Geddy Lee Vs. Paul McCartney

[Kuaizi]

That's my point. Playing in 4/4 or even a 6/8 time signature is much easier than playing in mixed time signatures and tempos.
Every member of The Beatles brought something special to the table when writing pretty basic 4/4 songs in a standard key. That's why the songs aren't boring and so much fun to listen to. So I agree Paul is a great bass player and is definitely in my top ten favorite bass players thanks to the melodic basslines he brought.
But to be able to write more complex songs that require more advanced technique is what Geddy brings to the table. That's what makes Rush so good. They are all intelligent musicians at the top of their game, and each of them continues to improve upon their technique and style. Paul's bass playing hasn't really evolved or changed over the past 40 years. If anything, it has decayed since his days with The Beatles. Paul is a great songwriter and craps out great songs in his sleep, but we are talking about bass playing here.
Overall musician = Paul hands down, but bass playing = Geddy

 

[METALPRIEST]

I don't see you as dissin' Paul at all there Kuaizi...I know you're a Beatle fan...I was thinking of some pretty wild Beatles tunes that broke up the standard rythym of things...like Day In A Life, Everybody's Got Something To Hide ect....Beatles liked a good waltz rythym from time to time too.

I like the points you made about Geddy Lee and Natural Science is a good example. What I liked best about your post is where you pointed out about it "making sense". Right on...I listen to alot of prog and there are alot of bands that use time changes just for the sake of it. Sooo true.

RUSH does all of this too....but somehow manage to make it painless and enjoyable to listeners of all types.

..and before any Beatle fans get mad at me..I voted Paul

 

[runtfan]

The Who didn't compose a full album until 1967, which was just before The Beatles would be calling it quits.

"The Who Sings My Generation" was 1965 - and contained My Generation, which at that time was better, flashier, and more out front than anything McCartney had done at that point. Paul was always a good, solid bass player but his best bass lines came on the mid-to-late period Beatles. And McCartney never, at any point, pushed the role of bass player to the forefront like Entwistle ( and many others to come) did...and Paul only played some of his best bass parts in the studio since the Beatles were off the road by 1965 or '66.
And then there's Entwistle's tone, which was as influential as his playing, and which Paul has never come close to.

 

[The Beatles]

"The Who Sings My Generation" was 1965 - and contained My Generation, which at that time was better, flashier, and more out front than anything McCartney had done at that point. Paul was always a good, solid bass player but his best bass lines came on the mid-to-late period Beatles. And McCartney never, at any point, pushed the role of bass player to the forefront like Entwistle ( and many others to come) did...and Paul only played some of his best bass parts in the studio since the Beatles were off the road by 1965 or '66.
And then there's Entwistle's tone, which was as influential as his playing, and which Paul has never come close to.

What do you mean by tone?

 

[The Beatles]

That's my point. Playing in 4/4 or even a 6/8 time signature is much easier than playing in mixed time signatures and tempos.
Every member of The Beatles brought something special to the table when writing pretty basic 4/4 songs in a standard key. That's why the songs aren't boring and so much fun to listen to. So I agree Paul is a great bass player and is definitely in my top ten favorite bass players thanks to the melodic basslines he brought.
But to be able to write more complex songs that require more advanced technique is what Geddy brings to the table. That's what makes Rush so good. They are all intelligent musicians at the top of their game, and each of them continues to improve upon their technique and style. Paul's bass playing hasn't really evolved or changed over the past 40 years. If anything, it has decayed since his days with The Beatles. Paul is a great songwriter and craps out great songs in his sleep, but we are talking about bass playing here.
Overall musician = Paul hands down, but bass playing = Geddy

Yeah I do see your point, I agree.

 

[runtfan]

What do you mean by tone?

I mean the actual sound of the bass. Entwistle had a bright, punchy, in your face sound ( much more evident on live recordings than studio recordings) and that tone was a big influence on Chris Squire and Geddy Lee, just to name two other, later exceptional rock bassists who, in turn, have influenced a couple generations of bass players since.
McCartney's bass came much more to the forefront in the mixes of Beatles records from around Rubber Soul/Revolver on, but he had more of a thick, dull, conventional bass tone - akin to an acoustic upright bass pushed to the forefront of the mix ( "duct tape on the strings" as I've heard it described), whereas Entwistle had much more of a "piano" sound - which became common for tons and tons of hard rock and prog rock bass players.
McCartney's bass tone can be acheived anywhere, anytime, by pretty much any bass...not so with a "piano" bass sound like Entwistle/Chris Squire/ Geddy Lee ( to name just a few).
Interesting that Chris Squire bought a Rickenbacker bass because that's what McCartney was using ( from the mid 60's on) and he was a McCartney devotee and Squire had an entirely different tone than McCartney - much more Entwistle like - using the same bass. Geddy Lee was a huge fan of Entwistle and Squire and also used a Rickenbacker ( just like McCartney and Squire) and had that "piano" bass sound like Entwistle and Squire ( and unlike McCartney).

 

[LG]

I don't mind healthy exchanges, but I definitely don't want to see any personal animosity break out in this thread, so far it has been civil, let's keep it that way.

I have removed a few posts to restore some order in here, let's move on and stay on Fielding's topic, better bassist Geddy or Paul.

Please and thank you.

 

[tomcat]

paul

 

[the_spore]

I love Paul to death, but I cast my vote for Geddy.

 

[Lynch]

There are a number of things you can rank these guys on:

Singing? McCartney
Songwriting? McCartney
Keys? McCartney
Overall versatility? McCartney
Frontman / Showman? McCartney
Popularity? McCartney


But purely as a bassist, Geddy is much better than McCartney, I don't think it's even close.