Flea and Anthony Kiedis were interviewed for RTL 102.5 the other day. The interview is now online. It’s in Italian but I’ve just received a translation of it into English!
The interview can be found HERE
Translation:
The speaker says how this is an absolutely exclusive interview, the only one for Italy, about “The Getaway”.
The interview took place in Paris on the 13th of June. He had to choose only two of the Peppers to speak with, and he asked for Anthony Kiedis and Flea. The other male speaker asks how the Peppers were feeling, he says that he found them really concentrated, really focused on this new album, that means a lot for them, that shows some changes, starting from the producer!
After Dark Necessities, he says something about the dazzling career of the band, reminding the two upcoming Italian concerts.
According to the interviewer ,the new album goes back in time even if the RHCP said goodbye to Rick Rubin and started to work with Danger Mouse. We can clearly feel purer sounds, Flea’s bass as the main character, a better sound articulation! Anthony answers that even if he respects his valid opinions, he doesn’t think that the album takes them back to the past, or better, there are some peculiar sonorities belonging to the past, but there’s a lot about future as well, it’s a kinda combination of those two sides. There’s a strong and rude power that can remind you of the old Red Hot, but in the new album we have brand new sounds, a new range of emotions and a brand new energy! Danger Mouse brought them a fresh and actual way of producing that let them reaching heady new lands. So, yes, there are some links with their past, but according to AK the whole album sounds really new!
The question after The Getaway, it’s about Flea writing his memories and how the band establishes their peculiar rhythm and sound on his bass. He kindly answers specifying that each one in the band is a part of the rhythm, not only him, even if he really appreciates his compliments. Than he says how writing the autobiography it taking a lot of time, considering that he’s writing on his own, with no help at all, and assuming that he’s involved in the creation of songs and in the development of the tour. He finds difficult, on side to make order in all his thoughts and memories, and on the other to produce something good, as he is a devote lover of literature since the very young age.
After Tell me Baby and By the Way, the interview goes on asking Anthony if it has been difficult to write and to record the new album. He says that it was, but in a good way. They learned so much during the recording, step by step, falling and rising. For example, Danger Mouse likes writing in studio, a thing that put pressure on them, ‘cause they have to do it! At the beginning it was really annoying, but Brian made them feeling each day more comfortable, he’s been able to show them that they can do something that they never expected they could really do in such a good way! And that is what a good producer does! He used to say to AK:”Come on, let’s sing an idea for this music!”leaving him like:”What?! Should I really do it now?! Can I just try?!” DM:”No, not trying! Just sing!”…for example, Go Robot’s vocal line went out in that way!
Then, the Interviewer asks Flea something that every RHCP fan desires to know! Does he express himself in such a crazy way (as he does on the stage) even in his personal life? He doesn’t seem, he maybe has got a deeper personality, just thinking about, for example, his passion for literature. So, are there two Fleas? He says that he’s the same person, but he distinguishes his public life from his personal life! He’s an entertainer, so when he express himself as an artist, he tries to do his best to entertain the audience. His personal life, is his personal life, even if he loves humanity. He think that the love that you’re able to feel shows what you truly are! But, of course, you’re also what you are and what people think you are, when they’re watching you on the tv or on their pc. He hopes that people, in their perception, love him, but he can’t control that!
The following question, is about the track called Dreams of Samurai, that feels like psychedelic, with Beatles’ ghosts in the atmosphere…we want to know if AK agrees with those impressions! He does! And he says thank you for noticing those intentions hidden in the song. He also says that Beatles’ ghosts are always welcome to join the party! Come on John Lennon, come on George Harrison! We’re always waiting for you! In the song there are also some background female vocals, from a Brian’s idea! The song has got an unusual timing, that for a long time made AK unable to compose a proper vocal line! It is not in 4/4 but he goes on in strange way, almost obsessive! One day, he figured out how to sing on it, and everything was alright! They definitely wanted to be more psychedelic, with that song, and he’s looking forward to play it live!
The radio plays Snow and Scar Tissue, and the interview goes on, asking Flea the meaning of The Getaway’s cover. He answers that it’s merely art, they make art! It is no didactic, not politic, it’s something ambiguous that people can interpret that can touch everyone in a different way! Definitions kill art! The most awful thing in the world, in Flea’s opinion, is that some people think that the only possible reading of the reality is theirs! There are a lot of different realities, and all of them deserve respect! But, back to the album cover, the girl is definitely Josh, the raven is definitely Anthony, the bear is definitely Chad and the raccoon is definitely Flea! Contradicting everything he said before!
The Getaway hosts such an unexpected collaboration, too! RHCP ft. Elton John! Anthony explains that it all begun when they composed the song called Sick Love! When they were listening at the final product, they observed sounds similar to the Elton John’s song, Bennie and the Jets, so they wanted to credit him, to pay him for his sounds. So they called Elton, explained him the situation and he offered by himself to join them in order to play the song! He’s funny, he’s warm, he’s humble…a true gentleman! He’s been through anything, and now he plays in our band!
The last question wants to enquire about the perception that the band has about the Italian fans, even if they’re followed worldwide! Anthony states that Italy is one of the best indicators of the quality of their works. It was proved when they recorded Californication, because they were in Italy on the day the album was released in the country, and AK heard few Italian guys, singing out loud Otherside inside their car, the very same day the album went out!! He thought it was impossible, but as he heard it, he felt really great about their new work, he understood it was a good one! So Italy is like a barometer (and he tries to say the italian word “barometro”), we know that if Italy likes what we’re doing, we’re doing a great job!
Thank you so much to Giorgia for translating this! It’s really appreciated 🙂