We’ll never know how many late ’60s garage band bassists learned his passages to rock the high-school dances, block parties, to all night stoner jam sessions…

Behold the bassist born Klaus Karl Kassbaum, aka Nick St. Nicholas who, early in his career, worked the pocket for such ensembles as The Mynah Birds (Rick James, Neil Young), and Jack London and The Sparrows, among others.

However it was his tenure anchoring Steppenwolf which cemented his legend, replaced bassist Rushton Moreve in late ’68.

Nick on the live version of “Sookie Sookie” https://youtu.be/LilKJnEnH_M

Dig Nick, nattily adorned in a robe, on “Rock Me” from The Smothers Brothers Show https://youtu.be/x0l4p12bMK4

A groove player given to adventurous harmonic extensions during Steppenwolf’s more improvisatory forays on stage and in the studio, Nick split from the band in 1971.

Among his post-Wolf ensembles include World Class Rockers wherein former members of major bands band together and play the hits.

By Thomas Semioli

“I was sitting on a mountain top. 30,000 feet to drop. Spied a lady on a runaway horse, Uh huh, that’s right, of course. Jim Dandy to the rescue!”

 James Mangrum was/is larger than life, and his band, known as Black Oak Arkansas, were a mighty ensemble (which included drummer Tommy Aldridge at one point) that unmercifully mashed boogie, rhythm and blues, and hard rock.

A versatile, strumming plectrum player, bassist Pat “Dirty” Daugherty anchored the band’s classic line-up, often switching gears from soulful in-the-pocket passages to raucous riffage within same song.   His primary weapons of choice were a modified Fender Jazz bass, Ampeg and Gibson EB.

Dig Black Oak at the height of their fame on Rock Concert and at California Jam 1974 https://youtu.be/1FK1yci_gIo

He anchored Supertramp during their most commercially successful run which commenced in 1975 – and departed the band permanently in 1988 when the lads took time off to pursue other projects.

A member of the London jazz-blues ensemble The Alan Bown Set, bassist Dougie Thomson was the consummate song player, plying melodic extensions, unison lines, and pocket grooves for his prolific composer bandmates Rodger Hodgson and Rick Davies.  Retiring from the stage, Thomson went to work in the music publishing and management business with Trinity.

Dougie Thomson Sound & Vision…

Dougie with Alan Bown Set “Thru the Night” https://youtu.be/2Ad2lnOerOs

Supertramp:

“Bloody Well Right” https://youtu.be/a4ys6YSfJDA

“Take the Long Way Home” https://youtu.be/RsYfeMMeNVg

Coolest bass solo ever? You decide! Mario Cipollina “New Drug” https://youtu.be/0RidhyUlTzo

Most recognized for his tenure as the brooding bassist who anchored Huey Lewis & The News during their 1980s platinum run, Mario Cipollina also plied his craft quite impressively with his brother John for Quicksilver Messenger Service, Robert Hunter, Jonathan Cain, Tony Williams Lifetime (The Joy of Flying), Johnny Nitro, Bill Champlin, Nick Lowe & His Cowboy Outfit, and Melvin Seals, among others.  

Beginning on upright bass at the tender age of seven, and turning to the electric at thirteen Mario draws his inspiration from classical music (his personal preference), Frank Zappa, Chick Corea, Led Zeppelin, Captain Beefheart, and Miles Davis.

A pocket player with a flair for rhythm & blues, Mario is still on the bandstand in his native Bay Area.

Mario Cipollina Sound & Vision…

Tony Williams and Ronnie Montrose: “Open Fire” https://youtu.be/u5ArggbPHLI

Huey Lewis “Working for a Living” https://youtu.be/lcIK3akktLU

Nick Lowe “I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock and Roll” https://youtu.be/Kn1CXbf2xF8

Millions grooved to his pounding bass lines blaring from FM radio in the late 1970s by way of his brief tenure in Foreigner.

