Flea

Best known as an integral member of one of the '80s and '90s most popular rock bands, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Flea (real name Michael Balzary) is widely regarded as one of rock's most talented bassists. By combining funk-style bass (à la Funkadelic) with psychedelic, punk, and hard rock, Balzary created an original playing style that has been copied numerous times. A founding member, Flea has helped the Chili Peppers sell over 80 million albums worldwide while earning multiple Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. He has also released solo projects, including the 2012 EP Helen Burns and Acid for the Children, his memoir, and appeared in films such as The Big Lebowski. In 2026, Flea teamed with an ensemble of modern jazz visionaries to honor his original passion, the trumpet, on his debut solo album Honora.