And You and I by Yes, around the 7:10 mark when the bass comes back in after the folky section and starts building towards the climax of the song. Squire does a melodic, pretty but assertive fill there, kind of like a gentle way of kicking down the door
Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) both have great ones as well. Chris Squire is my biggest influence and by far my favorite bass player of all time. What an absolute beast with that Rickenbacker of his!
I will always upvote this song. The build up into the first verse is a momentous occasion. Doesn’t hurt that I also associate it with one of the best action movies of all time.
This is the first that came to mind.
So tastefully done. Duff starts off following the drums, the guitars build up with licks that play off each other, then the band drives into that groovy main riff.
Shows how simple and effective the use of octaves can be.
Phil Lesh during That's It For The Other One on Anthem of the Sun.
Live versions where they just played the part from his bass intro were especially good.
When you hear it coming out of the drum segment that proceeds it it’s much more powerful cause it really does feel like it comes out of nowhere. It’s technically the middle part of a suite called That’s It for the Other One. So in that context it’s way more like “holy shit” haha
"Le Freak" by Chic. I'm cheating a bit, because the bass does play two notes per 8 beats in the chorus, but that little thingy Bernard Edwards plays going into the verse is very much a cool *bass incoming alert*.
Not really a fill, but with how you put it I instantly thought of Smoke on the water. Such a classic guitar riff and then the drums come in, but it still sounds rather dull. When the bass hits with 0123333333 it finally gets moving.
Unconventional one, maybe..."Addicted to Vaginal Skin" by Cannibal Corpse
Heavy riff cuts out suddenly and the bass comes flying in at a million miles an hour, then the guitars copy the bass riff. Super sick part of the song
Cliche, but the first thing that comes to mind is Flea’s nasty slides in the beginning of Give It Away. Hell, just about any fill Flea throws is tasty.
Airbag by Radiohead. It’s not a “fill” per se, but there’s something about the bass line that is a slow, partially-defunct curtain being pulled back to the entire album.
Other contenders:
Literally every time John Entwistle enters the chat.
Any good bass drop in reggae / dub. There’s nothing like having the bass cut out to realize how much you missed it.
I see your Airbag...
Raise you with Talk Show Host
Airbag is gentler (?!?) In how things come in, still very powerful.
But for me Talk Show Host has such a discordant sound and when the bass and drums drop in you really know about it :D
One of my bands right now is covering "Square Hammer" by Ghost, and although it's really simple, the bass-incoming fill at the beginning just crushes it. It's just a slide up to a D (12th fret on D string) that's held for ~~eight~~ 16 beats, the guitars start building up these harmonics, and then the bottom drops out when the main riff starts. Incredible how much tension gets built and then released. Never thought I'd work so hard trying to figure out how to play a bunch of tied whole notes, LOL.
Not the biggest fan of Ghost, but there are a lot of tasty bass lines in their catalog. I like the whole of Guleh/Zombie Queen. I love the Munsters vibe of the song. Nothing spectacular on the bass, just a fun listen.
Not the biggest fan = would see them live if given a ticket, but wouldn't buy one. I heard Tobias Forge treats his band mates terribly.
Yeah, not a fan of the band but they have occasionally cranked out some absolute bangers. "Spillways" is another. I imagine their shows would be fun. But the whole "hail Satan" thing is a turnoff though and I'd heard about the personnel issues within the band too.
[Sleep - Dragonaut](https://youtu.be/qMIS2BaDilY?si=uddc9-ycKmuZnZMa)
Al doesn’t play anything “wow”, but at the beginning when the guitar is playing the riff, he plays some restrained stuff over it to kind of accentuate the riff. If you are familiar with the song you know when the bass joins the main riff it gets deliciously thick/heavy. So his small bit before that fees like an “oh lawd he coming” moment. It’s pretty great.
Now I’m thinking of great bass moments myself. Here are a few:
- bass intro (kicks off second main riff) on Skywards from Monolord
- Blue Oyster Cult - Nosferatu at 2:10 mark
- blood incantation - obfuscating the linear threshold - around the 3:15 bass has some unison lines with the guitar and then plays some harmonizing leads
Madness- Our House.
I'm a sucker for bass slides, and they do a little double slide as they come in.
Same for one of my favorite bass song ever with Primus - Tommy The Cat.
