Drugs and incredible sex: Those are the twin threads of this autobiography and it's hard to imagine anyone will trump him.
No matter how awesome you think you are, you have come nowhere near the sheer volume of drugs which Anthony Kiedis has consumed, nor have you had as much incredible sex with as many spectacular women. That, roughly speaking, is the theme of Kiedis’ autobiography and, if even half of what he says is true, it’s hard to imagine that anyone will ever be able to trump him in either endeavour.…
Article comments
26 - fran
i love this book and anthony is amazing but you havent read the motley crue "the dirt" or Nikki Sixx "the heroin diaries" if you think no one can trump him in e sex drugs n rockn roll department-
27 - laura
i have read the book through about 3 times. i have been a chili pepper fan since i was about 11, i love the book.
as do all the other chili pepper fans i have talked to about it.
fair enough if thats your oppinion.. But i do think that there isnt much of a point in reading it if you arent truly interested in the Chili's.
to me, its one of the most interesting books ive read.
28 - woohoo
uhh hello it IS an autobiography
if you wanted to know about the red hot chili peppers THE BAND then go on youtube and watch documentaries on them
READ THIS BOOK! ITS AMAZING!
29 - arichman123
Hey Im not even a big chili peppers fan . but a friend came over and left this book on the table so i picked it up, read some and could'nt put it down. if you like to read about drugs, tripping, drug induced insanity, sexual encounters, etc... this is an amazing book. trust me!
(and by the way it's also very moving, and deep)
AND AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR A RHCP FAN!
30 - Adam G
A kid brought this book to camp with him. We would read from it aloud. I didn't even really know who the Red Hot CHili Peppers were before i read this book. and i thought it was fantastic. i finished 300 pages of it in a day. it is just a different perspective and what makes it uniuqe in part is how he tells it.
31 - queenkiedis217
I LOVE Anthony Kiedis
I LOVE Red Hot Chili Peppers.
I wanted to see if this book was worth reading or not, and you said this:
(For Chili Peppers fanatics) B
(For everyone else) D
I'm a chili pepper fanatic so i'd enjoy it.
though i'm kinda mad about chad not being mentioned enough. next to anthony, he's the best chili pepper. but yeah. i heard it was good, so i'm gonna read it!... and i don't read often!
32 - Taylor
ok so this book is amazing and this story is very intense and has too depth to even be concieved as made up. much love to the chili peppers!
33 - jess.
I thought this book was amazing.
I wasn't much of a chilli's fan when I started reading it, and now that I've finished, they are my favourite band.
Wish it had more about Dave in it!! :P
34 - abraham
The writer of this review is an idiot and his commentary serves as a poor, unappreciative piece of crap. Scar Tissue is a must read.
35 - RHCPDIEHARD
people anthony kiedis is awesome you all have to realize that not everyones a good writer RESPECT THE FOOL WHO MAKES THE TUNES YOU LOVE!
36 - Maja Thuren
In the book he can seem self-absorbed, but I absolutely adore him. I want to have his children!! GOD! Long live RHCP.
37 - STICKCHICK
I got this book for Christmas this year and finally have read it. I could not put it down and finished it in 2 days. Yes, AK is a drug addict and that explains his self-absorbed, selfish personality traits but you can tell even early on in the book that he is a victim of his environment and that is what causes him to become the sick, drug-addicted person he is. I was surprised that he does not seem to harbour any resentment towards his father...who gives their 11 year old kid a joint to smoke and splits qualudes with them and takes them to clubs and bars and surrounds them with drug-addicted, disfunctional people? At one point in the book he says that his dad never commented on his sobriety until the sixth anniversary which ironically was just after he relapsed the first time. I was surpised there was not more anger towards his father or at least a verbal realization through recovery that his father may have been the cause of his drug addiction and certainly encouraged those tendencies in a teenage (and pre-teenage)boy.
Having said that, I loved the book, it was Anthony's story more or less than the story of the RHCP and even though I was a fan of their music before picking up the book, after reading it I was even more enthralled with their songs. I loved how he explained how he wrote a lot of the songs, what inspired him to write what he did and now when I listen to the music I think about the lyrics and what he was going through at the time of writing. I loved the Yertle the Turtle story!
38 - Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez
To sam: where did you get this idea that drug addiction can only be cured with counseling? That's utterly untrue. Sometimes counseling amounts to nothing more than an expensive band-aid. I've kicked a serious drug habit much the same as AK's simply because it had played itself out and I tired of it. I still have urges and might even 'chip' once in a great while, but it's no longer a threat of becoming a priority. And I imagine it's the same for Keidis who recently had his first child (that we know about). No counseling in the world would have helped me and after reading his book I'm convinced it did little for him either. When you've developed a taste for something, there are no words that are going to make you stop liking it. You quit when you grow tired of it, usually after hitting rock bottom. Hitting rock bottom is actually more powerful than counseling. Sometimes hitting rock bottom is the most necessary part of the process. It opens your eyes and humbles you, but in Keidis' case hitting rock bottom to become humble is near impossible considering who he is. There's no real reason for him to quit. Drug addiction is definitely not something that hurts his reputation or record sales at this point. But it gets old and that's the truth.
