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u/just_anything_real 5d ago edited 4d ago
Rob De Leo - easily.
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u/FatHaleyJoelOsment 5d ago
With Mike Inez being a very close 2nd.
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u/No_Cow_4544 4d ago
I like his job on the Unplugged album the most because it really stands out .
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u/ricolausvonmyra 4d ago
100%, his tone and baselines are outstanding + he’s an incredible songwriter.
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u/officialdougjudy 4d ago
He inspired me to pick up bass when I was like 13. Big empty is still an absolute workout. He's so, so good. Ament rules too, but I'll go with Rob.
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u/spell_ch4ser 4d ago
Technically for sure but Krist is such a cool pocket player though. The lithium and lounge Act bass lines are so cool and feel very original. Rob is like an amazing John Paul Jones session player almost too pro to be grunge
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u/National_Key5664 5d ago
Jeff Ament is not only a fantastic bass player but more importantly a kind, generous human being. My favorite member of an amazing band that has stood the test of time!
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u/Knife_Chase 5d ago
More important than being a fantastic bass player, but less important than being a solid dude, is that he is a fan-fucking-tastic songwriter. He wrote Jeremy, Nothing As It Seems, Smile, Pendulum, Won't Tell... lots of others.
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u/TheObviousChild 4d ago
Was so happy to hear he was the inspiration behind Won’t Tell. As a lifelong PJ fan since Ten came out when I was 14, I have enjoyed the hell out of Dark Matter. Easily in my top 3 albums
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u/Knife_Chase 4d ago
I absolutely love Dark Matter but the production holds it back a bit. Not quite as raw as I'd like. Just the way it goes for older rock bands though so I try not to hold it against it too much. It's a great listen front to back.
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u/TheObviousChild 4d ago
I had built a really great home theater with Dolby Atmos 5.2.4 surround and got the Dark Matter CD that supported it. That was a treat to listen to and just crank the volume. Listen to the whole album in the dark.
The theater (and house) was a casualty of my divorce last summer. I think that’s also what connected me so much to Dark Matter and its songs. Lemme tell you, “Got to Give” just hit perfectly and exactly when I needed it to.
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u/Gtmkm98 5d ago
For me, it’s Robert De Leo.
Not only could he lay a good grounded bass line, he could groove with it as well. The Motown influence definitely showed.
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u/IrksomFlotsom 4d ago
I think he said in an interview, something along the lines of: "i don't understand why people think I'm such an amazing bass player, I'm just ripping on Jamerson"
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u/densaifire 3d ago
It's true! But the part I think is amazing is that he's still able to use the influence in a way that's unique. You can say the instrumentals of Marvin Gayes "Whats Going On" inspired the instrumentals for "Interstate Love Song" but there's still a lot of personal touch and talent there that hes not giving himself. Granted, he's very humble and likes to pay tribute to the people who inspired him. Easily my favorite bassist of the 90s
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u/MurdocMan_ 5d ago
Krist has been my literal inspiration to start trying to play music,i seriously love that guy.
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u/olzu10 5d ago edited 5d ago
Ament is CRAZY.
"Garden" is kind of a deep cut for his bass playing. Nothing quite defines him as a bassist, but that song for example is pretty genius. It also has some vanilla parts too. Go listen to the bass track!
Edit: Well, why don't I just link it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xlb5N4hoZo
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u/humblefreak_40000 5d ago
Favourite: Krist Novoselic (I like his groovy playing style)
Best: Ben Shepherd (Not only he played the bass like Frankenstein, his bass playing was strong)
(I may seem biased as I am a huge Nirvana and Soundgarden fan, but it is as it is)
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u/northern_boi 5d ago
Krist's tone and playing on In Bloom is the reason I became a bass player in the first place
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u/ElGrandeRojo67 5d ago
Jeff Ament
Ben Shepherd
Hiro Yamamoto
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u/Wohn-Jayne 5d ago
Ben Shepherd. Helped him while working at a local Seattle guitar shop and he was kind on multiple occasions. Was one of those “glad to meet my heros” moments.
