Hands down one of the best books I've ever read. So raw and open. Absolutely brilliant.

Second read (May 1st, 2018):
Done, again.
I can't say I'm a fan of the ending, and I can't say I'm a fan of the countless relapses that one must read about. Despite those things however, this book is very interesting and never fails to bring me back to my RHCP phase. No shame.

Third read (November 9th, 2021):
Oddly enough, I'd compare my rereading of this book to my rereading of Lolita. I know that must seem like a strange statement, but I can explain.
The first time I ever read Scar Tissue, I was 13 and had just discovered the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I was enthralled by their music and their stories, so I had to buy and read this book immediately of course. I did - and I saw no problems with it. I remember really enjoying it and finding Anthony Kiedis to be an inspiration.
Just like with Lolita, I'm back again and I'm a little older and a little wiser. Some of my 13-year-old naivety has worn off.
I found that rereading Scar Tissue was not at all how I remembered it. It was almost like reading an entirely new book, I remembered so little. Of course, Anthony's teenage hijinks, journey to sobriety and behind-the-scenes looks at the Chili Peppers were still charming. I still have an admiration for this band - their music, their energy, their story. However, my view of Anthony has shifted upon rereading this book as an adult. Prior to this time, I never even considered the amount of relationships Anthony has had with underage or significantly younger girls to be wrong. Sometimes the way he described them in here .... really didn't sit well with me, actually. I was shocked to discover how much of that I had forgotten.
It's hard for me to believe that 13-year-old me was so accepting of this. But like I said, it's like Lolita - I was so young and naive that I absolutely romanticized this behavior.
I also found that Anthony was actually a little bit conceited. He seems to glorify himself quite a bit in here, (which as a lead singer, should be expected) and I was a little off-put by that as well. I didn't seem to notice this the first or second time around either.
Overall, it's difficult for me to rate this book negatively. I still love the Red Hot Chili Peppers and so badly want to consider myself a fan of them. Although I don't agree with a bit of the behavior exemplified in this book, I want to overlook it just to appreciate the artistry and talent that is Anthony Kiedis.
I guess I'll end this with a question - can we separate the artist from their art? In this case, I'd like to think so.

I've read several rock memoirs, but this is far and away my favorite. Kiedis doesn't just tell us what happened, but he speaks from the heart and relives it. There is a humility in his story, from someone who has been at the top of the world but knows it could come crashing down at any minute, and often did.

Kiedis does not tell us his story so that we'll feel sorry for him. It isn't out of arrogance or egotism that he shares his experiences with the Hollywood scene, the music business, and drug addiction. No, this is a way that he can pay it forward, embracing all of his experiences (good and bad) and live as an example. He's not preachy in his dislike of addiction. He's not judgmental of those that haven't beaten it. Rather, he lives by example, embracing life and everything it has to offer. What better inspiration could someone have to get clean and make the most of what they have in life?

I was personally touched by this book. Not due to drug addiction - I've never had to experience that. I was a smoker, so I do understand some of the ways that an addiction can mind-fuck a person, but that's not even close to the levels of Hell that Kiedis and others have had to go through. No, I felt connected because of the way Kiedis is always looking forward. He learned (and learns) from experiences, and doesn't spend a lot of time beating himself up about it. Learn and build on the experiences, sharing what you can with those around you. That's the outlook he takes on life and the issues it presents.

I am pretty sure Anthony Kiedis had a relationship with Flea which he does not describe and he had plenty of pages on which he could have, too many pages.

Truth: The Chili Pepps will forever be one of the greatest musical inspirations in my life. That said, in many ways, I found AK’s storytelling absolutely abhorrent, and often times just plain boring. I’m sure he’s a different person now from who he was in 2004, when this book was published. Thankfully, today people around the globe have the vantage points of various important movements, such as MeToo, BLM, and LGBTQ+. However, I just can’t stand by his boastful attitudes regarding sex with minors, his white-male-saviorisms, his perpetual objectification of women’s bodies, and his tactless use of the “R word”.

On the other hand, as a reader who grew up in home situations of severe alcoholism and horrible abuse, I concede there is merit in this book as an honest, raw depiction of the ongoing sickness and disease of addiction. Especially towards the end when he talks about the cycles of addiction and how other non-drug related behaviors can send addicts into dark spirals (e.g., his on again, off again relationships with women). For that reason, I gave this book two stars.

