Flea
Flea performing with Red Hot Chili Peppers at Slane Castle on August 23, 2003
Background information
Birth name	Michael Peter Balzary
Born	October 16, 1962 (1962-10-16) (age 45) Burwood, Melbourne, Australia
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genre(s)	Alternative rock, funk rock, punk rock
Instrument(s)	Bass, trumpet
Years active	1983–present
Label(s)	Warner Bros. Records, EMI
Associated acts	Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fear, Jane's Addiction, What Is This?, The Mars Volta
Website	redhotchilipeppers.com
Notable instrument(s)
Modulus Flea Bass Fender Jazz Bass Music Man Stingray

Michael Peter Balzary (born October 16, 1962), more commonly known by the stage name Flea, is an American bassist, trumpet player, and occasional actor. Slane Concert (often referred as just Slane) is a concert held most years since 1981 in Slane Castle in Slane village County Meath, in the Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Burwood is a Suburb of Melbourne, Australia, in the state of Victoria. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of Funk rock (also typed as funk-rock) is a music genre that fuses Funk and rock elements A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Warner Bros Records Inc is an American Record label that operates as a wholly owned Subsidiary of Warner Music Group. The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in Red Hot Chili Peppers are Fear is a Punk rock band from Los Angeles California that formed in 1977 and is still a band today Jane's Addiction is an American Alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles California in 1985 What Is This? (known prior to 1980 as Anthym) was a Rock band that originated in Fairfax High School in California and would play numerous shows along The Mars Volta is the name of a partnership between guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala founded in 2001 Modulus Guitars is an American manufacturer of Musical instruments, most notably Bass guitars built with Carbon fiber necks The Jazz Bass (or J Bass) was the second model of electric bass guitar created by Leo Fender. Music Man StingRay is an electric bass guitar by Music Man, introduced in 1976 Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A stage name, also called a screen name, is a Pseudonym used by Performers and Entertainers such as The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A bass player (bassist is a Musician who plays a Double bass, Bass guitar, keyboard bass or wind An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works He is best known as the bassist and founding member of the alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of Red Hot Chili Peppers are His work with the band incorporates several musical styles, ranging from aggressive slap bass, to more subdued and melodic techniques. In Music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different playing techniques used on the Double bass and on the (electric Bass guitar. Aside from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he has collaborated with many artists, including Jane's Addiction, The Mars Volta and Alanis Morissette. Jane's Addiction is an American Alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles California in 1985 The Mars Volta is the name of a partnership between guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala founded in 2001 Alanis Nadine Morissette (born June 1 1974 is a Canadian-born Singer-songwriter, Record producer, and Actress. Drawing influences from funk and punk rock, Flea centers his bass playing on simplicity and minimalism, viewing complexity as a device that should be used in moderation. Funk is an American musical style that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended Soul music, Soul

Originally a trumpet prodigy, Flea initially learned to play bass in high school after being taught by close friend and future Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Hillel Slovak, who required a bassist for his band Anthym. Hillel Slovak (הלל סלובק 13 April, 1962 &ndash June 25, 1988 What Is This? (known prior to 1980 as Anthym) was a Rock band that originated in Fairfax High School in California and would play numerous shows along Flea joined the group, but quit several months subsequent in order to play for the punk rock outfit Fear. Fear is a Punk rock band from Los Angeles California that formed in 1977 and is still a band today He soon rejoined Slovak to form an intended one-off band along with fellow high school alumni Anthony Kiedis and Jack Irons; the impromptu collaboration would ultimately give birth to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Anthony Kiedis (kiːdɪs "kee-dis" (born November 1 1962 is an American musician and the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Jack Steven Irons (born July 18 1962 in Los Angeles, California) is an American Drummer. Flea has also made forays into acting, appearing in numerous films such as Back to the Future Part II (1989), Thrashin' (1986) and The Big Lebowski (1998). Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 film and a Sequel to the 1985 film Back to the Future. The Big Lebowski is a 1998 American Comedy film / Film noir written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen.

