The Top 5 ‘Fake’ Bass Players

#bass #bassists #fakebassists #basshumor #paulthompson
Breaking down the top 5 characters from television and movies that play bass. From the Muppet Show to Peanuts to the Monkees to Spinal Tap and many more. Did your favorite make the list? Let me know in the comments. #pigpen
Website: www.paulthompson.us
Instagram @pdbass74
Twitter @pdbass74

[@freddiesoverbite6162]

When I first heard Jazz Odyssey is when I realized Derek Smalls was a genius.

[@brianmiller1077]

"We are NOT going to do a Free form jazz exploration!" "He wrote this"

[@ricardodubatti657]

In Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, the bass duelers are Jason Falkner and Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Fun fact: the Rick parts were played on a Fender Mustang and the Mustang parts were played on a Rick.

[@pkflash2004]

Didn't know that! Brilliant. And the guy playing the bass looks like Beck (Michael Cera)!

[@raymondjamesrivera]

“He wrote this!” 🤣 one of the funniest lines in the movie. I love that they actually play their instruments though.

[@TheKnobCalledTone.]

The house band on The Muppet Show was legit and Jim Henson was really into music, so I'm not surprised that Floyd came out on top as best fictional TV bassist.

[@pdempsey]

"I'm Flyod, I blow bass. You're Zoot, sax is your axe. (open mouth laughing)"

[@christophergodawski5663]

Not to mention he's shown in this clip playing the intro to Billy Joel's "New York State Of Mind": Classic !

[@harrysutton8998]

I did trumpet at uni and we had Kenny Baker (the trumpeter not R2D2!) come and play with us. This doddery old 80 year old wobbled up and we thought why are we even bothering? But when he started playing he absolutely wasted us, incredible. He was in the muppets band, and did every James Bond soundtrack up to goldeneye before he passed away.

[@mzaite]

Never sleep on Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Epic level band.

[@origami_dream]

For the amount of time Marceline spends playing bass in Adventure Time, she and that show deserve love for doing that. I'm sure some kids started playing bass 'cause she was rad.

[@bwolff7364]

I'm one of those kids!! I went out and bought a red bass as soon as I could afford it lol. Still playing it 5 years later 😊

[@origami_dream]

@@bwolff7364 Heck yes, that's dope as hell.

[@phil6lacio9]

I came here to say this. Marceline FTW!

[@greyklopstock7155]

YES! She is awesome. Voice of an angel, sick fuzz bass tone, and great songwriting courtesy of awesome people like mitski and Rebecca Sugar. Marceline for me is a must have for fictional bass players and is my GOAT in that realm

[@LaClaveDeFa]

Another vote for Marceline and her axe-bass

[@15twoe]

Tom Is you is or is you ain't my baby is still one of the best bass portrayals ever!

[@TheGlass50]

I agree, 100%.

[@donaldcobb5761]

Also agree! Great bass playing, great singing. I wonder who the bassist and singer is that laid down the track?

[@LizTheWonderGirl]

That's the one that made me take up the bass. I mean, how could I not!

[@AngelOfDeth205]

I just replied with this before seeing you were ahead of me

[@LizTheWonderGirl]

That was Tom the cat.

[@predragmanov6341]

It's important to mention something that not too many people have noticed in the Spinal Tap movie. During the song "Big Bottom" there is 3 (three) fictional characters playing bass on stage simultaneously. Derek Smalls, David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel all on bass. And if you consider that Derek Smalls is playing a two necked bass on that song, it actually makes it four.

[@Scodiddly]

No, we all got that joke. :)

[@predragmanov6341]

@@Scodiddly Then I'm the only one who didn't notice that until recently. Maybe because I'm a guitarist ;0

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

I did not! Thanks for mentioning it

[@Armakk]

Even the keyboard is only playing the left hand. Big Bottom has got big bottom.

[@Bacopa68]

@@Armakk Didn't the keyboard player die? Or was that just another drummer? Also gotta give props to Fran Drescher in that movie. Her company dropped Spinal Tap on her to get her to fail, but she managed to not fail to badly.

