Current Members

Anthony Kiedis is the lead vocalist and one of the founding members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His funky, soulful lyrics along with his delivery which can range from rhythmic and driving to sweet and melodical has made him into one of the most charismatic (and some going on to consider saying the best) frontmen in rock today. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 1, 1961, he would live in Michigan until the early 1970s when he moved with his father, John Kiedis (better known as Blackie Dammett) to Los Angeles. He graduated from Fairfax High School in 1980 and attended UCLA for a year. Despite going through a well known, still difficult drug addiction, Kiedis has been completely clean since 2001.  Kiedis has performed on all nine studio albums of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In addition of being a musician, he has acted in three movies (F.I.S.T. – credited as Cole Dammett, Point Break, and The Chase) and wrote an autobiography, Scar Tissue, which was released in 2004. He has two half sisters and a half brother and he currently lives in Los Angeles.

Michael Balzary, or better known as Flea, is the bassist and founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, born October 16, 1962 in Melbourne, Australia. Flea’s bass work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers has earned him a reputation as one of the best bass players in the world, with influences coming from the Los Angeles punk scene, legendary funk bassists Bootsy Collins and Larry Graham, and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. Flea came to the United States when his father got a customs job in New York City in 1967 and five years later he would move to Los Angeles with his mother and her new love interest. Flea’s first instrument was actually the trumpet, which he would often reprise playing on different songs in the Red Hot Chili Peppers; it would be future band mate Hillel Slovak that would teach him the bass. After playing and then being fired from Fear, Flea would move on to join Kiedis, Slovak, and Jack Irons and form the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has been with the band ever since and ironically the only band member never to be fired or to leave for a long period of time. In addition to work with the Peppers he has worked with other musicians and bands including Alanis Morrissette, Jane’s Addiction, Robert Fripp, and The Mars Volta, plus he has starred in a few movies and provided vocals on the Nickelodeon cartoon The Wild Thornberrys.

Flea has two children, Clara, with his first wife and Sonny Bebop, with his current wife, who he married in late 2005.

John Frusciante is the current guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, born March 5, 1970 in New York City. As a young kid he would end up moving with his family to Los Angeles and at age 7 Frusciante picked up the guitar. Frusciante joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in late 1988 becoming the full time replacement to the late Hillel Slovak, who died in June of that year. Considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Frusciante’s influences ranges from Jimi Hendrix to Jimmy Page to Robert Fripp. Frusciante would leave the band in 1992 after internal strife and would battle serious drug addiction. However, during the time he would begin his critically acclaimed solo career. He would return to the band in 1998 after the departure of his replacement, Dave Navarro, refocused and reenergized. Frusciante’s catalog includes five studio albums with the Peppers, eight solo albums, two collaborations with friends Josh Klinghoffer and Joe Lally, and appeared albums of other artists.

Chad Smith is the drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, born October 25, 1961 in St. Paul Minnesota. Smith is the third longest tenured member of the band, joining the band in 1988 after the departure of Jack Irons. Smith is considered one of finest and most influential drummers in rock; he is well known for the 100 albums he has been featured on (including work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers), his drum clinics, and being featured in the Guinness Book of World Records for his playing of a 300 piece drum kit. Smith is an avid sports enthusiast, which takes up most of his spare time along with riding his Harley-Davidson Motorcycle. He has four children and recently remarried in 2004.