Biography

Early life

Flea was born in Melbourne, Australia on October 16, 1962. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His father, Mick Balzary, was an avid fisherman who would often take him fishing. ^[1] When Flea was five, his family relocated to Rye, New York for his father's career. Rye is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous ^[2] In 1971, his parents divorced and his father returned to Australia. Flea and his siblings stayed with their mother Patricia, who soon remarried to a jazz musician and bassist. ^[2] Flea's stepfather frequently invited musicians to his house and jam sessions would often take place. A jam session is a Musical act where Musicians gather and play (or "jam") without extensive preparation or predefined Arrangements The family relocated again to Los Angeles, California, and Flea became fascinated with trumpet. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. ^[3][4] His teachers considered him to be a prodigy, paralleled only by musician Herb Alpert, who also attended Fairfax High. Herbert "Herb" Alpert (born March 31, 1935) is an American Musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert ^[5] Furthermore, he had no interest in rock music at the time and idolized jazz musicians like Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26 1926 &ndash September 28 1991 was an American Jazz Trumpeter, Bandleader, and Composer. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( October 21 1917 &ndash January 6 1993) was an American Jazz Trumpeter ^[3]

His stepfather, however, was an "aggressive alcoholic" who eventually became involved in shoot-outs with police. "I was raised in a very violent, alcoholic household", Flea later said, "I grew up being terrified of my parents, particularly my father figures. It caused [me] a lot of trouble later in life. "^[6] In order to cope with this situation, Flea started to experiment heavily in marijuana at the age of thirteen, which he started smoking on a daily basis. Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a ^[7]

Flea attended Fairfax High School, and was somewhat of an outcast due to his taste in music. Fairfax High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located in Los Angeles California, USA, near the border of West Hollywood ^[7] However, he soon met Anthony Kiedis, and after a fight, the two became best friends. Anthony Kiedis (kiːdɪs "kee-dis" (born November 1 1962 is an American musician and the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. ^[8] Kiedis recalled, "We were drawn to each other by the forces of mischief and love and we became virtually inseparable. We were both social outcasts. We found each other and it turned out to be the longest-lasting friendship of my life. "^[9] Kiedis became a significant influence on Flea, turning him on to rock music, particularly punk rock. ^[9] Flea soon adopted his nickname, given to him by Kiedis while the two were on a skiing trip in reference to his jumpy and capricious nature. Snow skiing is a group of sports utilizing Skis as primary equipment ^[9]

1980–1984: Formation of the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Flea was also close friends with Hillel Slovak, the guitarist of a local band called Anthym. Hillel Slovak (הלל סלובק 13 April, 1962 &ndash June 25, 1988 The band's original bassist was deemed unsatisfactory, so Slovak began teaching Flea to play bass. The electric bass guitar (also called electric bass, or simply bass; ˈbeɪs as in "base" is a Stringed instrument played primarily with the ^[10] Following several months of commitment to the instrument, Flea developed proficiency and joined the group. Shortly thereafter, Anthym entered a local Battle of the Bands contest and won second place. Battle of the Bands is a generic term for a contest in which many bands, usually rock/guitar bands but often from a range of different styles compete for the ^[10] During his tenure with the group, Flea began to develop a style of slap bass that would become prominent in future Red Hot Chili Peppers songs. In Music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different playing techniques used on the Double bass and on the (electric Bass guitar. Anthym started to play at local nightclubs, despite the fact that the members were all underage. Flea, Slovak, and Kiedis became best friends, and often partook in the recreational use of LSD, heroin, cocaine, and speed. Heroin ( INN: diacetylmorphine, BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid synthesized from Morphine, a derivative Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant Amphetamine, and related drugs such as Methamphetamine are a group of drugs that act by increasing levels of Norepinephrine, Serotonin, and Dopamine ^[10]

The threesome became fans of the growing punk rock movement that was occurring in Los Angeles at the time. Flea went from despising the genre to listening to it exclusively: "The beautiful thing about punk rock was the intensity, the energy. And punk deflated the whole bloated rock-star thing. I think that musicians who don't pay attention to punk have a gap in their knowledge that makes it difficult to communicate in this day in age. "^[10] Anthym changed their name to What Is This?, and rapidly became a local club favorite—frequently attracting more than thirty people per show. What Is This? (known prior to 1980 as Anthym) was a Rock band that originated in Fairfax High School in California and would play numerous shows along The band was faltering internally however, and Flea left the group to play bass for a well-established L. A. punk rock group called Fear. Fear is a Punk rock band from Los Angeles California that formed in 1977 and is still a band today ^[11] Although Fear was a thriving act, Flea was discontent in the band and left shortly after joining. ^[11] He then successfully auditioned for the role of bassist in the British post-punk group Public Image Ltd., but rejected the offer; he later admitted that the only reason he auditioned was to jam with the band's front man John Lydon. Post-punk was a popular musical movement in the mid to late 1970s following on the heels of the initial Punk rock explosion of the early 1970s Public Image Ltd ( PiL) were an English musical group formed in 1978 by vocalist John Lydon, Guitarist Keith Levene John Joseph Lydon (born 31 January 1956 in London England also known as Johnny Rotten, is a British Rock musician best known as lead vocalist for the Punk ^[11]

