Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - Scar Tissue

Scar Tissue
Scar Tissue
Author: Anthony Kiedis, Larry Sloman
As lead singer and songwriter for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Anthony Kiedis has lived life on the razor's edge. So much has been written about him, but until now, we've only had Kiedis's songs as clues to his experience from the inside. In Scar Tissue, Kiedis proves himself to be as compelling a memoirist as he is a lyricist, giving us...  more » The Red Hot Chili Peppers are that rare breed of rock band. Critically lauded and popularly embraced by millions of fans, their albums consistently sell into the stratosphere -- their CD Californication sold over 13 million copies alone. Now in Scar Tissue, Anthony Kiedis defies the rock star clichés. In his telling, we can see everything he has done has been part of a passionate journey. Kiedis is a man "in love with everything" -- the darkness, the death, the disease. Even his descent into drug addition was a part of that journey, another element that he has transformed into art.
ISBN-13: 9781401301019
ISBN-10: 1401301010
Publication Date: 10/6/2004
Pages: 480
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 13

4 stars, based on 13 ratings
Publisher: Hyperion
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 3
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

daredevilgirl013 avatar reviewed Scar Tissue on + 746 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Alright, just not what I expected. It dealt a lot with sex and drugs (yes I know that's part of the rock and roll life..just didn't expect so much to be in a book) and also featured several nude photographs of women (so please note, do not read this around prying children eyes). I was hoping more for something less racy.
SouthWestZippy avatar reviewed Scar Tissue on + 265 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Very good book. I just can't believe the things he revealed and I also am stunned his has lived through his drug use.
Has some background history of his life before Red Hot Chili Peppers with his Parents. Found this to be very interesting and sheds a lot of light on why he is the way he is.
mizparker avatar reviewed Scar Tissue on + 87 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I read this on the heels of "Tommyland" and anthony Kiedis is about a thousand times brighter and more soulful than Tommy Lee (which may or may not be saying a lot.) This book affects you on an almost visceral level. It's hard to put down, but so dense and packed with emotion that you have to put it down periodically in order to absorb it. It helps to be a Chili Peppers fan, but one certainly wouldn't have to be in order to find Kiedis relatable and inspiring. It made me feel spiritually connected to him; like he was a kindred spirit. Sounds hokey, I know, but it was the first book I'd read about drug addiction that was written as such - it was such a juxtaposition between reading the innermost thoughts of a Kiedis that you love and want to be around, and reading about all of the selfish, terrible things that his addiction was responsible for. Makes it hard to completely hate junkies. Make no mistake though - don't read this expecting for a tell-all of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This is strictly about Anthony Kiedis being a fiend and finding a way to overcome that. The band stuff is incidental to his addiction story. A great read.
reviewed Scar Tissue on + 49 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Very descriptive in his drug abuse and crazy lifestyle. Keidis also describes his work with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and his relationship with bassist/co-founder Flea. Fans of the band will love this book.
jwingler avatar reviewed Scar Tissue on + 17 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I picked this book up on the way to my father's funeral a full years ago. I was stuck in an airport waiting for my connection and although I NEVER pay full price for a book I'm happy I did with this one. It is an amazing book! This one went in my KEEP pile it was so good! Anthony Kiedis' experiences are wonderful and the ghost writer is incredible! If the ghost writer's other works are as good as this one I'd gladly read all of the biographies he's written! I was a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan before reading this book, but after reading it I was so inspired I went out and bought their latest greatest hits cd! Awesome book that I am happy I paid full price for!!! Very racy, very sexy, full of drugs and NO I would not read this book in front of my kids, but that's what makes the book so good!
Read All 16 Book Reviews of "Scar Tissue"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

krichmond avatar reviewed Scar Tissue on + 7 more book reviews
Under all who Anthony Keidis is, there's still just a man under it all. Scar Tissue runs through most of his life, from some early memories until about 2004. It's amazing to see the transformation he has gone through and the effects of life outside of himself has had on him.

From the seemingly non-chalant run ins with other stars throughout his life, to the run ins with drug dealers and other dark spiritual entities, Anthony's heart and soul shines through in this book. The good times, the fascinating upbringing and band life was an amazing read. The hard times of shooting smack and smoking crack were really tough to read. I guess that's just showing his soul through his work... That's how he was feeling as it was going on as well.

This is definately worth picking up. It's pretty expansive, but if you're really interested in knowing Anthony Keidis more personally, you will accomplish that by the end of the book.
rhodapenmark avatar reviewed Scar Tissue on
I really enjoyed this book, warts and all. I am a casual fan of Anthony Kiedis and Red Hot Chili Peppers and mostly listened to them in the late 80's and early 90's, so I wasn't sure how interesting this would be for me. The answer? Very. I've picked up a lot of rock & roll biographies and autobiographies that just didn't catch my interest but this one hooked me from the start and kept my interest all of the way through. It does talk about songs, lyrics, band lineup changes, etc, but because Kiedis is primarily a singer and front man there is not a lot of technical music talk...to me that's a huge plus, as I am not a musician! I liked that very few of the people mentioned were veiled or referred to by different names. It felt very authentic. There was a lot of content some might find disturbing but based on anecdotes I'd heard about Kiedis previously none of it surprised me too much. I finished the book feeling like I "know" a little more about Kiedis and the band, and somehow liking their music more even though the story here is not always appealing. It shed some light on a few songs and lyrics I'd been curious about for years. Definitely worth a read.


Genres: