guys 😉 check out Steve DiGiorgio’s playing on The Philosopher by Death or Dom LaPointe’s playing on Omnipresent Perception by Beyond Creation
I admire this channel so much for celebrating bass so much. You guys do such an amazing job just loving the instrument and I always enjoy the party just as much as I learn. Thank you!
This video was great, it is really great that you mentioned less known guys like Mark Egan, Percy Jones, Mick Karn compared to the other giants like Willis and Manring. As a suggestion maybe you can mention Bunny Brunel in the future videos. Thanks a lot guys!
Great video! Always nice to see fretless getting some love. Bakithi Kumalo's story reminded me of how I ended up playing fretless. In 1995, I decided to switch from guitar to bass and I needed an upgrade from the POS Striker by Kramer bass that I had. So, I went to my local music store to start shopping around. The employee who was helping me had me try every bass they had, even though I said, "I'll take it" about a few of them. Finally, he said, "What about the fretless?". I said, "I can't play that thing, man" and he said, "Just give it a shot", so I did. After playing a few notes, I fell in love and bought ot on the spot. It went on to be my main instrument for 20 years. It's unlined, so it took me some time to get my intonation down, but it was so smooth and buttery, so fun to play that I didn't mind putting the work in. To this day, I still much prefer fretless to fretted.
Thanks for the video! However I gotta say, you have a big blind spot about metal :) The band Death, one of the first death metal bands in the 80's is also famous for using fretless bass in the 90's and in that era (and since), influencial metal bands have used fretless bass (Opeth, Cynic, First Fragment - to only name a few). Would have been worth at least an honorable mention!
For the death metal fans out there, a special shoutout to Dominic Lapointe (and Hugo Doyon-Karou) of Beyond Creation. His fretless 6-string playing is incredible, especially on the song 'Omnipresent Perception' where he plays a beautiful bass solo.
Wish I could upload pictures to TH-cam comments... My uncle Felix has a picture on the wall at his house with him and a young Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey at some music conference, maybe NAMM? Picture's from around the early 90s, they all look so young!
It’s a heel-toe thing with the feet. I saw Michael Jackson do it on tv with the Jackson 5. He was still just a little kid and it was both awesome and hilarious to see
A guy in a local band played a Fretless Ibanez Musician. I really, really wanted one of those. (Too many knobs for me). Later I got the Fretted, two humbucker version, (Only 3 knobs), in a Pawn Shop. Managed to get the correct case, with the very handy neck prop, in a Music store. Happy story :-)
Great video guys, i want to recomend you a bassist form the Argentinian Band Seru giran, his name its Pedro Aznar, he is considered the Jaco Pastorious of Argentinian Rock, there are a lot of songs where he plays Brutally his fretless, but there are two particullary, one is "Eiti Leda" an another its a song called " La grasa de las capitales", he its a very tallented an intelligent bassist and composer, i know that most of the english music channel dont put their eyes on Latinamerican Musicians, but trust me, you would be amazed with the talent of the musicians from Seru giran .
I wish Ibanez made a 5 string fretless Musician. Many many years ago when I was a guitar slinger for Guitar Center, we took in 2 used musicians. 1 fretless and 1 fretted. Incredible sounding instruments.
Larry Taylor on John Mayalls LP "The Latest Editon" ... for example the Song "Deep Down Feeling ". You´ll find some nice fretless stuff on the LP "The Latest Editon" ...
Great vid. The lesson I’m taking away here is I should start playing much closer to the fret, on the fret, and build those chops …now I know why my F in first position can sound so off…
I had one of those Ibanez Musician fretless basses in the 1980s. I traded it in for a 4-track cassette home studio. It was obsolete within a decade while somebody somewhere is probably cherishing that bass today.
Great video thanks peeps. Great to see Percy Jones getting a mention, his solo track April off Product is still one of my favourites and I find myself singing it years later. Also! You missed the chord at the beginning of Pino's line, he plays the Bb root under the 3rd not of the phrase so its the 1,3 chord
So much great inspiration! I have to pitch in Charles Berthoud on his bass with stainless steel fretboard, sounds unreal and such a great overall musician.
Early 80s japanese basses are a hidden gem that is beginning to be discovered by more players, glad I've already gotten a fretted & fretless one now heh :) Ian's bass definitely inspired me to get the early 80s Vantage VP825B I saw come up for sale earlier this year. Mine is set neck, unlined fretless and Matsumoku made (instead of Hoshino Gakki) but still affordable by us mere mortals and sounds lovely as well. And turns out, not that many of this model seem to be stock fretless.