[@kassemir]

Kind of fun that no. 5 is Homer Simpson, and no. 1 is played by one of the voice actors from The Simpsons :)

[@Kreln1221]

*For the Cartoon List, I would have included Buttercup from **_The Powerpuff Girls._** Her leftie Beatle Bass contrasted well with Blossom's Flying V, and she always had the edgiest attitude of the three. I especially dug their Beatles tribute episode, **_Meet the Beat-Alls._*

[@annihilation777]

Buttercup would totally play bass

[@adrianachavaje908]

Buttercup totally plays the bass in Season 1 episode "Mime for a Change".

[@ralph8677]

"No bass-adjacent instruments, like washtub." C'mon man, how you gonna do Emmet Otter like that?

[@markr.denison9768]

From Josie and the Pussycats - Valerie Smith/Brown. Bonus points because she was a comic, a cartoon, AND a character in a live action TV series!

[@paulweston8408]

I'm almost ashamed of my self for forgetting her. Rosario Dawson was great playing her. One of my daughters favorites when they were kids.

[@bassvibasics479]

YES!! The Gig is such an underrated (and very hard to find) film!!

[@jazzpunk]

Never heard of it...looks good!

[@ViewtifulSam]

Jerry from "Some Like it Hot" (glad you mention!) is the one who always comes to my mind. Jack Lemmon playing/spinning the bass while distressed is one of the million little things that compound to make the movie hilarious.

[@ollywright]

Great list. The bass movie scene that really made me want to play bass (and i do now) was the 1985 French movie Subway. There's a band in the movie, and a scene where the bass player is just slapping away at a party,\ with a conga player. But the bass line is so so good.

[@joelemerou3487]

I think that's Eric Serra himself (the composer). As a kid I loved the main song (it's only mystery).

[@mungewell]

Great movie, and I have the soundtrack on vinyl...

[@sagittated]

I thought Floyd from Dr. Teeth & the Mayhem and Derrick Smalls were the same. Shocked to learn that was completely different actors.

[@M2Mil7er]

Not fictional bassists, but Flea and Thundercat both feature in a couple of the recent Star Wars shows. Perhaps a follow-up video where real bassists play fictional characters?

[@brianmiller1077]

Flea was also in Back to the Future 2 or 3

[@M2Mil7er]

@@brianmiller1077 indeed.

[@annihilation777]

​@@brianmiller1077he was also in terminator 2 as one of the punx during the teleporting in scene

[@strummercash5601]

Let’s not forget Flea as Kieffer the Nihilist in The Big Lebowski! That film was brilliantly cast; Flea is hilarious.

[@paulweston8408]

Thank you for mentioning the first one I thought of, T.B. Player! And of course Wolfman later in the flim. You have to love the running joke that the Bass player is usually so unimportant that he didn't even get a name, even though for 3/4 of the movie he's most scenes.

[@Markperna1]

Derek Smalls is my all time favorite fictional bassist. I even have his solo album.

[@pumpichank]

Danny Partridge was my first bass playing inspiration as a kid. It was a soul crushing realization to find that the faked it the whole way. 😂

[@KyleS.1987]

Shout outs to the Bass Player sketch from Kids in the Hall. He's playin' the bass and I'm flyiiiiiiiiin'!

[@silasmorrison2899]

Hey Paul, great list! Here’s one of my favorites. From the 1951 movie “People will talk,” with Cary Grant and Jeanne Crain. Check out Cary’s “double bass” playing friend and colleague, Prof. Lionel Barker. His “bowing” technique is awesome during one memorable scene!🤣

[@professorpsoop]

Harry Shearer (Derek Smalls) is a fantastic bass player. I've seen Spinal Tap in concert twice and I have all their albums. That man can really play! 😮

[@bustabass9025]

The character Chip Douglas on the old CBS sitcom My Three Sons, played by Stanley Livingston, was cast as the bass player in his high school group, during the latter years of the series' run, circa 1970. He played a Fender P Bass in his Beach Boys styled combo of teen aged long haired rockers, practicing and gigging in several episodes.

