When Curtis Mayfield left The Impressions to forge his remarkable career as a solo artist, he wisely took the late, great Joseph “Lucky” Scott with him. A self-taught player who did not read a note of music, Lucky created the iconic bass motifs which defined “Freddie’s Dead,”  “Pusherman,” “Superfly,” “We Got to Have Peace,” and “Mighty Mighty” among others.

 

Digging deep in-the-pocket with occasional harmonic flourishes and a fat Fender tone, Scott intuitively created rhythm and space for Curtis’ to improvise and sing songs which moved a generation – intellectually and physically!    

 

KYBP Reader David W. Richardson: Big up to a legendary Bass Master, Lucky lives on through the Hip Bass lines he created.

 

Joseph Lucky Scott Sound & Vision

 

 “Freddie’s Dead” https://youtu.be/xMoyBalIj4Q

 

“Pusher Man” https://youtu.be/W8Rm7IO4foU

 

“Superfly” https://youtu.be/vTWZ2e0sLaQ

 

“We Got to Have Peace” https://youtu.be/JaUpaYXfOco

 

“Mighty Mighty” https://youtu.be/O7qtatphOJs

 

 

He was the anchor of Charles Wright & The Watts 103^rd Street Rhythm Band, and later, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame soul icon Bill Withers.

 

Fueled by gospel, rhythm & blues, and jazz influences – among Melvin’s seminal tracks include “Express Yourself,” “Do Your Thing,” “Use Me,” “Who Is He and What Is He to You?” “Grandma’s Hands,” “Harlem / Cold Baloney.” 

 

Melvin’s weapons of choice include the Fender Telecaster bass and Fender Precision.

 

Melvin Dunlap Sound & Vision:

 

Watch Melvin with Charles Wright “Express Yourself” https://youtu.be/6Q3WuhV5wik

 

Watch Melvin with Bill Withers

 

“Use Me” https://youtu.be/g3hBYTkI-sE

 

“Ain’t No Sunshine” https://youtu.be/CICIOJqEb5c

 

“Grandma’s Hands” https://youtu.be/qv5pagal-ls

 

 

A giant, and an influencer who stands among the greats of any generation. He was an electric bass pioneer, master soloist, heavy groove-player, educator, and sonic innovator, among other attributes. The late John Voorhis “Tim” Bogert radically expanded the role of the instrument on stage and on record by way of his matchless tenure in the groundbreaking ensembles Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, and Beck, Bogert & Appice, in addition to his many other collaborations. 

 

Renowned for his working relationship with drummer Carmine Appice, Bogert’s primary weapon of choice for his most recognized recordings and concert performances was a hybrid Telecaster (neck) and Precision (body) bass – which was sold to a collector. In his later years Bogert utilized an extended range, among other instruments.

 

Photo By Chris Dixon

 

Tim Bogert Sound & Vision…

 

Vanilla Fudge:

 

“You Just Keep Me Hangin’ On” https://youtu.be/xNcFWGox-SM

 

“Shotgun” https://youtu.be/mXez-BqNGtk

 

“Some Velvet Morning” https://youtu.be/zBtKYBKg_yU

 

Beck, Bogert & Appice:

 

“Superstition” https://youtu.be/n0R8Tdr0oB8

 

“Black Cat Moan” https://youtu.be/6qP_t0HySoI

 

“Morning Dew” https://youtu.be/7UjJwjGtyvo

 

Cactus:

 

“One Way or Another” https://youtu.be/ajdc8ZEESUM

 

“Parchman Farm” https://youtu.be/d_y_m0mImGw

 

Boxer: “No Reply” https://youtu.be/-GyQ_O0dQgs

 

Derringer – Bogert -Appice: “Rhapsody in Red” https://youtu.be/O50mwhzJE58

 

Among the most prolific, versatile and accomplished bassists on stage and on record, Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont has anchored some of hard rock’s most groundbreaking and influential artists: Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, Dio, Yngwie Malmsteem, Tony MacAlpine,  Queensryche, and Blue Oyster Cult, to cite a select few.  Rudy currently anchors the legacy edition of The Guess Who. 

