Michael Balzary

Flea (real name Michael Balzary) is the bassist for the alternative funk band, Red Hot Chili Peppers. Flea got his start in music while in high school. He played trumpet is his school's band, and was considered by his teachers to be one of the best trumpet players they had ever seen--an especially high accolade considering that renowned trumpeter and record executive Herb Alpert had attended the same high school a generation earlier. He was even accepted into the Julliard School of Music for his trumpeting skills. He eventually met Anthony Kiedis in high school, and they went on to form Red Hot Chili Peppers together.

He is also an actor; he appeared in the movie The Big Lebowski, and provides the voice of the feral boy Donnie in the animated television series The Wild Thornberrys.

Over the years Flea has had drug and alcohol problems and has been to rehab several times. He is currently claiming to be clean.