Red Hot Chili Peppers
(Read all about the Chili Peppers after the video)
Red Hot Chili Peppers, also sometimes shortened to The Chili Peppers or abbreviated as RHCP, are an American funk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk rock and psychedelic rock. When played live, their music incorporates elements of jam band due to the improvised nature of much of their performances. Currently, the band consists of founding members vocalist Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea, longtime drummer Chad Smith, and former touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the best-selling bands of all time with over 80 million records sold worldwide, have been nominated for sixteen Grammy Awards, of which they have won six, and are the most successful band in alternative rock radio history, currently holding the records for most number-one singles (13), most cumulative weeks at number one (85) and most top-ten songs (25) on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.[1] In 2012, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The band's original line-up, originally named Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem, featured guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons, alongside Kiedis and Flea. Because of commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band's self-titled debut album (1984). Slovak performed on the second and third albums, Freaky Styley (1985) and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987), but he died from a heroin overdose
in 1988. As a result of his friend's death, Irons chose to leave the
group. After short-lived replacements at guitar and drums, John Frusciante
and Chad Smith joined in 1988. The line-up of Flea, Kiedis, Frusciante,
and Smith was the longest-lasting and recorded five studio albums
beginning with Mother's Milk (1989). In 1990, the group signed with Warner Bros. Records and recorded the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) under producer Rick Rubin.
This album became the band's first commercial success, but Frusciante
grew uncomfortable with it and left abruptly in 1992 in the middle of
the Blood Sugar Sex Magik Tour.
After two temporary guitarists, Dave Navarro joined the group in 1993 and played on their subsequent album, One Hot Minute (1995). Although commercially successful, the album failed to match the critical or popular acclaim of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, selling less than half as much as its predecessor. Navarro was fired from the band in 1998.[2] Frusciante, fresh out of drug rehabilitation, rejoined the band that same year at Flea's request. The reunited quartet returned to the studio to record Californication
(1999), which became the band's biggest commercial success with 16
million copies worldwide. That album was followed three years later by By the Way (2002), and then four years later by the double album Stadium Arcadium
(2006), their first number-one album in America. After a world tour,
the group went on an extended hiatus. Frusciante announced he was
amicably leaving the band in 2009 to focus on his solo career.
Klinghoffer, who had worked both as a sideman for the band on their Stadium Arcadium tour and on Frusciante's solo projects, replaced him. The band's tenth studio album, I'm with You, was released in 2011 and topped the charts in 18 different countries. The band released their eleventh studio album, The Getaway, in 2016. The album was produced by Danger Mouse, marking the first time since 1989's Mother's Milk that the Red Hot Chili Peppers had not worked with Rubin,[3] and topped the charts in ten different countries.
History
Early history (1983–1984)
Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles by singer Anthony Kiedis, guitarist Hillel Slovak, bassist Flea, and drummer Jack Irons, all of whom were classmates from Fairfax High School.[4]
Originally going under the band name of Tony Flow and the Miraculously
Majestic Masters of Mayhem, their first performance was at the Rhythm
Lounge club to a crowd of approximately 30 people, opening for Gary and
Neighbor's Voices.[5] Inspired by punk funk acts like The Contortions and Defunkt,
they "wrote" for the occasion, which involved the band improvising
music while Kiedis rapped a poem he had written called "Out in L.A.".[6] At the time, Slovak and Irons were already committed to another group, What Is This? however, the performance was so lively, that the band was asked to return the following week.[5]
Due to this unexpected success, the band changed its name to Red Hot
Chili Peppers, playing several more shows at various LA clubs and
musical venues. Six songs from these initial shows were on the band's
first demo tape.[7]
In November 1983, manager Lindy Goetz struck a seven-album deal with EMI America and Enigma Records. Two weeks earlier however, What Is This? had also obtained a record deal with MCA.