Slovak, Kiedis, and Flea began to create their own music after finding inspiration in a punk-funk fusion band called Defunkt. Defunkt is a musical group founded by trombonist/singer Joseph Bowie 1978 in New York, United States, and still active ^[12] Flea, Slovak, Kiedis and former Anthym-drummer Jack Irons formed a band called Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem. Jack Steven Irons (born July 18 1962 in Los Angeles, California) is an American Drummer. The band had only one song, entitled "Out in L. A. ", and was formed for the purpose of playing the song once. ^[13] Following the group's first show at The Rhythm Lounge, the owner of the bar asked them to return, but with two songs instead of one. After several more shows, and the addition of several songs to their repertoire, the band's name was changed to Red Hot Chili Peppers. ^[14][5]

1984–1990: First four albums

The band's concert repertoire grew to nine songs as a result of months of playing local nightclubs and bars. ^[15] The Red Hot Chili Peppers entered Bijou Studios to record a demo tape and subsequently secured a record deal with EMI. The EMI Group is a British music company comprising the major record company EMI Music – which operates several labels and is based in Kensington in ^[5] Irons and Slovak however, decided to leave the Red Hot Chili Peppers in order to pursue a "more serious" future with What Is This?. ^[16] Flea ultimately respected the decision, but felt the band would be lost without them. He and Kiedis hired drummer Cliff Martinez and guitarist Jack Sherman to fill Iron's and Slovak's places, respectively. Cliff Martinez (born February 5, 1954) is an American film score composer and former drummer for Captain Beefheart, The Dickies, The Weirdos Jack Sherman may refer to Jack Sherman (guitarist Jack Sherman (statistician ^[16] Andy Gill, formerly of Gang of Four, agreed to produce their first album. Andy Gill (born 1 January 1956) is a founding member and guitarist for the English rock group Gang of Four, considered among the most Gang of Four are an English Post-punk group from Leeds. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Gill and Sherman clashed with Flea and Kiedis; they continuously argued over music style, sound, and the album's production. ^[17] Flea himself felt that the album was stiff and "a big mistake", but also admitted "we [he and Kiedis] were just disrespectful and obnoxious. "^[12] The band's eponymous debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, was released on August 10, 1984 to largely poor critical and commercial review. The Red Hot Chili Peppers is California Funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers ' self-titled debut album released in 1984 and produced by Gang Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) ^[18] After a relatively unfruitful tour, Sherman was fired in early 1985. Slovak, who had been contemplating a return to the Chili Peppers, rejoined the group after being encouraged by Flea. ^[19]

Funk musician George Clinton was hired to produce the band's second album, Freaky Styley. Freaky Styley is the second Album by Red Hot Chili Peppers, released in 1985 through EMI America. The strong chemistry between Clinton and the Chili Peppers was felt instantly. Flea later referred to Clinton as "the warmest, kindest man in the world. "^[20] When Freaky Styley was released in August of 1985, however, it received only a bit more attention than The Red Hot Chili Peppers with roughly 75,000 copies sold by year end. ^[12] Flea was somewhat indifferent to the poor album sales as he had recently proposed to girlfriend Loesha Zeviar, who was pregnant with their child. ^[21] The band hired Michael Beinhorn, their last resort among potential producers, to work on their next album. Michael Beinhorn is an American Musician and Record producer. ^[22] What Is This? had finally disbanded, and Irons returned to the Chili Peppers in mid 1986 after Martinez was fired. Flea, Slovak and Kiedis especially were involved in heavy drug use and their relationships became strained. Flea recalled that "it began to seem ugly to me and not fun; our communication was not healthy. "^[22] Kiedis became dependent on heroin, leaving Flea and Slovak to work on much of the album's material by themselves. Flea and Zeviar married, and she gave birth to their daughter Clara. Kiedis was briefly kicked out of the band, and given a month to rehabilitate. Kiedis completed the rehab and rejoined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Los Angeles to record their third album The Uplift Mofo Party Plan. The Uplift Mofo Party Plan is the third studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers, produced by Michael Beinhorn and released in 1987 through EMI America ^[22] Flea has referred to the album as "the 'rockingest' record" the band has ever made. ^[22] The Uplift Mofo Party Plan proved to be far more successful, commercially and critically, than the Chili Peppers' preceding albums; registering at number 148 on the Billboard Top 200. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard ^[23] Following the Uplift tour, Slovak's drug use dramatically increased. Flea's relationship with Slovak faded, and Slovak became isolated and depressed. ^[12] On June 28, 1988, Slovak was found dead of a heroin overdose. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Flea reflected: "I didn't really know how to deal with that sadness, and I don't think [Kiedis] knew how to deal with it either. "^[12] Irons, who was taking Slovak's death particularly hard, left the group. ^[5]

