In a recent tweet, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea revealed his favorite bass players.
The rocker reposted a photo of James Jamerson and wrote in his message:
“The Mount Rushmore of electric bass players. James Jamerson, Jaco [Pastorius], Stanley [Clarke], Sid Vicious.”
Who Is Flea’s Favorite Modern Bass Player?
While Flea admires these names, he also has a favorite modern bass player. He is Thundercat, known for his work with Suicidal Tendencies. RHCP’s Chad Smith mentioned this while discussing Thundercat joining their tour with Hanuman Welch on Apple Music in 2022:
“Oh man, it was a no-brainer. We were so happy when he said yes, because like you said, he’s such a great musician. He can play in any setting. He’s so musical, he’s an amazing performer. His band is incredible, he’s got great songs, but a lot of people don’t know him as his own thing. I think it’s great to give him some exposure that he more than deserves.”
The drummer opened up about Flea’s interest in Thundercat:
“Obviously Flea loves him, we all do. But as a bass player, he’s like, ‘He’s my favorite bass player,’ [favorite] modern bass player right now. He’s just incredible. He gets the crowd going. He’ll play the most soulful funky Stevie Wonder kind of thing. He can do it all. The only complaint from me is he’s playing too short, but he’s awesome. Get there early if you can people, you will not be disappointed. Thundercat is the real deal.”
Last year, in another tweet, Flea saw a tweet asking people for their top three favorite basslines. He quickly replied, naming his favorites: ‘Flashlight’ by Pfunk, ‘Ramble On’ by Led Zeppelin, and ‘Journey To Satchidananda’ by Alice Coltrane.
You can see his tweet below.
the mount rushmore of electric bass players
james jamerson, jaco, stanley, sid vicious
— Flea (@flea333) June 22, 2024