The autobiography, Scar Tissue, gives a detailed personal account of the life of Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The reader learns of the wild upbringing of the young Anthony in Hollywood’s party scene. Born in Michigan in 1962, he lived there with his mother after his parents divorced. When he moved to Las Angeles to live with his father he began to live his life. His father, a popular drug dealer with the Hollywood celebrities, never seriously took on his role of a father. Instead, he included Anthony in all of his parties and was the first to introduce him to drugs. The book is Kiedis’s honest account of his adolescence lived with a false sense of immortality.
The young Anthony ’s childhood was one that is perfectly suited for a rock star such as himself. While exposed to virtually all the vices of society at a young age, Anthony drew his inspiration for his music from this lifestyle. When he was not partying or pulling outrageous stunts like jumping off a five story building and missing a swimming pool, he would be writing poetry. The chemistry he shared with his band was formed at Fairfax High School where all the members attended. The group formed a band of funk rockers with a neo-punk element. However, this bond was severely impacted, as well as all the lives of the band members, when guitarist, Hillel Slovak, overdosed on Heroin. This was the turning point described in the book that led Kiedis to reform his addiction.
In the midst of all the chaos in his life, the book also gives the account of Anthony’s career. The success of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is proven through his accounts of his many performances and albums. The relation between his songs and his struggles are also explained in this work. This book is perfect for any rock and roll fanatic, especially a Red Hot Chili Pepper’s fan. It gives an exciting account of someone who basically drowned himself in any substance he could get. It is a perfect example of struggle and recovery in one of the most wild industries in popular culture: Rock and Roll.