Fernando Saunders should be on this list for sure. From his playing with Jan Hammer, John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck, and his great 20 year stint as a member of Lou Reed's band shows how versatile he is.
Was lucky enough to see Michael Manring play in a tiny jazz club in London in about 2010 and it was absolutely astonishing. The level of musicality and technical innovation was truly off the scale!
Mick Karn...amazing...not a platform, only his feet 🙂 and in that same song there is a movement where he has to sing and he has to move the arm of the bass away from de mic and sing...amazing sync 🙂...he also took off the frets from his bass because he was not happy with the sound...and that's how it all started.
two ibanez 940s here, & a studio fretless (840?). love them. (two 924s & an 824 too) the year is the first two digits of the serial number on the back of the headstock; I'm guessing 82-83 that one. one of mine is a conversion from the eccentric line that was built for alphonso johnson, fretted as far as the ninth, fretless thereafter. awful idea! sting *may* have had an 8-string fretless ibanez- he had some deal with them & had a maple-board 924 in his collection. I remember a scottish luthier also attempting part-fretted instruments.
Damn... Was hoping to see one of my 3 favorite fretless players: Stanley Sheldon (Frampton, Warren Zevon, Up In Smoke Soundtrack), Kenny Passarelli (Joe Walsh, Elton John), and Boz Burrell (Bad Company)
Fantastic list! However, I feel like as long as you were at 17, you should have gone to 18 and included the amazing Andy West from the (Dixie) Dregs. Tracks like "Assembly Line" and "Kat Food" are great examples of his fretless mastery.
Loved this video and I generally adore fretless bass in general. Would have put John Giblin in my list, but I know you can't include everyone. Keep up the great work, Scott and Ian 👍
Tony Levin did some great fretless work with Steps Ahead on the album "NYC". Also I have always admired Jeff Berlin's playing on Allan Holdsworth " Metal Fatigue ". I only recently discovered Mick Karn and Japan. I'm officially obsessed.
He may be more known for his singing/songwriting/fretted P bass, but Sting played fretless a whole lot from regatta de blanc onward. He could sing whilst playing it too without looking at the board which is no easy feat.
great video! it's a shame tho that there are so many more bassist that could have gone in the list like pedro aznar from seru giran, one of the best yet you guys never talked about him
... But the one who opened the door is Jaco: you can hear him in every fretless line or tone/touch that came after him. You forgot Brian Bromberg who's another monster on fretless, as well as Marcus Miller who is mostly recognized as a slap master only, but I heard him, in a clinic here in Milan/Italy I attended, with a fretless and he's a killer!!
Lamont Johnson is worth checking out aswell. Not as well known as other guys on this list, but my oh my - he's a beast! Mr. Bassman is a spectacular track of his.
I sorely missed Steve DiGiorgio in this video. He's THE example of an amazing fretless bassist that is not known for jazz, at least not most known for it. He's a metal legend, one of the first and few players to play metal on a fretless bass. He's got some chops, too. He definitely deserves more coverage from you guys.
Evertything else on this video, I loved. Keep spreading love for the low frequencies!
Seriously, these guys need to listen to the album individual thought patterns by Death
Agreed big paws Steve DeGiorgio is an amazong wexample of avanguard musician, bringing the fretless into metal in a new and exiting way, not just on DEath, but also on the newer work "age of solipsism" by Mother of all. This music should never be forgotten!
They also missed out sean malone on cynic's focus
Mick Karn was the guy who got me into bass--my first bass was a fretless. Another thing that was bonkers about him was that he hardly ever looked at the neck. Amazing.
His work with Japan is amazing. It made me want to get a Wal. Of course now they are unaffordable, so I've given up on that dream.
🙌🏻🧡🔥
Never say never, and the Zoot are now building a Wal-A-Like that gets close!
And sometimes did his weird sideways moonwalk dance while playing. The man was a beast.
Same here
Mick Karn was the reason I took the frets out of my Pre. Thundergirl Mutation still blows me away even though I can play it!
🔥🔥🔥
I saw Mick Karn a couple of times (with Japan) live in the 80s. Wonderful player and sound. His "shuffle" was achieved by swivelling one foot to the left (say) but keeping his heal on the floor and the other foot also swivelling to the left but with his toes on the floor. So his feet formed a V shape. He then swapped which part of his feet stayed on the floor to form an upside down V. He obviously did it very quickly so that he moved smoothly like a sideways moonwalk. I also remember reading a scathing review in one of the "music" papers of the time saying he was like a little gnome playing at the bottom of Pastorius' garden. I didn't even know who or what Pastorius was at the time 😆
I presume that 17 was chosen to keep the video under 5 hours long but the Metal scene was missed entirely.