[@jazzpunk]

There is a "real" Chip Douglas that played bass with The Turtles, The Monkees, etc. 😊

[@rembeadgc]

This was absolutely charming. The stereotypical bass player... ever enigmatic, often misunderstood and pegged as an underachiever but, next to the drummer... he's the musician people feel the deepest!

[@anglianreed5218]

There was a stand-up comedian in the UK by the name of Jim Tavaré, whose act was centred around a double bass. I’m sure there are clips available on KZbin.

[@jazzbrew68]

I had to come check this out after your interview with Contrabass Conversations. 😅 20K views man!

[@zaraak323i]

Closing with Big Bottom was genius!

[@alexdebling1564]

Great list! This one might be cheating, but the great Tony Levin played the bass player in Paul Simon's movie "One Trick Pony". I've yet to watch the movie, but the soundtrack is phenomenal!

[@annihilation777]

The no anime bit was pretty golden

[@latonyahemingway3752]

No Rudy Davis from Fat Albert?!?! That whole themes song was a bass players delight !!! And you mention Pig Pen but didn't catch that Snoopy played Bass Guitar. What about Butter Cup from Power Puff Girls?

[@Xlornick]

Tupac in Gridlock'd playing electirc bass and rapping a verse has got to be in there for me! Life is a Traffic Jam.

[@paulreese3071]

Lumping Peter Tork in with Danny Bonaduce is a pretty big slap. Granted Peter never played bass on any Monkees recordings, but he was a pretty fully developed musician and handled bass duties on many of the reunion tours The Monkees embarked upon.

[@rogerbranton1752]

Some of these jogged my memory but I'll never forget the "BASS OFF" from Scott Pilgrim! This was sure a fun video - thanks!! 😎

[@akshaylath3254]

honorable mention: paul david thompson

[@canary-band]

Definitely Derek Smalls, followed very closely by Mark/Marta Shubb (Folksmen). With a very honorable mention to Sid Belvedere (Ming Tea).

[@BlackJackLopez]

We have to be thankful for all of them, because as I say often when watching a concert film or transmission (even KZbin), all we get often is a wonderful shot of the bassist's right elbow...

[@simonbowkett124]

That bass player and the blonde ….. Edward Woodward! 😮

[@user-zq5ct5ck5r]

I am with you on this one! Derek Smalls - Spinal Tap. The scene where he is stuck in the "cocoon" ? What ever it is? Cracks me up every time. Thanks for this episode - something different!

[@joefaissal4243]

Bill Murray playing the bass musician on "Mr. Robert's Neighborhood" skit for National Lampoon's comedy album "That's Not Funny, That's Sick"

[@Typical.Anomaly]

Bill Murray rules! I gotta check that out...

[@johnmckenzie4639]

Egg-a-muffin ... yeah ... cheese pranish ...

[@joefaissal4243]

@@johnmckenzie4639 🤣

[@HungryChaCha]

Love all that you do for us!

[@retromusings]

Really brilliant and so fun to watch! Thanks.

[@babayaga1767]

floyd's tone when diana ross was on the show on " last time i saw him" was awesome

[@atomcraft4067]

Yuss! Dr Teeth and The Electric Mayhem are jammin!

[@jj-eg5up]

Wow. This must have taken some work. But now I have to search for many of these clips...tha ks

[@twobarsfourstars]

Great list!!

[@Nikosi9]

I once saw Lester Holt, the news presenter, playing upright bass on a TV show. He sounded pretty good! Also, Sonny Rollins' bass player, Bob Cranshaw, played bass on Sesame Street for quite a while...

[@RockPolitics]

LOL. I read your title when I was taking my morning walk, and laughed a little. My first thought was "Clyde" (JJ Cale's "Clyde"), and my second was "Skinny Dennis" (LA Freeway). I couldn't come up with any more bass players in songs off the top of my head. So I thought about "Dale Nixon", the alter ego used by Greg Ginn. Then Rex Everything and Pierre Pressure, both used by Nick Oliveri. That's a two-for-one, but still got me up to five. Then I remembered Derek Smalls, and I knew you were going a different direction. No matter who else was on your list, I knew Derek Smalls had to be part of it. You had me at "bass players don't get enough love". Fun start to the morning.

