Life in the City

Anthony was now living with his father in Los Angeles in what was to become a well known alternative upbringing. Blackie in the documentary, Help My Kid’s A Rockstar, clearly outlines the plans he had for his young son. He wanted him to be open to all the world had to offer and not just settle for a blue collar job somewhere:

I think it was a great thing for him, the way he grew up. He got the traditional, mid-western upbringing; no nonsense… and out with me, a wild maniac who wasn’t afraid to take him anyway or do anything…”

Blackie took and sold drugs and moved in circles where drug use was commonplace and in the same documentary, he talks about how normal it was under those circumstances for Anthony to start to experiment with drugs himself.

12 year old Anthony Kiedis smoking drugs
“Do you want to smoke a joint?” he [Blackie] asked me.
Back in Michigan, I automatically would have answered no. But being in this new environment made me adventurous. … I took a little drag and then passed the joint back to him. It went around the table a few times, and soon we were all smiling and laughing and feeling really mellow. And then I realized I was high. I loved the sensation. It felt like medicine to soothe the soul and awaken the senses…But I didn’t become fixated on it, even though my father was a daily pot smoker. For me, it was just another unique California experience.”

‘Scar Tissue’ Anthony Kiedis with Larry Sloman; pages 26-7

The alternative upbringing didn’t just end there, and in probably the most infamous story from Anthony’s childhood, he was to lose his virginity in another typical Kiedis family episode;

“One night shortly before my twelfth birthday, we were all up at the Rainbow. I was as high as a little kite on a quaalude, and I got up the courage to write my father a note: “I know this is your girlfriend, but I’m pretty much sure she’s up for the task so if it’s okay with you, can you arrange a situation where I end up having sex with Kimberly [Blackie’s current girlfriend] tonight?”

He brokered the deal with a flash, she was game, so we went back to the house, and he said,  “Okay, there’s the bed, there’s the girl, do what you will.” … I was nervous enough as it was, but Kimberly did everything. She guided me the whole way, and was very loving and gentle, and it was all pretty natural. I can’t remember if it lasted five minutes or an hour. It was just a blurry, hazy, sexy moment.”

‘Scar Tissue’ Anthony Kiedis with Larry Sloman; page 39

Such experiences immediately led to father and son forming a strong bond and adjusting quickly to their new life together. Anthony mostly loved the whole experience of LA and living the wild life with his father who was now dealing drugs after developing a habit of his own and dropping out of film school. The younger Kiedis would accompany his father on drug runs and at weekends when he set up ‘shop’ in clubs like the Rainbow Bar and Grill on Sunset Blvd. Anthony soon became as much a part of the scene as his father was and in fact, the two became a sort of double act with the son gaining a fast-track education in the seedy underbelly of LA and the father having a partner in crime to help and accompany him. Meeting famous actors, musicians from all walks had to have a major effect on the impressionable teenager and there was no shortage of such characters crossing the doorstep of the Rainbow, or sometimes even knocking on Blackie’s own door, in search of drugs.

In fact, being at home meant constant disruptions and parties at night with the occasional trauma that a drugs bust would produce and Anthony usually had to fend for himself during the day while his father slept of the excesses of the night before. However, this never seemed to be an issue for the younger Kiedis since it gave him time and the opportunity to experiment with his own drug use. Teenage Anthony made a number of close friends, several of whom came from equally dysfunctional homes as his own. The street kids would steal money, drugs or Anthony would take any leftovers from his home he could find. One minute they would be acting as normal children skateboarding and listening to music but getting high the next; Anthony’s life was peppered with episodes like the time he broke into the school cafeteria with his eight grade best friend, John, and used the stolen funds to buy drugs. (Scar Tissue; page 42).

4 Responses to Life in the City

  1. susan Ferretti says:

    Its funny how I learned of Anthony,I actually met Tony through one of Blackies parties ,I believe he was 14 and I was out their livin in West Hollywood workin as an usher @ the Roxy 4 Lou Adler and Elmer Valentine,I had my own studio on Larrabee 1111 ,.right above sunset,anyways I met Tony one mornin .and we became quick buddies in fact he gave me about 8 pics. of hiimself,I guess he knew he was gonna b famous one day and i think he had a crush on me,I must say I was very hot.anyways years went on ,Iloved the chili peppers,and would go c them all the time,Now I moved 2 Chicago with my boyfreind,so I was always goin 2 Detroit and new York,big party life still,now im 30 and read about Chili peppers in Rollin stone and read about Anthony and o.m.g. Couldnot Blieve same guy as little Tony. anyways been goin 2 c him,never can get close enough 2 him almost went in his tous bus last time thewy were in Detroit,was with my daughter and then thought what if he doesnt remember me,but how could he forget me,everyone stole my pics. I still have 2 left,almost met him in grand Rapids was on the floor below him all night ,but my sister and i started drinkin bfore the concert and just went 2 bed.next mornin met Flee and Jon,took pics. I wrote Anthony on a matchbook or somethin and gave 2 one of his people,oh well Anthony if u ever read thismy 3 is 313-815-0302,u knew me as Monique,my friend David started that,another story,Oh Yea it was the year u guys put the socks on yr. penis{ that got alot of attention!lots of love 2 u aNd yr.son Avery bear.and yr. lovin girl.

  2. Karen says:

    So Sonny Bono was Anthony Kinesis Godfather isAnthony Kiedis baptized Catholic or Greek Orthodox. Was it his mother who was religious or was it Blacky?

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