Steve DiGiorgio.
Sean Malone (RIP).
Dominic Lapointe.
Joe Lester.
Robin Zielhorst.
All incredible players.
Away from the metal scene, the late great Brad Houser played stuff with Critters Buggin' and some superb pop with Paul Simon's wife Edie Brickell (that family knows some amazing players), Esperanza Spalding is known more for upright but plays almost exclusively fretless when on an electric bass.
He's not that well known but Damian Coccio is one of the most amazing and beautiful players I've ever heard. His solo compositions are stunning.
Yves Carbonne too.
While I play and listen to many styles, I'd second the call for more metal in general on this channel. So many great players to discuss...
There you go. No one ever gives Malone any credit in their videos.
@@buckemptier It's criminal how under-appreciated Sean Malone seems to be, even by Bass players. He was a Master Musician.
Sean Malone, the unnoticed king, its so sad that no one seems to appreciate his playing, you only see a rather small community that supports him
@@dasel1n He was noticed, and DEEPLY Loved. His contributions to Music came from Spiritual Truth, but his Soul origin is Alien, at least partially. Same for all members of the classic Cynic lineup. They connected Spiritually through Music, but not always on the emotional level, because Emotion is alien to, well Aliens, lol. That's how they were ahead of their time, similar to alien technology.❤🌎
God how much I'd love an entire Mick Karn video! 🤩
We might do one at some point!
@@devinebass th-cam.com/video/0_ER2AADsWg/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/jFyZMd6Axoc/w-d-xo.html from Scotts Bass Lessons
@@devinebassomg please do it 😍🙏🏼
That's hard tho...cuz Mick pretty much did his own thing... differently...every time...😃
Finally, a mention of Percy Jones. Such a unique voice on the fretless. Thank you it's about time 🙂
YES! :)
I've been waiting for this mention forever too!
Indeed! I stumbled across the Brand X album 'Masques' twenty-odd years ago (bought it for the cover, didn't know the band! 😅) and adored the bass sound. Went down the rabbit hole to find out more and discovered Percy Jones' work.
Check out two Brand X pieces featuring Percy: DMZ on "Do they Hurt?" and Dance of the Illegal Aliens on "Product"
@@gloppy1289 Thank you, gloppy1289 -- I'm duly blocking some time this weekend for a listening session, where I just *listen*, something I do far too rarely these days. Will cue those two up at the start.
Death - Human and Steve DiGiorgio's bass playing is the reason to this day fretless pops up frequently in death metal genre. wouldn't it be nice to include this?
...and the great RIP Sean Malone...
I decided I had to play the bass in my teens and when I heard Japan's Tin Drum in 1989 at age 16 I decided I had to be a fretless bass player. Thanks Mick Karn, you'll never be forgotten!
And, no John Giblin? He played great fretless lines with Kate Bush!
1000% agree about John Giblin! Such a great lyrical melodic sense. Very under appreciated. (Would've especially been nice to get a mention since he passed only so recently.)
John Giblin also played with Brand X for a while. Monster player. RIP in May of this year.
So true man,. Giblin is an omission, for sure. Love his playing on Kate Bush and John Martyn's stuff. Such a sad loss to the bass community
@peterg5383 Really?! Very cool. A buddy of mine has two Wilcock Mullarkeys and they are great basses.
@peterg5383 yooo no way that's so cool
Love to see the Mick Karn love. He's absolutely incredible!
💯💯💯
Pedro Aznar, prior to his Pat Metheny stage was another of fretless pioneers. Check his work with Seru Giran between 77 and 82
There are so many favorites on this list but I have to admit, Michael Manring is the one who posesses the most sensitive and emotional vocabulary of them all. Listen e.g. to "On a day of many angels" or "When we last spoke", the latter allways brings me to tears.
"When We Last Spoke". Been trying to play that for years.
@@mackymaca Beautiful song isn't it? I've played it a lot in the late 90's when I really was into playing fretless.
💯 Michael's touch, vocabulary and phrasing are absolutely incredible
So happy to see Tony Franklin on this list! I've loved his stuff since The Firm and I got to meet him during his Blue murder stint. He pulled me aside and we just talked shop & all things fretless for 30 mins! Just the nicest, down to earth guy😊🤘🏼
If i hear someone say fretless bass i automatically think Mick Karn.
