The alternative rock and grunge explosion of the early ‘90s didn’t just shift the musical landscape — it shook it to its core. While the most obvious casualties were the hair metal bands that had dominated the previous decade, some argue that another victim quietly suffered: the bass guitar.
In an interview with D’Addario and Co, Steve Di Giorgio, known for his work with Testament and Death, reflected on how the era affected metal bassists. He also pointed to an infamous album from the late ‘80s that may have played a role in diminishing the instrument’s presence in recordings.
“And then the ‘90s hit, and this new standard had come out of bass players being pushed down, pushed to the back, mixed out of there,” Di Giorgio said (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar). “It was happening before Metallica’s …And Justice for All, but that’s the famous example of the bass being turned off during the recording.”
The mix of that album, combined with the evolving sound of rock and metal, resulted in an era where bass was often treated as an afterthought. “A combination of that album and then the time period and this style, the bass was getting to the point where it was like, embarrassing,” he explained. “That fueled me to play even more obnoxious and give it a reason to be back in the mix.”
Despite these challenges, Di Giorgio had words of encouragement for aspiring bass players, emphasizing the importance of precision and preparation
“And I always encourage younger bass players—get your stuff down very well. You get in the studio, and your stuff is really exposed. And if it’s not super clean, if it’s super tight, you’re gonna get pushed down. Bass just makes music heavier. And we play heavy metal, so it’s the key ingredient to make the music heavy. You know, get your shit down good, make sure you come super prepared, then you can fight for those decibels.”
Of course, it’s worth noting that not every bassist faded into the background during the ’90s. Flea, Les Claypool, Robert Trujillo, Tim Commerford, and John Myung made their mark with distinct, forward-mixed playing. Meanwhile, rock bass legends like Geddy Lee, Steve Harris, and Tony Levin continued to thrive, proving that the bass guitar was far from dead.
While some metal albums of the time may have pushed the bass out of the spotlight, the instrument never truly disappeared. Instead, the ’90s became a decade of contrast—one where some bassists were buried in the mix, while others fought harder than ever to be heard.
