Damian Fanelli | Guitar World

In the world of bass guitar, Carol Kaye is a legend.

Kaye, who turned 80 earlier this year, was a member of LA’s legendary “Wrecking Crew” and is known as one of the most prolific and widely heard bassists, playing on an estimated 10,000 sessions in her 55-year career.

Kaye’s fretwork can be heard on several Phil Spector and Brian Wilson productions from the Sixties and Seventies; she even played guitar on Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” and is credited with the bass tracks on several Simon & Garfunkel hits

Among her greatest achievements is her bass work on the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds.

Below, Kaye can be seen giving an impromptu bass lesson to Gene Simmons of Kiss at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood. The clip is actually an outtake from a 2012 documentary calledSample This. The film, which was directed by Dan Forrer, stars Simmons, Ahmir-Khalib Thompson and Roosevelt Grier.

“No, no, no, you’ve got to do it with the beat, though, Gene,” Kaye tells Simmons. “No, no, up, down, up, down, up, down, up … .”

Below (bottom YouTube player), for your listening pleasure, we’ve included a vintage Carol Kaye recording called “BassCatch” from her Picking Up on the E String album, which happens to feature Joe Pass on guitar. Enjoy!