Rock music is dead, says Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea

Rock music is dead, or at least it is according to Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea.

The Californian rocker used an interview on SiriusXM’s Pearl Jam Radio to bemoan the current state of rock, saying it was “a dead form in a lot of ways”.

Speaking to Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, Flea recalled his days during the band’s 90s heyday: “I just remember being so excited that we were playing with [Pearl Jam] and with Smashing Pumpkins, because it was just an exciting time for rock music. A lot of times, especially recently, I look at rock music as kind of a dead form in a lot of ways. Nothing to take away from us and [Pearl Jam], because obviously I believe we’re relevant bands that come with a real energy.”

Flea said that when he expressed his desire to make it in a rock band he was told he was “a fucking lunatic” who would “never get a decent job”, adding: “I was like ‘fuck it, I don’t care, this is what I want to do, this means everything to me, I found a home.’ I’ve been a weird, neurotic, loner kid all my life, I was always the kid you called fag in high school, punk rock gave me a home.”

This, he says, is a marked contrast to today’s route into rock’n’roll: “Nowadays, you decide you want to be in a rock band [and] it’s like, ‘Oh great, let’s get you an image consultant, and a lawyer, and a manager, and let’s see what we can do here. It’s a great money-making opportunity for you, junior.’”

Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to release their eleventh album, The Getaway, in June. It will be produced by Danger Mouse.

Source: theguardian.com