Flea has never been one to keep his opinions to himself. As the Red Hot Chili Peppers rose to international stardom in the early ’90s, he remained fiercely outspoken about the music industry, the commercialization of rock and the difference between artistic integrity and simply being famous.
For Flea, there was no contradiction in wanting to make great music and getting paid handsomely for it – and certainly no reason to apologize either.
Speaking to Bass Player in January 1992, Flea said, “People get on us because we make money. In an interview a while ago, I was talking about how important music is to me and that art is all that matters.
“The interviewer said, ‘Well, what about all that money you get?’ My response to people like that is: So? What do you want us to do, turn it down? It’s ridiculous. I'll take all the money I can get, and I won’t feel guilty about it at all.”
Success, as far as Flea’s concerned, was nothing to be ashamed of. Believing in music as an art form, he saw no reason why that should mean sacrificing the financial rewards that come with it.
“The music business is just like any other business: it’s about buying and selling things. There are a few people who really care about music, but they’re rare. Obviously, the independent labels are more willing to take risks; they go for creativity, not what will make them a lot of money.
“But there are a lot of slimy people in the industry, and most of them want to keep their expense accounts, so they promote bands that have no creativity whatsoever – bands that fit into the latest trendy pop format. It’s disgusting.”
As the Chili Peppers continued to grow in popularity, Flea became increasingly frustrated with a mainstream rock scene that seemed more concerned with image and commercial appeal than genuine creativity.
“I don’t want to mention names, but these metal groups of guys with straight, long blond hair – there are about seven or eight of them – all sound exactly the same. It’s the most unemotional, formulaic stuff in the world.
“Why do they bother? Do they even play instruments, or are they just poster children for bad music? One thing’s for sure: You don’t get paid for being a musician – you get paid for being a rock star.
“Of course, there’s good stuff out there, too. I love Fugazi, Jane’s Addiction, the Butthole Surfers, Nirvana, Public Enemy, and Ice Cube.
“Especially Fugazi – you've got to respect a band with that much integrity. They make it as easy and cheap as possible for people to hear and see them. We want to make money and be comfortable, but they’re into being thoroughly righteous and compassionate down to the marrow.”
It was Fugazi’s frontman, Ian MacKaye, in particular, who seemed to embody everything Flea wanted from a band.
“I read this Tom Robbins book, Jitterbug Perfume, and there’s a cool character who has bees living in his head; he gets killed by a police officer, and for weeks the bees terrorize the police. I was thinking that if something happened to Fugazi’s lan MacKaye, all of nature should rise up against the evil forces that oppose him. But the world is so fucked up that won’t happen.
“Another guy I like is Les Claypool of Primus. Some people compare him and me, but I think that’s ridiculous. Les plays lead bass – bass guitar is the featured instrument, and the rest of the band supports it. In the Chili Peppers, my parts are important, but they’re not lead bass.
“Even the busiest stuff I do is all about playing the bottom and being part of the rhythm section. What Les does is completely different, but it’s great in its own way. It's not that one style is cooler than the other – it's just a different trip.”
