A master compositional and counter-melodic player akin to Sir Paul and Chris Squire, Mike Rutherford’s work with Genesis as a bassist was often overshadowed by his more high-profile bandmates and his own skills as a guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader.

 

“Fountain of Salmacis” https://youtu.be/zE3dYof_rbE

 

“Squonk” https://youtu.be/mmPf1rGClzA

 

With a treble laden tone enhanced by a myriad of effects (Moog Taurus among others), Rutherford’s potent passages, especially during Genesis’ watershed early prog-rock era, exuded technical prowess and a deft command of rhythm, space, and melody.

 

Rutherford’s weapons of choice include Rickenbacker, Status, Gibson, and Shergold basses.

 

 

And when he moonlighted from his platinum selling stadium filling day job with Genesis under the moniker Mike & The Mechanics – he added more gold and platinum to his resume.  

 

Mike and the Mechanics “The Living Years” https://youtu.be/5hr64MxYpgk

 

Tony Senatore’s rendition of “Afterglow” https://youtu.be/ORFBcYmOzlU

 

Tony Senatore’s rendition of “Earl of Mar” https://youtu.be/Zx6jy96DNfM

 

 

By Allen Fields

 

Rutherford is an amazing and gifted bass player, but unknown to many he is equally adept on the 6-string and 12-string guitars as well as the Bass Pedals.

 

In early live footage of Genesis, especially from 1970 to 1974, you can see how smoothly Rutherford moves from the 4-string bass to his 6 and 12 string electric and acoustic guitars.

 

Most famously when seen playing tracks from the 1971 Genesis release, Nursery Cryme (my personal favorite). His expertise on the Bass Pedals is most notable on the 1974 masterpiece The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, and the 1976 releases A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering — the first two Genesis releases post Peter Gabriel.

 

Starting with the 1978 release, …And Then There Were Three, Rutherford took over the 6-string and 12-string studio duties almost completely due to Steve Hackett leaving Genesis.

 

In 1980, Rutherford released his first solo album, a critically acclaimed but vastly unheard slab of vinyl titled Smallcreeps Day.

 

Here is a link to that amazing solo work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lg6FYXVFdI

 

 

 

 

Unjustly snubbed by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 for inclusion with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, bassist Bugsy Maugh brought an aggressive rhythm and blues approach to the ensemble as heard on such seminal sides as The Resurrection of Pigboy Cranshaw (1967) and In My Own Dreams (1968).

 

A vocalist, composer, and solo recording artist, Bugsy also plied his craft with Buddy Miles, Janis Joplin, and Todd Rundgren (Something /Anything) among others.

 

Bugsy Maugh Sound & Vision..

Paul Butterfield Blues Band

 

“Driftin’ and Driftin’ https://youtu.be/BtgpDdKP3fA

 

“Pity the Fool” https://youtu.be/r-6l4yhw0js

 

“In My Own Dream” https://youtu.be/ZrpjD20bIyA

 

“Drunk Again” https://youtu.be/vHa_0cdM8Mo

 

Todd Rundgren “Some Folks…” https://youtu.be/32ZJabuG-yQ

 

Bugsy solo….

 

“I Can Thank Heaven” https://youtu.be/2HF29uDFIQ4

 

“Away” https://youtu.be/wccvS0bvYAQ

 

“It All Comes Back to Me” https://youtu.be/mCMvOsQ-JBw

 

 

Go figure why the Tuff Darts canon, with crooners Robert Gordon or Tommy Frenzy – didn’t position this fiery collective among their celebrated CBGB peers The Ramones, Blondie, Television, and the Talking Heads. They had the songs, the riffs, the looks, the chops…

 

Melding pub with punk, bassist / songwriter John DeSalvo worked a straightforward, punchy Fender P pocket with an occasional melodic riff. Woulda…shoulda…coulda…

 

John and the Tuff Darts with….

 

Robert “All for the Love of Rock and Roll” https://youtu.be/381hvkh4vj4

 

Tommy “Nuclear Waste” https://youtu.be/Dro6Ysjd5RQ

 

By Thomas Semioli

With his “rock star” good looks and patented “rock star” coiffe, the late rock star Benjamin Orzechowski anchored Boston’s new wave Rock and Roll Hall of Famer quartet: The Cars.

An accomplished lead singer who crooned with an icy Bowie Berlin era delivery, and composer – Ben belted out the band’s signature hits “Just What I Needed,” and “Drive,” among others. Orr’s playing style exemplified the genre’s rudimentary roots rooted, eighth-note modus operandi which afforded a solid platform for the synths and shiny guitars to do their thing.

Orr continued his career when The Cars split with Big People, and Voices of Classic Rock. He also waxed a fine solo slab in ’85 entitled The Lace which featured the hit “Stay The Night.” 

Ben was a bass collector as well, among his weapons of choice included: Rickenbacker 4001, Fender Precision, Spector N2, Dean Metalman ML, Guild Pilot, Gibson Flying V, Gibson EB 6, and a Vox Teardrop

“Just What I Needed” at Live Aid https://youtu.be/Ukfkqs9LU4E

“Drive” https://youtu.be/xuZA6qiJVfU

“Stay the Night” https://youtu.be/1WGVG3_IoG8

Inspired by Sir Paul, John Paul Jones, and James Jamerson, Garry Gary Beers anchored the mega-platinum INXS with a distinctly soulful approach, working the pocket with melodic motifs that fueled the Aussie ensemble’s signature hits.

