Flea (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Flea
Flea performing with Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Michael Peter Balzary
Also known as	Mikey B the Flea
Born	(1962-10-16) October 16, 1962 (age 62) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Rock funk jazz electronica
Occupation(s)	Musician actor
Instruments	Bass guitar trumpet keyboards vocals guitar
Years active	1982–present
Labels	Warner EMI
Children	2

Michael Peter Balzary (born October 16, 1962), known as Flea, is an Australian-American musician. He is a founding member and bassist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea has been on all their albums, along with singer Anthony Kiedis.

Flea is also part of other groups like Atoms for Peace and Rocket Juice & the Moon. He has played with many famous artists such as Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, and Alanis Morissette.

Flea's bass playing mixes different styles like funk (especially slap bass), punk, and hard rock. In 2009, Rolling Stone magazine readers voted Flea the second-best bassist ever. In 2012, he and the Red Hot Chili Peppers joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Flea has also acted in movies and TV shows, including Back to the Future Part II, The Big Lebowski, Baby Driver, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. He helped start the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a non-profit school that helps kids learn music. In 2019, he wrote a book about his early life called Acid for the Children.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Michael Peter Balzary was born in Melbourne, Australia, on October 16, 1962. His family moved to New York when he was four. In 1971, his parents divorced, and his father went back to Australia. Flea and his sister stayed with their mother, who later married a jazz musician.

Flea's stepfather often had musicians play at their house. The family moved to Los Angeles, California. Flea became very interested in the trumpet. He loved jazz musicians like Miles Davis and Louis Armstrong.

As a teenager, he got the nickname "Flea" because he couldn't sit still. He went to Fairfax High School. There, he met Anthony Kiedis, and they became best friends. Kiedis said they were "virtually inseparable."

Flea learned about rock music from Hillel Slovak and punk rock from Kiedis. Slovak taught Flea how to play the bass. Soon after, Slovak asked Flea to join his band, Anthym (later called What Is This?). Flea developed his own unique style. He later joined the punk band Fear. Then, he rejoined Slovak, Kiedis, and Jack Irons to form a new band, which became the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Early Years

The band started playing shows in Los Angeles. They soon had nine songs and got a record deal with EMI. Irons and Slovak left to join What Is This?, which was more serious to them. Flea and Kiedis hired new members, drummer Cliff Martinez and guitarist Jack Sherman.

Their first album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, came out in 1984. It didn't do very well. After a tour, Sherman was fired, and Slovak rejoined the band.

George Clinton produced their second album, Freaky Styley (1985). Flea loved working with Clinton. This album got a little more attention. Flea was happy because he had just gotten engaged to Loesha Zeviar, who was expecting their child.

Drummer Irons returned to the band in 1986. The band recorded their third album, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987). Flea called it "the 'rockingest' record." This album was much more successful. Sadly, Slovak passed away in 1988. Irons then left the band because he was so sad.

Flea and Kiedis decided to keep the band going. They brought in guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith.

Mainstream Success and Side Projects

Flea and his wife Loesha started to grow apart. The Chili Peppers recorded their fourth album, Mother's Milk, in 1989. The album got mixed reviews but was much more popular, reaching number 52 on the Billboard 200 chart. Flea appeared in the music video for "Bust a Move" by Young MC.

Flea (right) and Anthony Kiedis in Amsterdam, 1989

The tour for Mother's Milk was hard on Flea's marriage. He had to tour to make money, which meant being away from his family. The band was becoming very popular. By 1990, Mother's Milk was certified gold. Flea and Loesha decided to separate.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers then signed with Warner Bros. Records. Rick Rubin produced their next album. Flea decided to use less of his famous "slap bass" style and focus on more melodic bass lines. They recorded the album in a mansion that once belonged to magician Harry Houdini. Flea felt it was a very creative place and brought his daughter Clara with him.

Their album, Blood Sugar *** Magik, was released in 1991. It was a huge success, selling over 7 million copies in the U.S. and getting great reviews. The band's tour was also very popular. However, the massive attention made Frusciante uncomfortable, and he left the band during the tour.

In 1993, Flea was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and needed to rest. The band hired Dave Navarro as their new guitarist. Flea started writing more lyrics for their next album, One Hot Minute, released in 1995. He even sang a song called "Pea." This album was less successful than Blood Sugar *** Magik. The tour was cut short due to injuries. Flea was so unhappy he thought about leaving the band. He started practicing Transcendental Meditation and yoga.