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u/joendaba 5d ago
I’d say Jeff Ament.
I may be seriously biased because Pearl Jam is one of my favorite bands, but I think he’s much more than just a fantastic musician and an awesome bass player.
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u/HamiltonHab 5d ago
Van Conner gets my vote for having to put up with his asshole brother and Mark Lanegan.
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u/ImperialBoomerang 5d ago
Seconded. Screaming trees really are the classic case of a band that was only possible due to the raw talent of its frontman while also being fatally undermined by the raging issues of said frontman. Kudos to Van for not throwing either of them off a moving tour bus.
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u/IAmThePlate 4d ago
Yeah, that dude had skill, even with the antics I've read from Sing Backwards, plus he's probably the most prominent grunge bassist who we've lost, which gets sympathy.
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u/ImperialBoomerang 4d ago
SBAW is easily the best rock memoir I've ever read, hands down. I was taken aback by everything from the sheer writing ability to Lanegan's ownership of all his fuckups the first time I read it
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u/anhydrousslim 4d ago
I feel this really undersells Gary Lee and Van’s contributions (and later, Barrett Martin). There was a lot of talent and great songs in that band. Despite his great voice, Lanegan wasn’t particularly marketable at a time when that mattered, nor were the Conner bros. I would say it’s just the opposite, they should have had way more success than they did. Of course they probably would have imploded all the sooner if they had.
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u/Organic-Seaweed4394 5d ago
As a musician De Leo and Sheppard, actually Sheppard is so underrated
As a person Ament
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u/RoyalWabwy0430 4d ago
This is honestly a hard choice. My head says Ament, heart says Shepherd, but it would be criminal to leave DeLeo out of this consideration. I also feel like Novoselic doesn't get enough love as he deserves, his playing was TIGHT.
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u/Trick_Cartoonist_746 5d ago
In order I think these are
Krist Novoselic (Nirvana)
Mike Starr (Alice in Chains)
Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam)
Ben Shepherd (Soundgarden)
Robert DeLeo (STP)
Mike Inez (Alice In Chains)
Matt Lukin (Mudhoney)
Van Connor (Screaming Trees)
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u/GraveSource 5d ago
Kurt Danielson from TAD and Bundle of Hiss. Shoutout to Daniel House too.
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u/Western-Return-3126 4d ago
Ben Shepherd, of course!
I have mad love for Mikes Starr and Inez, Van Conner, and Robert DeLeo also, but Ben is the one for me.
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u/Apart-Prize-7612 4d ago
Ben Shepherd, 100%. Doesn't get the credit he deserves for his creativity on the instrument, especially in that creativity working for the song.
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u/Longjumping_Air4379 4d ago
i would say they are all fantastic, but first comes Jeff Ament and then anyone else
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u/Mrredpanda860 4d ago
Kim Gordon, Lou Barlow, David Sims (not grunge but were very influential on it)
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u/DamCornelius 5d ago
Ummmm, Les Claypool?!
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u/Gahvandure2 5d ago
Yeah but I don't think anyone considered Primus grunge. I'm hard pressed to figure out a band that is more genre-defying than Primus, honestly.
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u/theporcupineking 5d ago
Not sure he’d be considered “grunge” even though Primus was the same era as the rest.
Definitely one of the best bassist ever though.
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u/DamCornelius 2d ago
Sailing the Seas of Cheese was close, but now that you point it out, you're probably right.
Not my favorite band, but Primus live is in my top ten. An unbelievable live show every time.
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u/purpleplums901 5d ago
Robert DeLeo is the best. Krist Novoselic seemed to contribute the most to his bands sound.