 

An author (Off The Rails / 2006), composer, clinician, educator (Rock Bass Essentials), instrument designer (Signature Peavey Cirrus Bass, Spector Signature Bass, Sawtooth Electric / Acoustic Signature Basses, among others), podcast host (The Dash Podcast) – Rudy plies his craft with a crisp tone, deft use of chords and harmonic extensions, and a proclivity to leave space in a genre oft given to over-playing! And he’s a master showman….

 

Incorporating signature jazz, rock, classical, and Latin motifs in his passages and solos, Rudy exemplifies the value of exploring musical formats beyond his chosen genre.

 

Along with Tony Franklin, Boz Burrell, Bill Wyman, Kenny Passarelli, and Jack Bruce, Rudy is among rock’s fretless bass pioneers.

 

As the Rock and Roll Hall Fame is making strides, albeit slowly, in citing the masters and influencers of metal and hard rock, Rudy Sarzo should be recognized for his body of work as a sideman, performer, and bandmember in the Musical Excellence category.

 

Tom Semioli HUFF POST “A Bass Player’s Rant – 33 Bass Players Who Belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” Rudy Sarzo: https://bit.ly/2RusuV0

 

Check out Rudy’s Signature Sawtooth basses: https://www.sawtoothworld.com/acoustic-electric-basses

 

Rudy Sarzo Sound & Vision…

 

Ozzy Osbourne:

 

“Mr. Crowley” https://youtu.be/G3LvhdFEOqs

 

“I Don’t Know” https://youtu.be/ra6bZuCwKy4

 

Quiet Riot:

 

“Bang Your Head” https://youtu.be/O_1ruZWJigo

 

“Mama Weer All Crazee Now” https://youtu.be/gStvjANqoqs

 

Rudy as the consummate song player in a pop rock context: Dig KYBP Adjunct Professor Tony Senatore’s rendition of Rudy’s passage on the Quiet Riot by way of Slade classic “Come On Feel The Noise” https://youtu.be/lgBMgpf7NXo

 

Whitesnake:

 

“Still of the Night” https://youtu.be/9VOvlHUWfs4

 

“Is This Love” https://youtu.be/W6YypskaWvA

 

Project Driver: “I Can See It In Your Eyes” https://youtu.be/lIlswNoPnIg

 

KYBP Adjunct Professor Tony Senatore’s rendition from Rudy’s Project Driver “Nations On Fire” https://youtu.be/y6JS3VNEsXc

 

Manic Eden: “Can You Feel It” https://youtu.be/5s-Anco9jmM

 

 

 

KYBP ZOOM ZESSIONS / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW

 

KNOW YOUR BASS PLAYER / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW: “I look forward to beautiful uncertainties, everything I have succeeded with comes from the unknown…” A behind-the-scenes vignette from a mesmeric conversation with RUDY SARZO by host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli. Rudy reflects on the Rock Hall of Fame, his induction into the Miami-Dade College Hall of Fame, motivations in life, Randy Rhoads’ love of teaching, and his future aspirations. The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show airs on Cygnus Radio.

 

KNOW YOUR BASS PLAYER / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW: “Your bass doesn’t have any bloody frets!” In this behind-the-scenes clip with host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli, Rudy Sarzo discusses his Cuban rhythmic roots, his ’59 Fender Precision and “Frankenstein” ’67 Fender Jazz, Pino Palladino’s passive bass resurgence, and the time when Ozzy Osbourne realized that Rudy’s instrument was devoid of metal strips on the fretboard! The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show airs on Cygnus Radio.

 

KNOW YOUR BASS PLAYER / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW: In the first in a series of six unedited interview clips from a 2021 broadcast of The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show on Cygnus Radio, Rudy Sarzo talks about his Cuban musical and cultural roots, his ’59 Fender Precision and ’67 Jazz basses; David displays his fretless six-string, and Ozzy bellows “you don’t have any frets on that bloody bass!’ among other topics! With host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli.

 

KNOW YOUR BASS PLAYER / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW: In the second in a series of six unedited interview clips from a 2021 broadcast of The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show on Cygnus Radio, Rudy Sarzo talks about his signature Sawtooth electric and acoustic bass, the instruments he’s used over the years, amplification, and playing the Miami club scene. With host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli.