Slovak and Irons still considered the Red Hot Chili Peppers as only a
side project and so in December 1983 they quit to focus on What Is
This?. Instead of dissolving the band, Kiedis and Flea recruited new
members.[8] Cliff Martinez, a friend of Flea's and member from the punk band, The Weirdos,
was the new replacement for Irons. The band held auditions for a new
guitarist but decided after a few practices that Weirdos guitarist Dix
Denney did not fit. Kiedis described the two final candidates, Mark Nine
and Jack Sherman, respectively as a "hip avant-garde art school refugee" and a nerd looking guy with a combed-back Jewfro with an unknown background. Musically Sherman clicked right away with Flea and Martinez and was hired as Slovak's replacement.[9]
The band released their eponymous debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers on August 10, 1984. Though the album did not set sales records, airplay on college radio and MTV helped to build a fan base,[10] and the album ultimately sold 300,000 copies. Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill,
who produced the album "didn't embrace [the band's] musical aesthetic
or ideology, argued constantly with the band over the record's sound."[11] Kiedis recalled, that "Andy's thing was having a hit at all costs, but it was such a mistake to have an agenda."[12] Despite the misgivings of Kiedis and Flea, Gill pushed the band to play with a cleaner, crisper, more radio-friendly sound.[13]
The band was disappointed in the record's overall sound, feeling it was
overly polished and as if it had "gone through a sterilizing Goody
Two-shoes machine".[14] The album included backing vocals by Gwen Dickey, the singer for the successful 1970s disco funk group Rose Royce.[15]
The band embarked on a grueling tour during which they performed sixty
shows in sixty-four days. During the tour, continuing musical and
lifestyle tension between Kiedis and Sherman complicated the transition
between concert and daily band life.[16] When the tour ended in October 1984, Sherman was fired. Hillel Slovak, who had just quit What Is This?, would re-join the band in early 1985.[17]
Building a following and Slovak's death (1985–1988)
George Clinton produced the next album, Freaky Styley (1985). Clinton combined various elements of punk and funk into the band's repertoire,[18] allowing their music to incorporate a variety of distinct styles. The album featured Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley
on many of the album's tracks. The band often indulged in heavy heroin
use while recording the album, which influenced the lyrics and musical
direction of the album.[19] The band had a much better relationship with Clinton than with Gill,[20] but Freaky Styley,
released on August 16, 1985, also achieved little success, failing to
make an impression on any chart. The subsequent tour was also considered
unproductive by the band.[21][22][23] Despite the lack of success, the band was satisfied with Freaky Styley;
Kiedis reflected, that "it so surpassed anything we thought we could
have done that we were thinking we were on the road to enormity."[24] The band appeared in the 1986 movie Thrashin' (directed by David Winters and starring Josh Brolin) playing the song "Blackeyed Blonde" from Freaky Styley. During this time the band also appeared in the movie Tough Guys starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas performing the song "Set It Straight" at a Los Angeles nightclub.[25]
In spring 1986, the band decided to begin work on their upcoming
album. EMI gave the band a budget of $5,000 to record a demo tape, and
the band chose to work with producer Keith Levene, because he shared the
band's interest in drugs.[26] Levene and Slovak decided to put aside $2,000 of the budget to spend on heroin and cocaine,
which created tension between the band members. Martinez' "heart was no
longer in the band", but he did not quit, so Kiedis and Flea fired him.[27]
After the firing of Martinez in April 1986, original drummer Jack Irons
rejoined the band to Kiedis, Flea, and Slovak's great surprise, which
marked the first time all four founding members were together since
1983. During the recording and subsequent tour of Freaky Styley,
Kiedis and Slovak were dealing with debilitating heroin addictions. Due
to his addiction, Kiedis "didn't have the same drive or desire to come
up with ideas or lyrics" and appeared at rehearsal "literally asleep".[28] Flea, Slovak and Irons informed Kiedis to clean up his drug habit or be fired from the band.
