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Flea’s tone on The Getaway RHCP


Beedster
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Learning a few new RHCP songs, and getting into some post JFv2/pre JFv3 songs on the post Stadium Arcadium albums that had previously passed my by. Have to say that thing that really stands out for me is that Flea’s slap tone appears very crude by comparison with earlier albums, especially in The Getaway, and that the lines themselves are nothing like as well conceived. Am I missing something, because I know a few folks here rate the album in question? 

Edited by Beedster
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I feel the same way. ‘Dark Necessities’ on Getaway sounds like a demo recording. Chad’s drums sound like they were recorded in a badly tuned room, and Flea’s playing is just sloppy; hitting strings that should have been muted etc. 
 

Suffice to say it’s not one of my favourites. 🙁

Edited by paul_5
I was thinking of the wrong track
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3 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

It was produced by Dangermouse and not Rick Rubin. It’s a very different lo fi Sound in a lot of ways.

About 90% of it is ace.

And I think he used his jazz a lot rather than the Modulus or wal he used for BSSM/Californication/BTW.

I didn’t know he’d used a Wal. It’s not an instrument I’d associate with him.

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12 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

And I think he used his jazz a lot rather than the Modulus or wal he used for BSSM/Californication/BTW.

I know he was using his Jazz with flats on the ‘I’m with you’ album, not really listened to the Getaway enough to pay it that much attention.

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15 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

also “I’m with you” was compressed to buggery to suit iPods 

cant remember where I read that...but didn’t like how that album sounded.

Californication / By The Way / Stadium Arcadium / I'm With You were all compressed to death and mastered atrociously. It's so bad that I had to find the unmastered version of Californication just so that I could listen to it through headphones. 

Not sure of his rig on the first two albums. I know he used a Musicman Cutlass and Stingray on both of them. 

TUMPP was a Spector NS which was also used on Mother's Milk. I think the Stingray might have also been used for a few tracks. 

I know around this time, he started using a combination of GK / Mesa heads and cabs. This lasted all the way up to Californication. 

BSSM was a Wal with a 5 string Stingray used on Naked In The Rain and I think Mellowship? 

OHM was an Alembic Epic bar Coffee Shop which was a Stingray and Pea which was a double bass. 

Californication was the Modulus Flea. Not sure if this was when the '61 Stack Knob started to be used also? It features in the Californication video. Around The World was played through Marshall guitar heads for the overdriven sections. 

By The Way was all Modulus Flea. Can't think of a track which sounds like the Stack Knob. Carbron might have been a double bass come to think of it. Flea used an all GK rig on this album and Stadium Arcadium at least for touring. 

SA definitely used the Stack Knob and I know that it was used through multiple rigs Flea isn't known for such has the Ampeg Portaflex / B-15. Modulus Flea was used on 'heavier' tracks such has So Much I. 

I'm With You was the Stack Knob into an Acoustic rig (330?). Modulus Flea again used on 'heavy' tracks such has Goodbye Hooray. 

Getaway was Stack Knob predominantly. Can't think of a track which stands out has having Stingray/Modulus tone to it. Amps I'm not sure of. 

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1 hour ago, ClassicVibes said:

Skimmed? Right, that's a valid point then. 

As a lifelong chili peppers fan absolutely nothing grabbed me. They're bland, crap albums. To me at least. Some might argue that their whole back catalogue is like that. However I digress. If you're outside Kiedis or Flea's house waving a placard saying "Bring Back Klinghoffer!" I wish you all the best of luck with that. You'll be the only one.

My point is that kind of like how you can listen to 10 seconds of any recent Dream Theatre album or song and know it's all crap.

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1 hour ago, ClassicVibes said:

Lifelong Chili Peppers fan but couldn't get the new guitarist's name right? 

Ex new guitarist :)

So, back to the point of the thread with an example. I really like the feel of Goodbye Angels on The Getaway, which has something of Californication about it to my ear. But the bass riff at around 3.30 seems very crude in terms of Flea's technique and his tone, but more importantly perhaps, seems completely unnecessary in the context of the song. This felt like a departure to me for a bassist who had mostly played what was necessary for the song throughout 30 previous years. And don't get me wrong, I love the guy, I love his lines, his tone and his attitude. 