 

KNOW YOUR BASS PLAYER / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW: In the third in a series of six unedited interview clips from a 2021 broadcast of The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show on Cygnus Radio, with Rudy Sarzo, our discussion covers such topics as: music education, the homogenization of arts and culture, Rudy’s media studies at Miami-Dade and his work in digital platforms, his work as a podcast host, and reflections on Randy Rhoads, among other topics. With host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli.

 

KNOW YOUR BASS PLAYER / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW: In the fourth in a series of six unedited interview clips from a 2021 broadcast of The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show on Cygnus Radio, Rudy Sarzo talks about his early family life and emigration from Cuba; musical influences spanning The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin, touring with Ozzy, and Whitesnake, among other topics. With host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli.

 

KNOW YOUR BASS PLAYER / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW: In the fourth in a series of five unedited interview clips from a 2021 broadcast of The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show on Cygnus Radio, Rudy Sarzo reflects on the record industry: then and now, his podcast, working with Blue Oyster Cult on his mid-show bass solo, surviving the loss of Randy Rhoads, and the perils of fame and fortune, among other topics. With host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli.

 

KNOW YOUR BASS PLAYER / THE BASS GUITAR CHANNEL RADIO SHOW: In the sixth and final episode in a series of six unedited interview clips from a 2021 broadcast of The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show on Cygnus Radio, Rudy Sarzo ruminates o’er such topics as the “hair band era” (notes David “spandex is the most forgiving of fabrics!”), the balance of musicianship and showmanship, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, his induction into the Miami-Dade College Hall of Fame, among other subjects. With host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli.

“I had been telling everyone since I was sixteen years old that I was going to play with Weather Report after Jaco. And when word got out that Jaco had gone solo, everyone in New York said to me ‘that’s your gig!”

The late Victor Bailey not only assumed the Weather Report bass chair after the aforementioned icon propelled the band to international stardom, he pushed Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter’s jazz juggernaut to even greater artistic heights as evidenced on his debut slab with WR – Procession (1983), which to my ears, was their most definitive collection.

Son of writer, arranger, producer Morris Bailey, who was a major player in The Sound of Philadelphia, working with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, Nina Simon, LaBelle, Billy Paul, and The Stylistics, Victor – akin to so many bass players, Victor commenced his life’s musical journey as a drummer. And as is the case with many bassists, when the bass player quit the band, Victor was drafted, displaying a natural affinity for the instrument.

Working the doghouse and the electric, Bailey studied at Berklee College of Music – his classmates included a who’s who of contemporary jazz: Kevin Eubanks, Greg Osby, Branford Marsalis, Cindy Blackman Santana, Jeff Watts, Stu Ham and a guitarist by the name of Steve Vai, to cite a few.

A composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, educator, solo recording artist, and sideman, Bailey anchored a diverse array of artists including Lady Gaga, Madonna, Michael Brecker, Steps Ahead, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, Larry Coryell, Santana, Lenny White,  Kenny Garrett, Sting, Madonna, Pharoah Sanders, and Sonny Rollins to cite a select few.  

Fender included Victor in the Artist Bass Series, with a Victor Baily Signature Jazz Bass.

Fender Victor Bailey Series: https://youtu.be/YRZeKV8aNoY

Dig Victor with…

Weather Report:

“Procession” https://youtu.be/TwMa5HMVW2Q

“Pearl On the Half Shell” https://youtu.be/C1lrRftmocs

“Where The Moon Goes” https://youtu.be/-c78fZpMU0Y

“Consequently” https://youtu.be/ZsmojSMxSO4

Michael Brecker and Steps Ahead – Live at the North Sea Jazz Fest 1985 https://youtu.be/en_KYaXmBVQ

Lady Gaga “Just Dance” https://youtu.be/2Abk1jAONjw

Larry Coryell and Lenny White Live at the Jazz Triumph Festival 2006 https://youtu.be/3NieL0tzqGo

From Victor’s solo sides…

“City Living” https://youtu.be/Ku_imGJtmds

“Kid Logic” https://youtu.be/jS_X0xwhPQQ

 

With Roger Capps workin’ the pocket, the former Patricia Mae Andrzejewski hit a generation with her best shot of hard rock in a pop context!

