Saturday Read: Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis

If you don’t know who the Red Hot Chili Peppers are, I just want to know what rock you’ve been living under for the past twenty-five or so years. They are one of the biggest rock bands in the world, recording seven fantastic albums including the 2006 “Stadium Arcadium,” which won 6 Grammys. Since this band has such a long history, an autobiography of the main singer is bound to be a super interesting and full of scandal.

And Anthony Kiedis does not disappoint.

Anthony’s autobiography begins right at the beginning: his birth in 1962. He chronicles his experiences as a child that lead to his excessive party lifestyle as an adult, many of which are with his father, Blackie, a drug dealer. He discusses all of his relationships and diligently reports on the formation of the original Red Hot Chili Peppers.

At some points the book becomes slightly redundant: drug abuse, rehab, clean, repeat. But that was his life and although this repetitiveness takes away from the severity of the issue of drug abuse, the stories that go along with this vicious cycle are amazing and can only be those of a rock-star.

And they stay with you. Even though I read this about 5 years ago, certain anecdotes have never left me and I still find myself thinking of them.

If you are a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, then you must read “Scar Tissue.” The band’s formation and progress alone will reel you in. However, any music or biography fan will enjoy the rich detail and frank honesty. I finished this book and did not doubt any of Kiedis’ statements for a second, as often happens with biographies (Remember James Frey?!). It’s a bit of a long read (almost 500 pages), but goes by quickly, as you will not be able to put it down.