Many thanks to Stephen for kindly donating this magazine 🙂

Transcript:

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

FLEA IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE ROCK BASSIST OF THE LAST 20 YEARS. WHY? BECAUSE HE’S COMBINED HIGH-ENERGY STAGE PRESENCE AND PUNK ATTITUDE WITH LINE AFTER CREATIVE LINE OF FUNK-ROCK GOODNESS AND GROOVE.

Compared to the full-bore thumbwork of early Chili Peppers records, your parts on Blood Sugar Sex Magik and One Hot Minute showcased a more stripped-down, rudimentary approach.

I was trying to play simply on Blood Sugar because I had been playing too much prior to that, so I thought, I’ve really got to chill out and play half as many notes. When you play less, it’s more exciting-there’s more room for everything. If I do play something busy, it stands out, instead of the bass being a constant onslaught of notes. Space is good.

I think my playing on One Hot Minute is even more simple; I just wanted to play shit that sounded good. I thrashed through the recording and didn’t care about the parts being perfect. It’s not that I don’t love the bass passionately anymore-I just felt I’d been getting too many accolades for being “Joe Bass Player.”

So the simpler approach is a reaction to all the recognition you’ve received?

That, plus the whole concept of being a jack-off musician and not thinking about the big picture. I do consider myself fortunate to have achieved popularity as a bassist, but I felt there was too much emphasis being placed on playing technique, as opposed to just playing music. So before we recorded this album, I spent more time strumming an acoustic guitar than I did playing bass. To me, my bass parts are more incidental to the song now, because I’m thinking less as a bass player and more as a songwriter.

What’s your opinion of the role of the bass?

It’s difficult to generalize, but I like hearing the bass when it’s really locking in with the drums. I like it simple. I like it when it makes you want to fuck-that warm, good feeling. Very seldom do I enjoy bass playing that takes center stage; even on a funk song where the bass is the focus, such as Funkadelic’s “(Not Just) Knee Deep”, it’s just a funky groove-it’s not “Look at me.” Plenty of bass players have fancy chops, but they don’t make you feel any emotions. You don’t feel anger, fear, or love. That’s what I call “all flash and no smash,” a phrase I got from Lonnie Marshall of the band Weapon Of Choice. Lonnie’s one of the funkiest bass players alive today-I’ve totally copped stuff off him.

So what’s your function as the Chili Peppers bassist?

My position goes beyond that of just a bass player; I also consider myself an entertainer. As a bassist, my job is to kick ass. When I pick up my bass and play with the band, it’s time to get serious. It’s my job to give my all every time I play, no matter how I feel. But I also buy into the show-biz aesthetic of giving a dazzling performance, and I’m into putting on a show.

Does the entertainer side of your job ever interfere with the bass-playing side?

No. Standing in one place and playing isn’t what the Red Hot Chili Peppers are about-it’s about being the wildest rock band on earth. People buy tickets to see us play, and I’m into entertaining them. I think as much about dancing and being bizarre as I do about playing well. I’m not saying that to do a good show you have to jump around and do an avant-garde dance while spinning on your head-but no one would have liked Charlie Chaplin if he hadn’t fallen on his face every once in a while! [Laughs.]

Note: this article is a shortened version of another interview from 1996- the whole of that interview can be read here