A songwriter (“Hell is for Children”), collaborator, band-member, and producer; Roger served as the house bassist for New York City’s legendary Catch A Rising Star comedy club in its groundbreaking 1970s heyday wherein he supported such iconic performers including Robin Williams, Shelley Ackerman, and Richard Belzer to cite a select few.

As a founding member of Pat Benatar’s multi-platinum ensemble, Roger was among the first bassists to bridge hard-rock, pop, metal, and new wave with passages that exuded melody and rhythm.

Plying his craft via fretless, extended range, and the traditional four; Roger was twice recognized in CREEM’s Top Ten Bassists of the Year Poll.

Roger is still rockin’ on the bandstand – keep up with Capps here: https://webelongtribute.com/home

Dig Roger on “Hell is for Children” https://youtu.be/NGTv53Y1xS8

Dig Roger live with Pat in ‘82 https://youtu.be/Eo_HU6Lqh48

 

 

It doesn’t get much deeper than Wonda!

A producer, session cat, sideman, studio entrepreneur, pop and soundtrack composer, multi-instrumentalist, and former musical director of The Fugees (he co-produced The Score along with his cousin Wyclef Jean), among other endeavors, Grammy Award winning bassist Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis augments his reverence for Aston Barrett and James Jamerson with a phat low B which percolates in-the-pocket akin to the aforementioned groove masters.

Dig Wonda on fretless with Wyclef “If I Was President” https://youtu.be/9pq_3OheqzU

Also known as “Ti Bass” and “Jerry Wonder” on assorted album credits, among Wonda’s wondrous all-star stage and studio resume includes Melissa Etheridge, Whitney Houston, Ne-Yo, LL Cool J, Jennifer Hudson, Estelle,  Mary J. Blige,  Musiq Soulchild, Shakira, Wyclef John, Destiny’s Child, Lionel Ritchie, and Tom Jones to cite a very few.

An activist and philanthropist in his native Haiti – Wonda is co-founder of Yéle Haiti with Wyclef – a non-profit organization which promotes education.

Dig Jerry with…

Wyclef and Nila “Sweetest Girl” https://youtu.be/6aU8P6HlPr4

Melissa Etheridge (live) “Monster” https://youtu.be/deugmFr0O8w

Musiq Soulchild “Silver and Gold” https://youtu.be/8Zb8uYz6EFo

The Fugees “Killing Me Softly” https://youtu.be/H-RBJNqdnoM

Shakira “Hips Don’t Lie” https://youtu.be/DUT5rEU6pqM

Kerry Wilson “Freedom Ride” https://youtu.be/BclygKkszYA

Selah Sue “Fade Away” https://youtu.be/9Y4MvBZ4cRw

With Lionel Ritchie “I’m Coming Home” https://youtu.be/1SZuUumHa2I

By Tom Semioli

For a time, he was the “&” in Darryl Hall & John Oates! His impressive body of work on stage and on record traverses pop, rock, funk, fusion, jazz and rhythm & blues and permutations thereof.

 

A prolific studio ace, sideman, composer John Siegler waxed sides with artists including Todd Rundgren and Utopia, the aforementioned Daryl Hall & John Oates, Bette Midler, Desmond Child, Edgar Winter, Cher, Roger Daltrey, Rick Derringer, Meat Loaf, Tim Curry, Air, and Moogy Klingman, among others. Siegler’s main weapon of choice was a Fender Jazz bass (which he still plays) with the bridge pick-up tweaked ever-so-slightly to afford a biting tone ala Jaco, which was rather vogue in the late ’70s – early ’80s. 

 

Nowadays John composes, arranges, and appears on soundtracks for film, television, and advertisements and plays select gigs at The Bitter End.

