Here’s the #bassfriday list for today On Spotify: #BassFriday 3rd Sept

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Johnny, Kick A Hole In The Sky Flea, now where do you start with him?  I always found RHCP a bit of a mixed bag, all the young dudes/cats (delete as applicable) wanted to learn Higher Ground.  Mother’s Milk was an excellent album the rest never really sat well with me. Dunno why.

Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime Tina Weymouth still stands as one of the most underrated bass players.  Totally rock solid, melodic and groovy at the same time.  There’s lots to learn here.

Prince & The New Power Generation – Diamonds and Pearls Many say Prince lost it when the NPG arrived on the scene.  You know, it’s that difficult thirteenth album.  I totally disagree, D&P is a pretty serious album from start to finish.  The title track does have some quality basswork, not sure if it’s SirHyroglyphoid or Sonny T.  I’m sure some fan will tell me.

INXS – Burn For You Nile Rogers produced and it marked INXS’ first album with a good chance of success.  It was a long while before the band become global with all that Suicide Blonde stuff.  Burn For You stands out for me as one of my favourite INXS songs though.

Tower Of Power – Taxed To The Max Funk finger workout by Francis “Rocco” Prestia, can’t say much more than that.

Little Feat – Texas Twister There was a time when Nicky Campbell did a 10pm radio show on Radio 1. Little Feat were just releasing “Representing the Mambo” and the opening track, this one, was airplayed a hack of lot.  From all his shows I remember this, in fact I still have this on vinyl.

King – Love & Pride Okay, anyone who’s over 35 put your hands up.  I dare you to tell me you don’t like this tune! Now 10 points if anyone else can name a single before Paul King went on to become a MTV VJay….

Mick Karn – Bestial Cluster Japan’s fretless new romantic (anyone remember Raintree Crow?, thought not).  Just around the same time David Sylvian was working with Robert Fripp on The First Day, Mick brought this out.  There’s a couple of stand out tracks, this being one of them.  Not bad for a bloke who admits to not tuning his bass up and doing it all by ear.

Was (Not Was) – Boy’s Gone Crazy Though Don Was is a bass player he didn’t play on half of the Was (Not Was) recordings, it was left to LA session supremos John Pattiuci, Marcus Miller and Neil Stubenhaus.  From the same album, “What Up Dog” there’s “Out Come The Freaks”, “Walk The Dinosaur” and, still my favourite after all this time, “Hello Dad, I’m In Jail”.

John McLaughlin – One Night Stand Another Doncaster export, as well as Jeremy Clarkson.  The 1990’s period JM was a high point as the trio mixed between Dominic DiPiazza and Kai Eckhardt adding trouser flapping to Trilok “I can stick these gongs in water and they make a very cool noise” Gurtu.  Awesome stuff.