I have a rule to never quit in the middle of a book. I almost broke it while reading this one. I felt like the editor should write an apology for letting Anthony Keidis go on for about 100 pages more than he should've been allowed. It was bad.

Was a good and interesting read but felt I couldn’t devour a lot in one sitting. He had a unique up-bringing and introduction into life but the overall story of the Red Hot Peppers was not what I thought it was.
Towards the end of the book it became tedious and I was starting to get over reading about drug binges, relapses, getting better felt very repetitive.
Despite this it was an fascinating read.

I'm not a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, nor I became one after having heard this audiobook. Nevertheless, this was probably one of the most enjoyable artist memoirs I have ever read (if not the most enjoyable one). First of all, it is really well written and keeps the reader engaged all along. Secondly, Anthony Kiedis is rather honest about himself and respectful towards the people around him, which makes the book even more interesting. And finally, the book had a plot and an engine. Despite going through the bands musical journey, starting from the very beginnings, in the end the book is about addiction and the ways to overcome it. As a "normie" (as Kiedis himself calls those who never had any addiction), you gain a better understanding of what it means to be a drug addict. And somehow in the end you only admire the wisdom Kiedis has acquired through his addiction journey and his path to sobriety.

"Scar Tissue" is also a nice throwback to the 90s with some stories about other bands and artists like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Sinead O'Connor. So if you're into 90s music, this book is for you.

A fascinating story about a guy that I didn't know anything about until I read this book. He had the most interesting childhood I've ever heard of. He was hanging out with Keith Moon when he went to his dad's bar, and he was baby sat by Sonny and Cher. Talk about the odds of having that happen to you. It shows you how less conservative everything was back in the 70s where a kid could hang out in a bar at night. He was neglected by his dad but it allowed him to have lots of experiences and develop his personality. He was pretty much on the loose after the time he was 12 years old. The book lets you see what drug addiction is like from the perspective of the addict. It's amazing how little control he had over his life during that time. The story of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and their formation really helped me see their music in a new light. They were truly authentic at the beginning and they made their own sound and didn't try to be like any band. It really got me interested in their first 4 albums again. When you know the story behind a band it helps you appreciate their music so much more.

Mans has lived a wild life

So, where do I start? A realllllyyyyyy complicated process of reading this book, I really made up variuos reason how to escape "The Scar Tissue", that's why I read it for a really long time for me, 9 days, ouch! But, you know, the last 10 pages really worked for me. I dunno how to explain, maybe it's the Tony Kiedis charm or his Lithuanian roots, but I truly felt the change of him, the more mature and responsible version of him. But let's start from the beginning...
So, it doesn't matter how cool, high or sexy you think you are, you will never reach the level of Anthony Kiedis, in a bad meaning mostly. That's the theme of this book for me.
What really pissed me off while reading, is that I couldn't find the narrative structure. Let's say this book was a REALLY long picaresque: I did this; then I did that; then this; then that; oh, and repeat it. This is really the worst aspect of this book. Oh bro, it's about the Peppers! It should represent them in the best way! They write, sing and perform fascinating music, I, myself, am not a real fan of them, but I like them, I sometimes listen to their songs. I can compare this book to a really untasty candy, which has a yummy filling, but too small to get me high.
The untasty piece:
The story of a primitive drug addict who, lucky to him, is in a successful band and can’t keep your interest till the end of the book: it just becomes monotonous. All insane drug usage, clueless relationships with teenagers and women and pointless abstinence make a mess and leave an unpleasant taste, which lasts for the biggest part of the book for me.
The tasty piece:
While showing himself as a selfish, unkind and destructive person in the past, Anthony Kiedis still managed to turn into a kind, generous and lovable character (I don't say "man", 'cause there's a possibility that this book can be just too good to be true ). It just left a good feeling inside me, when I finished reading this book.
All in all, it is an interesting story about a great band and its leader, but Anthony Kiedis didn't suit me as the best choice to present it.
But anyway

I really think Anthony Kiedis is a sweetheart. Every single girl he sleeps with & writes about in this book is called some variation of a magical-pixie-angel-sex goddess-special unicorn-rainbow-fairie, and it gets to be a bit endearing. He's like this big loaf, a dumb jock, who just happens to write catchy, stupid (stupid catchy?) songs. It's amazing he's still alive & looks so great, all things considered. The more interesting story in this autobio is that of John Frusciante - when is HE gonna write his memoirs?