 

 

John Siegler Sound & Vision:

 

Air “Man Is Free” https://youtu.be/80lElVCVA8A

 

Todd & Utopia:

 

“Freak Parade” https://youtu.be/DitwakvT7hw

 

“Another Life” https://youtu.be/68CszREd_rY

 

(Reunion) “Lady Face” https://youtu.be/nWupBsiOom0

 

(Reunion) “The Ikon” https://youtu.be/OeFkydP5PFs

 

John’s and performance speech at The Bitter End memorial concert for Utopia keyboardist  Moogy Clingman  – performing “A Dream Goes On Forever” along with The Utopians Kasim Sulton, Jesse Gress, Daryl Tookes, Curtis King, and Julie Eigenberg https://youtu.be/_adj3LnbVQM

 

Darryl Hall & John Oates:

 

“Can’t Stop the Music” https://youtu.be/dSBZtisVJaA

 

“Beanie G and the Rose Tattoo” https://youtu.be/iSoK8Khy6A4

 

“You Make My Dreams Come True” https://youtu.be/EErSKhC0CZs

 

KYBP Adjunct Professor Tony Senatore’s renditions of John with DH & JO:

 

 “Your Imagination” https://youtu.be/Uy7myz5KwW8

 

“Looking for a Good Sign” https://youtu.be/XT3NBHSNAJo

 

“Tell Me What You Want” https://youtu.be/sGe452RgVTw

 

 

Bassist Michael Visceglia Reveals a View from the Side by Tom Semioli

This feature appeared in Huffington Post in June 2015

 

“You ask the average person what a bass is, or what a bass sounds like, and most of the time, they don’t know. But remove the bass from any piece of music and suddenly it becomes the largest missing piece in the world! Whoa, fifty percent of the music just went away with one instrument! It is an instrument that is much more conspicuous by its absence than by its presence…”

 

A few weeks ago I interviewed Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Dennis Dunaway upon the release of his memoire Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! My Adventures in the Alice Cooper Group – and among the many profound statements he imparted to me was “rock ‘n’ roll …if it doesn’t kill ya, it will keep you forever young.” Which brings me directly to Michael Visceglia, an ageless cat who has plied his oft anonymous yet essential craft on recorded works and concert performances with such artists as Suzanne Vega, John Cale, Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, Bette Midler, Phoebe Snow, and Christopher Cross, to reference a very few.

 

Shortly following his latest performance from the orchestra pit of Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein’s Tony Award Winning Broadway musical Kinky Boots on a warm spring evening, Mr. Visceglia is sitting across the table from me in one of those Italian restaurants that Billy Joel once portrayed in song to discuss his new book, which, as the most mesmeric works often are, is borne of “a labor of love…it was a completely non- commercial idea at first!”

 

As for the play, which was cited for Best Musical and Best Original Score, Mike’s grooves are worth the price of admission alone – but go see the production anyway. “For a Tuesday night” he enthuses, “this was a fantastic gig…the audience was really into it…everything clicked.”

 

In short, Visceglia’s terrific tome A View From the Side, negotiates many themes which may appear disparate at first, but they all resolve in the end – much like an effective bass-line that grabs an audience – even if they cannot fathom the source of the rhythm, harmony, and rumble by no fault of their own. His chronicles of tours with Suzanne Vega, Velvet Underground icon John Cale, the story of the mysterious Miss M as exposed in “The Fan,” and his paean to a friend and mentor entitled “The Many Lives of Jan Arnet,” are the stuff of Hitchcock films. And that’s just the first few chapters.

 

“The idea came from my experiences on the road…” exclaims Michael, “hey if this happened to me, there’s got to be a lot of other musicians who have really interesting things to say…but I kept it in the bass world, because I’m a bass player.” True that, but few scribes can capture the range of emotions that a bass player experiences given the tangible power of the instrument and the role these dedicated yet mostly unknown practitioners play in the music that touches the lives of millions.

 

“But, you don’t have to be a muso or a bass player to appreciate it…” emphasizes the bassist. “I want it to be for anybody who has an interest in the music business and beyond. There is value in these human interest stories. I stayed away from the usual topics of what amplifier or what instrument someone used on a record or a tour. I delved into the thought process, the creative process, how these players keep going in this ever changing business. How do they traverse all the different styles? It’s something everyone can relate to.”

 

Aside from the sometimes torrid yet always touching tales of his personal experiences, Michael’s candid conversations with bassists Will Lee (Late Show with David Letterman), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, John Lennon), Marcus Miller, Colin Moulding (XTC), and the late studio legend Duck Dunn, among others, makes known much about the character of a bass player which will enlighten fans and aspiring musicians alike.

