The 3 Basslines That Red Hot Chili Peppers Bassist Flea Picks His Favorites

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea shares his favorite basslines ever. We are always looking for inspiration from the greats. Today we’ll look at the famous bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea favorite bass lines. Our goal is to go into Flea’s top picks and understand why they resound with him so deeply. In this article, we will look at some of Flea’s favorite basslines and songs and why he chooses them.

Flea, his real name Michael Peter Balzary, is one of the most famous bassists in the world and Red Hot Chili Peppers founding member. Flea was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1962 and migrated to Los Angeles at an early age, becoming immersed in the city’s punk rock scene.

Jack Irons and Hillel Slovak founded the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1982. The band became one of the most successful and influential acts of the 1990s and beyond, thanks to Flea’s funky, groovy bass lines.

Flea has worked with a diverse spectrum of artists and musicians, including Thom Yorke, Johnny Cash, and Patti Smith, in addition to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has also worked as an actor, appearing in films and television shows such as “Back to the Future Part II” and “The Big Lebowski.”

Flea is widely recognized as one of the best bassists of all time, and his unique playing style has had a significant impact on the music industry. His talent, energy, and originality continue to inspire generations of musicians and fans alike.

Flea chose funk royalty Parliament’s “Flash Light” at the top of his list, followed by Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” and Alice Coltrane’s breezy “Journey in Satchidananda.”

Between the chat with the Red Hot Chili Peppers fan and him, Flea reveals his favorite basslines of all time:

In addition to his own successful music career, Flea has also been known to share his respect for other talented musicians and bass guitarists. He has a passion for other genres and has even listed his favorite and best 3 basslines of all time.

What basslines does Red Hot Chili Peppers bassists Flea listen to?

• Pfunk – Flashlight
• Led Zeppelin – Ramble on
• Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda

Pfunk – flashlight Led Zep – ramble on. Alice Coltrane – journey to satchidananda https://t.co/pie2E1KhPI

— Flea (@flea333) May 1, 2023

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea shared this on his official Twitter account. Here are the Flea picks as follows:

1. “Flashlight” – Parliament-Funkadelic

Parliament-Funkadelic, or P-Funk, is a musical collective formed by George Clinton that appeared in the 1970s with a distinctive blend of funk, rock, and psychedelic music. Parliament, a vocal-driven funk band, and Funkadelic, a guitar-driven rock band, came together to form the combo.

Parliament-Funkadelic immediately became known for their unique and quirky approach to music, thanks to their colorful outfits, crazy stage displays, and genre-bending sound. Throughout the 1970s, they published a slew of legendary albums, including “Mothership Connection” and “One Nation Under a Groove,” which contained songs like “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)” and “Flash Light.”

Parliament-Funkadelic was known not only for their groundbreaking music, but also for their elaborate mythology, which included concepts such as the Mothership, a spaceship that served as a metaphor for the power of funk music, and the P-Funk mythology, which blended elements of science fiction, mythology, and African American folklore.

Parliament-Funkadelic has continued to tour and play despite multiple lineups changes over the years, and its influence can be heard in countless artists and genres of music. They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and are still recognized for their seminal contributions to the world of music.

Flea chooses “Flashlight” as one of his favorite basslines of all time.

2.  “Ramble on” – Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin is widely considered as one of the most influential and finest rock bands of all time. In 1968, vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist, and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham established the band in London.

With singles like “Whole Lotta Love,” “Stairway to Heaven,” and “Kashmir,” Led Zeppelin soon climbed to stardom with their powerful blend of blues, rock, and folk influences. Their unique sound, which combined thunderous guitar riffs with intricate percussion and soaring vocals, helped to define hard rock and heavy metal for decades to come.

Despite their enormous success, Led Zeppelin was known for their frequently controversial and erratic behavior on and off stage. They were well-known for their hard-partying lifestyle and contentious relationship with the music press.

Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980 after the terrible death of John Bonham, yet their music is still revered and studied by fans and musicians all over the world. They have sold over 300 million records worldwide and are members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Flea picks “Ramble on” as one of his favorite basslines of all time.

3.  “Journey in Satchidananda” – Alice Coltrane

Alice Coltrane was a jazz pianist, organist, harpist, and composer best recognized for her avant-garde work and blending of Eastern spirituality with Western classical music. She was born in 1937 in Detroit and began playing the piano at a young age.

Coltrane began performing with some of the biggest names in jazz after relocating to New York in the 1960s, including John Coltrane, her husband and a famed saxophonist. She also began to create her own distinct sound, combining parts of free jazz, classical music, and Indian classical music.

Coltrane’s spiritual journey had an impact on her music as well. She became a student of Swami Satchidananda, a well-known Hindu guru, and began infusing Hindu and Buddhist philosophical ideas into her writing. Even her name was changed to Turiyasangitananda, which means “the transcendental lord’s highest song of bliss.”

Throughout her career, Coltrane released multiple albums, including “Journey in Satchidananda” and “Ptah, the El Daoud,” which are now considered avant-garde jazz masterpieces. Until her death in 2007, she continued to perform and record songs.

Flea also names “Journey in Satchidananda” one of his favorite basslines of all time.

Flea‘s favorite bass lines demonstrate the force and significance of outstanding bass playing in music. Each of his top picks exemplifies a distinct style and approach to the instrument, and each is deserved its place in music history. We will no surely be inspired by the work of Flea and other incredible artists like him as we continue to explore the world of music.