Yeah, that dude was Fire!
Yeah top fretless guy
Love Mick! Also, Freebo, who played with Bonnie Raitt.
You need to listen to Percy Jones. Predates Karn and Jaco and is an incredible innovator.
And not Jaco? Interesting !
Pedro Aznar should be also in the list, amazing player
Thrilled that Percy Jones and Mick Karn got a mention
🙌🏻🧡🔥
Mick Karn was bonkers! I can't even play "Gentlemen take polaroids" siting 😂
💯💯💯
I`ve missed Sean Malone and Steve Digiorgio, monters of metal fretless bass... but as always, great selection and fun video!!
Dominic Lapointe too.
Sean Malone was such a loss. Heartbreaking.
@@joninawhitecoat you are goddamn right, dude!
MON STERS!!
I'm missing Pedro Aznar, Argentinian legend who also nailed it on the fretless during his Seru Girán era, and who also played with Pat Metheny. You guys need to listen to him
While the dance moves were illuminating and entertaining.(He seems to have abandoned them post Japan) There were alot of things you could have said about Mr Karn, the blend of melody and funk in his ostinato lines, his unique complex articulations(I find it useful to think of them multisylabic words in a sentence) and his intentional use of 3rds and 7ths between major and minor and how this probably relates to the middle eastern music he heard growing up. His most "Mick" holding it down occurs on the Polytown album where he plays his powerful intricate ostinatos while Terry Bozzio plays "lead" drums..
Also, I realise in making a video like this you must balance quality of playing with popularity and cultural impact. But , especially by that yardstick David Gilmores playing on the intro of "Hey You" and Pink Floyd in general could be mentioned.
So good to see Mr. Manring. I think it's nearly impossible to give him the credit he deserves.
Pino's son Rocco is also a pretty great fretless player! He does a lot of cool stuff with Yussef Dayes and Tom Misch.
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Listened to some of their music the other day Rocco was great and doesn't get the credit he deserves
I recommend to listen to Pedro Aznar, an argentinian bassist and multinstramentalist who popularize the fretless in the country. Check the stuff he did in Seru Giran. He also played in the pat metheny group.
Gary Willis blew my mind in my 20s. Wooten started it, discovering Jaco changed me, and Gary set it in place. Thank you to these guys, among many others, who honed my focus on the bottom end. So unique, so unnoticed by many, soooooo delightful to some of us who are amazed at ever listen.
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Great list! Two fretless players who I got into in the late 70s/early 80s:
1. Randy Tico, who played with Matrix and Flora Purim.
2. Bunny Brunel.
I can't believe you guys have not included the recently passed John Giblin in your list, he was the guy that played a lot with Kate Bush and his work on Babouska and Breathing is simply incredible, and the sound is other worldly, sublime work, a proper fretless player all tune and melody........
Played a Pedulla in a shop one day and didn’t even realize it was fretless for a while. Should have bought it…
Always love a little reverb on my no fret.
Reverb and compressing fretless to death is how you really help get it to sing.
John Giblin, Jaco Pastorius, and Mick Karn were the 3 bassists that convinced me to pick up a fretless. I'm really bummed that all of them have passed because I can't thank them for inspiring me
Great vid Scott & Ian. John Giblin was my idol growing up and made me determined to be a session player by the time I was 10.. His Fretless Wal lines on Kate Bush's, 'Babushka,' and Peter Gabriel's, 'Family Snapshot.,' (alone), should land him on this list. I've never heard a fretless sound so perfectly gorgeous and mellifluous. His attention to detail is uncanny... . Not to mention that he played with: Phil Collins, John Martyn, BrandX, Fish, Simple Minds, Scott Walker, Joan Armatrading, Annie Lennox, Roberta Flack, The Everly Brothers, Gerry Rafferty, Jon Anderson, Alan Parsons and a myriad of Italian artists during the later years of his life. His playing spans so many verticals of genre. He's oft overlooked, as he doesn't overplay, so his brilliance shines within the context of the songs. Cheers everyone!
Dominic "Forest" Lapointe is my favorite bassist hands down. His playing is so majestic and he just glides across the fretboard like nothing. It's already crazy enough he does fretless, but six string and left-handed?! This guy is the go-to example of a fretless bassist for modern metal in my humble opinion. Besides the more popular "Omnipresent Perception" his more recent contribution in First Fragment's - "La Veuve & Le Martyr" is just bewildering.
