Acid for the Children
A Memoir
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4.4 • 294 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
With "virtuosic vulnerability" (The Atlantic), the iconic bassist and Red Hot Chili peppers co-founder pens a love letter to a youth spent wild in Los Angeles in his raw and riveting coming-of-age memoir.
In Acid for the Children, Flea takes readers on a deeply personal and revealing tour of his formative years, spanning from Australia to the New York City suburbs to, finally, Los Angeles. Through hilarious anecdotes, poetical meditations, and occasional flights of fantasy, Flea deftly chronicles the experiences that forged him as an artist, a musician, and a young man. His dreamy, jazz-inflected prose makes the Los Angeles of the 1970s and 80s come to gritty, glorious life, including the potential for fun, danger, mayhem, or inspiration that lurked around every corner. It is here that young Flea, looking to escape a turbulent home, found family in a community of musicians, artists, and junkies who also lived on the fringe. He spent most of his time partying and committing petty crimes. But it was in music where he found a higher meaning, a place to channel his frustration, loneliness, and love. This left him open to the life-changing moment when he and his best friends, soul brothers, and partners-in-mischief came up with the idea to start their own band, which became the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Acid for the Children is the debut of a stunning new literary voice, whose prose is as witty, entertaining, and wildly unpredictable as the author himself. It's a tenderly evocative coming-of-age story and a raucous love letter to the power of music and creativity from one of the most renowned musicians of our time.
New York Times BestsellerA #1 LA Times BestsellerA USA Today BestsellerOne of NPR's "Favorite Books of 2019"
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea recalls his youth in this electric, surprisingly moving memoir. The author, born Michael Peter Balzary in 1962 in Melbourne, Australia, moved to Los Angeles in 1972 with his mother and her erratic boyfriend. He describes his mother as unaffectionate ("there is not one instance in my life where I can ever remember her holding or cuddling me") and inattentive, which gave him opportunity to run the streets unsupervised. When he wasn't causing trouble ("I became a regular shoplifter," he admits), he was listening to music (Charlie Parker, the Beatles) and reading books (Kurt Vonnegut "parented me," he writes). In high school, he met Anthony Kiedis, the future Chili Peppers lead singer, who instantly became his "brother" and with whom he'd start making music in 1983. Flea talks about "going primal" on the bass, which he taught himself to play; liking girls; and doing drugs (including crystal meth and cocaine), but this is not a typical sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll story. The author respectfully references his first girlfriend, to whom he lost his virginity at 17, and calls drug use a "pit of sadness," adding, "You can do anything. Walk through it, don't numb or hide." Flea is an enlightened narrator, and this passionate, smart memoir will resonate with readers whether they're fans of the band or not.
Customer Reviews
Dug deep..
This was a deep dig into Flea’s memories. Couldn’t put it down, cried some, loved it
Unreadable
This is absolutely the worst autobiography I’ve ever read. I had no idea this was simply about his childhood. In a typical autobiography I try to skip past the normal 30 to 40 pages about someone’s childhood as it is incredibly boring. Flea who I didn’t realize is such a megalomaniac, decided to dedicate a very long and boring book to his mundane childhood. There should be a warning label on this book, may cause drowsiness.
So Much More
This book is exactly what the cover describes, a memoir. So much more than a sex, drugs and rock & roll book. It’s a deep insightful study of one’s self. Flea is a sensitive, thoughtful writer who isn’t afraid to be seen emotionally and sees himself in realistic light. So nice to see a musical talent without so much ego. All the memories of my hometown L.A. brought back awesome childhood memories as well. Thanks Flea. Music fan or not you’ll dig this book. Highly recommend.