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FLEA-Best bass player ever???
- Thread starter TMB
- Start date
Flea is the best player ever...................that's worn a sock on his junk
Are you serious...he wouldn´t be in the top 100 bassists
JUst a few names to prove my point...FELIX PAPPALARDI, JACK BRUCE, nah waste of time...Flea wouldn´t get i the top 1000..and I don´t have space to qwrite them all..probably 50% of the bassists here are better
I think Flea has found a great niche in music, and has developed it well to his own personal taste. I also think that people underestimate how original his ideas were for the early 1980's. Slap bass was a young child at that point, and nobody had given it that much intensity before him.
That being said, I'd have to agree with a few other people who said that "the best" depends on how you perceive being "the best." Is that # of records sold, how many countries you've played in, how many people know your name? I think there are other people who are better musicians than Flea, and I don't think Flea would argue me on that for one minute. I REALLY love his music and think he's done some fantastic things with his instrument that have inspired my own improvement incredibly, BUT I wouldn't dare go as far as saying he's the best EVER.
Carl Thompson once wrote a blog on his website about how sick he was of people comparing bass builders, bass players etc to each other. His idea was, we're all different breeds and we contribute so many different things. If we focused on playing or building instead of arguing over who's the best, we would probably open up doors of possibility in our own talent that we never thought existed.
That being said, I'd have to agree with a few other people who said that "the best" depends on how you perceive being "the best." Is that # of records sold, how many countries you've played in, how many people know your name? I think there are other people who are better musicians than Flea, and I don't think Flea would argue me on that for one minute. I REALLY love his music and think he's done some fantastic things with his instrument that have inspired my own improvement incredibly, BUT I wouldn't dare go as far as saying he's the best EVER.
Carl Thompson once wrote a blog on his website about how sick he was of people comparing bass builders, bass players etc to each other. His idea was, we're all different breeds and we contribute so many different things. If we focused on playing or building instead of arguing over who's the best, we would probably open up doors of possibility in our own talent that we never thought existed.
Again , this all comes down to personal opinion but I really dont rate Marcus Miller , technically he is good but good bass playing is not about how fast you can slap or how many solos you can play , Flea is a band player and Marcus Miller is a soloist , in the context of being a band player Flea is very good , not the best ever but still very good and certainly better than most of the people on this forum
ther'es no such thing as that worlds best anything, its all a matter of opinion. He does, however, seem to be a big influence to people who are just starting to learn the instrument(he was for me). most of his material is difficult enough for young players that it takes them a while and they have to try hard to learn it, but as you become more proficient it becomes easier and easier.
It's a silly argument, but as another poster mentioned he's the best in terms of MTV music. The the grand scheme of things he's not near the top; however, he plays what he wants and has probably inspired a ton of people over the years to pick up the bass - something a lot of music fans have a somewhat warped view on - and show other people that the bass can be out in front on pop music. For that, he's ok in my book.
I hate to say it....but Flea just doesn't impress me. He seems more about visuals and performance than musicianship or technical ability. He works well with the band he is in, and can slap fast, but I prefer the more nuanced and mature qualities of many other bassist. It seems to me that the popularity of the RHCP has boosted his reputation quite a bit. Perhaps people are distracted by the sock he was wearing? When people find out I'm a bass player, the word "flea" inevitably comes up, more record sales, more exposure does not equal best bassist. Give me Jaco anyway,
He's definitely a very talented man. Everyone will have their own opinion on the subject, but I personally wouldn't put him on my list of candidates.
Did you really just say that? Im going to need you to do some history on Marcus before you say something like that again. The Brecker Bros, the Crusaders, Miles Davis?
