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Flea is not really that great is he??
- Thread starter arvidgunardi
- Start date
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
Thanks for the link! Lots there, but I did especially like the solos by Flea, Alex Al, and Jimmy Johnson (great tone!) myself.
And I feel sorry for whoever was the soundman on that gig!
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
Flea has a schtick, and it worked for him - very well. Why is this thread reminding me of You Tube?
Stanley Clarke & Friends - OLD SCHOOL (Live) - YouTube
ugg. I hate this video. I'm sorry, all that does is remind me what I don't want to be. A bunch of mindless noodling, with them looking at each other, with slight smiles while thinking "my d*** is bigger than yours"
The crap at 2:45-3:00 is so messy, and is what I really dislike about "virtuoso" bassists (yes, even including Wooten.. his Amazing Grace solo is filled with misplayed notes like this)
I'll take RCHP bass lines over this stuff anyday.
Sorry, not trying to be a downer here, a bit buzzed on a Sunday afternoon.
ugg. I hate this video. I'm sorry, all that does is remind me what I don't want to be. A bunch of mindless noodling, with them looking at each other, with slight smiles while thinking "my d*** is bigger than yours"
The crap at 2:45-3:00 is so messy, and is what I really dislike about "virtuoso" bassists (yes, even including Wooten.. his Amazing Grace solo is filled with misplayed notes like this)
I'll take RCHP bass lines over this stuff anyday.
Sorry, not trying to be a downer here, a bit buzzed on a Sunday afternoon.
And, this guy at 4:00... seriously?
Flea actually did pretty well, I enjoyed his part.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
sjphi26 are you aware that every bass player that took a solo in the Stanley Clarke video are some very talented groovers and pocket player? including Stanly Clarke himself.
Is Wooten better than Flea? Of course, so is every other virtuoso. How many Wooten riffs have I cared to learn? 0. He's leagues better, but I don't have to like him. As for Flea, don't be fooled by his slapping. All his best work is his amazing fingerstyle. I don't know how he does some of that stuff. Some of these speed lines still throw me through a loop. And his lines tend to have some pretty insane fingering and note choice. The chorus in the video I showed sounds easy until you see what frets you have to play.
I honestly can't say that I had a past awareness of all of them. And I'm sure that they can play in the pocket when they want to. It doesn't change my opinion that this kind of playing is horrible. I'm not saying the players are bad, I'm saying the video is bad.
As an example, I love Stu Hamm. This is actually one of the most influential bass videos I have ever seen: Stu Hamm - YouTube. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this, especially the melodic beginning.
I still hate what he does in the Stanley Clarke video though.
Wooten KILLS it when he plays with Bela Fleck, but I can't stand his solo stuff. It's just not musical to me. The Amazing Grace solo has its moments, but a large portion of it is like he's moving his fingers as fast as he can, just to move them as fast as he can.
Flea is damn great. He is good being flashy and also good in the pocket. He is good being groovy and also being melodic. He manages to play what he has inside his head, and that is what every musician aspires to.
i have to agree... Flea and the dude with the Purple quilt top ( i think the 3rd solo )...
I think Flea is a very good bassist, and he is an educated musician too. He also made the Chili Peppers even more than Chris Squire made Yes, and I am a huge Squire fan.
saying wooten doesn't have groove is ignorant
the guy always talks about the importance of groove and song, and was saying why everybody talks during bass solo, his workshops revolve around the "groove" and musicality, not mindless shredding, so it is really surprising to see people write that they rather hear some groove than wotten. is it the lack of interest (that is understandable) or just parrot talk about something one does not really know.
VICTOR WOOTEN - YouTube
that does not lacks groove and is not "Virtuousity for virtuousity's sake".
Groove - Victor Wooten [HD] - YouTube
Victor Wooten bass exercises # 2 - YouTube
so please, first listen to people you are going to bash before u really go on and start bashing
Never really said Victor doesn't have groove, that would be a silly statement. What I meant was for ME, groove > virtuousity. While I think both players are spectacular in their own right, I would rather listen to Flea for 2 hours in the RHCP context than Victor. But, that's my opinion and I'm entitled to it.
Flea was a big starting point in my musical growth as a bass player. It was never about him "soloing" but rather, staying in the pocket with a tight groove and massive finger-style funk. As much as I've read about him, he is probably one of the most educated and musically diverse musicians out there. It may not show a whole lot on rhcp albums, but I would LOVE the chance to sit and have him noodle around on his bass in all the various musical styles he has studied.
JAUQO III-X
Inactive
I've heard that Flea is either going back to school or has already gone back to school to study classical music, if I'm not mistaken. I'm really curious to hear if he uses this knowledge in his bass playing. But to answer the OP's question, Yea I think Flea is one of the better bass players around.