Sorry for the rant, I really love this guy. He's the reason I got into fretless bass. :)
Mark Egan played a Pedulla "Buzz". Mike Pedulla used a polyester resin coating on his fretless fingerboards. Jaco / Weather Report *A Remark You Made" turned me on to fretless.
Awesome, guys!! A couple more: Carles Benavent (played with Paco DeLucia) and Juan Alderete (ex-Racer X, ex-Mars Volta)
Love the fretless electric.
Early adopters: Jack Bruce, Rick Danko.
David J
Kev Hopper
Patrick O' Hearn
Alphonso Johnson
Arthur Barrow
Bill Laswell (on some things).
J. Clifton Mayhew- played on the two first Adrian Belew albums then seems to have disappeared.
You should listen to Pedro Aznar, he's a fretless bassist from Argentina who played in one of the biggest rock groups of the country. He also played in the Pat Metheny Group. I recommend the Eiti Leda bass solo.
You should listen to fretless bass player Pedro Aznar, from Argentina. He was in a prog rock band from Argentina called Seru Giran. Later, he was summoned by Pat Metheny. Listen to songs from Seru Giran like "La Grasa De Las Capitales", "Viernes 3 AM", "Voy A Mil", "Noche De Perros", "Eiti-Leda", "Autos, Jets, Aviones, Barcos", "Perro Andaluz". They are all unbelievable songs and Pedro Aznar play is amazing. He was only 18 when he join the band.
13:18 Yes, Scott! Nail on the head. There was so much fretless on film scores then and I grew up *loving* it. Anyone else familiar with Éric Serra's work on the soundtrack to 'The Big Blue' (Le Grand Bleu)? Brings me right back to 1988! The movie was panned but I still adore it, as much for the sound as anything else.
Great vid. Hopefully you'll do a deep dive into Mick Karn bass playing. Lucky enough to have seen Japan live. I bought a Wal fretless in early 82. Still have it. From my experience is the distortion comes from the bass with a bit of flanger on it.
Mick's playing with Japan is fantastic, and that's awesome that you still have your Wal! 🔥
Yes please celebrate Bill Wyman 🎉a wonderful and very creative musician - hidden in the center of a forest behind other big trees - but gluing the band’s music so gracefully
What a fantastic video about one of my absolute favourite things in the history of ever: the fretless bass. I love the sound of fretless, I love playing fretless, damn, I wish I could play it at least half of the time (but not all the time, as I love fretted too ;-) )! And thank you so much for mentioning Mick Karn - he's one of my greatest bass heroes. What a man, what a legend. He's sorely missed. Two things though:
1. To get Mick's tone (Japan-era) you don't need distortion. What you need is a shitload of chorus or even flanger.
2. There are two names this video should include: Bunny Brunel and the late great John Giblin. I absolutely adore the latter's work with Kate Bush. He was the one behind the absolutely bonkers bass line in Babooshka (and the flowing beauty of Breathing, and many others). He's one of my heroes, up there with Mick (and Pino, and Tony Levin - but these are alive and well and I hope they'll live and play for looong years to come in good health!).
Oh, and that Ibanez Musician fretless... GAWD. This is one of my top dream basses. For real. And I actually think it's one of the most beautiful basses to ever exist. So if Ian ever decides to donate one of his babies to a future giveaway... this is the one. Under one condition: I have to win it!
I was in a recording studio in Queens 15 years ago replacing 2 bass tracks on my alembic that tony Franklin had played believe it or not where they decided they didn’t want fretless. Sir lord Baltimore album “raw”. They had lots of guitars and basses hanging on the wall, the studio owner was a collector and I’m just walking around checking everything out when I come across a Gibson SG bass with the certificate next to it which reads this is the bass jack Bruce used to record sunshine of your love. Whoa!! He saw I was looking at it and said go ahead take it down and play it! Well what do you think was the first thing I played on it.
Might be my favorite episode. I love fretless bass. Took some lessons with Gary Willis and he is as great a teacher as he is player. There is a live version of Pat Metheny playing his tune "Jaco" with Mark Egan on bass. Mark plays such a great solo on it. This episode may make me set down my upright and pick up one of my (many) fretless basses.
What about Rick Danko of The Band ? Robbie Robertson described it when Rick sang lead and played fretless bass simultaneously, without looking at his fingers once during the song , that he had no idea to this day how he achieved it . That's a very strong endorsement of talent ,don't you think ?
