Meaning of Red Hot Chili Peppers Flea's Name: Why Did He Choose That Stage Name?

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea opted to debut with that stage name. Here's what it means and why he chose to use it.

Flea continues to be the bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers for decades since 1983, and he still shows his lively character, which heightens even more when he plays the instrument. The band member, whose real name is Michael Peter Balzary, somewhat scored people's attention because of his stage name.

Why Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers Chose That Stage Name

According to Loudwire, Flea's nickname was actually given by Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis after they spent some time on a skiing trip due to the bassist's "jumpy and capricious style."

In another story, it was revealed that the singer dubbed him "Mickey B: The Flea" when they were still in school due to the same reason, with Kiedes comparing him to a "restless bug" who landed in an espresso.

Instead of going by that whole nickname, the bassist opted to call himself Flea alone. The nickname also holds a great memory of the bandmates since it reminds them of their childhood memories.

"We were drawn to each other by the forces of mischief and love and we became virtually inseparable," Kiedis said of his relationship with Flea. "We were both social outcasts. We found each other, and it was the longest-lasting friendship of my life."

On the other hand, the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist admitted in his memoir "Acid For the Children" that his childhood revolved around him taking drugs and committing petty crimes.

Anthony Kiedis Cried With Flea - Here's why

In another news, Kiedis recently got emotional as he spoke about not feeling comfortable calling him a musician despite fronting Red Hot Chili Peppers for decades. The frontman spoke candidly about what he thinks during a conversation with Flea in the podcast "This Little Light."

Flea said their conversation made them emotional, leading the bassist to be asked what was his favorite part of the interview series. He told Los Angeles Times (via Louder Sound) that they had never talked about those stuff since they met, saying that Kiedis never considered himself a musician due to his lack of music education.

With that, the frontman said he would want to change Red Hot Chili Peppers' name to Idiot and the Three Geniuses.

"Now he's got melodies, and he doesn't even stick to them," he praised Kiedis. "He flows around and improvises. Look, I know who the great singers are: Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Roger Daltrey. But for me, all I care about with any musician is that a person sounds like themselves. And nobody sounds like Anthony Kiedis."

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Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers