Acid for the Children
A Memoir
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Acid for the Children
Buy Now for $28.27
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Flea
-
Written by:
-
Flea
About this listen
With "virtuosic vulnerability" (The Atlantic), the iconic bassist and Red Hot Chili peppers cofounder 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 listeners 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 best seller
A number one LA Times best seller
A USA Today best seller
One of NPR's "Favorite Books of 2019"
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2018 Flea (P)2018 Hachette AudioWhat the critics say
"Acid for the Children is not an as-told-to, nor is it written "with" someone. These are Flea's words-excitable, jazzy, regretful, disarming, popping and writhing away in his biological bass zone. Insecurities to the fore: He worries that he may be producing "a thorny jumble of trash." But he's actually a lovely writer, with a particular gift for the free-floating and reverberant. He writes in Beat Generation bursts and epiphanies, lifting toward the kind of virtuosic vulnerability and self-exposure associated with the great jazz players....Flea-elegant nutcase, funk-at-high-pressure bassist, wildly cultured and culturedly wild man-has written a fine memoir. You'll put down Acid for the Children with your human sympathies expanded; you'll feel less alone."—The Atlantic
". . . a vital, only-in-L.A. account of a wide-open time filtered through an engaging, humbled voice reshaped by his recovery and reconnecting to his spirit through art and music."—LA Times
"[Acid For The Children is] written with the same lyrical, holy goof-ball energy its author brings to all his public activities, and its earnest, eccentric prose reflects Flea's evolution from Hollywood-scene knucklehead to reflective, spiritually clued-in adult."—The New York Times
What listeners say about Acid for the Children
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- MattMel
- 2021-06-16
So much passion
A fascinating, incredible story read with so much passion and enthusiasm. Hearing Flea recount his love of music, his regrets, tribulations and faults is inspiring. I'm very excited for part 2, the era of the band.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Oregongrl
- 2022-05-09
A lost boy's memoir full of raw feeling
I listened to this book after multiple recommendations in media I follow, I'd say it was worthwhile overall. The narration is great, Flea's emotion for the people and things he loves really comes through. The early chapters detailing his childhood in Australia and the breakup of his parents' marriage were the strongest part of the book to me. Later chapters seem padded out with teenage hijinks and lots of details of drug-fueled partying. Disclaimers: I love memoirs, and I was lucky enough when I was young to see Flea perform with RHCP live, he is a truly amazing musician. I feel a better understanding of his musical inspiration after listening to his story, his descriptions of the jazz music he experienced growing up are one of the best things about his book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- JONAS M.
- 2019-11-18
wild child flea
a good counter balance to Scar Tissue. best listened to by fans of RHCP and music nerds
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- lincoln hosking
- 2020-01-02
Absolute Love
I have been a fan of the Chili Peppers since 1989. My sister and I were talking with much music in the background. The Higher Ground video was about to come on and my sister said wait you’ve got to watch this. The bass kicked in, the band started jumping around and that was it I was hooked. From the outside I always wondered what Flea would be like in person. His reading of his book answers that question and it is everything I could have hoped for.
Much love to you, Flea. 💥
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- CJ-Calgary
- 2020-01-21
Amazing.
Loved it. Love Flea. Wish it kept going and going. Fleas writing is wonderful. Thanks Flea.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2020-01-09
Raw and Beautiful
This book gives great insight into RHCP Flea's childhood and his ideology on life. He narrates it with such raw emotion. You can tell he wrote this book with so much love. Being a huge RHCP fan I enjoyed hearing Fleas story being told by himself. If you enjoy memoirs give this one a try! ❤
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2022-05-04
beautiful love
thank you to flea for sharing his highest exhilarations and deepest regrets alike. listening to him recount his stories with play, raw pain and earnest gratitude was moving. i’m better for having heard it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Becky L.
- 2022-06-16
Great insight into Flea's crazy life!
RHCP are my fave band, have been since I first hear heard Give It Away as a kid. This book was fantastic to listen to, kept my interest every step of the way, and showed me what a crazy life Flea lived. Made me love him even more. I want a part two!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amanda
- 2021-12-31
Great story!
It’s a great story and I love a memoir read by the author. Flea’s a great storyteller, and tells it with authentic feeling. Only issue is the story skips around a ton and it’s can be hard to follow.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-01-15
nice!
I could listen to Flea read stories all day. excellent book thanks dude 👍
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!