39 - Sarah
Upon encountering this book, not only did I have no interest in the music created by The Red Hot Chili Peppers but I felt very passionately that it was noise and not even worth listening to. So, clearly if i am to be considered a biased reader, it would be against the book. I was recommended this book by a friend and after a slow start, I found that i simply could not put it down. It is true that this book is extremely focused on the life of Anthony Kiedis, hence the fact it is an autobiography. It is not meant to be a story about the band,it is meant to be Kiedis' story. The band is tied in throughout the book because the band and Kiedis' musical sense grew just as he did, and played a huge role in his life and growth as a person. Also, seeing as Kiedis' is the band's lyricist, it makes sense that the band's songs are mentioned throughout because those too were his personal words and views. I believe had this book been written by anyone else, it simply would not have had the same effect. Who better tell the story of Anthony Kiedis' life but Kiedis' himself?
40 - faiithLMAO
yeah [personal attack deleted] bob, you dont know what your talking about.
that book didnt even seem long at all.id say it was perfect
41 - Lisa
so, i think a lot of what you just said is bullshit. Anthony Kiedis is the master of funk rock, and the chili peppers are the greatest band of all time. you obviously have no idea what youre talking about, otherwise you wouldnt have sounded like such a complete idiot. The book was awesome, and i think you should probably actuallly reeeaddd the book, instead of"plowing through it" before you start saying that the book isnt good.
42 - TAYLORRR :)
ANTHONY KIEDIS IS THE HOTTEST GUY EVER <3
i've read this book 37 times; i love it; i love him; i love the red hot chili peppers :)
43 - slinky B
man, you dont know half what your talking about. Everyone I know who has read the book or knows him agrees that it is a great book and lets face it. What loser really examines the book to an extent of saying that he didn't construct the story well enough? people want to know the events and fun times that Anthony and the band have experienced.That is what you get with this book. It is in no way dreary or boring. Oh and I don't really get how you can say he's not the man to tell the story. Well, for a start he was there the entire time and secondly, it is his autobiography. I also find it very unfair of you to judge his character on merely the fact that for a time he was a drug addict. If it wasnt for drugs, you wouldnt have the Chili Peppers in the first place. So please understand that Anthony Kiedis told a great story of his life and those around him. Yours truly, Michael Balzary.
44 - Nick
Ive read about 100 pages so far and i was never expecting a red hot chili peppers biography... simply because it never said it on the cover.. its anthony kiedis's biography... so far from what ive read its an amazing story of a boy and his father fending for them self.. With a unbeleviable amount of drugs involved
45 - Jordan Richardson
What loser really examines the book to an extent of saying that he didn't construct the story well enough?
Losers who actually like to enjoy the books they're reading.
46 - antoinette
Oddly enough, I am reading the book for the first time in 2009, so my review of it is dated. I find Kiedis to be fascinating for many reasons. I am from Minnesota and grew up in Los Angeles at the same time and moved to California at the same age and recall many of the same themes -- the stranger and more eccentric you acted -- the more accepted you were. I also went to UCLA but graduated. I find that Anthony is a very deep person with very deep feelings -- hence his demons. He fortunately happened to be very talented unlike many addicts who are not, and he worked hard for his Art, which I admire. I admire his honesty. It is not easy to expose yourself in such a way--especially if you treasure privacy. He does speak of this and of not liking being recognized by everybody. I also found that Anthony was a sex addict which would go hand in hand with being an addict. He did not explore his relationships with other band members in great depth, and did give Hillel scant mention. He was deeply hurt by his death and went on a binge. That was how he dealt with the pain. I think he felt his death deeply, and chose not to write about it in great depth because of that pain. I find his childhood to be very interesting and also find that his story is a true rags to riches, Horatio Alger tale, which makes it that much more interesting. I hope he finds his dreams. He is a true Peter Pan in many ways but is also growing up, which is evident in later interviews. Some parts of the book made me chuckle in a macabre sort of way. His Psych ward experience was funny but horrible. Fascinating person. Also, I like his ethereal, sad, melancholic, poetic songs, which are a tribute to the entire band. They make music magic and know each other so well that they can create music together as one. I guess that is why I read the autobiography.
47 - Shayla
Honestly, this is my favorite book. Yes, the gist of it is mainly drugs and sex but if that's ALL this book is to you...then you've clearly missed the point. This is the most inspiring novel I've ever read. The theme is "the worst times in your life can also make you a better person in the end." You gotta go through tough times to come out stronger. That has proved in my life and obviously in Anthony Kiedis's life. He's inspiring. Pure inspiration.
48 - yeah dat me
I've been reading this book all week and its the best autobiograhy I've ever finished. He might not be as deeply analytical as other authors but I'm pretty sure those other authors are dull as fuck.
49 - April
First of all John is not just a grug damaged artiste.. That sentense does not sound right at all to me. I think Anthony's intention here is to talk about HIS LIFE ( AUTOBIOGRAPHY) and not talk about the Chili peppers..It's about his stuggle with getting over drugs and his personal experiences. And by the way, a fan would give it a grade of A+++++
I think it's an amazing
50 - Alex
this book is amazing, I could not put it down from the moment i started reading it. all i can say is what a life this man has lived, tought times, happy times so many fucked up times and he is still here with us today> cheers to that, what a lifes story.
