Flea

[Marvin]

I listened to the Soul to Squeeze clip on this thread and yes it's a very nice bass line. However, it simply confirmed what I think of RHCP, they bore me rigid. Seems a shame to waste a nice line on a song like that.

[4000]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1342007764' post='1727863']
*Grin*

That's a visual thing. We put on a show so that people who come to see the band live have something worth watching otherwise they might as well stay at home and play the CD loud.

I think the issue with Flea and RHCP is that musically he overshadows the band. I doubt whether anyone who rates Flea as a bass player, but isn't particularly a RHCP fan could name either the drummer or the current guitarist. And while their sound is to a certain extent dominated by the bass playing it's still a band and each part should be equally important.

In the end though it's probably down to the fact that their music does nothing for me so I can't really appreciate Flea as a player because of that.
[/quote]

I'd also say that Peter Hook's playing (in terms of style / sound) overshadows the bands he's in but you like him, right?

[Mog]

I reckon the bass world would be lost without him. Guitarists have always had a standout character, someone with the personality to go with the chops. Until Flea came along I dont think there was a bassist who made the instrument look "cool".
His style is great, punk based groove. Or is it groove based punk.........?
I also reckon the way he works with Chad is fantastic. Tight as a dolphins ass but the two can still go in different directions without sounding cack.
Unfortunately I'm not a fan of the albums after By The Way but the basslines are still excellent on many of the tracks.

Oh yea, What a tone!

[4000]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1342272003' post='1732618']
I use the word 'chummy' as in he tries hard but it doesn't really work.
There is a lot of huff and puff but no real zing or panache in the end product.
He isn't a slick enough player for the things he tries to do but hey, I bet he is laughing all the way to the bank.
In a way, not the type of player you'd recommend someone check out but his lines are flash enough to impress on a basic level.
I think they work as a band though... Although I wouldn't call them my thing.
[/quote]

I don't generally like "slick" players or music. Again using Flea's parlance, it's generally "all flash and no smash". I like to hear people playing on the edge a bit, going for it. Probably why I've never been that interested in many of the session players of this world.

So, who do you rate these days?

Edited July 14, 2012 by 4000

[JTUK]

You know, I don't know as I don't focus analally on anyone any more.
I am quite happy catching snippets here and there although I was never a slave to any one guy. I knicked things from whoever I liked... Or whatever I liked and threw it altogether.... But I always used to hum licks when I was away from an actual bass and I actually sound like that now when noodling.
I have pretty much always done my own thing and I am less convinced I copy well... Which is just as well as that whole rip thing bores me senseless.
I want to hear people who put it down well and convincingly and I no more want to hear Flea clones than mm or mark king but I do want personality and a good technique with effortless fluid lines.
I have a few influences from afar.... Up to a point... But I never have 'heroes'.
I guess you would never be able to say who I have spent a long time listening to as it is all buried and mixed up with so many but I have listened a lot.... And with a decent ear and reference, I think.
But that is just my opinion.

[Delberthot]

I'm not sure about the comments about Flea's slapping - you're obviously listening to some of the early stuff like Get Up and Jump or Skinny Sweaty Man which are both fantastic songs but he hardly slaps at all these days. In fact, most of his slapping these days is if he happens to be playing an older tracklive.

My first Chilis album was BSSM which is still my favourite and I consider it to be the point where they rised to their highest point before heading downhill. What I mean is that even I can't listen to all of the tracks on their earliest albums but you can gradually hear them getting better. When we get to Mother's Milk its nearly there then BSSM comes along and its finally the complete package in every way.

Afterwards, John freaks out and leaves but One Hot Minute has some crackers but seems overall a very dark album. Californication is pretty good for most of it.By the time we get to By The Way, it seems to be almost every second track is decent, then its all over bar the shouting for me I'm afraid

I still love them as a band and as a bass player, Flea is my biggest influence by a mile but unfortunately they're not what they used to be.

Anyway for some rarer quality stuff listen to Sikamikanico which was a track that was missed off BSSM and Stretch which was from the One Hot Minute recordings. Also Show Me Your Soul from the What Hits? album

I had a thought over the holidays after passing numerous buskers that most instruments sound sh*t when played solo.Flea can play fancy, groove or play nothing and it always seems to fit

Edited July 14, 2012 by Delberthot

[4000]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1342280832' post='1732778']
You know, I don't know as I don't focus analally on anyone any more.
I am quite happy catching snippets here and there although I was never a slave to any one guy. I knicked things from whoever I liked... Or whatever I liked and threw it altogether.... But I always used to hum licks when I was away from an actual bass and I actually sound like that now when noodling.
I have pretty much always done my own thing and I am less convinced I copy well... Which is just as well as that whole rip thing bores me senseless.
I want to hear people who put it down well and convincingly and I no more want to hear Flea clones than mm or mark king but I do want personality and a good technique with effortless fluid lines.
I have a few influences from afar.... Up to a point... But I never have 'heroes'.
I guess you would never be able to say who I have spent a long time listening to as it is all buried and mixed up with so many but I have listened a lot.... And with a decent ear and reference, I think.
But that is just my opinion.
[/quote]

I'm not interested in people copying other people either and I certainly wouldn't say I focus anally on anyone. I've had heroes in the past and certainly have players I look up to now but that's not to say I try to play like them or copy them. There are players I love who I couldn't be further away from. Sometimes I like them [i]because[/i] they play nothing like me. I don't think that because someone likes someone's else's playing it means they're obsessed with them and just want to try and copy them.

FWIW I think you have to remember that Flea has, at his core, a punk attitude and that's always there in his playing. I suspect if anyone ever described him as slick he'd probably vomit on their shoes.

[stingrayPete1977]

Good post 4000
A lot of my fave players also sound and play nothing like me (lucky for them ) but I know exactly what your saying, I love Duff and his P bass special sound, I love John Deacon who plays nothing like me nor do I try and emulate,If anything I have been compared to muse before and Im not really a fan of their work as such, dont hate them but I dont own any tracks by them.