Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea talks guilt over album delay following snowboarding injury that resulted in sharp pain each time he tried to play bass

By Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 19:16 EST, 15 June 2016 | Updated: 19:44 EST, 15 June 2016

Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea had to relearn the bass after his snowboarding injury.

The Californication hitmakers had to delay their 11th studio LP, The Getaway, for eight months in 2014, after the bassist broke his arm whilst on the slopes. 

And now, the 53-year-old musician has revealed the extent of his injuries and how he had to learn how to play the instrument again after having large pieces of bone 'shorn' of his arm in a Rolling Stone interview.

Big reveal: Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, 53,  discussed having to relearn the bass after his snowboarding injury in an interview with Rolling Stone; he is pictured in May at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in CA

Big reveal: Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, 53,  discussed having to relearn the bass after his snowboarding injury in an interview with Rolling Stone; he is pictured in May at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in CA

He explained: 'We were jetting down the mountain, going like, 50 miles an hour, when I just wiped out.

'It was like, bam. My arm started swelling up right away.'

'I broke my arm in five places. Big pieces of bone were shorn off.'

Flea - who is joined by Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith and Josh Klinghoffer in the group - suffered with a shooting pain each time he attempted to play a note on the stringed instrument and he felt like a hindrance because they were unable to work on their LP.

Feeling guilty: The bassist, pictured in LA in May of last year,  discussed his band having to delay their 11th LP for eight months in 2014, after he broke his arm whilst on the slopes

Feeling guilty: The bassist, pictured in LA in May of last year,  discussed his band having to delay their 11th LP for eight months in 2014, after he broke his arm whilst on the slopes

He told Rolling Stone magazine: 'I went to play one note and a bunch of pain shot up my arm.'

'I tried to play the simplest things and my hand just wouldn't do it. It felt like I let everyone down, because we couldn't work on the record.'

The rockers have been plagued with health problems as last month frontman Anthony was rushed to the hospital after suffering from severe stomach pains, which forced the band to axe their KROQ Weenie Roast performance just hours before they were due to go on stage. 

Issues: The rockers have been plagued with health problems as last month frontman Anthony was rushed to hospital suffering severe stomach pains. Pictured (L-R) Josh Klinghoffer, Chad Smith, Flea, and Anthony

Issues: The rockers have been plagued with health problems as last month frontman Anthony was rushed to hospital suffering severe stomach pains. Pictured (L-R) Josh Klinghoffer, Chad Smith, Flea, and Anthony

It was later revealed that Anthony had suffered from intestinal flu. 

At the time, Flea said: 'We are devastated about it. We live to rock, we live to f****** kick deep into the depths of our hearts and rock, but unfortunately there's a medical thing that happened and we need to deal with it.'

The Getaway - which was produced by Danger Mouse - will be released on June 17 and is the band's first record since 2011's I'm with You.

Happier times: The group recently appeared in an episode of Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. They are pictured on May 27 

Happier times: The group recently appeared in an episode of Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. They are pictured on May 27 

 

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