James Corden welcomed the Red Hot Chili Peppers on June 13 to his eponymous late night talk show for its latest edition of Carpool Karaoke.
Anthony Kiedis, Michael Balzary—aka Flea—Josh Klinghoffer, and Chad Smith all squeezed into Corden’s SUV as they all belted out some of their most famous tunes including “By the Way,” “Can’t Stop,” and “Californication.”
As Corden continued to drive the streets of California, Anthony Kiedis challenged him to a wrestling match.
“There’s a lawn right there,” declared Kiedis. “Let’s wrestle.”
Not one to turn down a challenge, Corden agreed to the battle.
“I‘ll wrestle you anytime you want and I’ll destroy you,” he replied.
Corden then pulled over the SUV to wrestle the six-time Grammy award winner on an unidentified homeowner’s lawn.
With the quick “man wrestle” over—Corden the loser—the men piled into the SUV and continued their journey to Chinatown.
It wasn’t all rough and rumble with Corden and the group. Corden complemented Flea on his talent as a bassist player.
“Flea you are what I consider to be maybe the most committed bass player of all time,” said Corden. “When you’re playing I do not know where you end and the bass guitar begins.”
Flea credits Bob Marley for his commitment to his craft.
“I remember reading a book about Bob Marley when I was a teenager,” he said. “He talks about the only thing that really mattered when you were playing music was the motivation and the intensity and commitment to what you were doing in the moment.”
He added, “I find my greatest purpose in life when I am completely lost in the music.”
The rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1983 also revealed interesting facts, including the most rock and roll moment Smith has experienced (“two guys having a fight with their prosthetic legs”) and Kiedis’s childhood babysitter (Cher).
Things got more “natural” for the group when they disrobed and drove around shirtless.
“You are fans, as a band, of the old ’tops off''” the Tony Awards host said.
“It seems normal. It seems natural,” Kiedis said, adding he felt “encumbered” with his shirt on.
In a united front, Kiedis, Corden, and Flea, whipped off their shirts.
“As soon as I took the top off, it made me feel great!” the host admitted after completing a solo rendition of “The Zephyr Song.”
He added with a laugh, “If I’m in the car on my own with my top off, it feels weird. Somehow the fact that the three of us having our tops off, it feels completely normal!”
Watch the clip above.