[@victotronics]

Thanks for mentioning Danny Partridge. Stu Hamm used to list him as an influence saying that he still wasn't as good as Danny: he still had to move his left hand.

[@otije]

@2:07 Stole the show! Another great video .

[@ThomBoecker]

Thanks, Paul, that was fun 😄😄😄

[@ezrakhayyam5609]

Not only you have a great musical culture but also a great cinema one :) loved the the playlist ! PS: i so want to watch the movie you played in now ^^

[@spank2424]

Thx for the info 👍🏾

[@livelikeitshows1802]

That’s awesome you were in that Jackson’s movie! I was in the La Vie Boheme scene of the 2005 movie Rent for about that long. Blink and you’ll miss me! I’m sitting at the bar wearing a knit hat and a green swearing pumping my fist in the air. Also, I have a toy figurine of Franklin (Peanuts) playing a bass guitar but can’t seem to find any actual cartoon clip of him doing so. Great list! Thank you!

[@brianmiller1077]

it's too hard to make a PigPen figurine I guess :)

[@zorglubmagnus455]

Token was a natural.

[@gdaddy5469]

Not sure if he has already been mentioned, but Charles Martin Smith as the bass player, Ray Bob, in the 1978 Buddy Holly Story. I thought he was great.

[@SombraDeLaMosca]

Even if you're not into the genre, Ryo, the female bass player of the "Bocchi the Rock!" anime (japanese) deserves to be in that list =) Nice video, thanks =)

[@S00NERD0G]

Agreed, Hiroi Kikuri too

[@theladyfebruary]

Was going to throw this bassist into the ring if I didn't see a mention! Having seen a few anime bassists, she takes the prize!

[@arte4arte]

An honorable mention might go to Freddy "Boom Boom" Washington from the TV sitcom Welcome Back Kotter.. Played by Lawrence Hilton Jacobs. When Freddy introduces himself to Mr. Kotter, he says, "Hey, I'm Freddy Boom Boom! Then Mr. Kotter asks "Why do they call you Boom Boom?" Freddy says "Because I do this" ( he mimes playing the upright bass while saying "boom boom boom boom" over and over) Kotter asks "So you play bass?"...Freddy say's "No, I just like saying 'boom boom boom boom'..."

[@Don2Rich]

You forgot about Valerie Brown from Josey and the Pussycats.

[@insidejazzguitar8112]

OMG you really had me cracking up on this one. How on earth did you think of all of these? And your #1 was also my #1 from the very first minute of the video!

[@Louiesarge1]

funnily enough the arc of FLCL was about two basses ( RIckenbacher and a Gibson EB0)

[@TheUnforgettableBuzz]

Thanks so much for the laugh and smile to start my day! Have to go with Floyd, followed by Derek Smalls, and TB Player from The Wonders.

[@professorpsoop]

Except Derek Smalls is an excellent bass player in real life. Harry Shearer can really play his ass off.

[@latonyahemingway3752]

I had never heard of Scott Pilgrim movie. Had to watch it yesterday. 😂

[@EoinKeithBoyle65536]

"That's eggs and cream, bitch!" What you say to the ass who touches your amp before beating him half to death with a rubber "adult entertainment toy." Brandon Routh DOES keep his left hand in the right place, so that's actually kinda fun for we heaux at home.

[@ummarcelogarcia]

Great list, man! For the cartoon category, allow us to mention our very own Jonas Adisa, bass player for the Trufaldinos. There's a video clip on the way.

[@NelsonMontana1234]

Peter Tork could actually play a little bass. And Harry Shearer was playing a fictional character but he's playing the bass in Spinal Tap. The Gig is the best , most realistic movie about the music business. I think it's hilarious that in the movie Sid and Nancy they had to overdub the bass part as the Sid character is sloppily practicing playing eight notes -- like the actor couldn't fake that?!

[@sergioaugustonilsenribeiro1230]

On a CSI: NY episode (S2.E14, Stuck on You), Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) plays with a jazz band at the end of the episode. Some of the other players are members of real life Gary Sinise's "Lt. Dan Band".

