Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea Says Rock Music Is "A Dead Form"

Image via Ben Houdijk

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Image via Ben Houdijk

Image via Ben Houdijk

Recently, Gene Simmons weighed in on the state of contemporary rock music, saying that he is “looking forward to the death of rap.” Now, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea is contributing to the discuss, lamenting the state of rock today while being interviewed by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready on SiriusXM’s Pearl Jam Radio, saying that he sees rock music as “as kind of a dead form in a lot of ways.”

Interestingly, Flea’s stance doesn’t seem to be based on a view that rock music is falling out of favor, but is more about how controlled and carefully curated he sees the branding of modern rock bands to be, about how the genre doesn’t have the sense of rebellion that it used to.

This is his full quote on the topic, as transcribed by Alternative Nation:

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.


But if you’re a kid today, and you get in a rock band, it’s like – when we were kids, when I said I want to be in a rock band and that’s what I’m doing for my life, that’s what I was going to do, no question. You’d get: ‘You are a fucking lunatic, you are crazy. You’re never going to get a decent job in your life. What are you doing? You’re ruining your life.


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. But nowadays, you decide you want to be in a rock band 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.’

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