RHCP - Under The Bridge

[Truckstop]

Going for a jam with a guy next week and Under the Bridge is on the list of songs he'd like to do.

I've always hated it with a passion. I remember listening to it once about 10 years ago and vowed to never listen to it again. But, being an adult, I decided I'd learn it for this jam and then make my excuses in the future.

Gave it a quick spin and it was as I remembered and feared.

The shrill, jangly guitar tone. The dull, atonal vocals. Four sections to the song, which are all very plain in their own right, just shoehorned together. Meandering, needlessly complex, and poorly constructed bass line which totally dominates the song rendering it almost unlistenable, and my god does it drag?! Feels like it goes on for 10 minutes! And the drumming! It's like the guitar, bass, and drums are each playing a different song!

Dreadful song. No idea why it's so highly regarded. The only redeeming feature is Flea's tone, which is sick.

So I've learnt it and I'll give it a run through, but hopefully it'll sound terrible and we'll never have to play it ever again.

[joeystrange]

"I’m forever near a stereo saying, ‘What the f*** is this garbage?’ And the answer is always the Red Hot Chili Peppers." - Nick Cave

[Kev]

I mean, I don't think I agree with a single part of your post!

Perhaps it being overrated, but its a great track,

[Grangur]

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1496093409' post='3308776']
I mean, I don't think I agree with a single part of your post!

Perhaps it being overrated, but its a great track,
[/quote]
+1
RHCP may not be musical geniuses but they're better than some of the bands that get a lot of acclaim here.

Each to their own.

[ped]

[quote name='joeystrange' timestamp='1496092597' post='3308770']
"I’m forever near a stereo saying, ‘What the f*** is this garbage?’ And the answer is always the Red Hot Chili Peppers." - Nick Cave
[/quote]

"Every time someone says anything negative about RHCP, someone quotes Nick Cave" - ped

[interpol52]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1496092159' post='3308762']
Going for a jam with a guy next week and Under the Bridge is on the list of songs he'd like to do.

I've always hated it with a passion. I remember listening to it once about 10 years ago and vowed to never listen to it again. But, being an adult, I decided I'd learn it for this jam and then make my excuses in the future.

Gave it a quick spin and it was as I remembered and feared.

The shrill, jangly guitar tone. The dull, atonal vocals. Four sections to the song, which are all very plain in their own right, just shoehorned together. Meandering, needlessly complex, and poorly constructed bass line which totally dominates the song rendering it almost unlistenable, and my god does it drag?! Feels like it goes on for 10 minutes! And the drumming! It's like the guitar, bass, and drums are each playing a different song!

Dreadful song. No idea why it's so highly regarded. The only redeeming feature is Flea's tone, which is sick.

So I've learnt it and I'll give it a run through, but hopefully it'll sound terrible and we'll never have to play it ever again.
[/quote]

Don't sit on the fence, how do you really feel about it?

[la bam]

I used to think rhcp were just ok. Flea, just ok.

Then, once I'd learned to play his basslines, I found them fantastic!

Under the bridge is a fantastic bassline. 3 main parts - all brilliant when played live with a bit of passion. If you're not feeling it though it can easily sound drab and loose.

[thodrik]

I haven't listened to it in years. I mind playing it when I was about 15 and it didn't seem too over the top as bass line, especially by Flea's standards.

I think that it is a classic from that era. I always think though that Chili Peppers songs are hard to cover because it can easily turn into a mess of umm, jangly guitars, meandering bass lines and atonal vocals!

I really rate Flea as a bassist. His work in the first Mars Volta album is the best work of his career in my opinion.

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1496092159' post='3308762']
So I've learnt it and I'll give it a run through, but hopefully it'll sound terrible and we'll never have to play it ever again.
[/quote]

Wouldn't it just be easier to say you really hated it and can you do something else?

[chris_b]

I've played several RHCP songs over the years and they always went down well. They had an energy that made them good to play.

Nick Cave on the other hand. . . . . where did I put those razor blades.

[bazzbass]

BALLS

If you had any you would've had the guts to tell the guy you don't wanna play that song

at a jam

ffs

really who cares about a jam?

[uk_lefty]

I passionately hated "foundations" by Kate Nash until I played it with a group that had two excellent female singers who managed to avoid the weird mockney accent bit. Giving things a go can surprise you.

I don't agree with your views on this song, very far the other way for me, but each to his own.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1496092159' post='3308762']
Going for a jam with a guy next week and Under the Bridge is on the list of songs he'd like to do.

