Flea (Michael Peter Balzary)
Michael Peter Balzary (born October 16, 1962 in Melbourne, Australia), better known by his nickname/stage name Flea, is an Australian-American bassist for the alternative rock/funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers and a frequent session musician for other music acts. He has also acted in a number of movies. He is the only member to remain in Red Hot Chili Peppers throughout their duration.
Career
While playing in Anthym, Flea's exceptional bass skills attracted attention from outside the band. In 1982, Flea received an offer to become the new bass player for Fear, an aggressive punk band from Los Angeles. He accepted the offer, playing for a short period with both bands.
In 1983, Flea, Kiedis, Slovak, and Irons formed the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They were signed with EMI within 6 months. Flea left Fear to concentrate on working with the Chili Peppers. Balzary also turned down an offer to play in the post-Sex Pistols band Public Image Ltd. with his longtime idol, John Lydon, as he preferred to stay with his friends.
Flea has aided the careers of several prominent musicians, most notably Jewel. In 1993, Flea met the unknown local artist, after he saw her perform at a local café. He went back to her van where she was currently living, where she sang a few of her songs. He described her singing voice as being "beautiful" and "breathtaking". Two years after this encounter Jewel was signed to Atlantic Records and released her diamond record, Pieces of You.[2] Flea also helped establish the non-profit Silverlake Conservatory of Music in 2001 and mentors young musicians in that program.
While playing in Anthym, Flea's exceptional bass skills attracted attention from outside the band. In 1982, Flea received an offer to become the new bass player for Fear, an aggressive punk band from Los Angeles. He accepted the offer, playing for a short period with both bands.
In 1983, Flea, Kiedis, Slovak, and Irons formed the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They were signed with EMI within 6 months. Flea left Fear to concentrate on working with the Chili Peppers. Balzary also turned down an offer to play in the post-Sex Pistols band Public Image Ltd. with his longtime idol, John Lydon, as he preferred to stay with his friends.
Flea has aided the careers of several prominent musicians, most notably Jewel. In 1993, Flea met the unknown local artist, after he saw her perform at a local café. He went back to her van where she was currently living, where she sang a few of her songs. He described her singing voice as being "beautiful" and "breathtaking". Two years after this encounter Jewel was signed to Atlantic Records and released her diamond record, Pieces of You.[2] Flea also helped establish the non-profit Silverlake Conservatory of Music in 2001 and mentors young musicians in that program.
Flea is the only member that has never left or been kicked out of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. However, he has currently gone on a break from the band to teach music at his Silverlake Conservatory of Music.
Performance Style
Flea's uniquely fast approach to the popular "slapping and popping" bass technique influenced several musicians even before the Red Hot Chili Peppers broke into the mainstream. However, on the Chili Peppers' breakthrough album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Flea used the fused fast-slapping technique less than previous albums, stating that even though he'd made a name for himself from it, he felt as though he wouldn't be giving himself broad enough avenues of playing styles (as stated personally by Flea in the documentary Blood Sugar, "Funky Monks"). He now utilises all three major bass playing techniques - thumbstyle (slap and pop), finger style and using a plectrum. Flea is also known for his energetic antics while performing live.
Flea's playing style is heavily influenced by bassist Bootsy Collins (who in turn was largely influenced by Sly & The Family Stone bassist Larry Graham, the inventor of slap-bass), funk music, and by the energy of early punk rock bands such as Black Flag.
Flea's uniquely fast approach to the popular "slapping and popping" bass technique influenced several musicians even before the Red Hot Chili Peppers broke into the mainstream. However, on the Chili Peppers' breakthrough album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Flea used the fused fast-slapping technique less than previous albums, stating that even though he'd made a name for himself from it, he felt as though he wouldn't be giving himself broad enough avenues of playing styles (as stated personally by Flea in the documentary Blood Sugar, "Funky Monks"). He now utilises all three major bass playing techniques - thumbstyle (slap and pop), finger style and using a plectrum. Flea is also known for his energetic antics while performing live.
Flea's playing style is heavily influenced by bassist Bootsy Collins (who in turn was largely influenced by Sly & The Family Stone bassist Larry Graham, the inventor of slap-bass), funk music, and by the energy of early punk rock bands such as Black Flag.
Instruments
Bass
Flea's main basses have almost always been ones with active electronics. His signature live bass up until Californication was the Music Man StingRay, which he also used to record the album Freaky Styley. In the studios for The Uplift Mofo Party Plan and Mother's Milk Flea used a Spector bass. Blood Sugar Sex Magik was recorded with a Wal Mach II, Stingray 5 string and One Hot Minute with an Alembic Epic. From Californication onwards, he received a signature model from Modulus Guitars, which is based on the StingRay. For Stadium Arcadium, he used a Shell Pink '61 Fender Jazz bass. The Jazz bass was initially used during the subsequent Stadium Arcadium tour, but Flea later decided that he wasn't cutting through enough, and stopped using the Jazz bass in favor of his Modulus signature. Flea can be heard using several different effects pedals throughout his career, most notably an envelope follower ("The Power of Equality", "21st Century"), and an overdrive pedal ("Around the World", "So Much I").