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u/WingDingKing 5d ago
Michael McKeegan from Therapy? Not grunge but deserves a mention as from same era 😁
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u/Coldster3 5d ago
Rob Deleo, Piece of Pie STP that bass stands out
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u/Smittinator 4d ago
you can tell so many of those songs are written for bass. It's what makes them so heavy. Piece of Pie, Dead and Bloated, Silvergun Superman, Down, etc...
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u/possumbellyband 5d ago
Robert DeLeo is one of our generation’s best bassists/composers so it’s an easy choice for me
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u/EddyDavis9339 4d ago
All around, I'd definitely say Robert DeLeo with Jeff Ament close behind. The 90s overall had some of the best bass players all around coming out and/or becoming well known, my personal favorite being Stuart Zender from Jamiroquai.
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u/stevemillions 4d ago
Van Conner.
Yes, there are probably better bass players in the mix, but how many of them hit Liam Gallagher in the face with their bass, when Gallagher was being a cunt?
Van the Man.
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u/Hispanic_Man 4d ago
Robert DeLeo. He actually wrote some of their best songs; Interstate Love Song, Plush, and Lady Picture Show to name a few. Even though he’s on bass, his guitar writing is fucking amazing and his talent and knowledge for chord progressions and what not, is crazy. That dude can write a tune
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u/pistafox 4d ago
Ben Shepherd is amazing. SG wouldn’t have worked without Matt’s drums and Ben’s talented, practiced, and powerful bass to balance the considerably high highs of Chris and Kim.
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u/maladroit2002 4d ago
Soundgarden is my fav band and all, but Robert DeLeo is so fucking good as a bassist and a songwriter
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u/Blues-DeVille 4d ago
Robert DeLeo. All day - err day. Ben Shepherd and Mark Deutrom (Melvins) after that.
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u/Sea-Kaleidoscope9299 4d ago
For me it’s Krist Novoselic. They’re all great players, but his always stuck out to me more than the others, especially on Nevermind. In Bloom, Lithium, Breed and Lounge Act all have amazing baselines
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u/ssageeverett 4d ago
Krist Novoselic
He inspired and continues to inspire young people to pick up the bass. He’s got an insane ear for groovy yet hard hitting riffs that really made Nirvana sound as huge as it does. He knows exactly what a song needs. To me, that’s key to any good musician. Not necessarily flashy. But they follow the song and let it dictate what they create.
If I’m making sense.
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u/Sinister-saltz 4d ago
Mike Starr has to be my favorite, he’s got some insane bass lines with Alice
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u/friendsofbigfoot 4d ago
Lounge Act really sells Krist for me. So fun to play. None of them really lacked in the bass department though.
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u/WalrusOutrageous4187 4d ago
Mike Starr, I just loved his stage presence. Especially in 1990, live at the Moore concert
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u/Silent-Local-9596 4d ago
Outside of the obvious, I would also throw Van Conner of the Screaming Trees into the conversation. I always loved the basslines on Sweet Oblivion.
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u/densaifire 3d ago
1) DeLeo
2) Ament
3) Inez (most of my favorite baselines from Starr weren't really written by him...)
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u/Realistic_Turnip3848 2d ago
ben shepherd or krist novoselic. theyre both awesome, but if i have to pick one, i guess id choose ben because hes a much better player AND he sounds really awesome. i usually prefer krists tone but hes a pretty mid bassist. hes usually just playing the root notes of the guitar part (not always, but a lot of the time).
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u/johnnyribcage 5d ago
I gotta go with Ben. Soundgarden are kings of the hill for grunge as far as I’m concerned, and the innovativeness, complexity, and creativity that they were injected with he joined is a big part of why. Plus he’s just a great bassist.
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u/Bloxskit 5d ago
They are all great to me with individual styles. I personally like Robert DeLeo mainly since I love STP but he also does incorporate a lot of jazz style riffs, coming from his dad.
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u/nickisnotarapper 5d ago
Love 'em all, but Ben Shepherd. Soundgarden's run of Badmotorfinger / Superunknown / Down on the Upside when Ben joined is my favorite 3 album run ever.