Whenever I hear someone talk about the “Red Hot Chili Peppers” I instantly think of Flea, the band member who is always flashing his gap-toothed grin and heavily tattooed body. Let’s face it; the guy is no wallflower. But, what most people don’t know about the man who was born Michael Balzary is that he defines himself more by the moves he makes when he’s off the stage.
It wasn’t until recently that I learned about some of those moves, including his role as co-founder of the non-profit school, Silverlake Conservatory of Music. Flea says he decided to create the school because he was sick of seeing how the public education system in California neglected to provide kids with adequate music education. Flea says he was shocked when he visited his former high school a few years back and discovered that the music department he loved as a student was gone. The visit served as the impetus to create the music conservatory.
In a recent interview with a news reporter Flea revealed that music classes gave him “something to hold onto.” He also said that learning music kept him out of trouble.
“It taught me discipline, a sense of self, a sense of accomplishing something,” he said.
Flea also miantains that music can be therapeutic.
“Playing music is a beautiful thing. But listening to music is just as great, “ Flea said.
He also added that kids deserve the “richness and dimension” music brings to life and his new school is an attempt to do that.
In other music news… an update from a previous blog I wrote about a planned Rolling Stones concert in Belgrade.
Chock one up for the animal activists.
According to news reports the Stones concert will not take place at the city’s racetrack as planned—the results of some hard working animal activists who maintained the loud music would upset hundreds of horses stabled nearby. Officials of the Hippodrome racecourse had said they would deal with the rocking decibel problem by giving the horses tranquilizers prior to the concert.
In the end, the animal lovers won out and the July 14 concert will now take place in a massive public park in the Serbian capital, Raka Maric. Officials say they expect a record crowd of more than 80,000 Stones’ fans to turn out for the concert.
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