Before he was the world’s most iconic wild-man bassist, Michael Balzary was just a jazz-loving kid from Melbourne trying to survive a feral youth in the streets of Los Angeles. In this episode of Loud Lit, Matt dives into Flea’s unconventional memoir, Acid for the Children.
We look at the raw, vulnerable, and often chaotic pre-history of a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. From his early days as a trumpet prodigy to honest reflections on drug-fueled adventures, Flea proves he can wield a pen just as well as a four-string.
Plus, Matt shares his personal story of meeting Flea and other Chili Peppers backstage in Louisville, Kentucky.
Before the funk-rock anthems that defined a generation, there was just Michael (0:08) Bowser, a jazz-loving kid from Melbourne navigating youth in the wild world of (0:13) Los Angeles. In today's episode, we're diving into Flea's memoir, Acid for the (0:17) Children. If you're expecting a tell-all about the Red Hot Chili Peppers' (0:21) greatest hits, think again.
This book stops where the band begins, giving us an (0:25) early and raw look into the life of the man behind the iconic bass lines. (0:32) Hey, it's Matt. Thanks for tuning in to Loud Lit.
Today we're talking about Flea of the (0:37) Red Hot Chili Peppers, a legendary bassist known for his funky slap bass (0:42) sound and wild stage presence. Let's not forget his iconic performances in Back (0:46) to the Future and The Big Lebowski. With Acid for the Children, he shows us that (0:51) along with acting and bass gymnastics, the dude is also a good storyteller.
And (0:57) he's a very cool guy. I can attest to that personally. Quick Flea story before (1:01) we get to the review.
It was June of:
So we got free (1:20) tickets and backstage passes. We're watching from the side of the stage and (1:24) the keyboardist, Chris Warren, points his cousin out to Flea. So while Josh Klinghofer (1:29) is playing the guitar intro to Under the Bridge, Flea comes over and (1:34) shows her which bass string to pluck after the intro.
She hits the note, he (1:39) goes back on stage. Very cool moment. After the show, we all got to go backstage (1:43) where Chris told us he would go back and bring out band members to say hi.
So we (1:48) met Flea, Josh, and their drummer Chad Smith. Anthony Kiedis did not come out (1:53) to meet us, but that was fine because we saw him riding around on a Razor scooter (1:57) with his kids. There was absolutely no need for him to ditch them for us.
The (2:02) three guys we met were all very cool, very chill. Flea was talking to us about (2:06) riding his bike in Cincinnati the day before and feeling a little sketched out (2:10) in some parts. Sorry Cincy.
He also talked about when he said to the Louisville (2:15) crowd that night that he was tired going into the show, but our energy (2:19) pumped him up. And he assured us that was not a bullshit stage banter line. He (2:24) really was exhausted, but perked up within the first couple of songs.
So way (2:29) to go Yum Center. It was such a cool experience getting to see for myself (2:32) that these Rock and Roll Hall of Famers had not let their rock star status get to (2:37) their heads. All three of them, especially Flea, were down-to-earth and willing to (2:42) have a normal conversation with fans.
The show itself was amazing, but the (2:46) backstage hang was the most memorable moment of that night. And that memory made (2:51) me extra eager to learn more about Flea in his book Acid for the Children. Let's (2:56) dive in.
(2:59) If you're looking for behind-the-scenes stories of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, you (3:03) won't find them in this book. Acid for the Children ends right before the first (3:06) Chili Peppers show, but don't let that discourage you from reading this book. If (3:10) you're a Peppers fan, this is a chance to learn about how the band developed (3:14) through the eyes of one of its founding members.
Anthony Kiedis and Hillel (3:19) Slovak are integral characters in this story, and Flea shows how his friendships (3:23) with them led to the formation of the creative unit that would eventually (3:27) conquer the rock world. If you're not a Peppers fan, Acid for the Children is (3:32) still a fun read that takes a non-conventional approach, reminiscent of (3:36) beat generation writing. Like two-minute punk songs that comprise a compelling (3:41) full-length album, Flea weaves together short bursts of storytelling into one (3:45) overarching narrative.
Most of these brief chapters maintain the linear (3:49) nature of his life story, while others are standalone tales that serve only to (3:54) give us deeper insight into the person behind the frenetic baselines. Flea, born (3:59) Michael Bowsery in Melbourne, immigrated to New York with his parents and sister (4:04) when he was very young. Sadly, his parents divorced and his father moved back to (4:08) Australia.
While one father figure was on the other side of the globe, Michael had (4:12) a difficult relationship with another, his stepfather Walter. Despite difficulties (4:17) at home and school, young Michael found solace and confidence in music. (4:22) Ironically, it was Walter, a jazz musician, who would prove to be an enormous (4:26) influence on the future rock star.
Flea fell in love with jazz. Whatever time (4:31) during his teenage years in Los Angeles wasn't spent dabbling in drugs or (4:35) getting into other types of trouble, was spent playing basketball or practicing (4:39) trumpet. In fact, he admits in the book that for many years he hated rock music.
(4:44) That is, until he discovered that when done right, rock, especially punk, could be (4:49) every bit as moving as jazz. Throughout the book, Flea describes the wild (4:54) adventures of his feral youth, many of which involved Anthony Kiedis. These two (4:58) go on to become not only bandmates, but also lifelong friends.
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Flea is brutally honest (5:26) about the highs and the dark lows of his drug abuse. Though he claims he never (5:30) became addicted to anything, he admits that he is lucky to be alive, having (5:35) experimented with all sorts of substances, including cocaine via (5:40) unsanitary needles. Though some of his drug-fueled adventures make for amusing (5:44) stories, he doesn't sugarcoat the horrible effects that followed.
(5:48) Fortunately, he survived those years and has been clean for decades. Flea is an (5:53) eccentric free spirit, and that comes across in both his stories and his (5:57) storytelling. His writing style is not going to be for everyone, but I think it's (6:02) worth a try.
It's a fun and at times heartbreakingly honest look at the (6:06) prehistory of one of rock's biggest fans. (6:11) Thanks for listening to Loud Lit. If you liked this episode and want to hear more, (6:15) please subscribe and leave a 5-star rating and review.
If you want your own (6:19) copy of Acid for the Children, click the bookshop link in the show notes. When (6:24) you do, you'll be supporting Loud Lit as well as independent booksellers. Until (6:28) next time, keep reading, keep rocking.