The band won the LA Weekly "Band of the Year Award", which prompted Kiedis to get clean in order to continue making music. Kiedis called his mother in Michigan for guidance and she promptly sent him to drug rehabilitation.[29]
After Kiedis completed his stint in rehab, he felt a "whole new wave of
enthusiasm" due to his sobriety and wrote the lyrics to "Fight Like a Brave" on the plane ride home.[30] After a month away from the band, he rejoined Red Hot Chili Peppers in Los Angeles to record the group's next album, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987).[31] The Chili Peppers attempted to hire Rick Rubin to produce their third album, but he declined. The band eventually hired Michael Beinhorn from the art funk project Material, the band's last choice.[32]
Kiedis sat down with producer Michael Beinhorn to discuss the recording
of the album; Kiedis planned to record the album in ten days and write
the songs during the recording sessions.[33] Songs began to form quickly, and the album took shape, blending the same funk feel and rhythms as Freaky Styley, with a harder, more immediate approach to punk rock.
The album was recorded in the basement of the Capitol Records Building.[34] The recording process for the album was difficult; Kiedis would frequently disappear to seek drugs.[35]
After fifty days of sobriety, Kiedis decided to take drugs again to
celebrate his new music. His drug use "made a mess of the early
recording process", but the band still had an enjoyable time recording
the album.[34]
The band was musically inspired by the return of their original drummer
Jack Irons, who added "such an important and different element to our
chemistry."[36]
Slovak helped Kiedis record his vocals on the album. In between takes,
Slovak would run around the studio out of excitement and say "This is
the most beautiful thing we've ever done."[37]
On September 29, 1987, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan was released, becoming their first album to appear on any chart. Although it peaked at only No. 148 on the Billboard 200,[38]
this was a significant success compared to the first two. During this
period however, Kiedis and Slovak had both developed serious drug
addictions,[39]
often abandoning the band, each other, and their significant others for
days on end. Slovak's addiction led to his death on June 25, 1988, not
long after the conclusion of the Uplift tour.[40] Kiedis fled the city and did not attend Slovak's funeral (referenced in the song "This Is the Place" from 2002's By the Way), considering the situation to be surreal and dreamlike.[41]
After returning to L.A. following his departure after Slovak's death,
Kiedis, Flea, Irons and manager Lindy Goetz had a meeting to figure out
what to do next. Irons decided he had to leave the group, saying that he
did not want to be part of a group where his friends were dying. Irons,
who would battle through years of depression, went on to become a
member of Seattle grunge band Pearl Jam many years later.[42]
With Slovak dead and Irons quitting, Kiedis and Flea debated whether
they should continue making music, but ultimately decided to move ahead,
hoping to continue what Slovak "helped build."[42]
Successful new line-up (1988–1989)
After losing two of the original band members, Flea and Kiedis
started looking for musicians to fill those spots. Shortly after Irons'
departure they chose as Slovak's replacement DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, former member of Parliament-Funkadelic and who at one point briefly filled in for Slovak, when he was temporarily fired. D. H. Peligro of the punk rock outfit Dead Kennedys
replaced Irons. Kiedis and Flea had been friends of Peligro for many
years and even had a joke band together called Three Little Butt Hairs.
With a new lineup set, Kiedis decided to enter rehab to fix his drug
problem. Kiedis entered a rehab facility in Van Nuys
called ASAP. After two weeks into Kiedis' rehab he was taken by his
counselor, Bob Timmons, to finally visit Slovak's grave. Kiedis had no
desire to be there; however, Timmons urged him to talk to Slovak. Within
minutes, Kiedis had opened up and could not stop crying. Thirty days
later, Kiedis left rehab and was ready to resume his career with the
band. Three dates into the tour, McKnight was fired, because the
chemistry was not there with the other three.[43]
McKnight was with the band long enough to record one song, "Blues For
Meister" (also the only recording to feature Peligro), a song sung by
Flea. McKnight was so unhappy about being fired he threatened to burn
down Kiedis' house.[44]
Shortly after McKnight's firing, Peligro introduced Kiedis and Flea to a young teenage guitarist named John Frusciante.
