Flea

[fumps]

Am i really sad that i know all the names of the line ups of RHPC

I'm going to sulk now.......but in my defence i actually do like the other members & think they are talented too

[chilli]

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1342004089' post='1727728']
I used to hate the RHCP but hen i saw them at [b]Reading 1994[/b] as a headliner & was absolutely blown away. they were just the most energetic-power ball of power, noise & i just could not take my eyes off them.

Ever since I'm still in awe at their ability to survive & do what they are good at. Not everyone likes the same thing but I for one will always be a massive fan of Flea & his playing
[/quote]

Man thats just trigged a memory....think I was at that one

Edited July 12, 2012 by chilli

[Conan]

[quote name='JakeBrownBass' timestamp='1341954404' post='1727092']
...............But is he better than Mark King [/quote]

Mark King is a flawless groove player. He never misses "the pocket". You want proof?
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR3BBOfboLg&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR3BBOfboLg&feature=related[/url]

[Clarebear68]

I think Flea's a great player, great technique and I always thought his basslines were interesting ... I just wish the songs on the last couple of albums showed as much imagination as his basslines do.

[bartelby]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1341994204' post='1727454']
[/quote]

at 58 seconds:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uus2hnYcGs[/media]

EDIT: and the thumbnail image...

Edited July 12, 2012 by bartelby

[SlapbassSteve]

Without Flea I wouldn't even know what a bass guitar is, never mind how to pay my rent and put food on my table with one.

There are a fair few players (especially around roughly my age bracket) that were first inspired to play by the man, can't see how anyone could be negative about a player that inspires people to take up the instrument.


...Also he was in one of the Back To The Future movies. 'nuff said.

[stingrayPete1977]

Needles!

[skej21]

For me, Flea is a truly great bassist who occasionally spoils a track or two by deciding to play slap. Great lines on tracks like 'Scar Tissue' and 'Under the bridge' but his slap technique/tone/tracks are just a standard below the rest of his playing. Less innovative, less catchy and too showy IMO.

[Pete Academy]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1342002042' post='1727662']
IMO the music that you choose to play is just as important as your ability on your chosen instrument(s). As a band RHCP don't really do anything for me so while Flea may or may not be a fantastic bass player because I don't like the music he plays I find it hard to appreciate his playing.

Also I'm a great believer in the importance of the song and the arrangement over the instrumental prowess of the individual musicians. To me if as a musician you are more noticed that the songs you are playing that means either the songs themselves are weak, or you are over-playing. Either way IMO you've failed as a musician.
[/quote]

Nobody believes that the song is king more than me. I hate overplaying. However, in my opinion, Flea comes up with parts that are busy yet complement the song beautifully. I have rarely heard a player do this as well, even over players like Jack Bruce and Geddy Lee in a three-piece setting.

[4000]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1342002865' post='1727697']
But surely the logical extension of that is saying that anyone who achieves recognition as being a great player must, therefore, be rubbish!

I'm all for great songs but (IMO) there must be room for outstanding musicians as well......
[/quote]

Despite being a "song" guy, I completely agree with this. Many of my favourite bands have musicians you can't help but notice, but that's part of what creates the music and makes it work.

[4000]

[quote name='wingnutkj' timestamp='1342077391' post='1729020']
Oh! Oh! I know this one -the drummer's Will Ferrell!
[/quote]

Ah, it's not just me then!

[Conan]

[quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1342122589' post='1730101']
Nobody believes that the song is king more than me. I hate overplaying. However, in my opinion, Flea comes up with parts that are busy yet complement the song beautifully. I have rarely heard a player do this as well, even over players like Jack Bruce and Geddy Lee in a three-piece setting.
[/quote]

Spot on! For example, some of Geddy's playing in "Headlong Flight". It's not big and it's not clever! Too many notes maestro!!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEiCklEkyeg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEiCklEkyeg[/url]

[paul_5]

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1342166679' post='1730524']
Ah, it's not just me then!
[/quote]

[IMG]http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd471/paul_510/images-3.jpg[/IMG]

[groovebuster]

i love the guy. changed me from a plectrum using heavy metalist into a finger funking slap n ticklist. however i had 2 proper teachers in my life n neither rated him. these teachers were gud 2. the 2nd being gary culshaw. type gary culshaw bass into you tube and click 'some other country". any way the reasons where he was to show offy. alot of old skool jazzers didnt like slaping. they come from the walkin bass school where carving a melodic groove thru a spectrum of tonality is the height of bass expression, and in many ways is the hardest yet most fulfilling job in the bass. "its like a solo lasting the entire song" they used to tell me. still i love flea. now i get old and refine my techniques i do think he does rag them stings man. no wonder he had to fill his fingers with glue. after a few weeks of gigs playing gigs every night my fingers hurt. but he keeps goin. hes a funk soldier. ledgend. as is gary culshaw, check vid. guitar solo 2. OMFG.