 

Visceglia’s in-depth exchange with James Taylor bassist Leland Sklar, another studio giant, emerges as a pop music history lesson hitherto untold- warts and all. “My goal was to get players from different parts of the country, from different genres…with Lee Sklar, you get a look through the window of how you can be with someone for such a long time and build a career for a star, and you think you are creating an everlasting bond with someone…but you’re really not. And I’ve found that out a few times myself.”

 

Visceglia also shares his expertise on the currently unhinged state of the music business, offering insightful analysis on the death of the record industry; the American Idol-ization of the pop music spectrum, along with practical advice on how to forge a career as a working musician regardless of the seismic shifts in how music is delivered, consumed, and valued by the masses. However unlike many veteran players who have seen it all and continue to pine for days past, Michael waxes wise and most positive.

 

“One thing that an audience always relates to, more than anything else in the world, is authenticity. Of course, there are a lot of fabricated stars out there…that’s fine. And it’s nothing new. But that doesn’t mean that every artist out there is defined by that. To experience the connection that happens between musicians, a song, a voice, an instrument, and an audience…all the people who are in it for the right reasons, and are committed to the art – we will always find an outlet for it. The other stuff, well, that’s just white noise in the background…”

 

With a Fender bass fawning forward by former teacher Gordon Sumner, better known by his stage name Sting – and moving tributes to his late father, without whom Michael would have never picked up a bass to embark on his incredible life journey, A View From the Side is among the most realistic, accurate and useful collection of essays for bass players, musicians, and fans that I’ve come across in many years. I’m not at all surprised that it was written by a bass player.

 

“The nature of the bass is supportive. It’s the only instrument that exists in three worlds – the rhythmic, the harmonic, and melodic worlds. In order to have longevity in this business, from my own experiences and from everybody I talked with, you have to be highly committed, highly flexible – you cannot have a rigid outlook on your life and the way you think things are supposed to be…because the script isn’t written that way!”

 

Michael Visceglia’s A View From the Side, published by Wizdom Media LLC and distributed by Alfred Music is out now.

 

Michael Visceglia on Know Your Bass Player on Film Season One – 2016, New York City, Euphoria Studios https://bit.ly/3lpvHBX

 

This feature appeared in Huffington Post, October 2015. 

We serve the singer, the song, the soloist, and ultimately the listener. Though we do not possess the harmonic nor sonic range of a guitar, keyboards, voice, horns, wind instruments, nor the dynamics of drums and percussion-the bass player determines how a musical chord actually sounds – which, in essence -often determines whether or not you’ll like the track. Do the math!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees have been announced and I congratulate all the artists: The Cars, Chic, Chicago, Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Janet Jackson, The J.B.’s, Chaka Khan, Los Lobos, Steve Miller, Nine Inch Nails, N.W.A., The Smiths, The Spinners, and Yes.

Since the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation began in 1983 there has been much controversy over who belongs and who does not. It’s no different than sports Halls of Fame. Controversy, dispute, and rock ‘n’ roll are siblings, and I accept that. However I must stand up for my woefully neglected bass brethren, some of whom no longer lay down the groove on this mortal coil.

As such, history reveals that when iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Famers fired their signature bass players, their commercial and artistic fortunes waned considerably: Elton John, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen – who recovered when he re-hired the E Street Band, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Alice Cooper – who dumped his entire original band; among others, were never the same sans their formative four string bandmates.

Obviously there are more than eleven bass players who deserve recognition in the Hall. Based on conversations with my fellow players, musicians, engineers, producers, writers, and vinyl loving devotees, herein are eleven from the classic rock era who must be cited, especially given the fact that they appear on several Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artists’ most important recordings.

This list, in the tradition of Spinal Tap, goes to 11!

Dee Murray: To atone for producer Gus Dudgeon’s curious refusal to utilize his extraordinary road band in the studio until 1972, Elton John released 11-17-70 which is among the essential live albums of any era in rock. Bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson, who, along with guitarist Davey Johnstone, also created the vocal harmonies to Elton’s early classics, distinguished themselves as an elite rhythm section. The original Elton John Band’s absence from the Hall of Fame is inexcusable.