Kiedis actually had met Frusciante a year earlier outside of one of the
band's shows. Frusciante was originally directed to audition for the
band Thelonious Monster,
but Kiedis said that he knew right away that Frusciante would be in his
band. An avid Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, Frusciante was, according to
Flea, "a really talented and knowledgeable musician. He [Frusciante]
knows all the shit I don't know. I basically know nothing about music
theory and he's studied it to death, inside and out. He's a very
disciplined musician—all he cares about are his guitar and his
cigarettes."[45]
Frusciante performed his first show with the band on September 17,
1988. The new lineup immediately began writing music for the next album
and went on a short tour dubbed the Turd Town Tour,
although in November, Kiedis and Flea felt the need to fire drummer
Peligro due to his own drug and alcohol problems. Much like McKnight,
Peligro did not take the news well. Flea stayed in bed for days after
making the decision. Years later, Kiedis said firing Peligro was one of
the toughest things the band ever had to do, although Kiedis became a
major part of Peligro's road to sobriety, which began right after he was
fired.
The Chili Peppers were again without a drummer and were forced to
hold open auditions. Denise Zoom, a friend of the band, suggested Chad Smith,
claiming he was the best drummer she had ever seen. The band agreed to
audition Smith, but he was late and the last drummer to audition. Kiedis
recalled the first time he saw Smith by saying, "I spied this big
lummox walking down the street with a really bad Guns N' Roses
hairdo and clothes that were not screaming I've got style". Smith was a
six-foot three-inch tall drummer who, according to Flea, "lit a fire
under our asses". From the moment they started jamming, Smith and Flea
instantly found chemistry. Smith was a hard-hitting musician with whom
the Chili Peppers believed they would create a strong relationship.
Kiedis said the audition with Smith "left the band in a state of
frenzied laughter, that we couldn't shake out of for a half an hour".
Smith was so much different from the other three. Kiedis, Flea and
Frusciante were heavily influenced by punk rock, whereas Smith's taste
in heavy metal music and his biker appearance contrasted with their punk
rock views. Kiedis informed Smith he would be hired on one condition:
as an initiation to the band, Smith had to cut his long hair. He
refused, though Kiedis was not about to argue with the much larger
Smith.[46] Smith was hired as the band's fourth drummer on December 3, 1988.
Unlike the stop-start sessions for The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987), where Kiedis would frequently disappear to seek drugs, pre-production for Mother's Milk (1989) went smoothly. The band recorded basic tracks during March and early April 1989 at Hully Gully studios in Silver Lake; songs like "Knock Me Down"
were formed from jam sessions without any input from returning producer
Michael Beinhorn while "Sexy Mexican Maid", "Stone Cold Bush" and "Taste the Pain" (which was recorded prior to Smith joining and features Fishbone drummer Philip "Fish" Fisher) were written with Peligro.[47] Although there had been stress and conflict during the recording of other Chili Peppers albums, the Mother's Milk
sessions were especially uncomfortable due to Beinhorn's incessant
desire to create a hit. Frusciante and Kiedis were frustrated with the
producer's attitude.[48] In April 1989, the Chili Peppers embarked on a short tour to break in the new lineup.[47]
Released on August 16, 1989, Mother's Milk peaked at number 52 on the U.S. Billboard 200.[38] The record failed to chart in the United Kingdom and Europe, but climbed to number 33 in Australia.[49] "Knock Me Down" reached number six on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks whereas "Higher Ground" charted at number eleven;[50]
the latter of the two ultimately proved to be more successful, reaching
number fifty-four in the UK and forty-five in Australia and France.[51][52] Mother's Milk was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in late March 1990—it is now certified platinum—and was the first Chili Peppers album to ship over 500,000 units.[53]
Breakthrough, international fame and Frusciante's first departure (1990–1993)
In 1990, after the success of Mother's Milk, the group decided they had had enough of EMI and entered a major label bidding war ultimately signing with Warner Bros. Records
and hired Rick Rubin to produce their then-untitled fifth album. Rubin
would go on to produce five of the band's subsequent studio albums, but
originally turned the band down in 1987 because of Anthony's and
Hillel's drug problems. This time, in 1990, Rubin felt the band was in a
better place and much more focused. The writing process for this album
was far more productive than it had been for Mother's Milk, with Kiedis stating, "[every day], there was new music for me to lyricize".[54]
The band spent six months recording a new album, with long periods of
rehearsal, songwriting, and incubating ideas. However, Rubin was