Flea and Kiedis took some time to collect themselves, but decided to keep the band together. Guitarist DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight and drummer D.H. Peligro were added, and the band entered the studio to record a new album. DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight is an American guitarist. DH Peligro (b 1960 St Louis Missouri, real name Darren Henley) was the Drummer for the hardcore punk band Dead Kennedys from McKnight soon began to create tension within the group, as his style did not mesh with the rest of the band. ^[24] Peligro was a friend of John Frusciante, an eighteen year old guitarist and avid Red Hot Chili Peppers fan. John Anthony Frusciante (pronounced) (born March 5 1970 is an American Guitarist, singer songwriter and record producer ^[25] Peligro introduced Frusciante to Flea, and the three jammed together on several occasions. ^[26] Flea was impressed with Frusciante's skill, and astonished by his knowledge of the Chili Peppers' repertoire. Flea realized that Frusciante could provide the spark McKnight was lacking. ^[27] McKnight was fired, and Frusciante accepted an invitation to join the band. ^[24] Peligro was fired shortly thereafter; the Chili Peppers brought in drummer Chad Smith as his replacement. Chadwick "Chad" Smith (born 25 October, 1961) is the Drummer of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. ^[28] Flea and Zeviar started to grow apart, and he began trying to recreate the memories of his adolescence by smoking marijuana on a daily basis. ^[26] The Chili Peppers entered the studio, and completed recording of their fourth album, Mother's Milk, in early 1989. Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Upon release, the album was met with mixed reactions from critics, but received far more commercial attention; peaking at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 200. ^[23] After this, Flea made appearances playing the trumpet on Jane's Addiction's 1988 album Nothing's Shocking,^[29] and bass on the critically acclaimed 1989 Young MC album Stone Cold Rhymin'. Nothing's Shocking is Jane's Addiction 's first studio album (the self-titled debut is a live recording Marvin Young (born May 10 1967) better known by his stage name Young MC is an American rapper. Stone Cold Rhymin is the debut Album by rapper Young MC. It was originally released in 1989 on Delicious Vinyl and was later re-issued by He would also appear in the video for Bust a Move, the hit single from the same album. " Bust a Move " was a 1989 single by the Rapper Young MC. ^[30]

1990–1998: Mainstream success and side projects

The ensuing Mother's Milk tour put a strain on Flea's marriage. In order to make money, he needed to tour, and therefore spend time away from his family. ^[31] Furthermore, he and Smith were arrested on charges of battery and sexual harassment after a performance on MTV's coverage of spring break;^[12] charges were eventually dropped. ^[31] The band was, however, attracting over three thousand people per show; Mother's Milk had been certified as a gold record in early 1990. In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of Albums and singles sold through retail and ^[32][33] By the time Red Hot Chili Peppers returned to Los Angeles, Flea and Zeviar agreed to a separation. ^[31] He tried to put the separation out of his mind by smoking marijuana and having sex with willing fans. ^[31]

When the tour was over, the Red Hot Chili Peppers severed ties with EMI and signed with Warner Bros. Records. Warner Bros Records Inc is an American Record label that operates as a wholly owned Subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ^[34] Rick Rubin, who rejected an opportunity to produce The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, agreed to produce their next album. ^[35] Flea had largely used the principal slap bass technique on the band's preceding four albums, and decided to downplay this style in favor of more conventional, melodic bass lines. ^[36] To record the album, Rubin suggested a mansion that once belonged to magician Harry Houdini. Flea felt it was "a creatively fertile situation", and decided to bring his daughter Clara with him. ^[35] He and the rest of the band, excluding Smith, remained inside the house for the entire recording process. When not writing or recording the album, Flea spent a large portion of his time with Frusciante smoking large quantities of marijuana. ^[35] The emotions Flea felt during the album's recording was like nothing he had ever experienced:^[12]

When Blood Sugar Sex Magik was released on September 24, 1991, it received an overwhelmingly positive critical response. Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24 1991 Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 200, and went on to sell over seven million copies in the U. S. alone. ^[19][23] The album's ensuing tour was critically acclaimed—the Chili Peppers commonly performed shows with over twenty thousand in attendance. ^[37] Seattle-based grunge band Nirvana also toured with them during the West Coast leg of their United States tour. Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen Washington. ^[37] The massive attention the Chili Peppers started receiving, however, caused Frusciante to feel extremely uncomfortable, and he abruptly quit the band during the Japanese leg of the album's tour. ^[38] The band hired guitarist Arik Marshall to complete the remaining tour dates. Arik Marshall is an American musician best known as a short term member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Flea (left) with Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain (right) in 1992 when Red Hot Chili Peppers were touring with them

