10 Greatest Secret Weapons In Rock And Roll

10. Tony Levin

As far as rock music is concerned, sessions musicians tend to get a raw deal at the end of the day. Whereas most bands come together with a communal vibe between them, the unsung heroes behind the studio creations never seem to claim the adulation they deserve, instead looking to operate in the background of whatever album they're in. Even though it's their call, Tony Levin certainly deserves more than just being a faceless bass player.

While most low enders fade into the background of bands, Levin has kept up a pretty impressive track record over the years, providing his signature groove to the likes of King Crimson and even showcasing his skills on some of John Lennon's final recordings on Double Fantasy. Aside from his usual session schtick, Tony also showcased himself to be a master at writing bass lines of his own on Peter Gabriel's So record.

Across songs like Sledgehammer and Big Time, Levin is all over his fretboard, even breaking out a Chapman stick for a couple of songs and inventing what's known as his Funk Fingers, which involved taping drum sticks to his hands to get a more percussive attack on the strings. In a world where session musicians basically just play what they're told to play, Tony Levin is still one of the more impressive musical thinkers in the game.