Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea Shares New Solo Single ‘A Plea’

The track is Flea’s first solo release since his 2012 EP, Helen Burns.

Multi-instrumentalist Flea has been working on his debut solo album this year, and before he reveals any concrete details about the release, the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist has shared the album’s first single ‘A Plea’.

A near eight-minute free jazz freakout that’s part instrumental, part spoken word, ‘A Plea’ is the first preview of Flea’s upcoming album, which will be released via Nonesuch Records.

‘A Plea’ features Flea on electric bass, vocals and trumpet, with Anna Buttress on double bass, Jeff Parker on guitar and Deantoni Parks on drums, along with percussionist Mauro Refosco, alto flautist Rickey Washington, and trombonist Vikram Devasthali. Chris Warren joins on vocals, as does the song’s producer Josh Johnson, who also plays alto saxophone.

Flea describes the song’s lyrics, which reflect on the divisiveness in America and that world, as “yearning for a place beyond, a place of love, for me to speak my mind and be myself. I’m always just trying to be myself.” He continues, “I don’t care about the act of politics. I think there is a much more transcendent place above it where there’s discourse to be had that can actually help humanity, and actually help us all to live harmoniously and productively in a way that’s healthy for the world. There’s a place where we meet, and it’s love.”

The track is accompanied by a music video directed by Los Angeles-based photographer and filmmaker Clara Balzary, with choreography by Sadie Wilking. In the clip, a pink-haired Flea demonstrates some interesting dance moves in an abandoned warehouse. Check it out below.

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Best known as the bassist of the Chili Peppers, Flea has had a wide and varied career that includes forming the band Atoms of Peace with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke (vocals, keyboards, programming and guitars), record producer Nigel Godrich (production and programming), drummer Joey Waronker and percussionist Mauro Refosco, and founding rock group Antemasque with The Mars Volta members Cedric Bixler Zavala, Omar Rodríguez-López and David Elitch.

He’s also collaborated on songs with everyone from Tricky and Young MC to Tom Waits and Alanis Morissette, starred in a stack of movies (Back To the Future II, anyone?) and voiced the character of Donnie Thornberry in several The Wild Thornberrys video games.

While there are scant details regarding Flea’s forthcoming album, expect more modern jazz interpretations and an ensemble cast of awesome musicians.

‘A Plea’ by Flea is out now. Listen here.