Marshall was fired at the end of the tour, and the band added former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro to record a new album. Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen Washington. Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20 1967 – c April 5 1994 was an American musician who served as lead singer, Guitarist, and songwriter for the Seattle Jane's Addiction is an American Alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles California in 1985 Kiedis was in the middle of a heroin relapse, which forced Flea to assume the role of lyricist, something he had not yet done. He wrote most of the song "Transcending", and the intro to "Deep Kick". Flea also wrote the lyrics to an entire song—"Pea"—which he both sang and played bass on. ^[39] These three songs appeared on the Chili Peppers' sixth record One Hot Minute, which was released on September 12, 1995. One Hot Minute is the sixth studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 12 1995 on Warner Bros Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 The album received mixed reviews and was significantly less commercially successful than Blood Sugar Sex Magik. ^[19] The One Hot Minute tour was ultimately cut short due to various injuries Kiedis and Smith received, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers decided to go on hiatus. ^[40] Flea began to practice yoga, and slowly decreased his marijuana consumption. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the ^[40] Due to the Chili Peppers' inactivity, Flea joined Navarro in a Jane's Addiction reunion tour in 1997, filling in for ex-Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery. Eric Adam Avery (born April 25, 1965) is an American Musician, most famous for his co-creation of and for his role as the original Bassist Rumors spread that the band was breaking up, until Navarro stated otherwise: "I want to clarify that the Chili Peppers are not breaking up. . . Flea and I are more than happy to do both projects, time permitting. "^[40]

Flea also had plans to record a solo album. He asked Chili Peppers manager Lindy Goetz to help him promote the record and his future solo career. ^[40] Flea eventually abandoned the idea in favor of offering his bass services to other artists. He performed on over forty records from 1995 to 1998, ranging from Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill to former Minutemen bassist Mike Watt's debut solo album Ball-Hog or Tugboat?. Alanis Nadine Morissette (born June 1 1974 is a Canadian-born Singer-songwriter, Record producer, and Actress. Jagged Little Pill is the third Studio album (and the first to be released internationally by Canadian Singer and Songwriter The Minutemen were an American Punk rock band formed in San Pedro, California in 1980 Michael David Watt (born December 20, 1957 in Portsmouth Virginia) is an American Bass guitarist singer and Songwriter. Ball-Hog or Tugboat? is the debut solo album by former Minutemen and fIREHOSE Bassist, Songwriter and Vocalist He also worked with Tori Amos and Michael Stipe on a track for the soundtrack to the 1995 Johnny Depp film Don Juan DeMarco. Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos on August 22, 1963) is a Pianist and Singer-songwriter of dual British and American John Michael Stipe (born January 4 1960 in Decatur Georgia) is an American singer who is the lead vocalist for the Alternative rock band R John Don Juan DeMarco is a 1995 film starring Johnny Depp as John R ^[41] Navarro was fired from the Chili Peppers in 1998, and Flea questioned whether or not the Red Hot Chili Peppers would stay together: "the only way I could imagine carrying on is if we got John [Frusciante] back in the band. "^[42] Frusciante had completed drug rehabilitation in 1997 after a severe addiction to heroin and crack cocaine left him on the brink of death. Heroin ( INN: diacetylmorphine, BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid synthesized from Morphine, a derivative Crack cocaine or crack is a solid smokable form of Cocaine. It is a freebase form of cocaine that can be made using baking soda ( Sodium bicarbonate ^[43] Flea visited Frusciante in early 1998, inviting him back to the Chili Peppers; an emotional Frusciante readily accepted. ^[44]

1998–present: Californication, By the Way and Stadium Arcadium

The band, with Frusciante back on guitar, began writing new songs during the summer of 1998 in Flea's garage. ^[12] He and Kiedis were less confident in writing the album, after the disappointing results of One Hot Minute. ^[12] Flea had also recently broken up with his girlfriend of two years, Marissa Pouw, causing him to enter a state of depression,^[45] which was only lifted when his daughter, Clara, comforted him after several weeks of crying. ^[12]

Flea was heavily influenced by electronica during the writing and recording of Californication and he attempted to emulate this when writing bass lines for the album. Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range Californication is the seventh studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8 1999 on Warner Bros ^[45] Californication took less than two weeks to record; by contrast, One Hot Minute took over a year. When Californication was released on June 8, 1999 it received overwhelmingly positive critical reviews and sold fifteen million copies worldwide—more than Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) ^[12] The Chili Peppers played Woodstock 1999, with Flea playing completely naked—something he would do again at the Reading and Leeds Festivals the same year. Woodstock 1999, held July 23 - 25, 1999 was the second large-scale Music festival (after Woodstock '94) that attempted to emulate the ^[45]

