Historical Figure
Flea
b. 1962
Australian-American musician (born 1962)
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Biography
Michael Peter Balzary, known professionally as Flea, is an Australian and American musician and actor. He is a founding member and bassist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea and vocalist Anthony Kiedis are the only two continuous members of the band and the only ones to appear on every album. Flea has also been a member of the supergroups Atoms for Peace, Antemasque, Pigface, and Rocket Juice & the Moon, and has played with acts including the Circle Jerks, the Mars Volta, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Alanis Morissette, Young MC, Nirvana, What Is This?, Fear, and Jane's Addiction.
Timeline
The story of Flea, told in moments.
Also an actor, appearing in over 20 films. Studied music theory at USC. Founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music in LA to provide free music education to kids who can't afford it.
Born Michael Peter Balzary in Melbourne, Australia. Moved to New York at four, then Los Angeles at 12 with his mother and jazz musician stepfather.
Met Anthony Kiedis at Fairfax High School in LA. Flea played trumpet in the school jazz band. He picked up bass guitar after discovering punk rock. The friendship lasted.
Co-founded the Red Hot Chili Peppers with Kiedis, Hillel Slovak, and Jack Irons. His slap bass style fused funk and punk in a way nobody had tried before.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik sold 13 million copies. "Under the Bridge" and "Give It Away" were everywhere. Rolling Stone readers later ranked Flea the second-best bassist of all time.
In Their Own Words (8)
Panurge had a flea in his ear.
François Rabelais, Pantagruel (1532), Chapter XXXI. Simon Forman, Notes to Marriage of Wit and Wisdom., 1922
A blockhead, bit by fleas, put out the light,And chuckling cried, "Now you can't see to bite."
In Greek Anthology., 1922
Then mimick'd my voice with satyrical sneer,And sent me away with a Flea in my ear.
Mochus, Idyll LX; Eunica; Beaumont and Fletcher, Love's Cure, Act III, scene 3., 1922
So, naturalists observe, a fleaHas smaller fleas that on him prey;And these have smaller still to bite 'em,And so proceed ad infinitum.Thus every poet in his kindIs bit by him that comes behind.
Jonathan Swift, Poetry, A Rhapsody. Compare De Morgan, above., 1922
It was many and many a year ago,In a District styled E. C.,That a monster dwelt whom I came to knowBy the name of Cannibal Flea,And the brute was possessed with no other thoughtThan to live — and to live on me.
Thomas Hood, Jr., The Cannibal Flea. Parody on Poe's Annabel Lee., 1922
Artifacts (15)
Seated Woman Searching for Fleas
Adriaen van de Velde (Dutch, 1636–1672)
Acid for the Children - The Autobiography of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Legend
Flea, the iconic bassist and co-founder, alongside Anthony Kiedis, of the immortal Red Hot Chili Peppers finally tells his fascinating life story, complete with all the dizzying highs and the gutter...
Acid for the Children: A autobiografia de Flea, a lenda do Red Hot Chili Peppers
O aguardado (e badalado) livro de memórias do icônico baixista do Red Hot Chili Peppers chega ao Brasil pela Belas Letras. Em Acid for the children, Flea conta a fascinante história de suas origens,...
Acid for the Children - the Autobiography of Flea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers Legend
Flea, the iconic bassist and co-founder, alongside Anthony Kiedis, of the immortal Red Hot Chili Peppers finally tells his fascinating origin story, complete with all the dizzying highs and the gutter...
Ados sous acide: L'autobiographie du légendaire bassiste et cofondateur des Red Hot Chili Peppers
Les mémoires brutes et fascinantes du bassiste et cofondateur des RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS Aujourd’hui icône du rock, Flea a autrefois été un gamin turbulent occupé à courir les rues, faire la fête et...
It's been a long journey. I'm happy, proud, happy with the way people treated me...
n 12 seasons for the first team, winning 16 trophies. At the press conference after the Celta game, he said: "It's been a long journey. I'm happy, proud, happy with the way people treated me and I...
I have taken a decision to return to coaching but beyond that no decision has be...
nd runner-up José Mourinho. While at a news conference at the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or gala in Zürich, Guardiola said: "I have taken a decision to return to coaching but beyond that no decision has been...
Twenty years ago, [...] Pep Guardiola was one of the best midfielders in the wor...
is generation, a view echoed by Richard Jolly of FourFourTwo and Marco Frattino, the latter of whom stated in 2018: "Twenty years ago, [...] Pep Guardiola was one of the best midfielders in the...
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