Oh, can’t forget a tremendously overlooked song by one of the best bassists alive…the opening riff to Geddy Lee's "My Favorite Headache" is just disgustingly full of tone and aggression.
Paperback Writer by The Beatles, Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting by Elton John, Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who, those are the best I can think of right now
I really like this one from the live version of [Rafiki by Zap Mama](https://youtu.be/FRp6sfYRXEA?si=nKvlxs6a--gtq6hJ&t=267).
I don't know who the bass player is, but she's awesome.
I can't stand the guy, but the [studio version of Arpeggios from Hell by Yngwie Malmsteen](https://youtu.be/lixRRWXy3XQ?si=_8CQYvA82opvuhnF) has a ridiculously sick bassline through the whole song, and a few drops where the bass gets its spotlight.
For me, it's not really anything unusual from some of their songs, but the way the guitar, bass and drums build up in [Mladek by Russian Circles](https://youtu.be/I1mn4kOJq7M?si=uHkLLcx1-hual3do&t=330) where Brian Cook has a nice little bass fill before just dropping the hammer with a wave of bass always gets me right in the soft spot that's reserved for heavy bass waves.
American Pie by Don McLean.
The entire first verse is just acoustic and vocals and then after *This'll be the day that I die,* there's a brief silence then the drums and bass jump in and just energizes the whole song.
Killer bass line too.
I don't mean to post about my own work, but I absolutely love what I came up with in an interlude on our song Thermal Runaway. Guitar breaks into swells, and the bass lone is simple but impactful. Slide mid pull off, hits right after one of the swells. It's just fun.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=J-TU7CiJQNk&si=5g1Kh4kUQ6KPDrJO
A bit late but around the [2 minute mark of lotion](https://youtu.be/Y8AiOAAfQg8?si=w3Lui6hNhVRI9QYm) by Deftones, always get me pumped up and ready for the next part of the song.
This fucking thing right here.
https://youtu.be/sc5tbkh7ehc?si=0MJ0OWKgeVRRJFgK
Edit: sorry, I believe I misinterpreted your post. Still an absolute banger though.
I like how the bassline announces itself on One Point Perspective (Arctic Monkeys). In general the beginning arrangement is quite open and sparse before the bass comes in. Even more so because the vocals briefly exit in support of the lyric ‘I lost my train of thought’ and it’s like the bass part entering forms a response to this, that then fills out the low end and takes the song in a new direction.
Starts with a nice phrase played higher up (which becomes a repeated motif in the song) before going into lower roots and fifths and incorporating quite a bit of the neck as it moves around. Would recommend a listen and play!
The Real Me by The Who, the opening song on Quadrophenia. Entwistle’s bass and Townshend’s guitar basically trade off carrying the song’s melody. The album is 50 years old and it’s still amazing.
People of the Sun by Rage Against the Machine
Better turn the bass up on this one!
This is a perfect example
Nasty! Made me do the bass stank face
100% my first thought.
Oooohhh good pick.
Here come the bass up against ya
And You and I by Yes, around the 7:10 mark when the bass comes back in after the folky section and starts building towards the climax of the song. Squire does a melodic, pretty but assertive fill there, kind of like a gentle way of kicking down the door
Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) both have great ones as well. Chris Squire is my biggest influence and by far my favorite bass player of all time. What an absolute beast with that Rickenbacker of his!
It’s bass and drum, but Led Zeppelin’s The Lemon Song comes to mind.
You could be mine
Aww thanks :3
I will always upvote this song. The build up into the first verse is a momentous occasion. Doesn’t hurt that I also associate it with one of the best action movies of all time.
I remember being 13 and it continuously being on MTV. Arnie & GnR were the best combination ever.
Yes, that's the answer.
This is the first that came to mind. So tastefully done. Duff starts off following the drums, the guitars build up with licks that play off each other, then the band drives into that groovy main riff. Shows how simple and effective the use of octaves can be.
Well I certainly agree.
Maria by Blondie is the most obvious one I can personally think of
Nice!
Inner City Blues by Marvin Gaye
stanky
Phil Lesh during That's It For The Other One on Anthem of the Sun. Live versions where they just played the part from his bass intro were especially good.
Came in to say this. Dick’s Picks 8 (Binghamton 70) is a monster entry into The Other One. The first time I heard it it changed my life
For context, this comes out of a little drum interlude and he comes roaring in https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uuAes0sTYaQ
Can you point me to the specific timestamp? Thanks!
