Flea

Flea (born Michael Peter Balzary on October 16, 1962 in Melbourne, Australia) is the bassist for the alternative funk band Red Hot Chili Peppers.

After his parents divorced when he was four years old, his mo

Flea (born Michael Peter Balzary on October 16, 1962 in Melbourne, Australia) is the bassist for the alternative funk band Red Hot Chili Peppers.

After his parents divorced when he was four years old, his mother moved the family to the United States, and eventually settled in Los Angeles in 1972. Flea got his start in music while in high school. He played trumpet in his school's band, and was considered by his teachers to be one of the best trumpet players they had ever seen. He was subsequently accepted into the Juilliard School of Music for his trumpeting skills. Balzary confessed to VH1's Behind The Music, that he originally had no interest in rock and roll and sought to become a jazz musician like his father, but changed musical direction after being introduced to the music of KISS and Led Zeppelin by future bandmate Hillel Slovak.