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Flea @ Reading Festival


stingrayfan
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Just watched a bit of the Chilis headlining Reading Fest tonight and boy was Flea on a widdle-fest. Don't get me wrong, I think he's one of the best modern bass players out there, but he was doing more filling tonight than a second hand car dealer who'd had a delivery from the auctions. Every bar there was a flurry of notes. It's a shame, cos when he holds back, his fills are great.

Anyone else see it?

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Sorry, but I think Flea's great. I learned loads from Blood Sugar Sex Magik as a 16yr old when it came out - through that I found the Meters, P-funk - his playing's rarely flash on that album - he's got a lot more than 1 trick - that was the criticism of his 90mph slap style, and he's not really done that for 18 yrs!

Mind you, I'm not really a Mark King fan - I appreciate he has talent, but it's not my kind of thing. Maybe it's the songs....?

I'd write more but I'm off to bed now.

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I've got a lot of time and respect for flea, even though a lot of people bash him. Sure, not the best bass player on the planet, but he sure as hell revolutionized the way I saw the bass guitar when I first started, and I'm sure he did the same for many others.

I just can't get used to seeing 5 chili peppers on the stage =\

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[quote name='ahpook' post='50760' date='Aug 26 2007, 12:31 AM']personally, if i were there i'd be more bothered about seeing battles.
the chillis are good, but they're pretty much digging a familiar furrow deeper.
ymmv[/quote]

I never really get why people say this bands dont have to change all the time in their past the chillis have done their fair share of changing and tbh most people prefered how they were. When they get something right no harm in sticking at it. Soon as they change most people go why the hell didnt the stay the same. Hell look at prince never changed anything all his albums sound similar one of the biggest selling artists ever.

Sorry bit off topic. I thought his playing was abit over the top on the high lights but I enjoyed it all the same its always nice to see a bass player get just as much respect from the genral public as the guitarist.

Edited by Sugden
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[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='50757' date='Aug 26 2007, 12:19 AM']Spoke to my tutor about Flea.....he reckons he's a one trick pony and if he had to play Jazz or something he wouldn't have a scooby.[/quote]

Perhaps you should point your tutor towards the Stanley Clarke 'Night school' DVD then. Flea more than holds his own playing with stanley, stewart copeland and other jazzers (who i can't name off the top of my head).

From what i saw tonight of the coverage, the chili's were easily the best of a pretty poor line up.

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One Trick Pony ? ha ha

Flea is one of the best improv bassists out there.....

he slaps like a bitch.....

fast finger style licks are awesome....

how about a chordal melodic stuff.... yep got that nailed !!

Anyone who knows anything about their history will know there has been a lot of tension over the years in that band, but it's sometimes their creative spark.... They get really P*ssed when there's the slightest issue with stage sound, and have a history of hating festival gigs cos their sound check precedure is (usually) compromised to some degree.

Saw them at Glasgow on Thursday...... awesome !

I asume they got to sound check properly !!

Bloody Prima donnas - LOL !!

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[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='50757' date='Aug 25 2007, 11:19 PM']Spoke to my tutor about Flea.....he reckons he's a one trick pony and if he had to play Jazz or something he wouldn't have a scooby.[/quote]

Your tutor sounds like a bit of a musical snob. Just sayin'.

BTW, I'm not a big Flea fan, but I don't think he'll ever have to pitch for session work.

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[quote name='bass_in_ya_face' post='50757' date='Aug 26 2007, 12:19 AM']Spoke to my tutor about Flea.....he reckons he's a one trick pony and if he had to play Jazz or something he wouldn't have a scooby.[/quote]

Considering Flea grew up playing Jazz i doubt that!

I think hes one of the best bassists about...hes been a huge influence on me!

And its nice to see a decent bassist that doesnt just stand by his amp all the way through a show!

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[quote name='bassboy115' post='50825' date='Aug 26 2007, 11:06 AM']Considering Flea grew up playing Jazz i doubt that! I think hes one of the best bassists about...hes been a huge influence on me! And its nice to see a decent bassist that doesnt just stand by his amp all the way through a show![/quote]
+1 to all that. He just needs to take his foot off the gas sometimes and let the songs breathe a bit.

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[quote name='stingrayfan' post='50827' date='Aug 26 2007, 11:08 AM']+1 to all that. He just needs to take his foot off the gas sometimes and let the songs breathe a bit.[/quote]


Yeah i'd agree with that mind ! he does let rip live, but the last 3 studio albums have been very restrained really bass wise....

His bass part on Alanis Morisettes's "You Oughta now" was a great one take improv line, he was called in to do that job because the original bass part sucked !

He's also a pretty good horn player too, who loves the jazz greats !

One trick pony eh !

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When flea plays simple, people say that he has grown old and forgot to groove

When flea plays a little more, people say that he plays too much!

The chili peppers are the only rock band that I could watch live every day, every show has something new to it with lots of improvisation! That is their philosophy and that is why their true fans love them!

And don't forget that flea is not a bass player! He is a trumpet player! His hands play bass but his mind playes the trompet! His own words!

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[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NF7EdFIuZSo"]Flea Trumpet Solo[/url] <--- love this.


The Under The Bridge bassline was the one that told me I was on the right track playing bass. Soft Warm Melodic Essential.



No matter how many times I say I've gone off the Chilis or that they've sold out, Flea blows me away every time if I catch him live on TV or re-watch What Hits. His ability to come up with a completely different bassline as catchy as the recorded original is astonishing. Certainly one of the most musically talented in popular music.

Edited by paul, the
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