In this episode of Prisoners of Rock and Roll, we’re diving into the shadows of the stage—the bass players, the four-string rebels who hold down the low end.. These aren’t just rhythm keepers; they’re the heartbeat of rock, the growl in the groove.

We’ve put together a list of some of the most iconic bass players in music history. James Jamerson, the legendary Motown musician who played the slinky groove for What’s Going On while laying drunk on the studio floor. 

Bootsy Collins and his cosmic funk. Lemmy eating lightning and crapping thunder as the bassist for Motorhead. The psychedelic jams of Phil Lesh, the jazz fire of Charles Mingus, and Les Claypool’s…whatever it is that he does. Paul McCartney, The Ox, John Paul Jones, Donald Duck Dunn, and Carol Kaye. 

They’re musicians who broke out of the background, proving the bass isn’t just support—it’s the pulse of the music. So turn it up, feel the rumble, and let’s give these low-end legends the stage they deserve.

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