Gene Simmons Calls Out Flea’s Bass Playing – ‘I Can’t Remember Anything He Plays’

Gene Simmons and Flea may be two of the more well known bassists in rock, but the KISS icon is not necessarily a fan of Flea’s style of bass playing. During a broader chat with Guitar World about styles of bass playing, Simmons explained why Flea’s approach to playing bass was not for him.

Why Gene Simmons Singled Out Flea and Others

As stated, Simmons was making a larger point stating that he was not necessarily a fan of the more technical players in music and felt that on his chosen instrument, the less showy, the better.

In the midst of his discussion, he rattled off such respected players as John McLaughlin, Jaco Pastorius and Flea.

“We’re going to play a game: name a jazz player that means something,” said Simmons at one point. “How about John McLaughlin? He’s a great player. But here’s a question: can you hum any melody that he’s ever played on a solo? Of course not.”

The bassist added, “All due respect, but that music is intended to show off how well you play – but I don’t care about that. The hardest thing to do is write a good simple song or riff. That’s really hard.”

He continued, “There are an awful lot of amazing bass players, like Jaco Pastorius and the jazz guys. Or guys like [Red Hot Chili Peppers‘] Flea, who is really good on his instrument, but I can’t remember anything he plays – and I also do not like the sound of a bass being slapped.”

Gene Simmons’ Take on Bass Virtuosos

Within the discussion, Simmons added, “I don’t consider myself – and was never really interested in being – a bass virtuoso. I don’t like show-offs in music. I’m much more attracted to things that are memorable. It’s part of the joy of music for me.”

He continued, “You can be a jazz player and be respected by musicians, but the rest of the world doesn’t care.”

READ MORE: 30 Legendary Rock + Metal Bassists Who Play With a Pick

Sharing another example of why he prefers more simple bass playing, he commented, “[Eric] Clapton, before he went pop, and when he was considered ‘God,’ he was interviewed, and he said something very profound: ‘The hardest thing to do is to know what notes to put in a solo, and what notes not to put in a solo.’ Sometimes, if it’s shockingly simple, and barely moving at all, but I can hum it, that’s what matters because it’s memorable.”

While Simmons may not be a fan of Flea’s approach, both musicians managed to find their audiences en route to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame careers.