Flea has recalled the time he jammed with Parliament-Funkadelic’s Eddie Hazel at one of the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s earliest European shows.
In the Summer of 1985, the Chili Peppers, fresh from the release of Freaky Styley, hopped across the pond as a band for the first time and played their first European gig at Germany’s Rockpalast Loreley Open Air Festival.
It was a slot that found them opening for George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic. An apt scheduling, considering it was Clinton who had produced Freaky Styley.
Naturally, P-Funk were a huge inspiration to the band, and Flea in particular. Now, in a new interview with Trackstar, the RHCP bass hero discussed the moment he had an impromptu jam with Hazel.
After being played the iconic Maggot Brain, Flea paid tribute to Hazel’s guitar style, saying, “I remember George [Clinton], when I first started hanging out with him, was like, ‘Man, you just can’t play like that until your heart has been shattered to smithereens and you have lost all hope.’
“[It has] such a beautiful sense of melody. Obviously you put in the work to have the dexterity and the ability to express himself, but man, it’s so beautiful.”
Of his surprise jam with Hazel, Flea adds, “I once had the privilege of playing with Eddie Hazel – and I will never, ever forget it.
“This was like the first time Chili Peppers ever went to Europe, and we opened up for Funkadelic at this festival in Germany. There was a moment on stage where I found just me and Eddie at soundcheck in the daytime, we were both plugged in, and I had this thing I was doing on the bass back then – this real fast slapping thing.
“And he was just gassing on it, and started jamming with me, playing these fast rhythms. We just locked in for about five minutes, looking at each other, just going for it.
“I’ll never, ever forget it. He knew he was being generous with me and what it meant to me to do it. But he was having fun, too, and I was just in awe and hypnotized and transfixed.”
In related news, earlier this year Flea confirmed that Red Hot Chili Peppers are working on a new album, and they've been recording at John Frusciante's house.
