1. Untitled (How Does It Feel) – D’Angelo

Steve, I know exactly what you mean about Pino’s rhythm on this album. Before this, I’d never heard so few notes sound so goddam POCKET. IMHO this song’s as chill as it gets.

2. Teen Town – Jaco

Gotta go with Flemming on this one, this track’s inevitable for me.

3. What Is Hip – Tower of Power

Rocco Prestia’s just relentless with the 16th’s on this track. Undoubtedly one of my tops all time.

4. Jerry Was A Racecar Driver – Primus

Hard to decide which Les Claypool line to get on here, but I had to see his name on someone’s list!

5. Waiting for the Axe to Fall – Gil Scott-Heron

Some super nasty, old school bass playin. Every single lick is spotless and pocket as hell. (Incidentally, I don’t s’pose anyone knows who’s playing on this album, Real Eyes? I’ve been trying to find out for years, but there’s so little info on it!)

6. Subway to Venus – Red Hot Chili Peppers

Flea’s disgusting on this track. ‘Nuf said.

7. Too High – Stevie Wonder

I could easily play this line every single day for the rest of my life and be happy as pie(?). Sooooo funky. . .

8. Ten Mile Jog – George Duke

Christian’s McBride’s playing on this album (Black Messiah), and this song in particular, NEEDS to be heard. As Christian described, George asked him to “go balls out” on this track and he totally comes through. Wow.

9. Really anything off “Soliloquy” – Michael Manring

Talk about some amazing bass playing! There’s really no one else on Earth that can do what Michael does. How do you narrow it down to a single song off this album?

10. Maxwell Murder – Rancid

Not to totally rip off your answers, but as a kid that started out playing punk, Matt Freeman tore my f*ckin face off with this song. Seein him solo on it live like changed my life.

Oh goody, time to show myself up. It probably won’t come as any surprise to Steve but most of these are from pop songs rather than bass virtuso pieces. I think that probably speaks volumes for my whole take on music but I digress.

Guns of Brixton – Paul Simon. A hummable bassline? The man’s a genius. I also nicked it in a church service and loved the startled looks of recognition from some in the congregation.

Wherever I lay My hat – Pino. I know I’d be strung up by every bass guitarist on the planet, but Pino over Jaco every time for me.

The Real Me – John Entwistle. Can’t believe no-one’s mentioned him yet. The song where his brand of flash works to perfection.

Mr Big – Andy Fraser. Can’t believe no-one’s mentioned him yet (2). The man’s a genius (2). Such taste. (1)

Billie Jean – can’t recall who played this, but it proves simplicity is best.

Je Suis Tombee Amoreuse – Carmel. James Paris almost always plays an upright and the one person who convinced me that upright can be as good as a proper bass.

Hit Me With Your Rythmn Stick – Norman Watt-Roy. Busy and great. Not often convincing bedfellows in my humble.

The Sun Does Rise – Jah Wobble. See comments above

Dazed and Confused – JPJ. Alright I know it was nicked by Jimmy Page from some other chap, but you can’t deny it’s simple, memorable and effective. And if you can, I’ll poke you in the eye.

Another One Bites The Dust – John Deacon. Always underated. As they say, it’s not being able to play them, it’s being able to creat them.

Having lit the blue touch-paper, time to run

Cheers Steve and great to see you and the GLW yesterday.

artibizness Mike – happy to teach you how to play ‘Spirits…’ it’s tough, but doable

Brian – yeah, the international magazine deal is pretty rough… Bass Player originally cost a fortune here. It’s better now. IMHO, the last 18 months of the existence of Bassist Magazine (the last UK bass mag, which folded in 2000, I think) was the best bass journalism I’ve read anywhere. But there’s a whole post in that…

Mike MKS – you SO need to get the whole D’Angelo album. You more than anyone would really dig the rhythmic side of it. Great suggestions too, thanks!

Ben wow, another fan of the synth bass on Radio Musicola. Magic stuff. And I agree, Paul Geary did an amazing job on it live. Thanks for the other suggestions, love the Kaja track too!

Coming up with a list like this is way too hard, so I forced myself to pick a few tracks from this morning’s listening ONLY!

- O My God (The Police; Sting) A great line, and quite busy for Sting. Works really well though.

- Mother Stands For Comfort (Kate Bush; Eberhard Weber). Utterly captivating song, and the bass just sings.

- Malignant Narcissism (Rush; Geddy Lee). OK, OK, so maybe this one IS a bassist’s wet dream, but I couldn’t resist!

- The Pump Rooms Of Bath (Kajagoogoo; Nick Beggs). No, not the ’80s slap-fest Kajagoogoo, but an interesting instrumental, with some nice Jaco-esque bass

- Radio Musicola (Nik Kershaw; synth bass). Lovely synth line—Paul Geary does an excellent live interpretation of this on bass too.

- Stumbling Block (Ashley Maher; bassist unknown). I need to dig out the sleeve notes for this. But anyway, two tracks of lovely fretless bass.