Ralph Armstrong ! With Jean Luc Ponty Egocentric Molecules & Struggle of the Turtle to the Sea
Pedulla Buzz buzz awesome fret less. I worked at Many’s and tried all the gear
Im sure everyone has their guy that wasnt mentioned but i have an immensely underrated fretless player and just an overall badass and that would be Mr. Steve Digiorgio , check out the work on "Control Denied -The Fragile Art of Existence" also his work with Death and Testament
As fretless players go, Steve is definitely up there! One of many that could have been on the list!
Percy Jones was such a hero for me as a little boy, & his playing still informs me to this day. On the Brand X front, it’s also worth mentioning John Giblin, another amazing fretless player.
Great episode! Percy and Mick were early influences for me too, along with John Giblin’s work w/ Brand X. Although I’m a rock player, I played my 1990 fretless Warwick Thumb 4 (lined) nonstop in my gonzo bluegrass prog rock band and other bands in the mid 90’s to early 2000 or so. Still have that bass and it’s got a killer tone although it’s *heavy*. A few years ago I picked up a beautiful 77P unlined fretless, maple neck, natural finish. This had been sitting under a bed for 40 years and it was pristine. I pull that one out at the blues jams when I want a little workout! The “one that got away” for me was a white fretless rosewood 70’s P bass that I played in high school. I really do not remember why I sold it, but I’d sure love it back today. Playing fretless is a blasts no matter what genre you play. I’ve played lined and unlined, and honestly in a bar gig you know you can’t see the lines or dots either way so you just gotta user your ears and develop a kinesthetic sense of where your hands are. These days I have T-I flats on my 77P and LaBella Deep Talking on my Warwick. You can most definitely slap on a fretless! I’ve used rounds on a fretless, but I mean, c’mon, flats are where it’s at!
Here’s my Percy story. I can’t remember exactly when it was, but I think it was sometime in the mid-90’s or so, Brand X was going on a US tour. They played Max’s on Broadway in Baltimore with some teenage kid I think on drums. Baltimore was the first show of their US tour and my drummer buddy and I went. He was the guy who actually turned me on to Brand X and we learned a few of their tunes and tried to play them. Yeah, “tried” to play Percy lines! Anyway, Brand X came out and played a 45 minute set and just blew us away. I was in awe of Percy’s technique, let alone tone, feel well, everything. So they go off stage after the set and we thought they were going to play another set. After a short break they came back and said “We played everything we know. We can either all go home or we can play that same set again for you”. Well, you know what we audience wanted and yes, they came back and played that same set and blew us completely away again. Max’s was a pretty small but well known venue (I played there many times back in the day) and I was maybe 10’ from the stage. Unforgettable.
Stand with your heels together, feet turned outwards
Pivot on your left heel and the ball of your right foot simultaneously until big toes touch, heels apart
Now pivot on your right heel and ball of your left foot until the heels touch
Repeat
Back in the late 70s I used to be in a band on the Ariola Hansa record label at the same time as Japan who were already signed to them. Mick Karn and band came to see one of our gigs at the Music Machine in Camden and he asked me all about my fretless bass after the show. I like to think I might have given him some inspiration 😊
Missing some essential death metal guys 😉 check out Steve DiGiorgio’s playing on The Philosopher by Death or Dom LaPointe’s playing on Omnipresent Perception by Beyond Creation
Great list, great clips, great playing. But no Bunny Brunel (check out his playing on Chick Corea’s Tap Step album).
I admire this channel so much for celebrating bass so much. You guys do such an amazing job just loving the instrument and I always enjoy the party just as much as I learn. Thank you!
It is so awesome.
Thank YOU, Jesse :)
This video was great, it is really great that you mentioned less known guys like Mark Egan, Percy Jones, Mick Karn compared to the other giants like Willis and Manring. As a suggestion maybe you can mention Bunny Brunel in the future videos. Thanks a lot guys!
I think we all forgot about Bunny Brunel. He deserves to be on the list.
Another vote for Bunny Brunel. Big talent
Great video! Always nice to see fretless getting some love. Bakithi Kumalo's story reminded me of how I ended up playing fretless. In 1995, I decided to switch from guitar to bass and I needed an upgrade from the POS Striker by Kramer bass that I had. So, I went to my local music store to start shopping around. The employee who was helping me had me try every bass they had, even though I said, "I'll take it" about a few of them. Finally, he said, "What about the fretless?". I said, "I can't play that thing, man" and he said, "Just give it a shot", so I did. After playing a few notes, I fell in love and bought ot on the spot. It went on to be my main instrument for 20 years. It's unlined, so it took me some time to get my intonation down, but it was so smooth and buttery, so fun to play that I didn't mind putting the work in. To this day, I still much prefer fretless to fretted.