[@kalaalefaio5108]

Great North on hulu with Nick Offerman, Wil Forte, Dulce Sloan,... Season 3, episode 1, the last line of the end credits song: "we're just a twinkle in space, why not learn to play the bass" 🤘🏽

[@jmsblckhll]

Fun video! Thanks!

[@andrewpappas9311]

Definitely happy Scott Pilgrim was on here, I loved that movie and it was actually filmed in my hometown (the high school in it was also the same one that my older brother and a few of our cousins went to). I also can understand your reasoning for not putting any anime on the list but if I had to put one then I’d definitely include Mio Akiyama from K-On! or Taira from Beck because both of them are absolutely insane bassists and have some really cool tones as well

[@Below-Average_Joe]

What about the guy with the six string Ken Smith playing the band, Sexual Chocolate in the Eddie Murphy film, Coming to America?

[@jazzpunk]

...that's hilarious!

[@Below-Average_Joe]

@@jazzpunk 😂😂😂😂😂

[@leosmithonbass]

yeah, that’s Melvin Lee Davis, the very active session and touring bass player

[@evanr.2586]

Opus from the comic strip Bloom County. Holding down the low end for Deathtongue

[@strummercash5601]

@evanr.2586 Bloom County! Thank you for reminding me of a favorite comic strip. My late father had a brain injury while on vacation in Florida. Two surgeries and a stiff bout of acute-respiratory-distress-syndrome over six months until he and my mother returned to Minnesota in a medical plane. He wasn’t expected to make it through the first day, so the five years we had post accident or a blessing and a miracle. For two months he was in a coma. The sweetest doctor ever, Karen Leggett would see him in the morning and say to him “Oh! You look wonderful this morning. You are doing great!” I didn’t mean to insult my pop, but could not help replying: “Thanks, Karen, for your energy and optimism. Honestly, I don’t know what you’re seeing. To me, my dad looks a lot like Bill the Cat.” (Tough times require a bit of dark humor in my family.) Have an awesome weekend! 🙏🏽✌🏽❤️ from Minnesota

[@XanBcoo]

My favorite is actually the bass player from Begin Again. He's got no lines but is in multiple scenes and just grooves so hard with his whole body

[@diezknudtz7197]

Love your videos! I watch em in the shower 🤓 just curious if you have ever heard The Philadelphia Project and their all bass (plus hand clap) cover of Just The Two Of Us.” Would love some analysis. Keep em coming, neighbor!

[@134rwa]

Very interesting categories, I'll have to think about this, Haha.

[@TheChristafershawn]

I was a fake bassist in the Al Pacino movie “Simone”. I was also the fake drummer for Dweezil Zappa’s band in an episode of Howard Stern’s “Son Of A Beach”.

[@strummercash5601]

Dang, Brother! You have to be one of the greatest and most prolific fake multi-instrumentalists in the fake music business. I want to hire you to not-play on my next make-believe album! Haha. Have a great weekend. 🙏🏽✌🏽❤️ from Minnesota

[@TheChristafershawn]

@@strummercash5601 Ha ha. Cheers!

[@andrewbrowne5557]

Wait a minute!! Are you telling me that Derek Smalls isn’t really a bass player? Does that mean that Spinal Tap is fake too?

[@Redbeard4321]

Fooly Cooly! A midnight blue Rickenbacker 4001 and classic red Gibson EB0 are used to literally save earth.

[@strummercash5601]

I’ve not seen it. Thank you for the reference. If you need two bass guitars to save the earth, that’s one helluva a pair. I’ve got a 1967 Ricki 365 six string. I must add a 4001 to my arsenal. Have a superb weekend!

[@SchardtCinematic]

For movies Ethan Embry was the first one that came to mind from That Thing You Do.

[@winstonschwarz1636]

Slappin' de bass Mon!

[@willhouse]

Let's not forget Kenan Thompson's weird, hilarious (& tragic) turn as *Roland Peacock* on The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt...

