When the Red Hot Chili Peppers, heroes in our world for decades, announced recently that their new studio album would be called Unlimited Love, it gave me pause for thought. We are, after all, coming out (we hope) of the worst episode in public health in a very long time: Is 2022 really the year that we should be suggesting that love is the solution to all our problems?
Having spent a long time in conversation with RHCP bassist Flea for this issue of BP, though, I now understand the message more clearly. Love for our chosen instrument, love for his band-mates, love for music: If these are at the core of our worldview, as they are for him, then we will be more tolerant, kinder people who are better equipped to help each other out of the current situation. That’s my take on it, anyway: I’ll be interested to hear yours.
I’ve always thought that we bass players are a pretty good bunch of people anyway. Of course, we have our flaws like everybody else, but there’s something about being the primal heartbeat of any musical endeavor that makes us rise above most of the petty problems of everyday existence. I like to think you’ll get some of this from our other interviews in this issue witha host of talented bassists from the blues, session, indie, and metal worlds, as well as from our panel of educators. They genuinely want one thing: To fulfil our stated aim of making you the best bass player you can be.
Maybe this ‘sharing the love’ idea makes sense after all. If it works for a bassist as advanced as Flea, it’ll work for the rest of us.
See you next month, friends.
Joel McIver, Editor

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• British Vogue – April 2022
• 3D World UK – May 2022