Carl Radle: From the late 1960s until his untimely passing in 1980, bassist Carl Radle’s jaw-dropping resume includes enduring releases by Hall of Famers Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Dr. John, Leon Russell, Buddy Guy, Art Garfunkel, Donovan, and Bob Dylan. Carl’s work on Layla & Other Assorted Love Songs is irreplaceable: every bassist in Slowhand’s subsequent ensembles renders Radle’s lines from that album nearly note-for-note – that’s how extraordinary Carl was!

Kenny Aaronson: Cited as Bassist of the Year in 1988 by Rolling Stone, Kenny is among rock’s most versatile and resourceful players. His career spans scores of seminal sides and concert performances, including Hall of Famers Ronnie Spector, Bob Dylan, Sammy Hagar, Joan Jett, Daryl Hall & John Oates, and one artist whose omission from the Hall is sacrilege: Rick Derringer.

Harvey Brooks: Session bassist and producer Harvey Brooks was the go-to player on the New York studio scene in the 1960s. As the electric bass was essentially in its infancy, Brooks brought his deep understanding of blues, pop, soul, folk, and jazz to the instrument, appearing on such influential albums by Hall of Famers Bob Dylan (Highway 61 Revisited) Miles Davis (Bitches Brew -with Dave Holland), the Doors (Soft Parade), and Al Kooper’s Super Sessions with Mike Bloomfield, to name a few.

John Dalton and Jim Rodford: Behold the missing Kinks! Of the bassists who served Muswell Hill’s favorite sons following the departure of founding member Peter Quaife, John Dalton is likely the one player whom American rock fans heard the most on FM radio by way of “Lola,” “Victoria,” “20th Century Man,” “Celluloid Heroes,” and “Jukebox Music,” among many others from 1969 to 1976. Jim Rodford was a founding member of the progressive pop powerhouse Argent (1969-76) and the longest tenured (1978-96) and most musically adept bassist The Kinks ever employed.

Klaus Voorman: In addition to his brilliant performances on the Beatles’ extensive solo canon, Klaus was a first- call studio bassist for Hall of Famers B.B. King, Donovan, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lou Reed, Randy Newman, and Dion, among others. Voorman’s intro to Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” a hit song about another Hall of Famer, is among the most recognizable motifs in the history of pop music.

Herbie Flowers: “Being a bass-player is like being a truck driver…you’re paid to arrive on time and safely at your destination!” His repetitive, major 10th interval glissando created rock’s greatest bassline for Hall of Famer Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” With a blue 1960 Fender Jazz which he purchased from Manny’s in New York City for $79.00, Herbie Flowers emerged as the quintessential session player in his native UK. His drop-tuning bass on David Essex’s “Rock On,” and riveting counterpoint beneath David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” remain watershed.

Lee Sklar: A session giant with album credits in the thousands, Lee was the foundation for “The Section” – a musical assemblage of Los Angeles based virtuosos who were the catalyst on scores of iconic album and singles sessions. Among the Hall of Famers Lee enhanced include: James Taylor, Ray Charles, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Donna Summer, Jackson Browne, Diana Ross, David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Michael Jackson, among others.

Doug Yule: For all the hipster hosannas heaped upon the Velvet Underground – and deservedly so, one essential member is oft overlooked – bassist Doug Yule, who joined the band upon John Cale’s dismissal in 1968. Unlike Cale, who was indifferent to the instrument, Yule was a fine bass player and singer who complimented Lou’s gravitation from the avant-garde towards the then burgeoning singer-songwriter movement. Though The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) and White Light/White Heat (1968) were influential, groundbreaking efforts; to my ears Velvet Underground(1969) and Loaded (1970) both with Yule, are the VU’s most enduring works.

Will Lee: Assuming the mantle created by Doc Severinsen’s legendary NBC Orchestra as heard on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson – bandleader Paul Shaffer and bassist Will Lee’s groundbreaking tenure in the World’s Most Dangerous Band for David Letterman’s Late Night and Late Show brought the language of rock, blues, soul, folk, country, jazz fusion, and funk to the Great American Songbook.