<![CDATA[ Latest from Guitar World in Flea ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/tag/flea Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:07:34 +0000 en <![CDATA[ “George Clinton said, ‘You just can’t play guitar like that until your heart has been shattered to smithereens and you have lost all hope’”: Flea looks back on his life-changing jam with Parliament-Funkadelic guitar hero Eddie Hazel ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/flea-jam-with-eddie-hazel e5eKWGTA4JyrLDW8VQmHNU Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:07:34 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I felt I deserved a songwriting credit because it was a No. 1 hit. They sold millions of records and I only got $200!” Flea’s bittersweet hip-hop recording experience ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/flea-young-mc-bust-a-move rDCrb3dJNuJoFQWxUnneSC Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:15:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ “We’ve been writing music together”: The Red Hot Chili Peppers are working on their next project, Flea says – and they’re recording at John Frusciante’s house ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/the-red-hot-chili-peppers-are-working-on-their-next-project-flea-says TqwXbCWhrhQ8XpvtNbzZzV Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:01:46 +0000 <![CDATA[ “He is the funkiest bass player that ever lived. Every note a mighty oak, a bull elephant, a bomb”: William ‘Billy Bass’ Nelson, Funkadelic bassist who coined the band’s name, dies aged 75 ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/william-billy-bass-nelson-dies-aged-75 WCLvQjYpaGJTWfBeTxWhYk Tue, 03 Feb 2026 17:05:52 +0000 Tue, 03 Feb 2026 20:40:02 +0000 <![CDATA[ “The guy met me in a Tower Records parking lot and gave me that bass... I’ve recorded every record on it since I got it”: How Flea landed his cherished 1961 Fender Jazz Bass after finding a seller during the early days of Twitter ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/how-flea-got-his-1961-fender-jazz-bass-thanks-to-twitter FqjwN4parVsm8EBvnXKXpn Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:35:15 +0000 Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:26:06 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea has announced his debut solo album – but he’s not the only bassist playing on it ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/flea-announces-debut-album zvbMQBdUjhPtcp98oBeoXW Fri, 05 Dec 2025 15:41:32 +0000 Fri, 05 Dec 2025 21:07:38 +0000 <![CDATA[ “All I wanted was to be a punk rocker and play the bass guitar. I went completely in the other direction from jazz, and now I'm trying to catch up”: When Flea met Charlie Haden – and had much more in common than you might think ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/when-flea-met-charlie-haden uxpFfYNkMLcKWxkuUTgGMk Sat, 08 Nov 2025 13:20:00 +0000 Thu, 13 Nov 2025 10:28:31 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I wrote Flea a fan letter, and I was like, ‘I want to do what you're doing. Do you have any advice?’ He wrote me back – it's unbelievable”: Vulfpeck’s Joe Dart on the priceless bass advice he got from Flea as a teenager ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/vulfpeck-joe-dart-on-the-priceless-bass-advice-he-got-from-flea QMgLuWEyNjLLp9GdCfqgYo Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:26:33 +0000 Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:03:47 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I was just looking for a story to tell the grandkids. It was Flea who said that I might get the gig”: Jane’s Addiction bassist Eric Avery recalls his 2003 audition for Metallica ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/eric-avery-on-his-metallica-audition JdwcSxsoDJppcDeA89Hgo4 Sat, 05 Oct 2024 10:08:00 +0000 Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:10:30 +0000 <![CDATA[ “His bass playing is so lyrical – he'd play a counter melody as opposed to just rhythm”: Flea names his pick for “the greatest rock bass player” of all time ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/flea-greatest-rock-bass-player LjMPUqjRn8cbvLKXpiJpcF Tue, 13 Aug 2024 09:36:15 +0000 Tue, 27 Aug 2024 15:52:44 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I told the guys, ‘Aah, it's just another bassline – I don't really like it.’ But they said, ‘No, no, it's really good – we gotta do it!’” Flea wanted to ditch Give It Away before his Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates stepped in ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/flea-wanted-to-ditch-give-it-away jyjX3TA2b7NuY9FxxqWgu9 Fri, 09 Aug 2024 11:45:25 +0000 Tue, 20 Aug 2024 12:08:28 +0000 <![CDATA[ The 20 greatest slap bass songs of all time ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/greatest-slap-bass-songs mWtuuiw2iyDfaBMAb4zymK Mon, 20 May 2024 15:51:03 +0000 Mon, 20 May 2024 15:51:08 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I feel like such an idiot”: Flea regrets his bass-smashing antics in Red Hot Chili Peppers’ earlier years ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/flea-bass-guitar-smash-regrets ApDnH6uJHAsAjbuH7jqQ46 Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:56:24 +0000 Tue, 30 Apr 2024 09:55:11 +0000 <![CDATA[ “John Lydon once made a stab at poaching Flea for Public Image. At which point Flea keeled over and passed out”: Anthony Kiedis takes a nostalgic look back at Flea’s finest hour from Blood Sugar Sex Magik ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/fleas-finest-hour-from-blood-sugar-sex-magik Mzeq2gZRwv4ZycVkdkZLN8 Sun, 31 Mar 2024 12:18:56 +0000 Tue, 02 Apr 2024 09:57:36 +0000 <![CDATA[ “The White Album was the first thing that I connected with as a kid”:Flea picks his top 5 ‘desert island’ discs ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/flea-picks-his-desert-island-discs bPmXiNijvMVMQNiQjMHfsi Sat, 17 Feb 2024 14:18:08 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:18:42 +0000 <![CDATA[ “I would never play a bass that has brand-new strings. My strings only leave the bass when they break”: How George Porter Jr. helped put funk on the musical map with The Meters ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/how-george-porter-put-funk-on-the-map-with-the-meters jsCpyPSLvnUpDyD8vTVk7Z Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:54:13 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:18:57 +0000 <![CDATA[ “It’s hard to think who the greatest bass players are. You could say Flea, but he doesn’t need the plug!” Jack Bruce on the bass players that shaped his sound ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/jack-bruce-top-5-basslines AHeh3Cav4AzTb5ZgHMGrJD Mon, 06 Nov 2023 15:48:56 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:19:18 +0000 <![CDATA[ “Rocco Prestia could have held that 16th-note pattern in his sleep – it’s airtight” Halestorm bassist Josh Smith picks his top 5 bass albums ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/josh-smith-picks-his-top-5-bass-albums 3W5w6rD5avZDFnMV4pYTH3 Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:09:48 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea names his least favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers album – and says he wants to re-record it ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/flea-re-record-red-hot-chili-peppers-album pYaP7VcTP8dY9zKvQF7aXF Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:08:12 +0000 Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:08:23 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea names the one bassline that he would “go back and fix” from the Red Hot Chili Pepper's 1995 album, One Hot Minute ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/flea-names-the-one-bassline-that-he-would-go-back-and-fix-from-the-red-hot-chili-peppers-1995-album-one-hot-minute jxyTYte4Up99v5d5zw3pHk Wed, 31 May 2023 14:59:31 +0000 <![CDATA[ Mike Dirnt: “Even Flea told me he wanted to play a P-Bass live” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/mike-dirnt-even-flea-told-me-he-wanted-to-play-a-p-bass-live fATFFUBQdkHVNkWRXQEbBP Thu, 04 May 2023 14:05:49 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:19:57 +0000 <![CDATA[ Watch Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Joe Perry join Metallica for a pulverizing performance of Train Kept A-Rollin' at 2009’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/metallica-2009-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-ceremony YFWhaZKJd2cRDLBvG37VZf Mon, 24 Apr 2023 19:45:15 +0000 <![CDATA[ Watch the trailer for Flea’s new podcast series ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/watch-the-trailer-for-fleas-new-podcast-series qe6SeZR9J6MqpHgvstmaTi Wed, 05 Apr 2023 10:42:58 +0000 <![CDATA[ Watch Vulpeck's Joe Dart break down Flea and Victor Wooten's slap bass technique ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/watch-vulpecks-joe-dart-break-down-flea-and-victor-wootens-slap-bass-technique RoBgbEtLGLosvsfXTzm76H Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:05:37 +0000 Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:50:39 +0000 <![CDATA[ TheMu-Tron III: “Without it, there ain’t no Bootsy” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-mu-tron-iii-without-it-there-aint-no-bootsy vHkytznjFL6njPYnE7tfFD Fri, 17 Mar 2023 11:11:03 +0000 Fri, 17 Mar 2023 14:19:35 +0000 <![CDATA[ John Patitucci: “My gratitude for Wayne Shorter is boundless” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/john-patitucci-my-gratitude-for-wayne-shorter-is-boundless WpRCwX5kTJD9BTx3pQgeQZ Tue, 07 Mar 2023 12:09:16 +0000 <![CDATA[ Why Flea’s bass track had to be fixed in the mix on Alanis Morissette's hit record ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/why-fleas-bass-track-had-to-be-fixed-in-the-mix-on-alanis-morissettes-hit-record uMXYeMxzVcXDM3FMyR7TWG Thu, 02 Mar 2023 16:18:56 +0000 Thu, 26 Jun 2025 15:36:33 +0000 <![CDATA[ John Frusciante says he views bass as the lead instrument in Red Hot Chili Peppers: “I see each song as being like a bass solo where I'm there to support it” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/john-frusciante-bass-lead-instrument f4BZjEbmQcZevxVHzbHRXR Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:35:48 +0000 Thu, 09 Feb 2023 17:22:10 +0000 <![CDATA[ Tal Wilkenfeld on Jeff Beck: “We’ve lost our favorite guitarist, and one of the most intelligent, intuitive people I’ve ever met” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/tal-wilkenfeld-on-jeff-beck-weve-lost-our-favorite-guitarist-and-one-of-the-most-intelligent-intuitive-people-ive-ever-met nF277zHK3ZqpLLSGX42GnG Fri, 13 Jan 2023 12:38:01 +0000 Mon, 16 Jan 2023 12:30:12 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea: “Basslines take on a different type of melody with a pick” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/flea-basslines-take-on-a-different-type-of-melody-with-a-pick JZihcWizBsZkNNnaYsHHjb Tue, 20 Dec 2022 15:38:19 +0000 <![CDATA[ Why Stanley Clarke’s School Days remains an iconic moment in bass playing history ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/why-stanley-clarkes-school-days-remains-an-iconic-moment-in-bass-playing-history ZJjAegYfK2Q5NgVJNvaYuJ Tue, 15 Nov 2022 14:23:21 +0000 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 15:20:02 +0000 <![CDATA[ Watch Red Hot Chili Peppers cover Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit with John Frusciante on lead vocals ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/red-hot-chili-peppers-cover-nirvana-smells-like-teen-spirit jni2Yi2p4HF7ZrNHM49xNS Mon, 31 Oct 2022 12:45:00 +0000 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 10:33:02 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea played bass on the Mars Volta’s best album – but you probably never noticed ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/flea-mars-volta-de-loused-in-the-comatorium NczExz9gZwsjZGzjFbQM59 Fri, 23 Sep 2022 10:26:11 +0000 Wed, 14 Aug 2024 15:30:45 +0000 <![CDATA[ Red Hot Chili Peppers serve up first single from Return of the Dream Canteen with a double serving of funk ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/red-hot-chili-peppers-tippa-my-tongue NAVpkmuN6iAA8ydcRPh6AS Fri, 19 Aug 2022 15:34:25 +0000 Tue, 23 Aug 2022 09:07:59 +0000 <![CDATA[ John Frusciante: “There’s an appreciation of the chemistry I can’t say I had last time – when you get so used to something, you sometimes take things for granted” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/john-frusciante-red-hot-chili-peppers-unlimited-love EB7sjvnWLGZppmbZzZRvAT Mon, 09 May 2022 12:14:33 +0000 Tue, 17 Sep 2024 15:18:51 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea reportedly set to appear in upcoming Star Wars spin-off show, Obi-Wan Kenobi ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/flea-star-wars-obi-wan-kenobi 