 

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4 minutes ago, Beedster said:

Ex new guitarist :)

So, back to the point of the thread with an example. I really like the feel of Goodbye Angels on The Getaway, which has something of Californication about it to my ear. But the bass riff at around 3.30 seems very crude in terms of Flea's technique and his tone, but more importantly perhaps, seems completely unnecessary in the context of the song. This felt like a departure to me for a bassist who had mostly played what was necessary for the song throughout 30 previous years. And don't get me wrong, I love the guy, I love his lines, his tone and his attitude. 

 

Yeah. Flats slapped on a jazz, in a pretty sloppy fashion too...

sounds like nails down a blackboard 

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3 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Yeah. Flats slapped on a jazz, in a pretty sloppy fashion too...

sounds like nails down a blackboard 

Agreed. But I can make flats slapped sound way better, which was kinda why I posted. I expect way better from Flea/RCHP. My sense was that he (and possibly the rest of the band) invested very little in developing the parts and in the playing, which made me feel quite sad to be honest.

I hope JFv3 gives them the necessary motivation to be what they're no doubt still capable of being?

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6 minutes ago, Beedster said:

Agreed. But I can make flats slapped sound way better, which was kinda why I posted. I expect way better from Flea/RCHP. My sense was that he (and possibly the rest of the band) invested very little in developing the parts and in the playing, which made me feel quite sad to be honest.

I hope JFv3 gives them the necessary motivation to be what they're no doubt still capable of being?

I think BSSM was their peak - a culmination of touring and development of skills, Californication was a brilliant return - reenergised by JF’s return to wellbeing after the wilderness of One Hot Minute (about 5 great songs with too much faffing). By The Way was a good follow up (hate The Zephyr Song with a passion).

After that...I struggle.

And I still listen to the rest of the albums, love the funky fast furious stupidity of the first 3 albums, Mothers Milk was a stepping stone with a few glorious moments.

I like I’m With You and The Getaway as albums - just about as much as I like Stadium Arcadium. 
 

Edit - returning to my actual point in response...I too hope there’s something worth praising on the way.

Although I am sceptical.

Edited by AndyTravis
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4 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

I think BSSM was their peak - a culmination of touring and development of skills, Californication was a brilliant return - reenergised by JF’s return to wellbeing after the wilderness of One Hot Minute (about 5 great songs with too much faffing). By The Way was a good follow up (hate The Zephyr Song with a passion).

After that...I struggle.

And I still listen to the rest of the albums, love the funky fast furious stupidity of the first 3 albums, Mothers Milk was a stepping stone with a few glorious moments.

I like I’m With You and The Getaway as albums - just about as much as I like Stadium Arcadium. 
 

Edit - returning to my actual point in response...I too hope there’s something worth praising on the way.

Although I am sceptical.

 

2 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

I like One Hot Minute.

I agree that One Hot Minute was a decent album (I'd have been happy to play on it), but yes, BSSM and Californication are truly outstanding, and By The Way, although not as strong as its predecessor, was still a great album (I quite like Zephyr, at least the verses). As I think most people agree (although not on which songs should be in/out), Stadium Arcadium should have been a single album. Given the last two however, I suspect their next album is going to be their last and a sad goodby unless they pull something magical out of the bag.

With JF back, they might just do it.

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2 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

I like One Hot Minute.

Oh yeah - me too. It’s not god awful by any stretch, just super slick and a bit overweight. The sound of a commodity juggernaut.

”throw £6m at this and we’ll get it back guys - no sweat”

Whereas Californication was like a polished but more spontaneous set up. The “off the map” DVD really shows JF and Flea bouncing ideas, enjoying playing and coming up with lovely parts - the Modulus sounds ridiculous on that recording too.

When I watched Funky Monks; BSSM sounded different, better...I could hear things I hadn’t heard before. Absolutely Ace.

I would listen to a bad chilis album any day over something else - because I’m a pathetic fanboy.

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Just now, Beedster said:

Stadium Arcadium should have been a single album.

There was another thread on that entire album. I set up a playlist on Spotify of what it should’ve been in my mind - but I deleted it when I moved to Spotify family by mistake. Trying to delete my lads god awful and seemingly endless lists of turds.

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On 17/12/2019 at 22:31, AndyTravis said:

Dani California 

Snow (Hey Oh)

Charlie

Hump De Bump

Slow Cheetah

Tell Me Baby

21st Century 

Especially in Michigan 

Warlocks

Strip My Mind

Wet Sand

 

About that...maybe.

Include Fortune Faded And Save The Population from the greatest hits compilation...

About right... @Beedster

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