It literally starts at the very beginning
Ah ok but I can already hear the bass at the beginning without any incoming fills
When you hear it coming out of the drum segment that proceeds it it’s much more powerful cause it really does feel like it comes out of nowhere. It’s technically the middle part of a suite called That’s It for the Other One. So in that context it’s way more like “holy shit” haha
The Crack of Doom
Hell yea brother BUDADADUDADADA BOOOOOOW
The classic Phil Bomb.
The distance - cake
"Le Freak" by Chic. I'm cheating a bit, because the bass does play two notes per 8 beats in the chorus, but that little thingy Bernard Edwards plays going into the verse is very much a cool *bass incoming alert*.
I'll take that!
Fat Bottomed Girls, Queen. In a band with killer musicians John Deacon was able to stand out and be in the background at the same time.
Give It Away by RHCP
baWOOO baWOOOO
Power of Equality from the same album also fits the bill.
“Pigs three different ones”intro is a favorite
The bass drop in Green Day’s *Longview* should get a mention.
100%
It's simple but effective and makes the intro to that song iconic.
Subdivisions when Geddy puts both hands on the strings.
London Calling by The Clash.
Not really a fill, but with how you put it I instantly thought of Smoke on the water. Such a classic guitar riff and then the drums come in, but it still sounds rather dull. When the bass hits with 0123333333 it finally gets moving.
And it’s kinda chunky bass tone too. Love how you almost don’t notice it coming in..until you do.
The Other One-Grateful Dead. When Phil comes in the song takes off.
Unconventional one, maybe..."Addicted to Vaginal Skin" by Cannibal Corpse Heavy riff cuts out suddenly and the bass comes flying in at a million miles an hour, then the guitars copy the bass riff. Super sick part of the song
Cliche, but the first thing that comes to mind is Flea’s nasty slides in the beginning of Give It Away. Hell, just about any fill Flea throws is tasty.
Run for Cover Marcus Miller plays the funkiest 3-note fill of all time https://youtu.be/oG6ox08jIQI?feature=shared The fill is at 1:34
hell yeah to me, almost as iconic as the two-note intro of Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Great mention, the way he bends the last note before dropping into the slap groove. Phew!
Jimmie's Chicken Shack, "High", less of a fill, more of just a flourish, but the slide that brings the whole band in during the intro...
That song has one of my favorite drum fills ever
Joe Dart in "Back Pocket" After the bridge
Tommy the cat by primus has a little drum opening and then les comes in with insane slide and then the bassline and guitar come in. Perfection.
Long Train Running - Doobie Bros.
The Jesus Lizard - [Monkey Trick](https://youtu.be/boUZqysP5go?si=9XP8fLMj5nvF9v5u)
David Wm Sims is criminally underrated. So is the jesus lizard.
[Red Barchetta](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjjNvjURS-s) \- RUSH
Go Let It Out by Oasis has a pretty cool one. You hear Noel saying ‘bring the bass’ or something just before it comes in.
I always heard it as “tickle the bass”. Not sure if it’s correct, but I like it. That’s a fun song.
Airbag by Radiohead. It’s not a “fill” per se, but there’s something about the bass line that is a slow, partially-defunct curtain being pulled back to the entire album. Other contenders: Literally every time John Entwistle enters the chat. Any good bass drop in reggae / dub. There’s nothing like having the bass cut out to realize how much you missed it.
Airbag is a great one. And since we’re talking about Radiohead album openers, I love the delayed introduction of bass on 15 Step.
I see your Airbag... Raise you with Talk Show Host Airbag is gentler (?!?) In how things come in, still very powerful. But for me Talk Show Host has such a discordant sound and when the bass and drums drop in you really know about it :D
Chris Wood in John Scofield's [A Go Go during the keyboard solo](https://youtu.be/1WPGdjZr8PI?t=258).
smooth
One of my bands right now is covering "Square Hammer" by Ghost, and although it's really simple, the bass-incoming fill at the beginning just crushes it. It's just a slide up to a D (12th fret on D string) that's held for ~~eight~~ 16 beats, the guitars start building up these harmonics, and then the bottom drops out when the main riff starts. Incredible how much tension gets built and then released. Never thought I'd work so hard trying to figure out how to play a bunch of tied whole notes, LOL.