[@rzhm363]

Great list, though IMO the number one fictional bass player of all time is Tom from Tom and Jerry. He can play the double bass with his feet! :p

[@eduardocorrochio208]

Ed Norton plays Izzy LaFontaine on Modem Family S1:E8. As an anniversary gift, he plays a private performance on bass as the bass player from Spandau Ballet. Actor Edward Norton appeared on the ABC sitcom Modern Family as Izzy LaFontaine, a fictional bass player/backup vocalist for Spandau Ballet ("between Richard Miller and Martin Kemp"), in the episode "Great Expectations". - Wikipedia

[@RayOfTruth]

Surprised there's no Marceline from Adventure Time.

[@TheMusicianTom]

Fred Flintstone played bass guitar with the BC-52s (yes really) in the Flintstones Movie. This included actual B-52 members Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson (yum) and Keith Strickland.

[@vanstry]

I wrote a novel (urban fantasy) where the hero was a bass player. It did quite well. Oh, I had a LOT of fun with it. Friend of mine who was the drummer for 'Cause and Effect' loved it.

[@bwolff7364]

Was it beautiful city of the dead?

[@vanstry]

@@bwolff7364 No, 'Take Two'

[@TheGlass50]

Tom of Tom & Jerry is # 1 overall. “Is you is or is you ain’t my baby”

[@markheyliger533]

This was a fun video

[@Typical.Anomaly]

I like your picks, but you missed one from a somewhat recent TV show: Charlie Pace is the bass player for DriveShaft on LOST. you all, everybody you all, everybody (that's all I recall lol)

[@Lisandro8327]

To add to the list, the principal or director in Homer's college, where he attends for a semester or so; and Steve Buscemi in The Lone Rangers band, with Adam Sandler andBrendan Fraser

[@Emanresuadeen]

The “stuffy” old dean that used to play bass for The Pretenders! 😆

[@Lisandro8327]

@@Emanresuadeen he totally nailed it with that riff

[@no_problem8023]

Joseph Gordon Levitt in Hesher! Basically played Cliff Burton in a movie about a crazy bass player.

[@TheBassPanda]

Taira from Beck. You're missing out :)

[@danoppenheimer5661]

Robert Cray on the bass for Otis Day and the Knights (Animal House.)

[@johneoff707]

Honorable mention to Rex (Steve Buscemi) from the Long Rangers.

[@alessandroarcuri209]

Uh, Cleavon Little! The black sheriff from "Blazing Saddles"! Unforgettable!

[@strummercash5601]

@alessandroacui209 Truly! My late-father took me to Blazing Saddles when it was released even though I was about 8 years old. I just checked the stellar cast list; I had forgotten that Count Basie is in the movie. Also, I will watch any film with Harvey Korman. I bought my late-mother the DVD box-set of all the Carol Burnett shows. Now, they are mine. I think I’ll pull them out to watch during frigid Minnesota winter evenings. Have a great weekend!

[@robgutkowski7141]

A Veterans Day to Sergeant Floyd Pepper! Great video.

[@balgus82]

Death also played the upright Bass in Bill and Ted 2.

[@soysaucehairdye7869]

Really interesting list. I have a hard time remembering any bass players in cartoons other than Tolkien from South Park. I do have to say one of my favorite anime themes has a great bassline. The opening theme to MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 00 always gets to me. The song is L'Arc～en～Ciel「DAYBREAK'S BELL」. Other underrated bass playing to me comes from Akira Yamaoka's soundtracks in all of the Silent Hill games. His music compositions for all of those games always stood out and made the Silent Hill games better than the Resident Evil games to me.

[@CarryOutMyBidding]

Rudi from 'Fat Albert'

[@RachelsSweetie]

I kept waiting for Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington from Welcome Back Kotter.

[@leosmithonbass]

for #4, did anyone talk about King Friday the XIII from Mr Rogers? Because if not, His Majesty deserves an honorable mention at least.

[@jazzpunk]

Another animated bassist (name eludes me) - The Jetsons "A Date With Jet Screamer". Dad George is sitting in on drums, the bass is a space-age URB that sounds electric. Small screen - Bill Daily on URB in I Dream Of Jeanie...he actually plays.

[@zeusapollo8688]

Eep ork aha