Flea - Is he the best bass player?

[jezzaboy]

Tell you something, I`d rather listen to Flea than all that musical masturbation crap of Jaco (no not Micheal) and guys like that.

Personally I liked the "let`s all dress up as a lightbulb period". If any man (or woman: copyright Monty Python) can play bass dressed as a lightbulb, he gets my vote!

Jez

[HMX]

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='573201' date='Aug 18 2009, 05:15 PM']Tell you something, I`d rather listen to Flea than all that musical masturbation crap of Jaco (no not Micheal) and guys like that.[/quote]
Surely that depends purely on musical taste, and not talent.

I find listening to Jaco inspiring, and I don't really listen to much jazz. I also like listening to RHCP, as there are some nice basslines in there.

It's all relative

[AxelF]

[quote name='Rich' post='569038' date='Aug 14 2009, 02:13 PM']She told me that she'd played on the RHCP albums.[/quote]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='569634' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:43 PM']Mile high club??[/quote]

Brilliant, and the answers threads such as this deserve

[arabassist]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='571798' date='Aug 17 2009, 05:14 PM']I don't know any of these songs.[/quote]

[u][b]BLASPHEMY![/b][/u]


Flea is not the best, he just looks funny.

Edited August 23, 2009 by arabassist

[Higgie]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='571798' date='Aug 17 2009, 05:14 PM']I don't know any of these songs.[/quote]

Give them a listen, Coffee Shop has got a couple of great solos in it!

[Laurence]

I'm 17 but I wasn't brought up bass wise into all the RHCP stuff, he is good no doubt about that but after I'd been learning for two years I stumbled upon fretless and Mick Karn and Jaco Pastorius I rate them way above him (I can promise that most 15-18 year old bassists will say they are inspired by Flea).

Edited August 23, 2009 by Laurence

[Pissman]

[quote name='Laurence' post='578242' date='Aug 23 2009, 03:18 PM']I'm 17 but I wasn't brought up bass wise into all the RHCP stuff, he is good no doubt about that but after I'd been learning for two years I stumbled upon fretless and Mick Karn and Jaco Pastorius I rate them way above him (I can promise that most 15-18 year old bassists will say they are inspired by Flea).[/quote]

I'm 17 and have never realy got into Flea/RHCP ... not into Jaco either but hey

[skankdelvar]

No-one is the best bass player. But there may be a bass player you like the best.

[Tusknia]

Nope, I'm sick of telling people that I play bass for them to go 'OMG Can you slap like Flea!!!'.

I agree with skankdelvar, no single individual is the best bass player.

[leschirons]

[quote name='crez5150' post='568714' date='Aug 14 2009, 09:03 AM']Indeed.... we could make a big list here of all popular bassists including Jaco, entwistle, Bruce, Berlin (shudder....), Wilkenfield, etc.......

Wouldn't it be more fun to see who was the fattest or thinnest or goofiest bassist ever.... I think so.[/quote]

Or the baldest? I reckon we're both in with a chance.

[leschirons]

[quote name='Pissman' post='578302' date='Aug 23 2009, 03:22 PM']I'm 17 and have never realy got into Flea/RHCP ... not into Jaco either but hey [/quote]

Or hats by the look of it.

[funkypenguin]

no. in a word...

there are alot of players out there that go a long way beyond Flea

[thodrik]

I wasn't going to reply in this thread as I think that any debate over 'the best' in a field as subjective as music seems to be pointless. Nevertheless I felt that this would a good a place as any to state my opinions on Flea.

The guy is a household name and is in my opinion one of the most influential bassists in mainstream popular music. He is a great player as evidenced by the stuff in the RHCP and the first Mars Volta album. He has sold millions and millions of albums and is often the first guy beginners look to when they think of bassists that are at the forefront of their bands. While this often leads to kids going to music shops, picking up a bass and slapping away badly, at least they are playing the bass rather than another instrument. I think that people while like Wooten, Jaco, Berlin etc often inspire bass players to improve their technique, it is guys like Flea that inspire people to pick up the bass in the first place.

Edit: I'm not sure about those new Flea basses though! The thought behind them was admirable however.

Edited August 24, 2009 by thodrik