dissatisfied with a regular recording studio, thinking the band would
work better in a less orthodox setting, believing it would enhance their
creative output. Rubin suggested the mansion magician Harry Houdini
once lived in, to which they agreed. A crew was hired to set up a
recording studio and other equipment required for production in the
house. The band decided that they would remain inside the mansion for
the duration of recording, though according to Kiedis, Smith was
convinced the location was haunted, and refused to stay.[55] He would, instead, come each day by motorcycle.[55][56]
Smith himself disputes this account, and instead claims the real reason
he did not stay at The Mansion was because he wanted to be with his
wife.[57]
Frusciante, however, disagreed with Smith, and said "There are
definitely ghosts in the house," and Frusciante felt they were "very
friendly. We [the band] have nothing but warm vibes and happiness
everywhere we go in this house."[58] Rubin is the current owner of the studio known as The Mansion. During production, the band agreed to let Flea's brother-in-law document the creative process on film.[59] When the album's recording was complete, the Chili Peppers released the film, titled Funky Monks. The band was unable to decide on the title of the album, but to Rubin, one particular song title stuck out: "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Although it was not a featured song, Rubin believed it to be "clearly the best title".[60]
On September 24, 1991, Blood Sugar Sex Magik was released. "Give It Away" was released as the first single; it eventually became one of the band's biggest and most well known songs, winning a Grammy Award in 1992 for "Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal" and became the band's first number one single on the Modern Rock chart[50][61] The ballad "Under the Bridge" was released as a second single, and went on to reach No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[50] the highest the band has reached on that chart as of 2016,[50] and became one of the band's most recognizable songs. Other singles such as "Breaking the Girl" and "Suck My Kiss" also charted well.
The album sold over 12 million copies.[62] Blood Sugar Sex Magik was listed at number 310 on the Rolling Stone magazine list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and in 1992 it rose to No. 3 on the U.S. album charts, almost a year after its release. The band kicked off their Blood Sugar Sex Magik tour which featured Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins, three of that era's biggest up and coming bands in alternative music, as opening acts.
The unexpected success instantly turned Red Hot Chili Peppers into
rock stars. Frusciante was blindsided by his newfound fame, and
struggled to cope with it. Soon after the album's release, he began to
develop a dislike for the band's popularity and personal problems
between Kiedis and Frusciante began to unfold. Kiedis recalled that he
and Frusciante used to get into heated discussions backstage after
concerts: "John would say, 'We're too popular. I don't need to be at
this level of success. I would just be proud to be playing this music in
clubs like you guys were doing two years ago.' "[63]
The final dates with Frusciante were a mess and Frusciante was so
disconnected from the group, often changing the way he played on certain
songs, which further got under Kiedis' skin. Unknown to others,
Frusciante was also starting his own drug habit at the time and was
shutting himself off from everyone except for his girlfriend. Frusciante
abruptly quit the band hours before a show during the Blood Sugar
Japanese tour in May 1992.[4][64] The band reached out to Dave Navarro, who had just split from Jane's Addiction, but who was involved in his own personal drug battles. The group held rehearsals with Zander Schloss, though after a few days they decided he was not the right fit either. Guitarist Arik Marshall, of Los Angeles band Marshall Law, was hired to replace Frusciante and the band headlined the Lollapalooza festival in 1992. Marshall would also appear in the music videos for "Breaking the Girl", "If You Have to Ask" and on The Simpsons fourth-season finale, "Krusty Gets Kancelled".
In September 1992, the Peppers, with Marshall, performed "Give It Away" at the MTV Video Music Awards.
The band was nominated for seven awards including Video of the Year
(which they did not obtain); however, they did manage to win three other
awards, including Viewer's Choice. On February 24, 1993, the band, along with George Clinton & the P.Funk All-Stars and Weapon of Choice, performed "Give It Away" at the Grammy Awards, a song which won the band their first Grammy later that evening. The performance marked the end of the Blood Sugar Sex Magik tour and Marshall's final performance with the band. The band had planned to begin a follow-up to Blood Sugar Sex Magik
with Marshall. However, when it came time to play music, Marshall was
always busy, so the band decided that Marshall failed to fit with their
future plans and he was dismissed.
