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opinions on flea

Yes, let's keep on track...

HOWEVER, if anyone would like to give me the name of a Tool song, maybe their favorite, that I can download off AG, I'd be glad to give them a listen. I don't know that I've ever heard them, but maybe. I am, afterall, a married 32 year old w/ 2 kids, so I'm maybe not the heppest cat around any more (I get by).

I'm always open to new ands/sounds.
 
Flea is great, and his live performance has improved dramatically of late (off drugs, on green tea and meditation :D )
Watch the new "Off the map" DVD, the bass is FANTASTIC. Every person who asks me about the dvd says "how are they live, ive heard theyre crap"
which I used to think too (Aus BDO 2000, anthoney sounded awful), but lately they've really cleaned things up.
 
Flea is very talented bassist in his own right.he's surely not for everyone,no bass player is.I give Flea mad props.the RHCP recording Blood,Sex,Majic is a great example of modern rhythm section enterplay.its like the other side of Mike Clark/Paul Jackson or Bernard Perdie/Chuck Rainey.BSM should be in every seriously open minded bassist collection, rightfully alongside Victors- A show of hands,Jaco's-Jaco P,Stanley's-School days,Jamaaladeen Tacuma's- Showstopper,and Adam Nitti's-Balance.just to name a few
PEACE.
JAUQO III-X
jauqoiii-xreality.com
 
I think kids fetishize Flea's playing a little much, because he's one of the very few bassists who are genuinely skilled and have household recognition. Plus, he plays fast and slaps hard, which sounds really great when one is 15 but could grow a little wearying to more seasoned ears. (I grew up worshiping Geddy Lee--it's the same idea.)

That said, he's an excellent intuitive player--his ear for countermelody is amazing--but his technique is sufficiently unorthodox that it shouldn't be emulated.
 
My Opinion:

Some jazz players study really hard, work really hard, practice really hard, yet never learn to truly express themselves on their instruments.

Along comes someone who never studied, can't read, has loads of fun, ton of success, and can REALLY express himself - and they hate the guy.

I've also known more than one jazz "snob" who admittedly wouldn't be part of a R&R band.

Flea is all about expression. He's obviously got the chops and the creativity. A live show is show so that's what he does - and I'm in agreement with that. I'd rather worry about the notes on a recording, and let all hell break lose at a show where people come to SEE you. I also think a lot of people pass judgement on Flea by hearing how everyone raves about him, then not really listening to RHCP stuff and passing judgement based upon a few songs they heard, or concert they saw. If I judged Flea's playing by what gets played on the radio - I wouln't get all excited about it. I'd say yeah - he's a good player, nothing special. If I only ever saw him live I'd laugh my ass off and say this guys nuts - and that's about it.

Who's Tool?
 
Flea, IMO is a good bassist. His lines are melodic, and it's good that you can actually HEAR his bass in the songs. The bass tends to get buried so many times. However, I wouldn't want to play like him. It annoyed me for a while because whenever anyone mentioned "Flea" in a post, the word "funK" was always close by. He IMO is not a "funk" bassist. When I think of funk, I think of Parlament, Bootsy Collins, The Brothers Johnson.. etc. To me, the "Slap & Pop" technique does not equate to funk. As far as people slamming him.. everyones entitled to their own opinions. I think a lot of more advanced bassist dislike him because he seems all style and no substance.... But I guess everyone has their own reasons to like or dislike him...
 
Victor Wooten,Stu Hamm,John Turner,Bill Dickens,or anyone else who choose to be themselves,in most instances possess sufficiently unorthodox technique.for without it,there may not be such a thing, as the thin line between Inspire,and Influence.we are all Inspired ,and or Influenced by someone or something. for some it may or may not be Flea.Flea, is who he is whether he's liked or not.
JAUQO III-X
p.s.
The power of truth
shows us,that he
has,and continues
to be a major
influence to many,
and that in itself
speaks just as equally
loud as any of his
grooves or solo's.
 
Originally posted by MarkMcCombs
Yes, let's keep on track...

HOWEVER, if anyone would like to give me the name of a Tool song, maybe their favorite, that I can download off AG, I'd be glad to give them a listen. I don't know that I've ever heard them, but maybe. I am, afterall, a married 32 year old w/ 2 kids, so I'm maybe not the heppest cat around any more (I get by).

I'm always open to new ands/sounds.

Prison Sex is a pretty good one by them IMO
 
Originally posted by Joe Nerve
My Opinion:

Some jazz players study really hard, work really hard, practice really hard, yet never learn to truly express themselves on their instruments.

Along comes someone who never studied, can't read, has loads of fun, ton of success, and can REALLY express himself - and they hate the guy.


See, I think the resentment comes more from the fact that RHCP wouldn't have had mass success if they didn't wear socks on their genitalia and their singer weren't good-looking.
 
I heard Flea's playing long before I ever saw or heard of him playing with a sock on his you know what.

So I started to be a fan of his because I was totally into his playing. Before I heard the Chili Peppers, I thought all bassists were supposed to play like Dee Dee Ramone.;)

So, I guess Flea is the one who inspired me to actually learn to play my bass. Keeping in mind I was about 15 when I first got into the Chili Peppers, and had been playing for about a year and a half before that. But, now that I am 27, I am every bit as much of a fan of Flea's as I was when I was 15.:)