Flea News: Red Hot Chili Peppers Bassist Releases New Solo Single, 2026 Tour Info
If you thought you had Flea figured out as the umm, sock-wearing, slap-bass funk lord of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it’s certainly time to recalibrate. After nearly five decades of defining the rock landscape, the bassist is finally stepping into the spotlight on his own terms – and apparently he’s bringing a trumpet. Interesting. What is happening with the brass?
Flea Announces “Honora”
Flea has officially announced his debut solo album, “Honora,” set to hit shelves (and streams) on March 27, 2026, via Nonesuch Records. But if you’re expecting twelve tracks of “Give It Away” style bass breakdowns, you’re looking in the wrong place. This is a passion project rooted in jazz, vulnerability, and a two-year discipline that would make even the most experienced musicians sweat.
Here is everything we know about the album, the new single featuring a Radiohead icon, and why this might actually be the most important work of Flea’s career.
“Traffic Lights” – A Mini Atoms For Peace Reunion?
To kick things off, Flea released the album’s second single, “Traffic Lights,” and let’s just say the personnel on this track is pretty darn staggering. The song features none other than Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, creating a sonic landscape that will immediately scratch the itch for anyone who is missing their Atoms for Peace days.
According to Flea, the track started with a rhythm he and drummer Deantoni Parks cooked up. “Something about it reminded me of [band] Atoms for Peace, so I sent it to Thom,” Flea stated to Blabbermouth. “Just knowing him, I thought it would be a rhythm and a sensibility that he would relate to. And I was right.”
Yorke contributes vocals, piano, and synth to the track, which Flea describes as a meditation on living in the “upside down.” It’s moody, it’s textured, and it proves that even when Flea steps out on solo work, he’s bringing the heavy hitters with him. The visualizer, directed by nespy5euro, is out now and perfectly matches the song’s ethereal vibe.
The Jazz Origins of Flea
While the world knows him for rock arenas, Flea (born Michael Balzary) actually cut his musical teeth on jazz. As a kid, he watched family friends jam in his living room, describing it as the “holy trifecta” of his life alongside sports and nature. He grew up idolizing trumpet legends like Dizzy Gillespie and the incomparable Miles Davis.
However, life happens. His friend Hillel Slovak asked him to play bass for a rock band when he was sixteen, and the rest is history. The trumpet sat and gathered dust while the Chili Peppers conquered the globe. But the itch never went away. Even during the filming of “My Own Private Idaho” in the early 90s, Flea was telling friends he wanted to make a hypnotic, instrumental record. It just took him until 2026 to finally do it – over three decades!
From Stadiums to Trumpet Practice
The most humanizing part of this announcement isn’t the music itself; it’s the motivation behind it. As Flea approached his 60th birthday, he realized it was “now or never.” If he didn’t pick the trumpet back up, the dream was dead.
So, what does a rock star do? He practices. For two years, Flea committed to practicing the trumpet every single day. We’re talking about a guy touring massive stadiums with RHCP, juggling a wife and a newborn, still finding time to woodshed on a brass instrument.
He admits he was terrified. He assembled an elite band of modern jazz visionaries – including saxophonist Josh Johnson and guitarist Jeff Parker – and he was worried they would see him as a “rock poseur.” Instead, the sessions were electric. Flea further stated to Blabbermouth:
“I worried that the all-star band I had assembled would think he was a non-playing motherf***er, charlatan…Sitting in a room and playing the music with them made me feel like I was on drugs. I was buzzing, tripping and floating around the studio.”
“Honora” Tracklist and 2026 Tour Dates
The album, named after a beloved family member, features six originals and several interpretations of tracks by artists ranging from George Clinton to Frank Ocean.
Flea isn’t just dropping the record and hiding; he’s taking the “Honora” band on an intimate international tour this May. If you want to see a legend reinvent himself in real-time, here is where you need to be:
- May 07: Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
- May 09: Toronto, ON – Opera House
- May 10: Montreal, QC – Théâtre Beanfield
- May 12: New York, NY – Webster Hall
- May 13: Washington, DC – Black Cat
- May 16: Los Angeles, CA – Fonda Theater
- May 21: Berlin, Germany – Heimathafen
- May 22: Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
- May 26: London, UK – Koko
- May 28: Paris, France – Alhambra
Tickets go on sale Friday, January 23. Don’t sleep on this – seeing Flea in venues this size is definitely a rarity that won’t happen often.
