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Flea continues to focus intently on his musicianship — especially his bass playing. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are currently prepping for a massive tour behind their from their upcoming album, Unlimited Love, which is set for release on April 1st.

In a new interview featured in the April issue of Bass Player magazine, Flea shed light on how he’s approaching the instrument these days: “I think about playing bass — particularly as it relates to the Red Hot Chili Peppers — as like a river. With the bass-lines and the way I want to play them, I want to live my life in a way that allows me to open myself up enough for this cosmic, spiritual river to flow through me. I can unleash it however it needs to go — like when it needs to be violent rapids, or when it needs to be a calm, still pool. However I can serve the chords, the melody, the rhythm and the harmony, I’m going to be loose and free and let it flow.”

As lifelong musician, Flea’s only ambition is to improve his playing, admitting, “I want to be better. The specific goals I have as a bass player are that I want to become a better soloist, and I want to expand my cerebral knowledge of chord progressions and bass-lines, so I can be a good jazz bass player.”

He went on to say, “I want to f***ing rock harder than ever. I want to stir the souls of human beings when we play. And I want to be a good bandmate — I want to connect with my bandmates, and be a great support to them and help them be the best they can be. I love my band and I’m really proud of the music we’ve recorded. I feel like it’s beautiful. I feel like it’s the best we can do. I feel like we’re firing on all cylinders and at the top of our game, and I just want to continue to do all those things.”

Flea told us that part of becoming a better playing constantly listening to other musicians and letting the inspiration flow through his own playing: “Of course, we rip off people all the time. I mean, no good artist doesn’t. I mean, that’s what art is for, to rip each other off. It’s what you rip off and how you interpret what you rip off and in what context you rip it off. I mean, y’know, we learn from musicians, but we express what’s in our hearts, and even though we’re influenced and we do rip off other people, of course, you know, we have our own way and we live outside of the rules.”

Red Hot Chili Peppers kick off their European dates on June 4th in Seville, Spain at Estadio La Cartuja De Sevilla