A deep sigh of nostalgia exits my lungs in a cloud of smoke. Smoldering in the ashtray is the butt of a cigarette I just enjoyed with an aggitated look on my face. It won't stop burning. Go...out...fucker...go...out. I hate that.

But what I love is some good old Red Hot Chili Peppers! Pardon my French, but FUCK, that Flea is a wiley coyote on that 4 string! This song starts out so simple and groovular. Anthonys vocals are just part of the syncopation; held up by an outstanding rhythm section. And then out of no where, THE THUMB! When I first heard that bass guitar breakdown, I thought I was gonna die from joy. I think I almost scratched the record in an attempt to back the tune up. Then I remember taking the time to learn that little bass break down on my Ibanez Roadstar 2. It took hours of picking that darn needle up and placing it in the precise spot, over and over again, where that mad thumping began. Then I remember having it on tape, so that I could rewind it just to play along.

Funk bass playing was just getting popular in the bay area for my generation of East Bay greasers. It was at a time when the only real funk bass heros we knew about were Marcus Miller, Stanley Carke, Larry Graham, Jaco, Norwood from Fishbone, and that one dude who's name I can't recall for the life of me.(The 'something brothers.' His brother on the guitar.They had a song with the name 'strawberry' in it in the late 70's. They had afros and everything. Help me moggers!) Anyway... Those mentioned didn't strike me as anything out of the ordinary in the funk genre.

Then from L.A. came Flea. His motto was to play the bass as if it was the last time you were ever going to play. Most players would say that. Flea LOOKED like that while he was playing. And in the midst of his wild thumb frenzy spasm, the most amazing sounds were being made, live and in person. And he was some crazy looking...um...non funk looking individual.(How's that for pc?) In my book he will always be an amazing player/composer/vocalist. "Get up and Jump is also some classic Flea on the bass. On par with Norwoods "Bonin' in the Boneyard." I'm still not sure what the lyrics are on the song Out in L.A. I always hear Flea and Hilel(RIP) on this record. Maybe I'll google the words one day...

Mooska

OH YEAH! They were called "The Brothers Johnson!"

whew!