For many, Flea’s wildly energetic slap antics and funk-sharpened attack make him one of in the world. But the Red Hot Chilli Peppers has named the bassist that, in turn, fascinates him the most. The bassist, , has singled out who he believes to be the “greatest rock bass player” – and he's given the honor to Paul McCartney.
“I think Paul's the greatest rock bass player. He's just great. I mean, there are so many guys that are great in different ways, but Paul's bass playing is so lyrical and melodic, and it's just so beautiful,” he tells Team Coco (transcribed by ).
“One of the things I've heard is that he put the bass on after. [In] a band like mine, sometimes the song starts with bass lines. Whereas Paul and John and George, when they wrote songs, they just went and played live and would do it after.
” One example of this, Flea says, is . What Flea finds so fascinating, is that McCartney’s playing contradicts the typical role of a rock bass player. “The melody is already there,” he says.
“So then he's doing a counter melody, so the bass is a melody as opposed to just a rhythm, and that's amazing.” Ultimately, that against-the-grain expressiveness and focus on melody, rather than simply supplying a low-end undercurrent for other musicians to shine on top of, was a crucial ingredient in his band’s sonic stew. Naturally, .
Beyond the band's multiple Grammy wins and record sales figures comfortably into the millions, other bands wanted him in their ra.