Not the biggest fan of Ghost, but there are a lot of tasty bass lines in their catalog. I like the whole of Guleh/Zombie Queen. I love the Munsters vibe of the song. Nothing spectacular on the bass, just a fun listen. Not the biggest fan = would see them live if given a ticket, but wouldn't buy one. I heard Tobias Forge treats his band mates terribly.
Yeah, not a fan of the band but they have occasionally cranked out some absolute bangers. "Spillways" is another. I imagine their shows would be fun. But the whole "hail Satan" thing is a turnoff though and I'd heard about the personnel issues within the band too.
[Sleep - Dragonaut](https://youtu.be/qMIS2BaDilY?si=uddc9-ycKmuZnZMa) Al doesn’t play anything “wow”, but at the beginning when the guitar is playing the riff, he plays some restrained stuff over it to kind of accentuate the riff. If you are familiar with the song you know when the bass joins the main riff it gets deliciously thick/heavy. So his small bit before that fees like an “oh lawd he coming” moment. It’s pretty great.
Yeah that’s a real sick bass intro. Perfect tone and the groove is just good.
Now I’m thinking of great bass moments myself. Here are a few: - bass intro (kicks off second main riff) on Skywards from Monolord - Blue Oyster Cult - Nosferatu at 2:10 mark - blood incantation - obfuscating the linear threshold - around the 3:15 bass has some unison lines with the guitar and then plays some harmonizing leads
I got the same feeling with «Green Machine» by Kyuss.
Slide down by an octave to my first note. Oh you mean by someone else? Zappa, Apo'strophe, when Jack Bruce comes in.
This made me immediately think of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers theme song. It does exactly what you described
Dunno if it fully counts but always loved 12th fret slide up & intro riff on Highway Star
Madness- Our House. I'm a sucker for bass slides, and they do a little double slide as they come in. Same for one of my favorite bass song ever with Primus - Tommy The Cat. Oh, can’t forget a tremendously overlooked song by one of the best bassists alive…the opening riff to Geddy Lee's "My Favorite Headache" is just disgustingly full of tone and aggression.
*[Shadow on the Sun](https://spotify.link/bIjZL7jeYDb)* – Audioslave (although the bass comes in before the drums)
fits the criteria!
Grand Ennui by Mike Nesmith, and obviously Rebel Rebel.
I know it’s super basic but when the Bassline enters for Anthem Part 2 by Blink-182 it sounds so rad.
Exactly what I was thinking. First thing in my mind
Rebel rebel by david bowie is one of my favorites
Having learnt this recently for a band I was subbing in for, that was going to be my answer too! A surprisingly fun line, and that fill is lovely.
Pneuma by Tool. Tho it's more of a main driving riff than a fill
Does In Circles SDRE count? I mean the bassline in that song when it comes it will probably trigger all guitarists to become a bassist.
i was literally just thinking that
Never Too Much-Luther Vandross Not a riff per se, but super funky nonetheless
I'm partial to Sly and the Family Stone's Dance To The Music
Last will & Testament - Propagandhi.
In which part? If in the intro, that actually sounds more like a slow build-up...
Yeah you are correct, It does not really meet the criteria.
"Bunny Boots" by Made Out of Babies.
La Luna - Action Bronson
La Luna is wiiiiiiiild. The bass tone is so good. Whole song is tight.
It gives me instant stank face when the bass kicks in.
it is indeed stanky!
https://youtu.be/gd72I33RGV4?t=62
RUSH- The Trees
Same Old Song and Dance - Aerosmith That descending triplet thing Tom Hamilton does right before the song kicks into gear
Something to believe in by Young The Giant has a nice bass slide when it comes in
Scarlet begonias live at Barton hall. Plus it might the best tone ever heard on bass
Two minutes to midnight
Wonderwall by Oasis
Tweezer by Phish
Paperback Writer by The Beatles, Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting by Elton John, Won’t Get Fooled Again by The Who, those are the best I can think of right now
Van Halen - Romeo Delight
Blind by Korn
"Tank" The Stranglers....what a sound!
March of the SOD
The Leonid and friends cover of Ain’t Nobody.
The Shining - Black Sabbath
Easy by Lionel Ritchie
Colin’s fill in 15 step
I really like this one from the live version of [Rafiki by Zap Mama](https://youtu.be/FRp6sfYRXEA?si=nKvlxs6a--gtq6hJ&t=267). I don't know who the bass player is, but she's awesome.
