Since rock and roll’s advent there’s been a steady stream of buxom babes ready and willing to hold down ½ of the standard rock band rhythm section of bass guitar and drums. We’re not sure exactly what it is that seems to draw more women to the bass than any other instrument, but perhaps it was Carol Kaye, notable studio musician of the 1950s and 60s, and the person who played bass on The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds.” Or perhaps it was proto-punk pioneer Tina Weymouth of The Talking Heads who sent the message to the madams that they could rock the four string. Or maybe even Kim Deal’s brilliance as bass bitch in The Pixies, and later The Breeders. Regardless of their inspiration, kickass girl bass players have firmly established that they can do anything in the band just as good as the boys (Was there ever any question?). And then there’s Billy Corgan, who seems to be at the epicenter of all things hot and female and bass-oriented. And tied to at least three of the women on the list below. Here now, some of the instrument’s loveliest purveyors, the babes of bass.

BASSIST: Melissa Auf der Maur
BANDS: Hole, Smashing Pumpkins
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: “Celebrity Skin,” 1998 (Geffen)
BIO: Sexy multi-lingual Canadian musician, who, on the strength of a recommendation by Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corgan, was offered a gig in Hole after the untimely death of original bassist Kristen Pfaff.
BABE BIT: Was included on Blender magazine’s list of hottest women in rock.

BASSIST: Charlotte Cooper
BAND: Subways
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: “Young For Eternity,” 2006 (Warner. Bros)
BIO: Starting out in her teens, the British babe began playing Nirvana songs in a garage with mates Billy Lunn and Josh Morgan, before winning the unsigned band competition at Glastonbury, becoming The Subways, and nabbing a record deal.
BABE BIT: Charlotte and band played two songs on an episode of “The OC.”

BASSIST: Patricia Day
BAND: HorrorPops
Best Bass Bombast Heard On: “Kiss Kiss Kill Kill” (Hellcat)
BIO: Loaded up on tattoos and a baby doll sense of style, this Dutch damsel manhandles her upright bass as frontwomen of her psychobilly band. Both Patricia and her bass can be seen all summer on this year’s Warped Tour.
BABE BIT: Makes the dresses her band’s go-go dancers wear on stage.

BASSIST: Kim Gordon
BANDS: Sonic Youth, Free Kitten
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: “Daydream Nation,” 1988 (DGC)
BIO: An artist, mother, and musician, Kim Gordon is no doubt the inspiration for a generation (or two) of avant-garde female musicians via her influential band and strong artistic vision.
BABE BIT: Appeared in the film “Last Days,” Gus Van Sant’s fictionalized biopic of one of her close friends, Kurt Cobain.

BASSIST: Paz Lenchantin
BANDS: A Perfect Circle, Zwan
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: “Mary Star of the Sea,” 2003 (Reprise)
BIO: Though she is best known as a bassist, this Argentinian-American musician also plays violin, guitar and piano, which makes sense considering both of her parents were concert pianists.
BABE BIT: Contributed violin to several tracks on the soundtrack to Michael Mann’s “Miami Vice.”

BASSIST: Ailidh Lennon
BAND: Sons and Daughters
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: “This Gift,” 2008 (Domino)
BIO: Glaswegian hottie is one of two female members in a unique indie pop group equally inspired by Lee Hazelwood and Leonard Cohen.
BABE BIT: Also plays mandolin and piano.

BASSIST: Nadja Peulen
BAND: Coal Chamber
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: Stage
BIO: Joining the band to replace then-pregnant member Rayna Foss on the road, German-born Peulen became a full-fledged member when Foss eventually quit.
BABE BIT: Owns a T-shirt company that sells their wares via Hot Topic.

BASSIST: Michael Steele
BANDS: The Bangles, Runaways
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: “Different Light,” 1986 (Columbia)
BIO: Transitioning from one all-girl group (The Runaways) to another, Steele finally struck commercial paydirt as a Bangle. While singer Susanna Hoffs got most of the glossy magazine spreads (and the solo career), Steele can finger our fretboard anytime.
BABE BIT: Was known as Micki Steele during her time in The Runaways.

BASSIST:
BAND: Drive-by Truckers
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: “Brighter Than Creation’s Dark,” 2008 (New West)
BIO: After years of studio work, this Muscle Shoals musician finally joined a band – the Drive-by Truckers – whose guitar player she was married to. After the divorce, hubby split from the group but Tucker remained.
BABE BIT: Penned and sings several tracks on the Truckers’ latest album.

BASSIST: D’arcy Wretzky
BAND: Smashing Pumpkins
BEST BASS BOMBAST HEARD ON: “Siamese Dream,” 1997 (Virgin)
BIO: Considered the moral conscience of the Smashing Pumpkins, she was fired by head Pumpkin Billy Corgan after her “apparent slow descent into insanity and/or drugs (take your pick).” She was replaced by Melissa Auf Der’Mauer, kindred babe of bass.
BABE BIT: Was arrested in 2000 for buying crack cocaine.

Related: Cock Rock | Rage In a Direction Contrary to the Machine | These Bands Are Bad