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yeah! finally some fretless content! great vid, guys!
Honorary mentions: Doug Wimbish, Sting, Norwood Fisher and last but not least: Rick Danko, he played fretless even before Jaco!
Whoa, Mark Eagan. Pedula bass played on my fav album “Sacred love” by Sting
I love that Jeff Ament got a mention. I have no idea why he stopped playing frettless on later albums.
I think it’s because it’s harder to mix in a rock band, especially with the weird distorted tone he has.
I'm glad Michael Manring made the list. My first introduction to fretless bass was the Michael Hedges' album "Aerial Boundaries" featuring Manring.
Thanks for the video! However I gotta say, you have a big blind spot about metal :) The band Death, one of the first death metal bands in the 80's is also famous for using fretless bass in the 90's and in that era (and since), influencial metal bands have used fretless bass (Opeth, Cynic, First Fragment - to only name a few). Would have been worth at least an honorable mention!
I was hoping for a Steve DiGiorgio mention or something
@@paramourcat Yeah Him and Sean Malone at least deserve a mention. Dominic Lapointe as well.
For the death metal fans out there, a special shoutout to Dominic Lapointe (and Hugo Doyon-Karou) of Beyond Creation. His fretless 6-string playing is incredible, especially on the song 'Omnipresent Perception' where he plays a beautiful bass solo.
And Steve DiGiorgio and Sean Malone.
I was hoping Forest would be mentioned somewhere in here
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Wish I could upload pictures to TH-cam comments... My uncle Felix has a picture on the wall at his house with him and a young Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey at some music conference, maybe NAMM? Picture's from around the early 90s, they all look so young!
It’s a heel-toe thing with the feet. I saw Michael Jackson do it on tv with the Jackson 5. He was still just a little kid and it was both awesome and hilarious to see
Love my fretless. Jaco was the master, but I always loved listening to Michael Manring, Bukhati Kumalo, and Mark Egan.
A guy in a local band played a Fretless Ibanez Musician. I really, really wanted one of those. (Too many knobs for me). Later I got the Fretted, two humbucker version, (Only 3 knobs), in a Pawn Shop. Managed to get the correct case, with the very handy neck prop, in a Music store. Happy story :-)
Great video guys, i want to recomend you a bassist form the Argentinian Band Seru giran, his name its Pedro Aznar, he is considered the Jaco Pastorious of Argentinian Rock, there are a lot of songs where he plays Brutally his fretless, but there are two particullary, one is "Eiti Leda" an another its a song called " La grasa de las capitales", he its a very tallented an intelligent bassist and composer, i know that most of the english music channel dont put their eyes on Latinamerican Musicians, but trust me, you would be amazed with the talent of the musicians from Seru giran .
I wish Ibanez made a 5 string fretless Musician. Many many years ago when I was a guitar slinger for Guitar Center, we took in 2 used musicians. 1 fretless and 1 fretted. Incredible sounding instruments.
Dang, no Sean Malone love. Those first two Cynic albums are stone-cold classics.
He also used Ibanez GWB as well. Highly influential player.
Lot of love for Cynic among the team here at SBL (Traced In Air is AMAZING!)
All good, should've stated I know it's hard to get *everybody* in one video. Always happy to see Tony Levin.
May he rest in peace 🤘
My favorite fretless player by far.
17 is far too few. Gladly more fretless content❤️🔥
Great episode, I love fretless bass!!! Maybe you forgot Lawrence Cottle?
Lawrence is certainly right up there Paul!
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. I've been whistling these tunes to myself all week. Badly.
Jack, Mark Egan, and one you missed - Jimmy Haslip - were HUGE reasons for me to buy a fret less years ago.
Steve DiGiorgio!!
He's definitely right up there!!
Larry Taylor on John Mayalls LP "The Latest Editon" ... for example the Song "Deep Down Feeling ". You´ll find some nice fretless stuff on the LP "The Latest Editon" ...
Great vid. The lesson I’m taking away here is I should start playing much closer to the fret, on the fret, and build those chops …now I know why my F in first position can sound so off…
I had one of those Ibanez Musician fretless basses in the 1980s. I traded it in for a 4-track cassette home studio. It was obsolete within a decade while somebody somewhere is probably cherishing that bass today.
Great video thanks peeps. Great to see Percy Jones getting a mention, his solo track April off Product is still one of my favourites and I find myself singing it years later. Also! You missed the chord at the beginning of Pino's line, he plays the Bb root under the 3rd not of the phrase so its the 1,3 chord
So much great inspiration! I have to pitch in Charles Berthoud on his bass with stainless steel fretboard, sounds unreal and such a great overall musician.