Flea also played bass on over forty other records between 1995 and 1998. He worked with artists like Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos. In 1998, Navarro was fired. Flea wondered if the band would continue. He visited Frusciante and invited him back to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Frusciante happily agreed.

Later Albums and Projects

With Frusciante back, the band started writing new songs in Flea's garage. Flea was influenced by electronica music for their album Californication (1999). The album was recorded quickly and became a huge success, selling fifteen million copies worldwide.

For their eighth album, By the Way (2002), the band explored more melodic music. Frusciante became the main creative force, which caused some tension with Flea. Flea almost left the band because he felt his role was less important. However, By the Way was released to positive reviews and sold over nine million copies. Their tour was very profitable, including three concerts in London that made over $17 million.

After another world tour, the Chili Peppers made their ninth album, Stadium Arcadium (2006). Flea and Frusciante worked together more closely on this record. It was a double album and sold over seven million copies. In 2007, Flea's house in Malibu burned down in a wildfire, but it wasn't his main home.

New Bands and Solo Work

After the Chili Peppers took a break, Flea went to the University of Southern California. He studied music theory, composition, and jazz trumpet. He wanted to learn more about music. Flea also planned to release a solo album with instrumental songs.

In 2009, Flea joined Atoms for Peace, a supergroup with Radiohead singer Thom Yorke. They played songs from Yorke's solo album and released their own album, Amok, in 2013.

The Chili Peppers returned in 2009, but Frusciante had left again. Josh Klinghoffer replaced him. The band released their tenth album, I'm with You, in 2011. That same year, Flea also worked with Tom Waits and formed a project called Rocket Juice & the Moon with Damon Albarn and Tony Allen.

Hall of Fame and Recent Work

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Flea said he was "grateful for the recognition."

Flea performing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2012

On July 19, 2012, Flea released a solo EP called Helen Burns. Most of it was instrumental, but it featured Patti Smith and a children's choir from the Silverlake Conservatory of Music. He released it to raise money for the school.

In 2014, Flea worked on a new band called Antemasque with former Mars Volta members. He only recorded a few songs with them.

In 2015, Flea broke his arm while skiing, which delayed the recording of the Chili Peppers' eleventh album. The album, The Getaway, was released in 2016. The band then went on a huge world tour.

Flea released his book, Acid for the Children, in 2019. It tells the story of his childhood and the early days of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In December 2019, the Red Hot Chili Peppers announced that John Frusciante would return to the band. They started working on new music. In 2021, Flea and Frusciante covered a song for a tribute album to the band Gang of Four.

The Chili Peppers announced a big world tour for 2022. They released two new albums, Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen, in 2022. Flea also collaborated with Morrissey on his album Bonfire of Teenagers.

Acting Career

Flea has had a small acting career since the 1980s. His first role was in the film Suburbia (1984). He also appeared in Back to the Future Part II (1989) and Back to the Future Part III (1990) as Douglas J. Needles.

He played minor roles in many films in the 1990s, including My Own Private Idaho (1991), The Chase (1994) with Kiedis, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), and The Big Lebowski (1998). He also voiced the character Donnie in the animated series The Wild Thornberrys. In 1992, the Red Hot Chili Peppers appeared as themselves in The Simpsons.

In 2014, Flea co-starred in the film Low Down. He also voiced a "mind cop" named Jake in the Pixar film Inside Out (2015) and its sequel Inside Out 2 (2024).

Flea appeared in the action film Baby Driver (2017) and had a cameo in Family Guy. He also co-starred in the 2018 film Boy Erased. In 2022, Flea appeared in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi and the film Babylon.

Personal Life

Flea became a U.S. citizen. He has been married twice and has three children. His first daughter, Clara Louise Zeviar Balzary, was born in 1988. Clara has been involved with the band, taking photos and creating artwork.

Flea later had a child, Sunny Bebop Balzary, born in 2005, with model Frankie Rayder. The song "Hard to Concentrate" on the 2006 album Stadium Arcadium was written by Kiedis as a wedding proposal for Flea and Rayder.

In 2019, Flea married fashion designer Melody Ehsani. They had a son, Darius Booker Balzary, in 2022. Flea has spoken about how much he loves being a father, saying his kids "gave me life."

Interests and Activism

Flea believes in God but is not religious. He says he prays to a "divine energy."

He and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have supported various causes. In 1992, they appeared in ads for Rock the Vote to encourage young people to vote. They also performed at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in the 1990s to support Tibetan independence.

Flea supported Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders in past U.S. presidential elections. He often speaks out against gun violence on social media.