“Feels Like The First Time” https://youtu.be/CK6jKL2qWxo?si=oFFdR88cqxZflcjX

“Cold As Ice” https://youtu.be/ySb1f9zWJkQ?si=ac_C6i-gSYeh051J

“Double Vision” https://youtu.be/dD-SpHH7qDA?si=ZiAyM5-rG8u7sdi1

The late Ed Gagliardi, who commandeered a Rickenbacker 4001 akin to his idol Sir Paul (he even played it lefty ala Macca despite the fact that he was right-handed), was a formidable upper register and counter-melodic player as evidenced on such deep album cuts including…

“Starrider” https://youtu.be/UNkwrKjYUmo

“Woman Oh Woman” https://youtu.be/kjjP8vDLefA

“Fool For You Anyway” https://youtu.be/WewBjxSdXRQ

“You Are All I Am” https://youtu.be/AzF7hCWNqIw

“Spellbinder” https://youtu.be/xxCwMgsHCLM

Following his dismissal from Foreigner Ed founded Spys with his former Foreigner keyboardist Al Greenwood, guitarist John DiGaudio, drummer Billy Milne, and singer John Blanco. Spys waxed two sides before calling it quits, prompting the Long Island native to leave the music biz.

Spys “She Can’t Wait” https://youtu.be/-Ocb7lvVW5E

To my ears, he is in the company of Jaco, James Jamerson, Sir Paul, and his mentor Aston “Family Man” Barrett, with whom he studied.

The bass half of the iconic duo Sly & Robbie: Mr. Shakespeare is among the most influential players ever on record, on stage, and in the studio as a sideman / collaborator / producer binging the artistry of dub and reggae bass to the masses.

A prolific recording artist, composer, electronics-effects innovator, and master of rhythm and space, among other titles, Robbie and his partner Sly Dunbar, aka The Riddim Twins, extended the rhythms and culture of Jamaica worldwide by way of their watershed collaborations with artists spanning Bill Laswell, Bob Dylan, Peter Tosh, Grace Jones, Yellowman, Gilberto Gil, Mick Jagger, Ian Dury, and Serge Gainsbourg, to cite a select few from thousands of records and session dates.

Among Robbie’s weapons of choice include Hofner 501, Steinberger XL, Fender Jazz bass, Schecter 8 string bass, and PRS.

Robbie was cited by this writer in Huffington Post for bassists deserving recognition in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: https://bit.ly/34DvZNz

And this writer was cited by the Jamaica Observer for citing Robbie as a bass player worthy of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognition! https://bit.ly/2z5FiKn

Dig Robbie live with Peter Tosh: https://youtu.be/S7wLnP8X3ZI

Dig Robbie with Grace Jones: “Night Clubbing” https://youtu.be/grJiFTEGWAg

Dig Robbie with Bob Dylan: https://youtu.be/1XSvsFgvWr0

Dig Robbie with Ian Dury: “Spasticus Autiscusis” https://youtu.be/UKnBgJG9A8E

“I’ll Take You There” …. “Kodachrome” …”Tell Mama” …”Rock Me On the Water”…

He anchored “The Swampers” aka the iconic Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Jimmie Johnson, Roger Hawkins and Barry Beckett on hundreds of recordings which shaped popular music in the 20th Century, and whose influence continues to resonate in the grooves of hip-hop, electronica, and contemporary rhythm and blues artists.

 David Hood’s  studio credits span seminal sides aplenty, including Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Cher, Laura Nyro, Paul Simon, Shelby Lynne, Linda Ronstadt, The Waterboys, Jose Feliciano, Rod Stewart, Herbie Mann, Bob Seger, Traffic, Leon Russell, Boz Scaggs, Glen Frey, and Candi Staton – to skim the surface. 

Hood’s primary weapon of choice during his tenure with Muscle Shoals was a Fender Precision. A master of rhythm, space, and melody, his passage midway through the Staple Singers’ classic “I’ll Take You There” is considered the definitive R&B motif!  

David career also includes production, composition, and arranging.

Be sure to check out David in the Muscle Shoals documentary from Magnolia Pictures https://youtu.be/jU09t0smAWI

David Hood Sound & Vision…

“I’ll Take You There” https://youtu.be/uY3vgBzgYn4

Rhymin’ Simon “Kodachrome” https://youtu.be/8rlDTK6QI-w

Etta James “Tell Mama” https://youtu.be/t_wbyv1TgIQ

Traffic live in 1972 https://youtu.be/ocjSc7v83pk

Linda Ronstadt “Rock Me on the Water” https://youtu.be/0_KvuFJZebs

Laura Nyro “Blackpatch” https://youtu.be/2f0MKzrfOgc

Cher “I Walk on Gilded Splinters” https://youtu.be/Wmvts0p1uL0

Boz Scaggs and Duane Allman “Loan Me a Dime” https://youtu.be/oTFvAvsHC_Y

“The Swampers”