51 - Mike
This is the most fascinating book i have ever read, the best book i have ever read.
52 - dork
I hate it when people say "i didnt even know who they chilis were before i read this book, but now i love them =]" oh yeah? well i was a BIG fan before i read the book so BEAT THAT! Yeah, good book.
53 - Blah
Anthony's book was incredibly compelling, sincere and well-written. So you can SUCK IT.
54 - kelly
We love the credit given to AA and are happy we share a common solution,all are welcome to our 12 step meetings on the beach.
55 - Lizzy
One of my favourite books ever, I can't say one negative thing about Anthony or the book, his whole life has been fascinating and I think he's a beautiful person. I've read it so many times and find it gripping, I cry at so many points, and smile and laugh.
I don't care that it's not written in an amazing narrative style because he's not a writer, he's a human being with stories and feelings to share.
56 - mismel
I don't understand these negative comments! It's an autobiography! Was Anthony supposed to change his history in order to write a book that wasn't 'monotonous'? He simply told his life story, which is to be expected of this book surely?
The so-called 'name dropping' would be part of this too as, I'm sure, had some of it been untrue, there would've been a lot of suing going on. I myself would've been disappointed had important characters gone un-named, or given aliases. Reading the names of these famous people only seemed to make it more real for me, more of a true autobiography. I feel he was very brave in naming those people and to be fair, it isn't as if he needs to make any kind of 'claim to fame'.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and never really felt he was overly full of himself. Although at times, he actually did admit to this type of behaviour throughout the book, as well as other character flaws. I found it to be well written, and an easy read.
57 - sam
I loved the book.It was brutally honest
which is something great about it.
58 - review this
okay im not a huge reader and i started to read this book on the toilet oneday just a few pages at a time i never really finish books by page 40 i was hooked this book is amazing for those who dont like it im guessing you dont have much experiences similer to anothney in one way or another.. AMAZING BOOK FULL STOP.
59 - angie
Buying the book tonight!!! Huge fan:)
60 - matthew
I have not read this yet and I don't think I will. I preffer to see him the way I thought I did. Some things are meant to be unread.
61 - hapy kola
I think you are reviewing the book for what you want it to be and not what it is. It is the Anthony Kiedis autobiography, not the RHCP autobiography. Furthermore he actually says in the book that its a myth that the death of a friend immediately prompts sobriety, the nature of addiction means you want more to forget about it. Hillel's death is also a prominent feature in his thinking throughout the book and does not just amount to a page description. There are many stories and I'm sure a reader might want elaboration on, but that would amount to a 1000+ page book. This book goes really deep to explain the sexdrugsrock&roll phenomenon, and I think the honesty is admirable. In the book he gives reasons for his actions which seem insane, but an addicts thinking is clouded and he was being honest. I think you should be more respectful to the honest insight into a rock stars life and not what you find readable.
62 - Noah
You are obviously wrong if the book was supposed to be about the band then the front cover would have been a picture of the band not a picture of Kiedis shooting up heroin
63 - Tyler
SCAR TISSUE WAS AN AMAZING BOOK. YOU ARE SO DUMB I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE CHILI PEPPERS GOING INTO READING THIS BOOK EXCEPT THAT THEY MADE A SONG NAMED CALIFORNICATION AND BY THE WAT. I NOW LOVE THEM AND THEY ARE MY FAVORITE BAND. NO ONES BIOGRAPHY BEATS THIS. I HAVE READ IT 5 TIMES ALREADY AND STILL CONTINUE TO READ IT!!!! I DEFINATELY SUGGEST GETTING THIS BOOK TO ANYONE OVER 12.
64 - Jon
This review is dead on. After reading this book, it is just a collection of events. The book doesn't flow very well. keidis is a self-center cardboard asshole. No personality, dry.. non remorseful, plain dickhead. Odd that he doesn't talk about his band mates at all. This can be the case of idol worship at the beginning.. being a fan, but once reality sets in and you finally get a glimpse of the person, you are still a fan of the music but not the person.. That sums up it all
65 - Eric
Great review man exactly how I felt
66 - Callum
Some of these comments are some of the stupiods fucking shit I've heard.. Yeah so what that Anthony kiedis book isn't what u want it to be and he came across as a bit of an asshole but it was he autobiography which means HIS story, not the band story. And like Keara said "do you really think someone who has done more drugs then Ozzie Osborn is going to be a william shakespeare??" His book is amaaaaazing and Anthony Kiedis is a living legand.....
67 - pete
400 or so pages of the same story. "I fell in love with a girl, I did heroin and coke. BTW, she was the greatest love of my life" --- every one of them. Unfortunately, a man who has traveled the globe, met great people and has nothing to share but the above for 400 pages.....Unremarkable to say the least, and I am a RHCP fan.
68 - new songs
When I was a child, I tried to do the same thing and nearly ruined myself.