# The three greatest basslines of all time, according to Flea

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-three-greatest-basslines-of-all-time-according-to-flea/
- Published: 2026-11-07T14:41:59+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-07T15:35:40+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/fleas-favourite-basslines-ever/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Flea chose three basslines spanning rock, funk and jazz.
- His picks include Led Zeppelin, Parliament-Funkadelic and Alice Coltrane.
- He credits Hillel Slovak with encouraging him to play bass.

## Summary

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea named three basslines he considers among the greatest: Led Zeppelin’s ‘Ramble On’, Parliament-Funkadelic’s ‘Flashlight’ and Alice Coltrane’s ‘Journey to Satchidananda’. His choices highlight how bass can shape a song’s character and hold music together, rather than simply provide a backing pulse.

Flea began as a jazz trumpet player and says bandmate Hillel Slovak encouraged him to learn bass, leading to an early performance with Slovak’s band at the Troubadour. The three selections span rock, funk and spiritual jazz: John Paul Jones anchors Led Zeppelin’s arrangement, Bootsy Collins drives Parliament’s groove, and Alice Coltrane’s track centres on a hypnotic low end. Together, they reflect the range of musical traditions that inform Flea’s own playing.

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