Nigel Godrich

In the latest issue of Rolling Stone, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea dropped some interesting news regarding Atoms for Peace, the side project that he, Thom Yorke, Nigel Godrich, Joey Waronker, and Mauro Refosco all were a part of last year.

In 2010, he played bass in Radiohead singer Thom Yorke’s offshoot band Atoms for Peace, doing shows and playing on a forthcoming studio album. Yorke says he asked Flea to join the project “because he plays bass like a lead instrument. But I thought, ‘Why would he want to do this?’ He said he enjoyed the idea of getting involved, but not being responsible for the end product, getting the kicks and walking away.” Yorke laughs. “I can totally understand that.”

Did you catch that?

… and playing on a forthcoming studio album.

Very interesting indeed. Flea goes on to talk about Thom:

Flea is actually a complex bundle of confidence, humility and yearning, a formally trained musician – he started on trumpet – whose aggressive style on bass belies his notion of service. “I want to support them,” he says of his work for Yorke and Patti Smith. “Thom channels such a beautiful thing. I’m like, ‘Let me give everything that I am to him, give him what he needs to float on.’ That freedom thing Thom’s talking about – it’s getting out of the way,” Flea explains. “When you try to control music, you strangle it. I know it’s a hippie thing. But I’m trying to get the energy out, let it go, That’s the gift I have.”

We’ll keep you updated on any further news regarding this forthcoming album. In the meantime, you can read the full Rolling Stone transcript here.

(thanks to Ari)

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