With Marshall gone, the band decided to hold open auditions (which
they considered a huge mess), but which however did lead to an encounter
with Buckethead.
The band enjoyed his rehearsal even though he claimed to have never
heard of them; Flea felt he did not fit the feel of the band.[65] Still without a guitarist, Kiedis was out one night at a local club and spotted Jesse Tobias of the Los Angeles -based band Mother Tongue.
Kiedis felt like he had the right vibe for the band and he was
recruited to be the new guitarist after a few auditions. However, his
tenure with the band did not last long, with the rest of the band
stating that "the chemistry wasn't right".[66]
It was at this same time that Smith informed the band that Navarro was
now ready to join the band. When offered the spot this time he accepted.[67]
Transitional period (1993–1997)
Navarro first appeared with the band at Woodstock '94. The band opened their set wearing enormous light bulb
costumes attached precariously to chrome metallic suits, making it
near-impossible for them to play their instruments. Navarro hated the
idea but went with it. The performance saw the debut of new songs such
as "Warped", "Aeroplane", and "Pea" although the songs were in the
beginning stages and the lyrics were very different from the final
versions. The band followed up their performance at Woodstock with a
brief tour, which included headlining appearances at the Pukkelpop and Reading Festivals as well two performances as the opening act for The Rolling Stones. According to Kiedis, however, opening for the Stones was a horrible experience.[68]
While externally, the band appeared to be settled, the relationship
between the three established members and Navarro had begun to
deteriorate.[69] His differing musical background made performing difficult as they began playing together,[70]
and continued to be an issue over the next year. Navarro admitted he
did not care for funk music or jamming. Kiedis was also struggling with
his heroin addiction; he had been through a dental procedure in Beverly
Hills, in which an addictive sedative, Valium,
was used; this caused him to relapse, and he once again became
dependent on drugs, although the band would not find this out until
later.[71]
Navarro's joining and Kiedis's continued drug addiction had a
profound effect on the band and the subsequent sound of their next
album, One Hot Minute (1995). With Frusciante no longer present for collaboration, songs were written at a far slower rate.[71]
Working with Frusciante had been something Kiedis took for granted:
"John had been a true anomaly when it came to song writing. He made it
even easier than Hillel to create music, even though I'd known Hillel
for years. I just figured that was how all guitar players were, that you
showed them your lyrics and sang a little bit and the next thing you
knew you had a song. That didn't happen right off the bat with Dave."[71]
To compensate, Kiedis and bassist Flea took several vacations together,
during which entire songs were conceived and with Kiedis often absent
from recording due to his drug problems or struggling to come up with
lyrics, Flea took a much bigger role in the writing process; coming up
with ideas for many songs including full lyrics and even singing lead on
his own song, "Pea".
Navarro's only album with the band was One Hot Minute,
released on September 12, 1995 after many delays and setbacks. Navarro's
guitar work had created a stylistic departure in the band's sound,
which was now characterized by prominent use of heavy metal guitar riffs
and hints of psychedelic rock.[72]
The band described the album as a darker, sadder record compared to
their previous material, which was not as universally well-received as Blood Sugar Sex Magik.[70] Many of the lyrics written by Kiedis were drug-related, including the lead single, "Warped,"
which left Kiedis stunned that nobody else in the band picked up on his
lyrics that he was using again. Broken relationships and deaths of
friends and family also played a major role in the album's darker tone
and lyrics. The ballad, "Tearjerker," was written about Kurt Cobain, while "Transcending", which was written by Flea, was about longtime friend, River Phoenix; and the single "Shallow Be Thy Game" took shots at religion. Despite mixed reviews, the album was a commercial success. Selling eight million copies worldwide,[73] it spawned the band's third No. 1 single, the ballad "My Friends", and enjoyed chart success with the songs "Warped" and "Aeroplane". This iteration of the band appeared on several soundtracks. "I Found Out", a John Lennon cover, was featured on Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon. The Ohio Players cover, "Love Rollercoaster", was featured on the Beavis and Butthead Do America soundtrack, and was released as a single.
