Scar Tissue (autobiography)

Lore & Background

The book follows Kiedis's life from his birth in 1962 to early 2004, delving into his experiences with drug addiction. The title is taken from the Red Hot Chili Peppers single 'Scar Tissue' from the album Californication. Kiedis recounts his first drug experience at age eleven with his father Blackie Dammett, a former drug dealer, and the severe addictions he and bandmate Hillel Slovak developed in the 1980s. After Slovak's death from overdose in 1988, Kiedis writes that he skipped town and missed the funeral, and his drug use worsened.

Reader's Guide

Scar Tissue is significant as a candid rock memoir that chronicles Anthony Kiedis's journey from severe drug addiction to sobriety, offering a raw account of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' early years and personal tragedies. Its commercial success and critical reception—including being named the 15th greatest rock memoir by Rolling Stone Australia in 2020—underscore its cultural impact. The book has been used to inspire recovery, with Kiedis noting its positive effect on readers. Attempts to adapt it into a television series for HBO and later FX were not realized, but a theatrical film adaptation was announced in 2024. The autobiography remains a key document of 1980s and 1990s rock culture and addiction.

Did You Know?

• Kiedis's first drug experience was at age eleven with his father Blackie Dammett.
• Kiedis missed bandmate Hillel Slovak's funeral after his 1988 overdose because he skipped town.
• A theatrical film based on the book was announced by Universal Pictures on January 17, 2024.