• 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 is not really that great is he??

#102
I think he's great so long as you define being a great artist as someone who creates work that conveys a feeling. In that way, of being an artist, I would say he is great.

If you mean great by how complex and fast he can play then he's still okay, but maybe not great. But by this same scale then the Ramones are the worst band in history.

Music is far more than technical mastery of an instrument.
 
#104
JimK said:
Art-
...have you ever seen Wooten live?
Believe me, he gets the point across. ;)
Click to expand...

I've seen both, and Wooten is certainly a more virtuosic bassist, but Flea cans him in stage presence IME.

Flea ain't a technical master (compared to some), or a pioneering virtuoso, but he plays the hell out of his bass, and when all's said and done, I have as much fun listening to Flea as I do any other bassist, and that's all that matters to me.
 
#106
JimK said:
I have all the RHCP albums...bought them as they came out, too.
My only real gripe is this-
It's gotten to the point of "Once you've heard Flea, you've heard him". Will he ever play anything besides Rap-Rock-Funk? In other words, isn't it about time to indulge himself in other projects?
(& no, NOT Alanis Morisette or Jane's Addiction).
Personally, I would like to hear how Flea handles himself with a 'better' Funk drummer(Chambers, Pheerroan Aklaff, Jo Jo Mayer, etc. Nuthin against Chad Smith, an "OK" Rock drummer).
Flea's supposed to be into Coltrane & Dolphy...I'd like to hear him in a "Free" environment(maybe with Cornell Rochester, David Fiuczynski, or Gene Lake, Henry Threadgill, Steve Coleman, etc).
Anybody venture a guess why he's staying solely in the comfort zone of the RHCP?
Click to expand...

Chad Smith is an "OK" rock drummer. Are you kidding me? HAVE YOU heard Chad drumming on any of the Glenn Hughes solo stuff, ie: Soulmover? He's a better drummer than you're giving him credit for.
 
#112
Justbleazy said:
Victor Wooten can play Flea's music but I doubt Flea could play Victor Wooten's music.
Click to expand...

Vic would be the first person to admit that Flea is a better Flea than he could ever be. He has even said that everyone, at the same time, is the best bassist out there because no one can perfectly recreate anyone else's style. We all have our strengths.
 
#115
Flea is a very gifted player with a unique voice. I haven't liked the Chili Peppers last few albums though, I feel like they're not doing what they're best at these days.

But I do think he gets way more hype than is appropriate. I feel the same about Flea as I do about Jesus. I love the guy, but a lot of his followers are really annoying.
 
#116
JAUQO III-X said:
Can you be more specific ?
Click to expand...

I compared them because they are two very upfront rock bassists although their styles and genres are very different. I think Flea is the musician who defines the Red Hot Chili Peppers, if he is gone, the group is dead, IMO. Squire, on the other hand probably has more chops and is super talented, but Yes functioned quite well without him because the overall level of musicianship in Yes is so high.
 
#117
Both Flea and Chad Smith are GREAT players...any band would be lucky to have a rhythm section like that! IMO, the best drummers keep it simple and GROOVE...that's not to say he can't do more...because he can...but chooses to play for the song. I've seen RHCP live a few times and when he's back behind the kit, he's swinging for the fences and plays with authority, but also knows when to lay back. I'd take a rock-solid, tasteful, greasey, sleazy funk/rock player like that over damn near any flashy showboat drummer any day of the week.

Also, I believe Flea is just a fantastic musician in every sense of the word...love him or hate him...he's a powerhouse on the bass guitar...he's entertaining, creative, and commands a HUGE stage presence. He gets you into what he's doing and from what I've seen...he's having an F-ing blast up there!

One cool thing about his work is that you can literally hear him grow as a musican throughout the chili peppers catalog. From the hard hitting early stuff like Mothers Milk with ferocious funk/punk slap lines...to blood sugar when some songs sound like he's phrasing his notes like Miles Davis (probably because he was a trumpet prodigy first).

I'm not the biggest fan of their new material (Californiction and onward) but he continues to grow as a musican. Few people have had the influence on players my age (30) regarding the bass guitar. Hell, look at MM Stingrays sales in the 90's...Everyone was playing one back then...why? Because everyone wanted to play and sound like Flea. Again, he's another musician that can do more...but plays for the song.

As for the comments on Vic Wooten...Love the guy, his attitude, and his playing...but comparing the two are like comparing apples and oranges. Some people are born to play with one band and some with others. Larry Graham isn't going to be the guy to play with Metallica...Les Claypool isn't going to play for Sucidal Tendencies...and James Jamerson wouldn't be the guy for High on Fire...its all about chemistry and Flea and Chad have it!
 
#118
lowfreq33 said:
Flea is a very gifted player with a unique voice. I haven't liked the Chili Peppers last few albums though, I feel like they're not doing what they're best at these days.

But I do think he gets way more hype than is appropriate. I feel the same about Flea as I do about Jesus. I love the guy, but a lot of his followers are really annoying.
Click to expand...

That's the funniest thing I've heard all week!

To the video... it's horrible! I love the bass, interesting lines etc etc, but this is just over-indulgant twaddle. Flea's solo was the nicest. Not the fastest or loudest.

I think once you take bass away from the groove (be it a funk, metal or rocakabilly groove) then you've lost the whole point.

These solos don't groove they just annoy.
 
#119
Dr. Cheese said:
I compared them because they are two very upfront rock bassists although their styles and genres are very different. I think Flea is the musician who defines the Red Hot Chili Peppers, if he is gone, the group is dead, IMO. Squire, on the other hand probably has more chops and is super talented, but Yes functioned quite well without him because the overall level of musicianship in Yes is so high.
Click to expand...



Thank you for that.
 
#120
Flea plays the right basslines in just the right way for really cool songs with a really cool group. It doesn't get any better than that. Unless you want to get into technical skills, which I don't, then that's as good as you can get objectively. The rest is what you like.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back