 

Doubling on upright and guitar, outside of INXS Beers collaborated with the late Scott Weiland, Sean Kelly and His Absent Friends, and Ciaran Gribbin, among others.

 

Garry’s weapon of choice is usually the Fender Precision, though he did wield a vogue, functional Steinberger XL in the equally fashionable early ’80s.

 

Gary Gary Beers Sound & Vision…

 

“Devil Inside” https://youtu.be/hv_zJrO_ptk

 

“What You Need” https://youtu.be/FoEPrbdfmT4

 

“Listen Like Thieves” https://youtu.be/bJn73b4SkpQ

 

Dig Tony Senatore’s rendition of “Don’t Change” https://youtu.be/qaugH2H_OBM

 

Along with Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond of Jethro Tull, Gary Gary is the most prominent double-named bassist in the history of rock!

 

From a Rhinestone Cowboy to a Dandy in the Underworld, from Bad Girls to a Rich Girl to I’m A Fool For You Girl… from Sara Smile to Angela to Smokey to Candi, and I’ll throw in Peaches & Herb and Boz to boot…

 

When Michael Henderson spilt from the employment of the former Stevland Hardaway Morris to work with a newly electrified Miles Davis, a young Atlanta cat named Scott Edwards stepped in and took over the bass chair and thus began a stellar career as a first call sideman session player.

 

A chameleonic Fender Precision wielding James Jamerson disciple, Scott’s incredible body of work spanned every genre of pop music embracing rock, smooth jazz, funk, soul, disco, rhythm and blues, fusion, and permutations thereof.  

 

Scott Edwards Sound & Vision 

 

Peaches & Herb: “Reunited” https://youtu.be/Bu3OQFCsKXQ

 

Donna Summer: “Bad Girls” https://youtu.be/NF46NnUn5nw

 

Yvonne Elliman: “If I Can’t Have You” https://youtu.be/nBqrcMBdG8Y

 

Hall & Oates: “Sara Smile” https://youtu.be/nOFCTFXn6xE 

 

“Rich Girl” https://youtu.be/oIAkRVBS-0U

 

Stevie Wonder: “All Is Fair In Love,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” https://youtu.be/SbenaOqv4yQ

 

Jose Feliciano: “Angela” https://youtu.be/YUS60TR3SZA

 

Rhythm Heritage: “Three Days of The Condor” https://youtu.be/gN3RhsVI8C8

 

Glenn Campbell: “Rhinestone Cowboy” https://youtu.be/8kAU3B9Pi_U

 

Johnny Mathis “The Last Time I Felt Like This” https://youtu.be/aJ8F23b58Qo

 

Righteous Brothers: “Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven” https://youtu.be/SW4tRBalFLQ

 

Smokey Robinson: “Being With You” https://youtu.be/0P2a6aLDkkM

 

Candi Staton: “Summer Time With You” https://youtu.be/9B-yHZ1nax4

 

Captain & Tennile: “Do Me One More Time” https://youtu.be/8ZSyH-ZpIlk

 

T-Rex: “I’m A Fool For You Girl,” https://youtu.be/-F6fLEzcDUU

 

“Dandy In the Underworld” https://youtu.be/82FB5OC-AOo

 

Tavares: “It Only Takes A Minute” https://youtu.be/BxtPbCYk-38

 

Busta Rhymes vs. Timbaland & Magoo: Turn It Up, Fire It Up When Clock Strikes https://youtu.be/ipUcgDcMDOo

 

Boz Scaggs: “Then She Walked Away” https://youtu.be/pi_-L8xAyYQ

 

Anchoring what could arguably be among the first “world music” ensembles, the late Frederick “Fudgie Kae” Solomon helmed Bedford-Stuyvesant Brooklyn’s Mandrill during their golden era circa 1972 -75.

 

Laying down the groove with a fat flat-wound Fender P, Fudgie fused funk with Latin, rock, blues, and salsa on tracks which emerged in various edits on scores of hip-hop, techno, and acid jazz DJ mixes.

 

Fudgie Sound & Vision….

 

Mandrill’s signature track https://youtu.be/ayhpzgUrPQM

 

“Fencewalk” https://youtu.be/aTsw3u6g5YI

 

“Mango Meat” https://youtu.be/n-cIqYof2-8

 

 

 

An LA based electric / upright session player, Charles Larkey is most noted for his stellar work with his former wife, the former Ms. Carol Joan Klein, with whom he waxed several seminal sides.

 

A dexterous bassist that excelled in the pocket and plied superb counterpoint in the service of the singers and their songs, Charles also anchored releases by The Fugs, The Doors sans Mojo, Paul Williams, Peter Allen, B.J. Thomas, and The City with Carole and guitarist Danny Kortchmar, among others.  

 

Charles Larkey Sound & Vision…

 

Carol King

 

“It’s Too Late” https://youtu.be/VkKxmnrRVHo

 

“I Feel the Earth Move” https://youtu.be/6913KnbMpHM

 

“Been to Canaan” https://youtu.be/Ug9ffdhIlo0

 

The Doors Full Circle (1972)

 

“The Piano Bird” https://youtu.be/BZUM5m3vrQU

 

“Verdilac” https://youtu.be/Oq85Trne8UA