Flea felt like the public school system was seriously lacking in exposing children to music by drastically reducing, and sometimes eliminating, art related programs. ^[46] He founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a school dedicated to help youth progress in music, because of this. ^[46][47] "I just wanted to fill the void that public education has cut from their curriculum. They've dropped the ball by cutting out music programs", Flea laments, "I grew up in LA public schools and was in the music department. It was really an important thing for my life, it gave me something to hold onto, and it was an important access for me. Without music I would've gotten into a lot of trouble and there are a lot of kids like me out there. I just wanted to try to provide something like what I got. "^[46]

Flea with Red Hot Chili Peppers performing "Can't Stop" in London's Hyde Park on June 25, 2004

Red Hot Chili Peppers spent most of 2001 writing their eighth studio album, By the Way. " Can't Stop " is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2002 album By the Way. Hyde Park is one of the largest Parks in central London, England and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " By the Way is the eighth studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on July 9 2002 on Warner Bros The entire band began listening to more melodic, textured music that would reflect heavily on the album. ^[12] Frusciante became the driving force behind By the Way, causing initial strife between him and Flea. ^[45] If the bassist introduced a funk rhythm into his bass lines, the guitarist would consequently disapprove. ^[45] By the Way was released on July 9, 2002 to positive critical reviews. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Although not as successful as Californication or Blood Sugar Sex Magik, By the Way would go on to sell over nine million copies worldwide. ^[48] The ensuing tour, however, was extremely profitable; the Chili Peppers performed three concerts in London's Hyde Park to over 250,000 attendees and a total gross accumulation of $17. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Hyde Park is one of the largest Parks in central London, England and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 1 million. ^[49] It became the highest grossing concert at a single venue in history. ^[49]

After another two year world tour, the Chili Peppers wrote their ninth studio album Stadium Arcadium. Stadium Arcadium is the ninth studio album by the Rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on May 5, 2006 via Warner Bros In 2005, Flea became engaged to his girlfriend Frankie Rayder, and she bore his second daughter Sunny Bebop, later the same year. ^[50] Unlike By the Way, both Flea and Frusciante were more musically conjoined when writing the record. They found inspiration in Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Eddie Van Halen among others. James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter James Patrick Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944 is an English Guitarist, Composer and record producer Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen (born January 26 1955 is a Dutch Guitarist, Keyboardist, Songwriter and producer ^[51] The double album was ultimately released on May 9, 2006 to generally positive reviews, selling over seven million copies in less than two years. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[52] During the October 2007 California wildfires, Flea's $4. 8 million home in Malibu was burnt down. Malibu is an incorporated city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. ^[53] The location was not, however, his primary residence and had been vacated pending sales. ^[53]

Musical style

Flea has displayed a wide variety of techniques throughout the years, ranging from his initial use of slapping and popping to the more traditional methods he has employed since Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Greg Prato of All Music Guide has noted that "by combining funk-style bass with psychedelic, punk, and hard rock, Flea created an original playing style that has been copied numerous times. allmusic (previously All Music Guide) is a Metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. "^[4] Flea has been considered as one of the greatest bassists of all time, with Greg Tate of Rolling Stone saying "if there were a Most Valuable Bass Player award given out in rock, Flea could have laid claim to that bitch ten years running. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published "^[55] Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan recalls that when he first saw the Chili Peppers in 1984, "Flea was playing so aggressively that he had worn a hole in his thumb and he was literally screaming in pain in-between songs because it hurt so bad. The Smashing Pumpkins are an American Alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988 William Patrick Corgan Jr (born March 17, 1967 in Elk Grove Village Illinois) is an American Singer, Songwriter, Someone kept coming out and pouring crazy glue into the hole. "^[5] Flea's sound is also determined by what type of instrument he plays. Before Californication, he did not believe the actual bass held much significance: "what mattered was how you hit them [basses] and your emotional intent, and I still think that's the bottom line. "^[54] Flea owns a 1961 Fender Jazz Bass, treasuring it for its "old wood sound". The Jazz Bass (or J Bass) was the second model of electric bass guitar created by Leo Fender. ^[54] He has contributed to the Red Hot Chili Peppers' sound not only with the bass but by playing trumpet, as well; it can be heard on several songs, such as "Subway to Venus" from their fourth album Mother's Milk or "Warlocks" from their ninth album Stadium Arcadium.