The band began its tour for One Hot Minute in Europe on
September 27, 1995 and played 16 shows. A US tour was to follow but was
postponed after Chad Smith broke his wrist. The band considered carrying
on with the tour even at one point considering Jack Irons as a
replacement for Smith but there just was not enough time to rehearse
with anyone new and the dates were rescheduled for early 1996. The band
spent most of 1996 playing shows in the United States and Europe. By
1997, for the first time, the band cancelled many shows. Most of this
was again due to problems within the band. Flea at that point was
exhausted, tired of playing the same songs each night and was seriously
talking about quitting the band while Kiedis had recently been involved
in a motorcycle accident which left one arm in a sling and created yet
another drug relapse due to his use of painkillers. Even Navarro was
back to using drugs. 1997 saw the band playing just one show. This was
at the very first Fuji Rock Festival
on July 26, 1997. A massive typhoon hit that day but the band played
anyway. They played through an 8-song set before having to cut the show
short due to the storm. This would be the final show with Navarro and
due to Flea's previous comments left many speculating if it was the end
of the band.
After making attempts to carry on with Navarro and record a follow-up to One Hot Minute,
things were not working out, and due to Navarro's drug problems and
lack of effort in wanting to create new music and chemistry on the road,
the band felt it was time to part ways. In April 1998 it was announced
that Navarro had left the band due to creative differences; Kiedis
stated that the decision was "mutual".[74]
Reports at the time, however, indicated Navarro's departure came after
he attended a band practice under the influence of drugs, which at one
point involved him falling backwards over his own amp.[73]
Return of Frusciante and new-found popularity (1998–2001)
In
the years following his departure from the band, it became public that
John Frusciante had developed a heroin addiction, which left him in
poverty and near death.[75]
Frusciante had lost contact with most of his friends. However, Flea
always remained in contact, and he helped talk Frusciante into admitting
himself to Las Encinas Drug Rehabilitation Center in January 1998.[76][77] He concluded the process in February of that year and began renting a small apartment in Silver Lake.[78]
He acquired many injuries and problems in the years of his addiction,
some requiring surgery, including permanent scarring on his arms, a
restructured nose, and an oral infection, which led to his teeth being
removed and replaced with dental implants.[79][80]
After Navarro's departure in early 1998, Red Hot Chili Peppers were
on the verge of breaking up. Flea told Kiedis, "the only way I could
imagine carrying on [with Red Hot Chili Peppers] is if we got John back
in the band."[81]
Kiedis was surprised and thought there was no way Frusciante would ever
want to work with him as the two still had unresolved personal problems
from when Frusciante quit in 1992. With Frusciante free of his
addictions and ailments, Kiedis and Flea thought it was an appropriate
time to invite him back. In April 1998, when Flea visited him at his
home and asked him to rejoin the band, Frusciante began sobbing and said
"nothing would make me happier in the world."[78][82]
Flea decided to contact Anthony and have him meet with John to try and
resolve any personal problems that the two might have had. Flea was
relieved to find out that both had no bad blood towards each other and
were once again excited to make music together. Within the week and, for
the first time in six years, the reunited foursome jump-started the
newly reunited Red Hot Chili Peppers.[83] Anthony Kiedis said of the situation:[84]
"For me, that was the defining moment of what would become the next six
years of our lives together. That was when I knew that this was the
real deal, that the magic was about to happen again. Suddenly we could
all hear, we could all listen, and instead of being caught up in our
finite little balls of bullshit, we could all become players in that
great universal orchestra again."[83]
Despite the band's elation, Frusciante was both mentally and
physically torn. Frusciante had not played with the band since his
departure and other than his solo albums had not picked up a guitar in
years. He had lost his guitars in a house fire from which he barely
escaped,[75]
and experienced a difficult time resuming his prior life. Nonetheless,
the group began jamming in Flea's garage and it did not take long for
Frusciante to regain his talent; new songs began to roll out.