[surfinbernard]

I really don't rate the Chilis, they are quite boring IMO, very studio polished sounding, not really my bag. I do like funk, especially older funk, I am not 'opposed' to the slap style, I just don't like Flea's playing. He is good at his particular thing, I just don't find it all that nice to listen to. Neither do I particularly enjoy listening to a lot better players such as Marcus Miller, yes they are amazing and I occasionally have a listen so I can say 'wow' and 'cor listen to that' but musically it leaves me cold. I am much more excited by rawness and passion than polish and technique.

[stingrayPete1977]

Flea really has not done that much slapping for a long time, It does not help that he has a style that is quite funky even when playing fingered which sounds almost like he is slapping even when he is not, the Guy Dave in my sig at the bottom has a similar bass playing style but plays no slap at all. Like a lot of people we hear what is prominent from a band/artiste and presume thats all they do, some of Flea's best lines are very melodic and gently played in fact.....

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XcN12uVHeQ[/media]

4 mins on is the best bit of the best Chili's songs IMO
If your looking for Richard Bona or Janek stuff sure its nothing like but you cant say there is no groove there, you just cant!

Edited July 13, 2012 by stingrayPete1977

[JTUK]

Not much of a fan... I think the playing is a bit too chummy and always left me thinking it could have been a bit more...
Can't say I have listened to him loads tho...

Edited July 13, 2012 by JTUK

[the_skezz]

Can't say I enjoy his slap work too much, a point which became especially sore when I first picked up the bass and had mates and family members trying to get me to learn those segments Otherwise though, great player, and the slap bits do show great ability - just not my thing at all.

[simon1964]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1342197568' post='1731500']
Flea really has not done that much slapping for a long time, It does not help that he has a style that is quite funky even when playing fingered which sounds almost like he is slapping even when he is not, the Guy Dave in my sig at the bottom has a similar bass playing style but plays no slap at all. Like a lot of people we hear what is prominent from a band/artiste and presume thats all they do, some of Flea's best lines are very melodic and gently played in fact.....

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XcN12uVHeQ[/media]

4 mins on is the best bit of the best Chili's songs IMO
If your looking for Richard Bona or Janek stuff sure its nothing like but you cant say there is no groove there, you just cant!
[/quote]

Soul to Squeeze is simply one of the best basslines ever IMO - groove personified!

[gt4ever]

[quote name='surfinbernard' timestamp='1342197126' post='1731485']
I really don't rate the Chilis, they are quite boring IMO, very studio polished sounding, not really my bag. I do like funk, especially older funk, I am not 'opposed' to the slap style, I just don't like Flea's playing. He is good at his particular thing, I just don't find it all that nice to listen to. Neither do I particularly enjoy listening to a lot better players such as Marcus Miller, yes they are amazing and I occasionally have a listen so I can say 'wow' and 'cor listen to that' but musically it leaves me cold. I am much more excited by rawness and passion than polish and technique.
[/quote]

just out of interest what gets you going musically? The last sentence just makes me think if you listened to their early stuff then rawness and passion was in abundance. Its like anything really, it develops and progresses with people and time, they are getting on a bit now so dont think their older style would really suit where they are at now. Any of their albums prior to and including mothers milk was raw IMO, have a listen, you may likey.

Rich

[4000]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1342201460' post='1731630']
Not much of a fan... I think the playing is a bit too chummy and always left me thinking it could have been a bit more...
Can't say I have listened to him loads tho...
[/quote]

Chummy? That's a new one on me, I have no idea what that means other than being a bit "matey" as in "like a mate"!

I really like his playing, always have, although he wasn't really an influence as I'd already been playing over 10 years before I'd heard of him. In his own parlance, he gets the right mixture of flash and smash. I remember the 1st time I heard You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette, thinking "oh yeah, the bassist has really got it going on". I only found out much later it was him. I'll add that I'm not much of a fan of "every hair in place" type playing, which his certainly isn't.

FWIW I don't believe in too many notes or too few notes. I believe in the right number of notes for the piece of music in question, and that is an entirely subjective concept.

I'll add that the first time a friend of mine, a great guitarist who I played with for many years, heard Soul To Squeeze, he said "that sounds like one of your lines". Was quite pleased about that one!

[JTUK]

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.

[Fat Rich]

Thanks to this thread I've been listening to a few of his lines, I reckon he's a bit of a legend.

Sure, he overdoes it sometimes but more often than not he plays something a bit different to the norm and really adds something to the song.

[stingrayPete1977]

[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 hear he rates you very highly
Its not that Im impressed on a basic level, I dont need to hear an overly complex piece of music for it to be enjoyable, sometimes it is sometimes it is not, but as long as its enjoyable Im happy. All this over anylzing the basses, amps and complexity of the bass lines over shadows your brains natural function of deciding if you like it or not.

[JTUK]

Sure.... And I don't. Good pub band player tho'. Lol