Technique

Flea's bass playing has changed considerably throughout the years. When he joined Fear his technique centered largely around traditional punk rock bass lines,^[56] however he was to change this style when the Red Hot Chili Peppers formed. He began to incorporate a "slap" bass style that drew influence largely from Bootsy Collins. William "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a Funk Bassist, Singer ^[16] However, this technique caused Flea to receive attention from the music world and was often copied, and he therefore felt it necessary to completely remove slap-bass styles from his repertoire following Mother's Milk. ^[4] Consequently, Blood Sugar Sex Magik saw a notable shift in style as it featured none of his signature technique but rather styles that focused more on traditional and melodic roots. ^[57] His intellectual beliefs on how to play the instrument was also altered: "I was trying to play simply on Blood Sugar Sex Magik because I had been playing too much prior to that, so I thought, 'I've really got to chill out and play half as many notes'. When you play less, it's more exciting—there's more room for everything. If I do play something busy, it stands out, instead of the bass being a constant onslaught of notes. Space is good. "^[57] During the writing and recording of One Hot Minute, Flea integrated some use of slap-bass progressions, but continued to center his technique around the philosophy of "less is more" rather than complexity: "I can't even think of anything I played that was complex [on the record]; even the slapping stuff is simple. It's original-sounding, and I'm proud of that—but what I played was more a matter of aesthetic choice. "^[57] This led Flea to alter the way he wrote music by playing alone, instead of the jam sessions that would dictate how the band conceived songs: "[One Hot Minute] is the least jam-oriented record we've made. A jam session is a Musical act where Musicians gather and play (or "jam") without extensive preparation or predefined Arrangements I mean, we definitely jammed on the ideas, but there's only one groove on the whole album that came from a jam, 'Deep Kick'. The rest of it came from my sitting down with a guitar or bass. "^[57]

Flea became interested in electronica during the Californication era and he attempted to emulate the same atmosphere given off by synthesizers into his bass playing: "I feel the most exciting music happening is electronica, without a doubt. Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range "^[45] He ultimately decided against this, acknowledging that, aside from Frusciante, the band was not moving in the same direction. ^[45] Californication also saw him incorporate more funk-driven bass lines than he had on One Hot Minute. In By the Way, much of the bass-lines were entirely stripped of funk. Flea felt the chords Frusciante had written were not supportive of his typical technique; furthermore, he does not feel the musical direction of the record was specifically melodic, but instead "a result of each one of us being who we are. The way we [the band] compose music is a very communal thing. "^[58]

Influences

Flea's stepfather was in a bebop band that frequently jammed in his presence; he, therefore, became fascinated with the trumpet soon after. Bebop or bop is a form of Jazz characterized by fast Tempos and Improvisation based on Harmonic structure rather than Melody ^[12][4][5] Flea credits his continued interest in music to jazz performers like Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie. Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26 1926 &ndash September 28 1991 was an American Jazz Trumpeter, Bandleader, and Composer. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie ( October 21 1917 &ndash January 6 1993) was an American Jazz Trumpeter ^[3] After Kiedis introduced him to punk and rock, Flea became infatuated with artists like The Germs, Styx, David Bowie and Defunkt. Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. The Germs is an influential Punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s Styx ( pronounced: /stɪks/ is an American Rock band. Their hit songs have included " Come Sail Away " " Babe " " David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. Defunkt is a musical group founded by trombonist/singer Joseph Bowie 1978 in New York, United States, and still active ^[12][9] Flea's early influences before Blood Sugar Sex Magik were mainly funk artists like Bootsy Collins, Parliament, Funkadelic, Sly & the Family Stone, and The Meters. William "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a Funk Bassist, Singer TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those Funkadelic was an African American music band most prominent during the 1970s Sly & the Family Stone is an American funk, soul and rock band from San Francisco California. The Meters were an American Funk band based in New Orleans Louisiana. ^[59] They would become a notable aspect of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' sound up to Mother's Milk. Originally, Flea was given the impression by punk bands that one should play as hard and fast as they possibly could, but ultimately rejected this philosophy during Blood Sugar Sex Magik: "I was so into being raw [. . . ] it was all bullshit. "^[54] On Californication and By the Way, Flea drew influence from electronica, gothic rock bands like The Cure and Siouxsie & the Banshees and New Wave music rather than funk. This article is about the musical style of gothic rock For the goth scene in general see Goth subculture. The Cure are an English rock band that formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976 Siouxsie & the Banshees were a British rock band which formed in 1976 New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s ^[47] During Stadium Arcadium he experienced another shift in interest. Instead of the melodic music he had listened to during the two previous albums, he enjoyed the work of "flashy" guitar players like Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, and Jimmy Page, exclusively. James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen (born January 26 1955 is a Dutch Guitarist, Keyboardist, Songwriter and producer James Patrick Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944 is an English Guitarist, Composer and record producer ^[51]

Film and television appearances

Flea (far right) portrayed one of the three German nihilists in the 1998 film The Big Lebowski

