• 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??

#121
Dr. Cheese said:
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.
Click to expand...

It was my understanding that Squire was the only member of Yes who has never left the band. I know Jeff Berlin has subbed a few times when Chris was ill, but that was only for a week or two.
 
#123
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...

let's not be so quick to state that. there had been moments when defining members that were the icon of the bands (in musical way) left and the replacement filled their shoes really nice. let's not forget world is full of great bass players that would fill that place easily.
 
#125
lowfreq33 said:
It was my understanding that Squire was the only member of Yes who has never left the band. I know Jeff Berlin has subbed a few times when Chris was ill, but that was only for a week or two.
Click to expand...

Jeff Berlin subbed for Tony Levin when ABWH played a show in California, that was actually filmed. Jeff did a pretty good job at playing Squire's bass parts in a very short notice situation.
Jeff Berlin never subbed for Squire in Yes.
 
#126
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...

Could not disagree with this more:). Big Chris Squire fan (since the early 70's) for this very reason... a unique voice on his instrument that defined that band. The only thing close to interchangeable would be the drum chair and I still prefer Bill Bruford in that spot by a country mile.
:cool:
 
#127
ROGI said:
let's not be so quick to state that. there had been moments when defining members that were the icon of the bands (in musical way) left and the replacement filled their shoes really nice. let's not forget world is full of great bass players that would fill that place easily.
Click to expand...

But far too often it's not the same. It's not even about being replaced by a "better" musician... sometimes the one that fits is "better".

Imagine Vic replacing Danny P. on "I Think I Love You". It just wouldn't be the same.
:D
 
#129
Brad Johnson said:
But far too often it's not the same. It's not even about being replaced by a "better" musician... sometimes the one that fits is "better".

Imagine Vic replacing Danny P. on "I Think I Love You". It just wouldn't be the same.
:D
Click to expand...


not really.
perfect examples ; iron maiden (when bruce joined), dream theater (when dominici lelft, portnoy left and mangini is in my opinion far better fitting than mike), metallica (all of their basists fit the band really well and cliff was defining metallica from the start) there are lots of other examples that are not in metal world. that "founding member is the band" myth has been far too often busted.

i did not say technically better musician but that there are players who can easily fill the empty spots in the band. u missed my point.
 
#130
Brad Johnson said:
Could not disagree with this more:). Big Chris Squire fan (since the early 70's) for this very reason... a unique voice on his instrument that defined that band. The only thing close to interchangeable would be the drum chair and I still prefer Bill Bruford in that spot by a country mile.
:cool:
Click to expand...

Brad, I am probably as big a Squire fan as you are. I respect and like Flea, but I love Chris Squire.:bassist:
That said, Chris Squire has missed tours and Jeff Berlin and Trevor Horn filled in, and as far as I know, the tours went quite well. The RHCPs, however, just would not be the same band with Flea on bass and his stage presence.
 
#131
In terms of pure technical ability, Flea probably isn't on the same level as Victor Wooten but I don't think that should be considered. Flea is perfect for the music he plays and let's be honest, some of his lines are just amazing. As mentioned above, very few mainstream players play grooves and melodies as intricate as Flea does, that says alot.

On another page, one should ask what influence Flea has had on aspiring bassists. He has inspired a whole generation of players (myself included) and not simply by piquing them to pick up the instrument but to explore it and push themselves to improve.

People say there was only one Jaco and they're right but equally so, there's only one Flea :)
 
#135
Is he at the technical level of Victor Wooten or Jaco? No, but since music is an art, it doesnt matter at all. I really enjoy playing Flea's lines and admit I had to work a bit to get a couple of them down (the rapid fire slapping songs). Its kind of a similar thing to Geddy...is he the most technically advanced player on the planet? No, but he has created some of the best rock bass lines ever in alot of great songs and thats all that matters.
 
#136
ROGI said:
not really.
perfect examples ; iron maiden (when bruce joined), dream theater (when dominici lelft, portnoy left and mangini is in my opinion far better fitting than mike), metallica (all of their basists fit the band really well and cliff was defining metallica from the start) there are lots of other examples that are not in metal world. that "founding member is the band" myth has been far too often busted.

i did not say technically better musician but that there are players who can easily fill the empty spots in the band. u missed my point.
Click to expand...

And there are players that can't. Regardless of whether people even think they're "better" players or not. That's what I'm saying.
 
#137
Dr. Cheese said:
Brad, I am probably as big a Squire fan as you are. I respect and like Flea, but I love Chris Squire.:bassist:
That said, Chris Squire has missed tours and Jeff Berlin and Trevor Horn filled in, and as far as I know, the tours went quite well. The RHCPs, however, just would not be the same band with Flea on bass and his stage presence.
Click to expand...

Based on your second paragraph, I seriously doubt the first one. No offense.
:)

How big a fan am I? I learned "Close to the Edge" back in 1975. Not the song... the album. I did not however ever own a cape.
:eyebrow:


I'd never mistake the subs for Squire. Getting through a tour and having the same product are two very different things.
 
#138
Brad Johnson said:
Based on your second paragraph, I seriously doubt the first one. No offense.
:)

How big a fan am I? I learned "Close to the Edge" back in 1975. Not the song... the album. I did not however ever own a cape.
:eyebrow:


I'd never mistake the subs for Squire. Getting through a tour and having the same product are two very different things.
Click to expand...

Gotta agree. No one has ever replicated the sound that Chris had on the early Yes albums. Many have tried. None have succeeded. You can have all the same gear but no one has Chris's fingers. And that's where the magic is. I saw an interview with Geddy who said he even tried to replicate Chris's sound back when RUSH were first getting going. Couldn't do it.

Flea might not be as "good" as Wooten but I own all the Peppers albums. Don't own any of Wooten's.

Flea does what Flea needs to do to make the Peppers the Peppers. He is still 99% better than 50% of the bass players living in 10% of the world who make 27% of the music 65% of the time. :D
 
#139
flea is a great old school style bassist. no hes not a double thumping, tapping, quadruplet shred guy, but he grooves extremely hard, has nice fills and runs, and is pocket as anybody else. his personality and style are one of the biggest reasons hes so popular, not to mention hes been the focal point of one of the biggest modern rock bands.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back