Flea Breaks Down the Hardest Red Hot Chili Peppers Bass Lines in Rick Beato’s New Interview

Rick Beato has interviewed a plethora of musical greats on his YouTube channel, but he still has a guest wishlist. He was able to check off one of those boxes this week with an interview with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, whom Beato says he has wanted to talk to since he began his channel.

The conversation, which coincides with Flea’s first song from an upcoming solo album, covers a lot of ground. He opens up about his chaotic childhood, the Chili Peppers’ beginnings, and his Silverlake Conservatory. Of course, they get into the nitty-gritty about bass.

Flea’s Bass Influences

Flea has inspired thousands of bassists over the past forty years with the Chili Peppers. When he talks about his own bass heroes, he doesn’t begin with the prominent names we all know. In fact, it started at home with his stepfather, Walter Urban, Jr.

“I realized when I was writing about watching him play the bass that he is the hugest influence on me and I did not even know it,” he explains. “Our relationship was strained, and I never even thought about it. The physicality and the way he approached it was directly my approach to playing the bass. Just, ‘I am going to destroy this thing. All the anger, all the frustration, all the feelings of being misunderstood, it is coming now.'”

His current favorite bass player is Anna Butterss, who plays bass for SML and Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit. They also appear on his upcoming album.

“Right now, my favorite bass player is Anna Butterss. They play on my new album,” he explains. “The way they play electric and upright is so to the core and the essence of the groove. Meshell Ndegeocello the same way. She plays lines that are so perfect. They can do anything they want. They are getting down to the music.””

He then name-drops Jah Wobble, Aston “Family Man” Barrett, Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins, Geddy Lee, Geezer Butler, Chuck Dukowski, Jaco Pastorius, Pino Palladino, and Jimmy Garrison. For Flea, all these players share something beyond chops or innovation. Their music feels alive with clarity and intention.

The Hardest Chili Peppers Songs to Play

Flea’s bass lines are insanely catchy and often serves as the musical hook for Red Hot Chili Peppers songs. We all love “Aeroplane,” “Give It Away,” “Higher Ground,” and “Around the World.” They give bassists a great pool of songs to learn, from beginning to intermediate. But what are the hardest bass lines for Flea to play?

Beato got to the bottom of the question, and the answers might surprise you.

“I very rarely use a pick. When I’m jamming at home I never use a pick,” he says. “So there’s one song called ‘Parallel Universe’ [where if] it’s in the set tonight, I’ll go for half an hour [practicing hard]. Just becuase I never play with the pick. There are a few [songs] where I use one for effect to have a certain sound.”

Aside from the pick, there are some songs from deep in the catalog that need to be brushed up on before you play.

“The early ones are kind of the hardest,” he explains. “’Get Up And Jump,’ I really need to warm up to play it. It’s fast and ferocious the whole time.”

“Or ‘Blackeyed Blonde.’ That early stuff is mixing a punk rock feeling with these funk rhythms. It’s physically taxing, and also it’s a groove you have really get in there with the guys. We rarely play that stuff anymore.”

Rick Beato’s Interview with Flea

That just scratches the surface of this incredible interview. Watch the whole hour-long conversation for more insight into Flea’s amazing life and music.