Flea is also passionate about the environment. In 2013, the Chili Peppers played a concert for the Dalai Lama to raise awareness about protecting the planet. He was upset by an oil spill in Santa Barbara in 2015. In 2015, Flea started keeping bees in his backyard to help the honeybee population. He also performed at the Pathway to Paris concert to raise awareness about climate change.

Charity Work

In 2001, Flea co-founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music with his friend Tree. The school helps young people learn music, especially those who might not have other opportunities. Flea ran the Los Angeles Marathon in 2011 to raise money for the Conservatory.

In 2005, the Chili Peppers performed at a benefit to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Flea has also encouraged fans to donate to the Special Olympics. He and Anthony Kiedis host an annual benefit concert for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.

In 2016, Flea visited Koko the gorilla to raise awareness for The Gorilla Foundation. Koko even played Flea's bass! In 2020, Flea helped distribute food in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sports Fan

Flea is a big fan of Los Angeles sports teams, especially the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. He often sits courtside at their games. He has even performed the national anthem on his bass before Lakers games, including Kobe Bryant's final game in 2016. He also supports the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Rams.

Instruments and Sound

Basses

Flea has used many different bass guitars over the years. These include Music Man, Modulus, his own Fleabass brand, and Fender Jazz and Precision basses.

Currently, his main bass for live shows is a special Custom Shop Fender Jazz Bass. It has been changed with special pickups and a preamp. Fender has even made a signature bass modeled after his 1961 Fender Jazz Bass, which he loves for its "old wood sound."

Some of the basses Flea has used include:

• Music Man Cutlass 1
• Fender Precision Bass
• Spector NS-2
• Teisco Del Ray NB-4 (used in the "Higher Ground" video)
• Music Man Stingray
• Alembic Epic 4
• Modulus signature basses
• 1961 Fender Jazz Bass
• Fleabass (his own brand)

Signature Modulus Flea Bass

Flea used his special Modulus Flea basses on many tours, including Californication and Stadium Arcadium. These basses came in 4- and 5-string versions and had different designs:

• Blue Sparkle
• Silver Sparkle
• Red, White, and Blue (with punk band stickers)
• Aboriginal pattern
• Australian Aboriginal Flag
• Black (originally Sunburst)

Fleabass (Multi-Coloured Deluxe Spin Basses)

In 2009, Flea started the Fleabass company to make affordable basses for beginners. While he didn't use his regular Fleabass models for shows, he did use a custom one made by artist Damien Hirst. This special bass was used on a whole album. Fifty of these unique basses were made and auctioned to raise money for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.

Fender Custom Shop

On recent tours, Flea uses four different Custom Shop Fender Jazz basses:

• Silver (with a Helmets sticker)
• Road-worn Pink (tuned for "Black Summer")
• Purple (with a Lakers sticker)
• Brown (with a "SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FREAK" sticker)

These basses have a Jazz Bass body, special pickups, and a reinforced neck. The Silver Jazz is his main touring bass now.

Atoms for Peace Basses

For Atoms for Peace concerts, Flea uses his 1961 Jazz bass, a Fender Precision (Sunburst), and a Hofner 500/1.

Effects

Flea uses various effects units to shape his sound, including:

• BOSS ODB-3 Bass Overdrive
• MXR Micro Amp M133
• Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron
• Dunlop 105Q Cry Baby Bass Wah
• Malekko B:assmaster
• Moog Moogerfooger MF-103 12-Stage Phaser
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff π
• DOD FX25 Envelope Filter
• Boss GEB-7 Bass Equalizer
• Wilson Effects Freaker Wah
• Radial Engineering SGI-44
• Radial Engineering JX44

Amplifiers and Cabinets

Flea has used different amps and cabinets over the years:

1983-1989

• Trace Elliot AH500X and 4x10 cabinets
• Ampeg VB4 and Ampeg SVT-810E cabinets
• Peavey 8x10 (possibly)

1989-1995

• Mesa/Boogie Buster Bass 200 with D210 and D215 cabinets
• Gallien-Krueger 800RB

1995-2011, 2012-2021

• Gallien-Krueger 2001RB with 410 RBH and 115 RBH cabinets

2011 (I'm with You World Tour)

• Acoustic USA 360 and 361

2021-present

For the albums Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen, he used:

• Ampeg Portaflex
• Roland JC-120

On the 2022-2023 Global Stadium Tour, he used Ampeg SVTs.