The effects he uses at the moment are:
Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive
Bass
Flea's main basses have almost always been ones with active electronics. His signature live bass up until Californication was the Music Man StingRay, which he also used to record the album Freaky Styley. In the studios for The Uplift Mofo Party Plan and Mother's Milk Flea used a Spector bass. Blood Sugar Sex Magik was recorded with a Wal Mach II, Stingray 5 string and One Hot Minute with an Alembic Epic. From Californication onwards, he received a signature model from Modulus Guitars, which is based on the StingRay. For Stadium Arcadium, he used a Shell Pink '61 Fender Jazz bass. The Jazz bass was initially used during the subsequent Stadium Arcadium tour, but Flea later decided that he wasn't cutting through enough, and stopped using the Jazz bass in favor of his Modulus signature. Flea can be heard using several different effects pedals throughout his career, most notably an envelope follower ("The Power of Equality", "21st Century"), and an overdrive pedal ("Around the World", "So Much I").
The effects he uses at the moment are:
Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive
MXR Micro Amp (booster)
Electro Harmonix Q-Tron (envelope filter)
Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah
Trumpet
Flea still plays trumpet occasionally, for example, as part of a horn section on the Jane's Addiction album Nothing's Shocking, on Mike Watt's Ball Hog or Tug Boat?, on The Mars Volta's second release Frances The Mute, and with Nirvana during a performance of Smells Like Teen Spirit at Hollywood Rock '93, a music festival in Brazil.
Most recently, he joined Incubus on "The Third Movement of the Odyssey" for the Halo 2 soundtrack. The songs "Subway To Venus", "Pretty Little Ditty", and "Taste the Pain" on the Chili Peppers album Mother's Milk, "Apache Rose Peacock" on Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and "Tear" and "On Mercury" on By the Way also feature Flea on trumpet. Flea also plays trumpet in some of the songs on Stadium Arcadium, namely "Torture Me", "Slow Cheetah", "Turn it Again" and "Hump De Bump". On the song "Mercy Mercy" a b-side of Tell Me Baby Flea plays the trumpet. Also on "Funny Face" on the b-side of Snow ((Hey Oh)) The bassist will, on occasion, play trumpet during the Peppers' live performances, as demonstrated on the "Live at Slane Castle" DVD and the "Live in Hyde Park" double CD.
Flea still plays trumpet occasionally, for example, as part of a horn section on the Jane's Addiction album Nothing's Shocking, on Mike Watt's Ball Hog or Tug Boat?, on The Mars Volta's second release Frances The Mute, and with Nirvana during a performance of Smells Like Teen Spirit at Hollywood Rock '93, a music festival in Brazil.
Most recently, he joined Incubus on "The Third Movement of the Odyssey" for the Halo 2 soundtrack. The songs "Subway To Venus", "Pretty Little Ditty", and "Taste the Pain" on the Chili Peppers album Mother's Milk, "Apache Rose Peacock" on Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and "Tear" and "On Mercury" on By the Way also feature Flea on trumpet. Flea also plays trumpet in some of the songs on Stadium Arcadium, namely "Torture Me", "Slow Cheetah", "Turn it Again" and "Hump De Bump". On the song "Mercy Mercy" a b-side of Tell Me Baby Flea plays the trumpet. Also on "Funny Face" on the b-side of Snow ((Hey Oh)) The bassist will, on occasion, play trumpet during the Peppers' live performances, as demonstrated on the "Live at Slane Castle" DVD and the "Live in Hyde Park" double CD.
Other collaborations/guest appearances
Alanis Morissette played bass on her 1995 hit single "You Oughta Know"
Aleka's Attic
Banyan
Big Audio Dynamite
Butthole Surfers
Celebrity Deathmatch showed Flea battling and defeating Kenny G.
Chuck Dukowski Sextet
Eleven
Eric Avery
Fear
Fishbone
Incubus
Mick Jagger
Mike Watt
Jack Irons
Jane's Addiction
Jewel
Johnny Cash
Joshua Redman
Nirvana
Patty Smith
P
Pigface
Porno for Pyros
Sir Mix-A-Lot
Smashing Pumpkins[citation needed]
Thelonious Monster
The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
The Satellite Party
Tricky
Joe Strummer
Warren Zevon
The Weirdos
UK Subs
What Is This? (formerly Anthym)
Axis of Justice
Young MC composed and played the bass line on his 1989 hit single "Bust a Move"[7]
Ziggy Marley
Alanis Morissette played bass on her 1995 hit single "You Oughta Know"
Aleka's Attic
Banyan
Big Audio Dynamite
Butthole Surfers
Celebrity Deathmatch showed Flea battling and defeating Kenny G.
Chuck Dukowski Sextet
Eleven
Eric Avery
Fear
Fishbone
Incubus
Mick Jagger
Mike Watt
Jack Irons
Jane's Addiction
Jewel
Johnny Cash
Joshua Redman
Nirvana
Patty Smith
P
Pigface
Porno for Pyros
Sir Mix-A-Lot
Smashing Pumpkins[citation needed]
Thelonious Monster
The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium
The Satellite Party
Tricky
Joe Strummer
Warren Zevon
The Weirdos
UK Subs
What Is This? (formerly Anthym)
Axis of Justice
Young MC composed and played the bass line on his 1989 hit single "Bust a Move"[7]
Ziggy Marley
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