What are your thoughts on this?

[twinjet]

I'll tell mine later...

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

Several thoughts:

"There's some pretty lyrical stuff going on here."
"Man, he's ugly."
"Is he going to throw the bass down the canyon?"
"Are my speakers shot?"

Overall it was not a bad demo, but I prefer the Signature bass ad done at his house. I would post, but language is not PG-13.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I like the bass he is playing … is it a signature bass?

The music on the video is less than I expected

Yep, he actually has two with Fender.

Invalid Link Removed

And the one in the above video
Invalid Link Removed


MODERATOR'S NOTE: These videos contain strong language.

 

[LYNCHMAN]

i couldn't watch it all...

 

[CGramazio]

I think he’s a great bassist.

I don’t think that video is doing him any justice.

I love this one of him at Stanley Clark’s Night School. Up on stage with all the big bass names Flea gets called to solo at the 3:00 mark and not only lays down a great line, but then executes a totally elegant dismount coming out of it. Much to the amazement of some of the faces up on stage.

I love how he's in the corner in the Night School clip -- all demure like -- and he just rips out the most tasteful solo of the whole bunch (IMO) and then ducks back away. Guy's unique, a true artist. One of my life's regrets is when my band was recording at Swing House Studios in Hollywood/LA in 1998 or 99 (it's foggy) and the Peppers were rehearsing for their tour there. We were going in and Flea was out front reading a newspaper (shirt off of course), paper held up close to his face, and I, out of fear (or my own youthful bravado) didn't go up and say hi to him. I would have loved to chat with him for just a few seconds. I have a picture of me in front of his gear in the room, it's when he had some mannequin on his amp. Same thing happened to me with Sheehan, played before him at the Cat Club on Sunset, he was going in and we had just finished playing . . . couldn't bring myself to go chat. Terrified. Too close to the sun both times I guess. Anyway . . . Flea is great, an inspiration and bringer of love. Who doesn't need more of that?!

 

[TuneIn]

Flea being Flea, I guess. Maybe he was bitter with Fender when they rejected the colors he intended like his original line, that was same color Orange, Blue, Yellow, and Green, shown in the video, and he's trying to convey his thoughts of the Fender idiots he was dealing with, so he provided a warm performance helping of maggots, served Flea's way. Plus I doubt you'll ever see him playing that Bass over any of his others, unless he was being paid very well to do so.

 

[somebrains]

Can’t take the trumpet player out of the guy that also plays bass.

 

[10cc]

Surely your not suggesting the fuzz bass on that video would have sounded better if Flea had been using a different amp? What amp would that be?

He wasn’t using fuzz bass Intentionally

 

[Nevada Pete]

He wasn’t using fuzz bass Intentionally

Well, on the video Flea makes a point of highly dramatically stomping two devices on his pedal board before he commences playing. It looked pretty intentional to me.

He does look like he could use a shave. Maybe if he shaved first the tone wouldn't have been so fuzzy.

 

[Herrick]

I don't think it's that bad. It sounds like a standard pentatonic solo with messy fuzz. I'm not a fan of messy bass fuzz with distortion. It's not brilliant and it does nothing for me but it's not terrible *shrug*. I'm not a Flea fan by the way.

I'm Robert Herrick of the Clan MacHerrick and I approve this message.

Edit: The Stanley Clarke thing @40Hz posted was much more pleasant to Herrick's ears.

 

[glocke1]

View attachment 3690280
Would y'all like some more-a?
Right here on the flora?

Trumpet playing was probably better than the bass playing...

I think Flea is one of those guys whose known as a "great" player (and probably is) but stylistically i just cannot get into him.

Is that an SWR California Blonde on stage in the backline?

 

[bassstrangler]

I think he’s a great bassist.

I don’t think that video is doing him any justice.

I love this one of him at Stanley Clark’s Night School. Up on stage with all the big bass names Flea gets called to solo at the 3:00 mark and not only lays down a great line, but then executes a totally elegant dismount coming out of it. Much to the amazement of some of the faces up on stage.

Wow that was unwatchable.

 

[40Hz]

Wow that was unwatchable.

Yes indeed. All the members of the bass aristocracy showboating it up to the hilt, only to end up looking pretty weak in comparison to the neopunk rocker that night. There’s a life lesson lurking somewhere in that moment.

If you’re a bassist, there’s a lot to be said for being that one guy half in the shadows towards the back of the stage who just lays it down gets things done.

Or so I think anyway.

 

[Oddly]

Try this one:

I appreciate the effort to 'educate' me, I really do. And that's a lot more listenable, but sadly, long guitar solos just don't do it for me, no matter how good they are, and I will say that was one of the better I've heard.

 

[KJMO]

I think he's a good bassist. When I found out he plays on Mars Volta's first album, I was really impressed because it isn't his usual style at all, and he does it well. I'm separating my taste and whether it's quality, fwiw.

 

[Sascha Erni]

Enjoyed it, a lot actually. And I don’t particularly like Flea’s work with RHCP, even though our band covers two songs. But then, I also loved his 2016 National Anthem thing more than anything he’s ever done with the Peppers, so there’s that. Different strokes.

