00:00Flea, legendary bassist from Alton Dice.
00:04Although his legal name was Montbodin,
00:06his friends, family, and fans will always remember him as Flea,
00:10the renowned bassist of the pop-punk band Judge Nothing.
00:15On October 1st, 2024, Flea passed away in Godfrey.
00:19Flea, an Alton native,
00:21made a name for himself as a musician right away.
00:24As a student at SIUE,
00:26he joined the band Judge Nothing,
00:28and the young musicians went around the country.
00:31They performed live alongside well-known performers
00:34like Joan Jett and Green Day,
00:36and Thick Records released two of their albums.
00:39The band's drummer, Andy Dykman,
00:42recalls Flea as a close friend.
00:44We took a smelly van across the country,
00:46making enough memories and experiences for a lifetime,
00:50according to Dykman.
00:52We also played music.
00:53Our close relationship was maintained
00:56even after our time in the band ended.
00:58Even our dogs and our wives were close friends.
01:01The remaining members of the band were Doug Nothing,
01:04Rob Waggoner, Carlos Huddleston,
01:07Mark Canack, and Brian Leitner.
01:10The musicians maintained their friendship
01:12even as Judge Nothing gained more notoriety.
01:15Their Midwest roots never left them,
01:17and they frequently identified as Rock from Alton, IL.
01:22Dykman grew up traveling with Flea,
01:25and he has many happy memories
01:26of their time spent traveling.
01:28The van smelled like roadies, oil, pickles, rot,
01:32dirty socks, and flatulence, he recalled.
01:36After a late night in Omaha,
01:38he recalls being awakened by blasting bagpipes
01:41played by a member of Beef Curtains,
01:44a wake-up call that Flea managed to stifle.
01:47The band members stayed close friends
01:49even after the group disbanded.
01:51Dykman and Flea both went back to the Riverbend area.
01:55Following his passion for running,
01:56Flea enjoyed training alongside his wife, Lisa,
01:59and their dogs.
02:01He participated in volunteer work
02:03with the Per Marquette Park Cabin Restoration Project
02:06and the Alton Chapter of the Sierra Club.
02:09He spent the rest of his life as a bass player.
02:12Although the rock world is in mourning for Flea,
02:15his legacy will endure in the music of Judge Nothing
02:19and in the recollections of his loved ones.
02:22He was the kindest, gentlest person I have ever encountered.
02:26According to Dykman, he always led a simple life
02:30and found joy in the little things.
02:33Flea, I will miss you so much.
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