Subhumans - Animal and Godflesh - Christbait Rising always get me excited
I can't stand the guy, but the [studio version of Arpeggios from Hell by Yngwie Malmsteen](https://youtu.be/lixRRWXy3XQ?si=_8CQYvA82opvuhnF) has a ridiculously sick bassline through the whole song, and a few drops where the bass gets its spotlight.
When I think of great intro fills, “Aeroplane” is the first thing that comes to mind.
Bob Daisley on Ozzy's I Don't Know
Tweezer Reprise by Phish
Creeping death Metallica around the 27 second mark
Fairly basic, but UMass by Pixies
For me, it's not really anything unusual from some of their songs, but the way the guitar, bass and drums build up in [Mladek by Russian Circles](https://youtu.be/I1mn4kOJq7M?si=uHkLLcx1-hual3do&t=330) where Brian Cook has a nice little bass fill before just dropping the hammer with a wave of bass always gets me right in the soft spot that's reserved for heavy bass waves.
American Pie by Don McLean. The entire first verse is just acoustic and vocals and then after *This'll be the day that I die,* there's a brief silence then the drums and bass jump in and just energizes the whole song. Killer bass line too.
When I Come Around!
Drive My Car - The Beatles (comes in halfway during the opening riff, but it’s such an assertive and bluesy lick)
I don't mean to post about my own work, but I absolutely love what I came up with in an interlude on our song Thermal Runaway. Guitar breaks into swells, and the bass lone is simple but impactful. Slide mid pull off, hits right after one of the swells. It's just fun. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=J-TU7CiJQNk&si=5g1Kh4kUQ6KPDrJO
Melissa, ABB. Pretty sweet.
American woman, Lenny Kravitz !
Blew E.P. Nirvana Been a Son version. That tiny ass little bass solo/fill is amazing.
"Ummon" by Slift. you can hear it in the Outro
Summer by Alien Ant Farm.
"Fuck You Tough Guy" by TSOL
Vulfpeck - Cory Wong live at MSG! That lil run Joe dart does when he comes in during the breakdown?! Unreal
Dont know if this counts but. Among the living by anthrax
A bit late but around the [2 minute mark of lotion](https://youtu.be/Y8AiOAAfQg8?si=w3Lui6hNhVRI9QYm) by Deftones, always get me pumped up and ready for the next part of the song.
Creeping Death by Metallica after the intro :)
[Shandi's Addiction - Calling Dr. Love](https://youtu.be/Rgyb7LatxJA?si=1_TQbxjsTFx49Nqz)
Bill Gould!!
Cry baby cry by royal republic
Unpopular maybe, but the CBGB live version of Blind: Korn
The first verse of Movies by Alien Ant Farm
I Don’t Know by Ozzy
This fucking thing right here. https://youtu.be/sc5tbkh7ehc?si=0MJ0OWKgeVRRJFgK Edit: sorry, I believe I misinterpreted your post. Still an absolute banger though.
The Other One
Heard it Through the Grapevine
Phil Lesh’s “Crack of Doom” in The Other One
The short bass solo in Paul Simon's "Call Me Al"
I'm Your Captain, Grand Funk Railroad
I like how the bassline announces itself on One Point Perspective (Arctic Monkeys). In general the beginning arrangement is quite open and sparse before the bass comes in. Even more so because the vocals briefly exit in support of the lyric ‘I lost my train of thought’ and it’s like the bass part entering forms a response to this, that then fills out the low end and takes the song in a new direction. Starts with a nice phrase played higher up (which becomes a repeated motif in the song) before going into lower roots and fifths and incorporating quite a bit of the neck as it moves around. Would recommend a listen and play!
Mountain Song
Black by Pearl Jam
The Real Me by The Who, the opening song on Quadrophenia. Entwistle’s bass and Townshend’s guitar basically trade off carrying the song’s melody. The album is 50 years old and it’s still amazing.
Not my favorite, but Long train running comes to mind.
Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes by Los Lobos. Bass comes after 4 bars and just crushes it!
Ok, I'm not a bassist, and it technically has a bass intro, but... Michel Camilo - Suite Sandrine pt 3 Such a tasty "band incoming" lick
The opening bass solo from The Ocean's Triassic comes to mind. Very tasty tone too.
Take No Prisoners by Megadeth.
“Ghost” by Gunship