Eight excellently exciting basslines from classic 1980s songs

Motorhead - “Ace of Spades”

Here’s another trademark song of a band with, fantastic basslines played by the lead vocalist. 1980 release “Ace Of Spades” from Motorhead is a short, blistering, fast-paced dose of rock. Lemmy Kilmister’s bass is in some ways simpler than other songs on here, but still intense and played at speed. 

The intro riff sets the scene and there are plenty of variations to that great sound as it drives on through verses and chorus. There’s also a super lead guitar in the song, but the bass adds a huge amount to the tune. It’s another example that makes the song motor along to its conclusion. Again, the bass is fundamental to the song. 

The Cure - “The Lovecats”

There are a few crazy elements to this song that could eat away at how good the bass is on it if you let them. Firstly the song, written by frontman Robert Smith isn’t one he likes much. He has spoken of the songwriting and the filming of the video all involving too much alcohol and labeled “The Love Cats” as a joke. 

Then there is the bass itself. It's not played on a bass guitar.  It is played by the band’s producer, Phil Thornalley, not regular bassist Simon Gallup, and on a double bass. That's despite Thornalley not being a regular bass player, nor having much, if any experience of a double bass. He had stepped in to cover for an 18-month absence of Gallup and the double bass was sitting in a studio when he and Smith turned up to record the track. 

From low expectations perhaps comes a classic bass contribution. The double bass adds a subtlety of tone and style matching the song superbly. Once again, the bass is a fundamental part of the tune and you can't imagine it all sounding anywhere near as good without that playing along. Another classic, iconic bass at its best, regardless of the back story of skill and experience.

More music news and analysis: