Flea is not really that great is he??

[peledog]

I just watched a clip of RHCP concert on MTV where Flea was soloing. I thought he was doing really good, but not great......no great enough to get nominated in the same league as Victor Wooten(BP magazine).

What do you guys think.....that was just my thought.

Flea fans, don't get personal please....it's a question.

Can you imagine Wooten in the RHCP? No. Is it because he sucks? No.

This gets so old. Flea has influenced a generation - whether he likes it or not, whether you like it or not.

The same goes for Wooten. It's a different crowd maybe, but I like them both. It's not a competition.

 

[ROGI]

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.

and?
sorry, but who is reference if the reference ain't people?




there are people who don't hear therefore should we say that no-one can hear?

i don't get where your are going with that.

 

[Terry Funk]

Totally disagree with the OP. IMO, Flea is one of the grooviest bass players ever, and is unquestionably one of the greatest ambassadors for the instrument ever. Flea is the man.

 

[HolmeBass]

I think Flea is excellent. His bass playing is creative, emotional, and he definitely has a unique voice on the instrument. Beyond that are his compositional skills and his style and presence as a performer.

That said, in terms of pure bass-playing firepower, yes there are many others who have a wider palette than Flea, especially in terms of playing and soloing in an improvisational musical context: Victor Wooten, Hadrien Faroud, Tom Kennedy, Jimmy Haslip, and plenty others. Still I don't think that takes anything away from Flea. He is a great bassist, and I think his career and success speak for themselves.

 

[dwh87]

Flea will always be a big influence on young people just getting into bass. Reading though and hearing his parts is a nice gateway into basic slap. It is lots of flash and not much substance though. It's true that he is huge part of the RHCP sound but is massively overshadowed by the talent John Frusciante brought to the band during his spells with them. Frusciante took them from the cusp of success to one of the biggest bands of all time.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Flea will always be a big influence on young people just getting into bass. Reading though and hearing his parts is a nice gateway into basic slap. It is lots of flash and not much substance though. It's true that he is huge part of the RHCP sound but is massively overshadowed by the talent John Frusciante brought to the band during his spells with them. Frusciante took them from the cusp of success to one of the biggest bands of all time.

I dunno about that. After Frusciante began taking creative control (Californiacation into By the Way) their 'sound' changed drastically from what made them popular into... well... stuff that wasn't what their old fans knew them as. Now that he's gone they sound like their old selves, and for guys like me we're quite happy.

 

[dustinfennessey]

good/best is all up to the listener's preference. i think brian cook and kevein rutmanis are the best bass players - over wooten, jaco, bruce, etc. it's just me and what i look for in bass lines/style. many a thread have gotten heated over whos good and whos not

ps: i also think flea is pretty rad

 

[4001]

After Frusciante began taking creative control (Californiacation into By the Way) their 'sound' changed drastically from what made them popular into... well... stuff that wasn't what their old fans knew them as. Now that he's gone they sound like their old selves, and for guys like me we're quite happy.

I'd consider myself as an "old fan" of the Chili's, and I love Californication and By The Way as well as Stadium Arcadium.

The new album is another great album from them.
I guess I'm a fanboi??

The evolution of RHCP throughout the years is quite a trip.
Great band and you'll usually find at least one of their discs with me at all times.

And I don't even think Flea owns a Rickenbacker!

 

[viper4000]

Don't forget Flea didn't know a lick of music theory in relation to bass guitar. I heard an interview with him a couple of years ago when he started to take music classes at USC. He admitted many times that he would get lucky that his riffs and bass lines actually sounded good or were what the song needed.

I'm no fan boi, but I think I relate more to a guy like Flea, than a guy like Wooten. All the respect in the world for the virtuoso, but seeing a group like RHCP make it, then progress over the years does more for me than to hear Wooten do that really cool double-thumb-double-pluck-at-120bpm parlor trick he does.

 

[mcnach]

Don't forget Flea didn't know a lick of music theory in relation to bass guitar. I heard an interview with him a couple of years ago when he started to take music classes at USC. He admitted many times that he would get lucky that his riffs and bass lines actually sounded good or were what the song needed.

I'm no fan boi, but I think I relate more to a guy like Flea, than a guy like Wooten. All the respect in the world for the virtuoso, but seeing a group like RHCP make it, then progress over the years does more for me than to hear Wooten do that really cool double-thumb-double-pluck-at-120bpm parlor trick he does.

I was under the impression that he did study music as a kid, was into jazz due to his dad, and he was a pretty decent trumpet player...

 

[Biggbass]

Art-
...have you ever seen Wooten live?
Believe me, he gets the point across.

+1 I certainly agree with that!

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I was under the impression that he did study music as a kid, was into jazz due to his dad, and he was a pretty decent trumpet player...

He actually was a pretty accomplished trumpet player growing up. I believe he made state band while in middle school and/or high school; so even if he didn't 'know' theory he definitely had a much better grasp of music and how to make it work than people who had no band experience, whatsoever. His dad (I believe stepdad) also use to play jazz and bebop in the house, and Flea apparently responded fairly well to it, too.

 

[Super Dwarf]

Flea doesn't seem to try anymore, modern day RHCP is a pretty good example of not trying actually. when californication was released it was a big disappointment to me.

 

[Big Brother]

I thought Californication had a great melodic bass line. To each their own I guess.

I think we all see and like different things in music, arguing about what is best is pointless unless it is with your musical doppleganger.

One person might appreciate technical skill and love players who do it well, another appreciates a fat tone filled groove and it doesn't matter if they play with one finger, another may like a good counter melody in a player. The beauty is in that they are ALL 100% right.

 

[XtheDeadPawn]

I'm gonna get flammed for this but, whatever.

Personally I think Flea is abit overrated he's good no doubt. But, through the years as the generations he influenced grew up they put him a little higher on the bass idol totem pole than he needs to be.

If you look at my profile you'll noticed my idols are Fieldy, Paul Gray, and Jerry Only.
Now I know those guys aren't really known as great bassists but, then again I'm not either.

But, to answer it simply the idea Flea is the best thing since Jaco is false.

 

[Hopkins]

Same here

I don't get why everyone seems to dislike their newer stuff. Some of their best stuff was on Stadium IMHO.

I thought Californication had a great melodic bass line. To each their own I guess.

 

[XtheDeadPawn]

I concur with Hopkins Stadium Arcadium was the best RHCP album to me since Californication.

However I concur with most everyone else their last album sucked B@LL$. Stadium was going somewhere great to greater I feel their newest album is a step back in both progression and lyrically. I can't find anything really great and I can't really find anything bad and that is very bad.

 

[Reigninblood]

I just watched a clip of RHCP concert on MTV where Flea was soloing. I thought he was doing really good, but not great......no great enough to get nominated in the same league as Victor Wooten(BP magazine).

What do you guys think.....that was just my thought.

Flea fans, don't get personal please....it's a question.

Victor Wooten bootin hootin, why must we all be compared to Victor? Flea and Claypool slay Wooten. I sound like a 1st grader yes I know but VW is over rated. I'll pick Flea any day. Not slamming on Vic, the guy is amazing but not the god he's made out to be. Love his solos though lol.

 

[Chrisk-K]

I'll pick Flea over Wooten any day. Well, I'll pick Peter Cetera over Flea any day.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

To me RHCP was very good until Californication. To me it was their last good album, after that they are only another shadow of themselves pop band that used to be good.

My fav album is One Hot Minute, they went far harmonicaly and this made that album stood out and resonate with me.