I didn’t enjoy, though, some posts here suggesting psychiatric treatment or blaming drugs and whatnot. If you know Flea personally and think he might profit from your insight, talk to him directly. If not, well, don’t? It’s an ad, and obviously an image ad at that, from Fender’s perspective. They’re not showcasing the sound or feel of their signature bass. They wanted to provoke an emotional reaction, and apparently, they have succeeded if this can still blow up a year after release.

I understand going *** because of the content shown, even though I can’t relate. Armchair-diagnosing mental disorders is a no-go in any case, though. There are, and will be, people dealing with mental disorders who will stumble over threads such as this. The Internet doesn’t forget. Off-handed remarks like those aren’t constructive, if you’re in a funk or not. So please, stop psycho-analysing bass players over an ad video that was produced, paid for, and released, by a three-figures multi-million dollars company. Cheers.

 

[WhenTheDrumsStops]

I'll tell mine later...

Apologies if this has already been discussed.

Rhythmically he has produced nice grooves in the past, but this sounded more like a teenage neighbor practicing in his garage. If you can't solo then stick to the frikking groove and the original role of the instrument.

 

[2tonic]

Three takeaways from the various replies to this ballooning thread:
1. I've never seen guys so willing to boast about how little time they lasted!
2. There's a segment of our community who seem to dismiss "other's" opinions because "other's" have not attained the lofty talent/popularity perch of the artist being discussed. Bilge. Art is for the expression of the artist, or the enjoyment of the consumer. We are all entitled to critique any art or artist. It's our job. Otherwise there's no reason for art to exist.
Their model says only Bach can opine on Ravel. Only Rembrandt can speak on Picasso. Drivel.
3. Art, like beauty, is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder.
You can decorate a canvas with explosive diarrhea, even get a gallery to display it, but you can't convince me it's art. All you have done with your self absorption is crowd out other deserving talents vying for the same exposure or server space.
When, after our acknowledging that Flea is a talented and creative player, you dismiss us as "harsh....judgmental..... know nothings... for being less than enthusiastic about this performance, you diminish the value of your opinions.

I really hope Flea was just having us on a bit. That this was an out take, or some bit of spontaneous improv after the real filming, since the crew and location were already paid for.
Otherwise I'd have to view it as a fail. It spurred no interest in the bass, or the player (despite his resume).
Don't know how many more of these missteps Fender can afford.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Three takeaways from the various replies to this ballooning thread:
1. I've never seen guys so willing to boast about how little time they lasted!
2. There's a segment of our community who seem to dismiss "other's" opinions because "other's" have not attained the lofty talent/popularity perch of the artist being discussed. Bilge. Art is for the expression of the artist, or the enjoyment of the consumer. We are all entitled to critique any art or artist. It's our job. Otherwise there's no reason for art to exist.
Their model says only Bach can opine on Ravel. Only Rembrandt can speak on Picasso. Drivel.
3. Art, like beauty, is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder.
You can decorate a canvas with explosive diarrhea, even get a gallery to display it, but you can't convince me it's art. All you have done with your self absorption is crowd out other deserving talents vying for the same exposure or server space.
When, after our acknowledging that Flea is a talented and creative player, you dismiss us as "harsh....judgmental..... know nothings... for being less than enthusiastic about this performance, you diminish the value of your opinions.

I really hope Flea was just having us on a bit. That this was an out take, or some bit of spontaneous improv after the real filming, since the crew and location were already paid for.
Otherwise I'd have to view it as a fail. It spurred no interest in the bass, or the player (despite his resume).
Don't know how many more of these missteps Fender can afford.

My feelings too, but you stated it much better than I could have . Or did.

 

[Jantelagen]

Enjoyed it, a lot actually. And I don’t particularly like Flea’s work with RHCP, even though our band covers two songs. But then, I also loved his 2016 National Anthem thing more than anything he’s ever done with the Peppers, so there’s that. Different strokes.

I didn’t enjoy, though, some posts here suggesting psychiatric treatment or blaming drugs and whatnot. If you know Flea personally and think he might profit from your insight, talk to him directly. If not, well, don’t? It’s an ad, and obviously an image ad at that, from Fender’s perspective. They’re not showcasing the sound or feel of their signature bass. They wanted to provoke an emotional reaction, and apparently, they have succeeded if this can still blow up a year after release.

I understand going *** because of the content shown, even though I can’t relate. Armchair-diagnosing mental disorders is a no-go in any case, though. There are, and will be, people dealing with mental disorders who will stumble over threads such as this. The Internet doesn’t forget. Off-handed remarks like those aren’t constructive, if you’re in a funk or not. So please, stop psycho-analysing bass players over an ad video that was produced, paid for, and released, by a three-figures multi-million dollars company. Cheers.

+1

 

[DJ Bebop]

Yep, he actually has two with Fender.

Invalid Link Removed

And the one in the above video
Invalid Link Removed


MODERATOR'S NOTE: These videos contain strong language.

Sorry, I didn't realize as I didn't watch the video. I was responding to a post asking if this was his signature bass. I grab the videos from Fender's own site, promoting the basses. I didn't think Fender would post offensive material to
promote their products. Live and learn

I would have not posted if I had known. I would have deleted it if I had the option.

MODERATOR'S Feel free to delete this and all related posts.
DJ Bebop