8roTgikEEpctxFAS7cch2N Wed, 04 May 2022 14:34:56 +0000 Wed, 04 May 2022 14:36:04 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea: “I think about playing bass as like a river. I can unleash it however it needs to go – like violent rapids, or a calm, still pool” ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/flea-red-hot-chili-peppers-unlimited-love KHWYYXnLqCWPMehTMt4nn6 Fri, 29 Apr 2022 09:40:11 +0000 Fri, 29 Apr 2022 09:50:24 +0000 <![CDATA[ Watch Flea perform a fuzzed-up rendition of the US national anthem at an LA Lakers game ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/flea-national-anthem-lakers-game-2022 pHNyJpdrNGwDWcSFTxkwXi Tue, 05 Apr 2022 16:14:28 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea reveals he changed his long-serving bass amp setup for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ latest album ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/flea-red-hot-chili-peppers-unlimited-love-new-bass-amp-setup rnhCzuba3sVmK2NxBNBAiV Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:19:48 +0000 Tue, 16 Jul 2024 11:34:12 +0000 <![CDATA[ Red Hot Chili Peppers dial back the tempo on dreamy new ballad, Not the One ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/red-hot-chili-peppers-not-the-one 6FrZbCVuLybqoGkhopdcEF Thu, 24 Mar 2022 17:35:57 +0000 <![CDATA[ Watch Flea jam with Warren Ellis and Nick Cave on the Bad Seeds‘ We No Who U R ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/flea-nick-cave-warren-ellis xBzfgaryUVAjAEhQABE3bm Fri, 11 Mar 2022 15:49:23 +0000 <![CDATA[ Red Hot Chili Peppers share footage of new John Frusciante and Flea studio jam ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/rhcp-studio-jam-2022 5Yd57kpgqDpRsgE6KLSX9k Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:45:54 +0000 Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:46:00 +0000 <![CDATA[ Alain Johannes digs out another Anthym demo from 1980, featuring pre-Red Hot Chili Peppers Flea, Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/alain-johannes-anthym-forever-love WZdUyGwYJEuMcwaB4QcCG6 Thu, 21 Oct 2021 11:09:47 +0000 Thu, 21 Oct 2021 11:14:26 +0000 <![CDATA[ Alain Johannes unearths 1979 demo of pre-Red Hot Chili Peppers band Anthym featuring Flea, Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/alain-johannes-anthym iZV4p8QGMPoUCUgUr85Sw9 Fri, 08 Oct 2021 15:56:12 +0000 <![CDATA[ From euphoric post-rock to gritty, overdriven blues: here are this week's essential guitar tracks ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/essential-guitar-tracks-post-rock-to-blues 7mQyc2ksMDpXL77ZQDh7n4 Thu, 10 Jun 2021 17:16:53 +0000 <![CDATA[ John Frusciante and Flea team up for their first recorded material in over a decade ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/john-frusciante-flea-gang-of-four LPCRa7972zM2jy7nP4xe39 Wed, 09 Jun 2021 16:13:24 +0000 <![CDATA[ Nandi Bushell’s all-looped cover of Under the Bridge receives Flea’s seal of approval ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/nandi-bushells-all-looped-cover-of-under-the-bridge-receives-fleas-seal-of-approval DUgKBkqn3hGv2KXJt2WzHm Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:55:56 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea pens touching tribute to late Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Jack Sherman ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/flea-pens-touching-tribute-to-late-red-hot-chili-peppers-guitarist-jack-sherman YG4c3thitqVcdoGBdxEzTf Wed, 09 Sep 2020 16:45:44 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea's 10 craziest bass licks revealed as YouTuber slap, pops and picks his way through 'em all ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/news/fleas-10-craziest-bass-licks-revealed-as-youtuber-slap-pops-and-picks-his-way-through-em-all WiSzZ85xheSRMf6xGftc7a Fri, 29 May 2020 15:44:04 +0000 Fri, 05 Jun 2020 15:15:35 +0000 <![CDATA[ Flea: "Playing bass gets you into this hypnotic state - you’re not thinking because you’re just a conduit for the rhythm" ]]> https://www.guitarworld.com/features/flea-playing-bass-gets-you-into-this-hypnotic-state-youre-not-thinking-because-youre-just-a-conduit-for-the-rhythm t6GZbvpaB2UBxsSUpoSzhe Tue, 07 Apr 2020 10:42:38 +0000 Mon, 22 Jul 2024 12:10:57 +0000