Flea has pursued a minor acting career since the mid 1980s. The Big Lebowski is a 1998 American Comedy film / Film noir written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. His first role was as young punk 'Razzle' in the Penelope Spheeris punk film, "Suburbia" (1984). See subUrbia for the 1996 film based on the play by Eric Bogosian. Shortly thereafter, he starred alongside the Chili Peppers, who played themselves, in the skate drama Thrashin' (1986). He portrayed the character Needles in Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Back to the Future Part III (1990), though he regrets this and considered the movies to be a "multi-million dollar piece of trash. Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 film and a Sequel to the 1985 film Back to the Future. Back to the Future Part III is the third installment of the ''Back to the Future'' trilogy. "^[60] He played a minor role in the 1991 independent film My Own Private Idaho as the character Budd. An independent film, or indie film, is a film that is produced outside of the Hollywood Studio system, a series of oligopolistic practices by several My Own Private Idaho is a 1991 Independent film written and directed by Gus Van Sant, loosely based on Shakespeare 's Henry Flea has, more recently, made appearances in the films The Chase (1994) as a monster truck driver, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1997) as a musician, and The Big Lebowski (1998), as a German nihilist. The Chase is a 1994 comedy-adventure movie starring Charlie Sheen and Kristy Swanson. The Big Lebowski is a 1998 American Comedy film / Film noir written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing is a philosophical position that argues that Existence is without objective meaning Purpose He lent his voice as the character Donnie to the animated series The Wild Thornberrys. The Wild Thornberrys is an American Animated television series that aired on Nickelodeon from 1998 to 2004

In 1991, Red Hot Chili Peppers released a black and white film documenting the recording of Blood Sugar Sex Magik called Funky Monks. Funky Monks is the title of a 1991 documentary (also the title of a song from the 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik) about the rock band Red Hot Chili They have released two video concerts, Off the Map in 2001 and Live at Slane Castle in 2004—the latter of which had over eighty thousand attendees. Off the Map is a DVD released by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2001, two years following the release of their seventh studio album Californication Live at Slane Castle is a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert video released in 2003, two years after the release of their latest concert DVD ^[61] Flea has also appeared in television broadcasts with Red Hot Chili Peppers on several occasions. Several months before Frusciante's departure in 1992, the band performed two songs on Saturday Night Live—Kiedis felt the show was an embarrassment due to the guitarist, who purposely played out of tune and incorrectly. Saturday Night Live ( SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute American Sketch comedy / Variety show based in New York City ^[62][40] Later that year, the band appeared in the popular animated comedy The Simpsons on the episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled". " Krusty Gets Kancelled " is the twenty-second and final episode of The Simpsons ' fourth season. At Woodstock 1994, Kiedis proposed the band perform the first few songs in metallic suits with giant light bulbs placed on their heads. Woodstock '94 was a Music festival organized in order to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock Festival of 1969. ^[63] Flea was initially reluctant but eventually agreed: "when we got to play, the energy of the whole thing took over. "^[64] In 1996, he guest starred on an episode of The Ben Stiller Show. The Ben Stiller Show was a Sketch comedy Television show that aired on FOX from September 1992 to January 1993 On the episode, Flea beats Stiller in a game of basketball. For the 1999 Woodstock Festival, he played the concert naked. Woodstock 1999, held July 23 - 25, 1999 was the second large-scale Music festival (after Woodstock '94) that attempted to emulate the ^[45] The band has also performed on Late Night with David Letterman three times. Late Night with David Letterman was a nightly hour-long comedy Talk show on NBC hosted by David Letterman. ^[65]

Discography

Further information: Red Hot Chili Peppers discography

References

• Apter, Jeff (2004-11-23). The discography of Red Hot Chili Peppers, a Los Angeles, California based Alternative rock band consists of nine Studio albums forty-three "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Fornication: The Red Hot Chili Peppers Story. Omnibus Press. Omnibus Press is a British Publisher of Books primarily about Music. ISBN 1-84449-381-4.  
• Kiedis, Anthony; Sloman, Larry (2004-10-06). Anthony Kiedis (kiːdɪs "kee-dis" (born November 1 1962 is an American musician and the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 105 BC - Battle of Arausio: The Cimbri inflict the heaviest defeat on the Roman army of Gnaeus Mallius Maximus Scar Tissue. Scar Tissue is the autobiography of Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Anthony Kiedis. Hyperion. Hyperion is a general-interest book publishing division of The Walt Disney Company, established in 1991. ISBN 1-4013-0101-0.  

Notes

External links

• Red Hot Chili Peppers official website
• Michael Balzary at the Internet Movie Database