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A Message From Flea

#101
SteveC said:
Regardless of who wrote it, it is a great letter.

Everyone knows that shows like this are fake. If the artist can accept it, why can't everyone else?
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If everyone knew that, Flea wouldn't have written a letter. It's obviously such an irregular thing for the RHCP that they felt an explanation was in order.
 
#103
"We, as a band, aspire to grow as musicians and songwriters, and to continue to play our guts out live onstage for anyone who wants to get their brains blown out.

Sincerely,

Flea"

Sounds like loose bowels...:D
 
#105
electracoyote said:
You are absolutely right.

And let's remember a couple of other things:

The majority of the mainstream audience, both live and TV-viewing, does not care. Those people (the vast majority who saw the half-time show) are not having this conversation. In fact, a big chunk of the audience probably found it pretty damn entertaining. "Dance [like] monkeys" is exactly what RHCP has been doing for decades, to a great deal of success, so I doubt the band took offense at the suggestion. It's only some of us folks on musician chat sites, most of whom play music at places like Moe's BBQ on the weekends, who will never broker a deal like RHCP did, tap-tap-tapping into our little computer keyboards, who are getting twisted over it. Sorry for the reality check, but it helps to keep this in perspective.

No one held a gun to the bands' heads. They knew exactly what they were getting into and did it voluntarily, for the kick of entertaining at the Super Bowl, the exposure and music/ticket sales that will surely result, maybe even a fee (we don't know for sure). Or maybe some combination of those.

I got nothing but respect for the RHCP and the NFL. Two of the best dog and pony shows ever created. P.T. Barnum would be impressed.
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+100000
 
#106
Bodhi said:
I think it was well done, however I am a fan of Flea.

And yes I would have played it. Without live vocals...I don't know.
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I dunno, for me the instruments matter as much as the vocals, so it wouldn't really be any different.



I just don't get it. Yeah, I know, they probably got paid a whole heap of money for their performance, but they already have heaps of money. I could understand if the band weren't already quite wealthy... but they are. They just look like fakes doing it this way.
 
#108
Man, some of you guys crack me up. RHCP don't have anything to prove at this point, and have had a massively successful career spanning more than 20 years playing their own instruments and their own songs. If they want to get up at the Superbowl and mime to a track they recorded specially for the event then cool; they said they're big NFL fans so why not?

And it's pretty classy, although not at all necessary, for Flea to explain the logic behind the performance. I guess the people who think he 'faked' the explanation too are the same people who were sat watching at home alone, in their underwear, jealous they don't have any gigs.
 
#109
Sartori said:
I dunno, for me the instruments matter as much as the vocals, so it wouldn't really be any different.

I just don't get it. Yeah, I know, they probably got paid a whole heap of money for their performance, but they already have heaps of money. I could understand if the band weren't already quite wealthy... but they are. They just look like fakes doing it this way.
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Yes instruments are just as important as vocals, but there is so much more that can go wrong in such a short setup time.

Sometimes we take 2.5 hrs to set up and sound check. I don't know what all goes on for the SB show but it happens pretty fast.

People that climb mountains look for other mountains to climb, golfers look to play other courses. RHCP looking for something they haven't done? Besides....if they want to fake anything I think they've earned it.
 
#110
So to sum up the position of the complainers:

Vocalist singing live over prerecorded track, on stage with dancers = okay

Vocalist singing live over prerecorded track, on stage with people holding instruments = not okay

Is that about right?
 
#111
Whousedtoplay said:
Whatever whoever says, but tell me which FAKE artist or FAKE band was able to get on that stage in front of 111.5 million viewers?
I would call it the Life Achievement Award for any artist/musician to perform on that stage.
Just think about it as the RHCP were getting the Life Achievement Award and acting naturally, with their own music in the background.
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Thank ya
 
#112
Well, if I read the statement correctly, the band recorded a live performance of the music track before the show. The music we heard was the RHCP themselves who banged out a live version of the song onto tape earlier and then Anthony sang over that track live. And how is this a controversy? Its not like they were lip syncing to a budget priced karaoke tape. This was 100% RHCP and a fine performance given the constraints from one of the all-time great bands who still know how to bring it after three decades.
 
#113
brownie_bass said:
So to sum up the position of the complainers:

Vocalist singing live over prerecorded track, on stage with dancers = okay

Vocalist singing live over prerecorded track, on stage with people holding instruments = not okay

Is that about right?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I'm a complainer, just an interested person with a generally negative impression of the event. Yes, for me, dance is an art form and watching good choreography along with a live vocalist and a pre-recorded track is usually entertaining. I am not willing to call the RHCP dancers or their movements choreography, or even art. RHCP art is usually their musical performance (which I like), but their "dancing" is laughable. This dancing might be fun for them to "perform," but not for me to watch. The Bruno Mars band's choreography, on the other hand, was artistic (coordinated, planned, rehearsed, etc.) and thus more satisfying for me to watch.

So yes, IMO the NFL said "dance monkeys," and two bands agreed. The BM monkeys did a slick Motown inspired dance/mime while the RHCP jumped around a lot. Guess where else I can go to see monkeys jump around a lot?
 
#115
There wasn't a better way to handle this than with an article like that. Honestly, for them to play as many shows as they do/have, to mime like four at most, and then owning up to it doesn't sound like that bad of a plan. They did it with the best attitude and in the most real way they were allowed to. Plus it was a great show. I approve. :) It's not like they've been miming show after show and are trying to cover up for it.
 
#118
Never bothered me when MTV played videos and I knew that the bands were miming their own recordings. I'm watching the superbowl halftime on tv....kind of like a video, actually, really like one. That works.

If only Flea had shoved a carrot in the input.
 
#119
BASS-instinct--bass-player-Flea-from-the-band-Re-6356049_zps35c33fcb.gif
 
#120
It really gets me when people call bands of RHCP's caliber "******". Unless you are in one of maybe 5 bands that has stood the test of time like RHCP and still is putting out albums relatively non stop, then you just come across as a bitter loser. You don't have to like their music, but anyone with a brain should be able to respect both what they've done as a band and their musicianship.
 

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