I've been a fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers since my teens - so more than a few years! When I learned that Flea (Michael Balzary), the bassist of the band had written a memoir I was intrigued. It isn't so unusual for a lead singer to write a book, and in fact the lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, had written one, which I have not read. However, to me Flea was in fact a more enigmatic figure and more fascinating, with his signature, over-the-top gyrations and acrobatics while never missing a note.

Acid For the Children is a memoir of Flea's early life, including the story of being uprooted from his dysfunctional but "normal" nuclear family life in New York State to living in Hollywood, California with a dreamer, alcoholic mother and her wildly unstable but musical genius boyfriend Walter. Running wild on the streets of Hollywood, Flea learns life lessons, finds friendship, soaks up all the musical influences and does way, way too many recreational street drugs. It forms the remarkable person that he clearly is - revealing a much more sensitive and perceptive man than I expected and not hiding from divulging difficult and unflattering revelations about himself in the process.

I deeply respected the honesty in this memoir and look forward to reading his next book. The memoir ends with the inaugural performance of the RHCP and I can only think that there are many more revelations to come in book two. I had such a book hangover after finishing this one. If you are a fan of the band, you need to read this. If you are wondering what it is like to grow up on the streets of LA in the 70s and 80s, you need to read this. If you are interested in the story of a man who tried about every street drug there is during his youth and lived to tell the tale, you need to read this. Just read it. So much gratitude to Grand Central Pub for sending me a copy of this memoir.