Ian’s Ibanez sounds fantastic!
Early 80s japanese basses are a hidden gem that is beginning to be discovered by more players, glad I've already gotten a fretted & fretless one now heh :)
Ian's bass definitely inspired me to get the early 80s Vantage VP825B I saw come up for sale earlier this year. Mine is set neck, unlined fretless and Matsumoku made (instead of Hoshino Gakki) but still affordable by us mere mortals and sounds lovely as well. And turns out, not that many of this model seem to be stock fretless.
Great instruments, I agree. I got a Hondo HD1216 (double P bass) with stock Di Marzio pickups that sounds terrific!
Fernando Saunders should be on this list for sure. From his playing with Jan Hammer, John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck, and his great 20 year stint as a member of Lou Reed's band shows how versatile he is.
Gary Wills is Jaco X squared! Incredible Bass Guitarist.
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
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Great stuff Barend...quirky, original and funky as!...love the way you make the bass sound like an affected bass synth vibe...love your work😊
Was lucky enough to see Michael Manring play in a tiny jazz club in London in about 2010 and it was absolutely astonishing. The level of musicality and technical innovation was truly off the scale!
Oh wow, that must have been really special!
the mick karn shuffle is LEGENDARY
Mick Karn...amazing...not a platform, only his feet 🙂 and in that same song there is a movement where he has to sing and he has to move the arm of the bass away from de mic and sing...amazing sync 🙂...he also took off the frets from his bass because he was not happy with the sound...and that's how it all started.
two ibanez 940s here, & a studio fretless (840?). love them.
(two 924s & an 824 too)
the year is the first two digits of the serial number on the back of the headstock; I'm guessing 82-83 that one.
one of mine is a conversion from the eccentric line that was built for alphonso johnson, fretted as far as the ninth, fretless thereafter. awful idea!
sting *may* have had an 8-string fretless ibanez- he had some deal with them & had a maple-board 924 in his collection.
I remember a scottish luthier also attempting part-fretted instruments.
You missed John Giblin ... my absolute fave fretless player ...
His work with Kate Bush was sublime! Also, some truly beautiful playing with Fish (ex-Marillion). The bass line in Family Business is stunning!
A lot of people miss the Bb that Pino throws in under the D at 12:53! Really makes the riff pop!
Damn... Was hoping to see one of my 3 favorite fretless players: Stanley Sheldon (Frampton, Warren Zevon, Up In Smoke Soundtrack), Kenny Passarelli (Joe Walsh, Elton John), and Boz Burrell (Bad Company)
Fantastic list! However, I feel like as long as you were at 17, you should have gone to 18 and included the amazing Andy West from the (Dixie) Dregs. Tracks like "Assembly Line" and "Kat Food" are great examples of his fretless mastery.
Loved this video and I generally adore fretless bass in general. Would have put John Giblin in my list, but I know you can't include everyone. Keep up the great work, Scott and Ian 👍
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Tony Levin did some great fretless work with Steps Ahead on the album "NYC". Also I have always admired Jeff Berlin's playing on Allan Holdsworth " Metal Fatigue ". I only recently discovered Mick Karn and Japan. I'm officially obsessed.
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He may be more known for his singing/songwriting/fretted P bass, but Sting played fretless a whole lot from regatta de blanc onward. He could sing whilst playing it too without looking at the board which is no easy feat.
I still have my Ibanez Musician MC924 (fretted) which I bought in 1983, it's superb:)
Percy jones also played on Brian Enos Another Green World. Awesome bass player, fantastic album.
This video is GREAT, thank you!
Cheers!!
great video! it's a shame tho that there are so many more bassist that could have gone in the list like pedro aznar from seru giran, one of the best yet you guys never talked about him
Thanks for checking it out, and you're absolutely right, there are many many more players that could have made the list!
Hi super video I just want to know for Alain Caron at : 18:56 so do you have a link to the video of Alain Caron ?
... But the one who opened the door is Jaco: you can hear him in every fretless line or tone/touch that came after him. You forgot Brian Bromberg who's another monster on fretless, as well as Marcus Miller who is mostly recognized as a slap master only, but I heard him, in a clinic here in Milan/Italy I attended, with a fretless and he's a killer!!
Lamont Johnson is worth checking out aswell. Not as well known as other guys on this list, but my oh my - he's a beast! Mr. Bassman is a spectacular track of his.