I've always hated it with a passion. I remember listening to it once about 10 years ago and vowed to never listen to it again. But, being an adult, I decided I'd learn it for this jam and then make my excuses in the future.

Gave it a quick spin and it was as I remembered and feared.

The shrill, jangly guitar tone. The dull, atonal vocals. Four sections to the song, which are all very plain in their own right, just shoehorned together. Meandering, needlessly complex, and poorly constructed bass line which totally dominates the song rendering it almost unlistenable, and my god does it drag?! Feels like it goes on for 10 minutes! And the drumming! It's like the guitar, bass, and drums are each playing a different song!

Dreadful song. No idea why it's so highly regarded. The only redeeming feature is Flea's tone, which is sick.

So I've learnt it and I'll give it a run through, but hopefully it'll sound terrible and we'll never have to play it ever again.
[/quote]

well, I love it

I find the bassline very cool. And when you play it in a full venue and people sings it back (I used to play in a RHCP tribute band for a few years) made my arm hairs stand up...

[Steve Browning]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1496134110' post='3308939']
well, I love it

I find the bassline very cool. And when you play it in a full venue and people sings it back (I used to play in a RHCP tribute band for a few years) made my arm hairs stand up...
[/quote]

........... but not your third sock I hope! :-)

[KevB]

This is one that comes up at a jam session I sometimes go to so I had to learn it several years ago when i was in the house band. I quite like the bassline, prefer it to the 'throwing a bass down the stairs' slapathon approach of some of their stuff. The guitarist also used to sing it pretty well.

[hubrad]

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1496093827' post='3308780']
"Every time someone says anything negative about RHCP, someone quotes Nick Cave" - ped
[/quote]

:-D

[Grangur]

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1496093827' post='3308780']
"Every time someone says anything negative about RHCP, someone quotes Nick Cave" - ped
[/quote]
Don't knock it, saying that is probably Nick Cave's biggest claim to fame.
Just like the guy at Decca who turned down The Beatles.

[Ghost_Bass]

I've played it in the past, i think it's fun to play. In fact, every song i have the chance to play with a band is allways great fun as much as i may hate listening to it on the radio. It's all about making music with the rest of the band. Forget your personal taste and enjoy creating a groove with other musicians that puts a smile in the punters faces, "Nothing else mathers" - Metallica.

[T-Bay]

I do find RHCP a bit hit and miss but there is a whole stack of their stuff I love to bits. Not in my top five bands personally but an amazing back catalogue and surely something for almost anyone in there.

[ribbetingfrog]

Are you even allowed to not like Flea?
The guy is a legend.

[Burns-bass]

[quote name='ribbetingfrog' timestamp='1496141210' post='3309022']
Are you even allowed to not like Flea?
The guy is a legend.
[/quote]

I'm sorry. I don't like them.

On a related note, I was given the RHCP bass, guitar and vocal book for this album (an album I have never owned). If anyone wants it, then send me a DM - free but you pay postage.

[Elfrasho]

That album is probably my biggest influence in my playing. Rhcp are far from my favourite band, and flea is nowhere near my favourite player but that album was good enough, but achievable when i first tried to learn it. To me, under the bridge is just the 'pop' song off it. Just like 'More than words' off pornograffiti, or to be with you by Mr big.

[Al Krow]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1496114731' post='3308850']
BALLS

If you had any you would've had the guts to tell the guy you don't wanna play that song

at a jam

ffs

really who cares about a jam?
[/quote]

Lol! And spot on! (Aside - the punters always loved it when we played this RHCP track in our set and when it is sung with emotion, it's beautiful).

Edited May 30, 2017 by Al Krow

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='Elfrasho' timestamp='1496147696' post='3309109']
That album is probably my biggest influence in my playing. Rhcp are far from my favourite band, and flea is nowhere near my favourite player but that album was good enough, but achievable when i first tried to learn it. To me, under the bridge is just the 'pop' song off it. Just like 'More than words' off pornograffiti, or to be with you by Mr big.
[/quote]

Agreed, Blood Sugar Sex Magic is one of my favourite 'bass' albums and one that I played along with constantly when it came out in 1991.

I'm not a massive RHCP fan but I do enjoy some of their early output, BSSM being their peak, in my opinion.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1496134411' post='3308941']
........... but not your third sock I hope! :-)
[/quote]



our singer kept insisting about doing the sock thing... fortunately the others were more sensible, so we never did