Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
FLEA-Best bass player ever???
- Thread starter TMB
- Start date
ya know, now that i think about it.. he was in My Own Private Idaho with Keanu Reeves.. and he can FRICKIN RIP on bass... ever heard Dogstar?... maybe flea got in the movie to hang with Keanu and learn some chops.
Ill give a Flea shoutout here...
Although I believe there are 'better' bassists out there (Jaco, Vic, Marcus...you know, the legends), Ive never heard anyone come up with better basslines in a band situation. I listen to his stuff and i really feel like his basslines are perfect for the song he is playing in. It seems like he really cares about the music and the soundof the song as a whole. Although I enjoy earlier RHCP more, I feel my point is exemplified in their newer stuff, when he favors fingerstlye to the hyper-kinetic slap. And though much of his stuff is busy, I still feel that it is very tasteful.
Like him or hate him, I think anyone needs to appreciate what he has done for the bass world. Being a bassist whose contributions to a song can actually be recognized by the non-musical public has done much to garner respect for bassists everywhere. Not to mention that a ridiculous amount of people have picked up the bass because of listening to Flea and the RHCP. No doubt more than any other bassist, and in the end, isn't that the most important thing?
Although I believe there are 'better' bassists out there (Jaco, Vic, Marcus...you know, the legends), Ive never heard anyone come up with better basslines in a band situation. I listen to his stuff and i really feel like his basslines are perfect for the song he is playing in. It seems like he really cares about the music and the soundof the song as a whole. Although I enjoy earlier RHCP more, I feel my point is exemplified in their newer stuff, when he favors fingerstlye to the hyper-kinetic slap. And though much of his stuff is busy, I still feel that it is very tasteful.
Like him or hate him, I think anyone needs to appreciate what he has done for the bass world. Being a bassist whose contributions to a song can actually be recognized by the non-musical public has done much to garner respect for bassists everywhere. Not to mention that a ridiculous amount of people have picked up the bass because of listening to Flea and the RHCP. No doubt more than any other bassist, and in the end, isn't that the most important thing?
I think this is not a matter of taste and neither is a matter of defining "best". 
One, as a bassist, should know that Flea is not one of the greatest bass players of all time. And there's no doubt about it.
A matter of taste would be saying that he's an excellent bassist, especially in his style; that he and Will Ferrell are the heart of the band and that Frusciante and Kiedis suck
I hope that considering Flea as the best is just a matter of youth and/or little time to listen to more music. That has solutions and this forum is very helpful
^ I was thinking exactly the same!!! Not even in movies!!!
One, as a bassist, should know that Flea is not one of the greatest bass players of all time. And there's no doubt about it.
A matter of taste would be saying that he's an excellent bassist, especially in his style; that he and Will Ferrell are the heart of the band and that Frusciante and Kiedis suck
I hope that considering Flea as the best is just a matter of youth and/or little time to listen to more music. That has solutions and this forum is very helpful
^ I was thinking exactly the same!!! Not even in movies!!!
It's difficult for me to picture the likes of Hamm, Jones, Weeks, East, McCartney, Bruce, Fiedler, (even) Jaco, Dunn, Rhodes... nude.
Sorry kids.
Sorry kids.
Exactly who is qualified to judge, "the best bass player"? I'm not. I am qualified to judge who are my personal favorites. Flea is one of my favorites. I know that he has a hell of a lot of album sales and he is on many peoples favorites list. Does that make him the best? Ridiculous question really.
Here is something to think about if you're a RHCP fan. Flea get's hit by a buss. Who is the best replacement?
Here is something to think about if you're a RHCP fan. Flea get's hit by a buss. Who is the best replacement?
I love the RHCP. They are probably my favorite band. That being said, I think Flea is good, really good, he is innovative and creative and a nice guy. He is not, however, the best bassist ever. Best anything is subjective. It's just your opinion.
Some like Sheehan, I hate him. It's called personal opinion.
Some like Sheehan, I hate him. It's called personal opinion.
+1
There's nothing that makes Flea even REMOTELY the best bass player ever. I mean IMHO there is no "best" bass player. But let's look at criteria I suppose...
Most influential - No
Most skilled technically - No
Most skilled musically - No
Most recognized - Fairly so, but No.
Nothing makes him the best by any means. Skill, he has. But not the most EVER.
Such a ridiculous claim...
But to each his own I suppose.
He's one of my favorites. He plays some cool stuff for sure.
I'd have to put him in the top tier of rock players, right up there with Geddy.
Flea's funny though, his "funkiness" is always the hammer-hammer in-your-face type but on softer, less riff-intensive songs he sometimes doesn't seem to know what to do. He doesn't play the more subtle funk grooves the way JP Jones and Robert DeLeo cop Jamerson. Flea is great though.
I'd have to put him in the top tier of rock players, right up there with Geddy.
Flea's funny though, his "funkiness" is always the hammer-hammer in-your-face type but on softer, less riff-intensive songs he sometimes doesn't seem to know what to do. He doesn't play the more subtle funk grooves the way JP Jones and Robert DeLeo cop Jamerson. Flea is great though.
If you like disgustingly sloppy playing. Then yes, Flea is the best.
go ahead and start ripping me a new one now..
go ahead and start ripping me a new one now..
As has already been said - he's the best Flea ever for sure!
Music is art so it's all subjective (and when it comes to opinions, musician's can be the worst at forgetting that) - who's the 'best' artist ever? Who's the best painter ever? Who's the best sculptor ever? What's my favourite color? ... Depends on who's answering.
(Don't even get me started on bassist vs. bass player
)
Music is art so it's all subjective (and when it comes to opinions, musician's can be the worst at forgetting that
) - who's the 'best' artist ever? Who's the best painter ever? Who's the best sculptor ever? What's my favourite color? ... Depends on who's answering.(Don't even get me started on bassist vs. bass player
)