Musical Style and Technique

Flea performing with the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the 2012 Rock in Rio festival in Madrid

Flea's bass playing has changed a lot over the years. When he first started, he focused on punk rock bass lines. But with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he began using a "slap" bass style, inspired by Bootsy Collins. This technique became very popular and was often copied.

After the album Mother's Milk (1989), Flea decided to use less slap bass. On Blood Sugar *** Magik (1991), he focused more on traditional and melodic bass lines. He learned that playing fewer notes could be more exciting. He said, "When you play less, it's more exciting—there's more room for everything."

For One Hot Minute (1995), he still used some slap bass but kept it simple. He started writing music alone instead of just jamming with the band.

When working on Californication (1999), Flea was interested in electronica music. He tried to make his bass sound like synthesizers. On By the Way (2002), many of his bass lines didn't have much funk. He felt the chords written by Frusciante didn't fit his usual style.

Influences

Flea's stepfather played jazz, which made Flea love the trumpet and jazz musicians like Jaco Pastorius, Miles Davis, and Louis Armstrong. When Kiedis showed him punk and rock music, Flea became a fan of bands like Black Flag and artists like David Bowie.

Before Blood Sugar *** Magik, Flea was mainly influenced by funk artists. Later, for Californication and By the Way, he was influenced by electronica, gothic rock bands like the Cure, and new wave music. He also admires Neil Young for his authentic artistry.

Legacy

In 2009, Rolling Stone magazine readers voted Flea the second-best bassist of all time, after John Entwistle from the Who. In a 2010 poll by BBC Two, Flea was named the bassist in the "ultimate fantasy band." In 2011, he was voted the second-best rock bassist by Contact Music.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Selected non-Red Hot Chili Peppers music videos

Discography

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Atoms for Peace

• Amok (2013 album)

Solo

• "I've Been Down", released in the soundtrack for the movie The Basketball Diaries
• "Media Blitz", released on the compilation, Germs Tribute
• Helen Burns (2012 EP)

Selected collaborations

• "#1 da Woman" by Tricky
• "Baby Can't Drive" by Slash with Alice Cooper, Nicole Scherzinger and Steven Adler
• "Barcelona" by Jewel
• "Bleed for Something Beautiful" by Mina Caputo
• "Bust a Move" by Young MC
• De-Loused in the Comatorium by the Mars Volta (selected tracks)
• The Empyrean by John Frusciante
• "Note to a Friend" by Aleka's Attic
• Concert Series Volume 1 by Axis of Justice (selected tracks)
• "Gimme Shelter" by Patti Smith
• "Hard Life Easy" by Satellite Party
• Wednesday: Modern Folk and Blues by Bob Forrest (2006)
• "Heart of Gold" by Johnny Cash with John Frusciante and Chad Smith
• "Hell Broke Luce" by Tom Waits
• "I Come Off" by Young MC
• "I Make My Own Rules" by LL Cool J with Dave Navarro
• "Idiots Rule" by Jane's Addiction with Angelo Moore and Christopher Dowd
• "Ill Wind" by Michael Brook with James Pinker Pinkerelly, Jimmy Scott, and Michael Stipe
• "It's A Rockin World" by Joe Strummer with Tom Morello, Benmont Tench, DJ Bonebrake, and Nick Hexum
• "Leave My Monkey Alone" by Warren Zevon
• "Kettle Whistle" by Jane's Addiction
• "Miranda that Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore" by the Mars Volta
• Momentum by Joshua Redman
• "Narcissus" by Alanis Morissette
• "The Odyssey" by Incubus
• "Raised Right Men" by Tom Waits
• Rocketjuice and the Moon by Rocket Juice & the Moon
• "Sleepin' wit My Fonk" by Sir Mix-A-Lot
• "So What!" by Jane's Addiction
• "Spiritual" by Johnny Cash with Curt Bisquera
• "War" by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony with Henry Rollins and Tom Morello
• "The Widow" by the Mars Volta
• "What'll I Do (Remix)" by Janet Jackson (remixed by Flea, Chad Smith & Dave Navarro)
• "White Rabbit" by Patti Smith with Tom Verlaine
• "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette with Dave Navarro
• "Grease the System" by Banyan with John Frusciante
• Antemasque by Antemasque
• Was Never There by Pluralone
• Nowhere I Am by Pluralone
• "Not Great Men" with John Frusciante
• Bonfire of Teenagers - Morrissey

Producer

• The Boldness Of Style EP by Thelonious Monster (produced the song "Walk On Water")

See also

In Spanish: Flea para niños