Michael Peter Balzary (born October 16, 1962), more commonly known by the
stage name Flea, is an Australian
bassist,
trumpet player, and occasional actor. He is best known as the bassist and founding member of the
alternative rock band
Red Hot Chili Peppers. His work with the band incorporates several musical styles, ranging from aggressive
slap bass to more subdued and melodic techniques. Aside from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he has collaborated with many artists, including
Jane's Addiction,
Thom Yorke,
The Mars Volta and
Alanis Morissette. Drawing influences from
funk music and
punk rock, Flea centers his bass playing on simplicity and minimalism while viewing complexity as a device that should be used in moderation.
Originally a trumpet prodigy, Flea learned to play bass in high school from close friend and future Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist
Hillel Slovak, who required a bassist for his band
Anthym. Flea joined the group, but quit several months later in order to play for the punk rock outfit
Fear. 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. Flea has made numerous forays into acting, appearing in films that span many genres such as
Back to the Future Part II (1989),
My Own Private Idaho (1991), and
The Big Lebowski (1998).
Biography
Early life
Flea was born in
Melbourne, Australia, on October 16, 1962. His father, Mick Balzary, was an avid fisherman who would often take him fishing.
When Flea was five, his family relocated to
Rye,
New York for his father's career.
[Apter, 2004. p. 19] 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.
[ Flea's stepfather frequently invited musicians to his house and jam sessions would often take place. The family relocated again to Los Angeles, California, and Flea became fascinated with the trumpet.][Apter, 2004. p. 20]