Frusciante's return restored a key component of the Chili Peppers'
sound, as well as a healthy morale. He brought with him his deep
devotion to music, which affected the band's recording style during the
sessions which produced their next album.[85] Frusciante has frequently stated that his work on Californication was his favorite.[85] On June 8, 1999, after more than a year of production and meticulous practice, Californication
was released as the band's seventh studio album. The album ultimately
sold over 16 million copies and became the band's most successful
recording to date.[86] Californication
contained fewer rap-driven songs than its predecessors, instead
integrating textured, consistent, and melodic guitar riffs, vocals and
bass-lines.[87] The record produced three more number one modern rock hits, "Scar Tissue", "Otherside" and "Californication".[50] Californication gained positive critical acceptance in contrast to its less popular predecessor, One Hot Minute, and was a greater success worldwide.[87]
While many critics credited the success of the album to Frusciante's
return, they also noted that Kiedis' vocals had also greatly improved.[88] It was later listed at number 399 on the Rolling Stone magazine list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
In July 1999, as part of the band's two-year-long international world tour in support of their new album, Red Hot Chili Peppers played at Woodstock 1999, which became infamous for the violence that resulted.[4][89] Some 10 minutes before the show, they were asked by Jimi Hendrix's
stepsister to play a cover of her brother's songs. After some
hesitation due to not having performed the song in years, the band
decided to play his classic "Fire", which they had covered on Mother's Milk.
Coincidentally, about two thirds of the way into the band's set, the
closing set of the three-day concert, a small fire escalated into
full-fledged vandalism and resulted in the intervention of riot control
squads.[90]
The disruption escalated into violence when nearby property including
ATMs and several semi-tractor trailers were looted and destroyed.[91][92]
Kiedis felt that "It was clear that this situation had nothing to do
with Woodstock anymore. It wasn't symbolic of peace and love, but of
greed and cashing in ... We woke up to papers and radio stations
vilifying us for playing 'Fire'."[93] The tour also originated the band's first concert DVD, 2001's Off the Map.[94]
Continued success (2001–2007)
The writing and formation of the band's next album, By the Way began immediately following the culmination of Californication's world tour, in spring 2001. As with Californication, much of the creation took place in the band members' homes, and other locations of practice, such as a recording studio stage.[95]
Kiedis recalled of the situation: "We started finding some magic and
some music and some riffs and some rhythms and some jams and some
grooves, and we added to it and subtracted from it and pushed it around
and put melodies to it."[95] Frusciante and Kiedis would collaborate for days straight, discussing and sharing guitar progressions and lyrics.[96] For Kiedis, "writing By the Way ... was a whole different experience from Californication. John was back to himself and brimming with confidence."[95]
Before recording By the Way (2002), the Chili Peppers decided that they would again have Rick Rubin produce the album.[97]
In the past, Rubin had given the band creative freedom on their
recording material; this was something they thought essential for the
album to be unique, and could only occur with his return.[98]
Originally the album was headed in a much different direction than the
final production. The album started out as a group of fast, hardcore
punk songs, which Rubin rejected. Frusciante also wanted a darker, 1980s
UK pop/new wave sound mixed in with 1980s hardcore. The recording
process was tough for Flea, who felt like an outsider in the band and
that his role was being diminished due to a musical power struggle with
Frusciante.[99] Flea wanted to create more funk-inspired songs, while Frusciante felt that the band had overused their funk side.[99] Flea considered quitting the band after the album, but the two eventually worked out all their problems.[100]
By the Way was released on July 9, 2002 and produced four singles; "By the Way", "The Zephyr Song", "Can't Stop" and "Universally Speaking".
The album was their most subdued album to date, focusing primarily on
melodic ballads as opposed to their classic rap-driven funk. Frusciante
also concentrated on a more layered texture on many of the songs, often
adding keyboard parts, that featured low in the mix, and also writing
string arrangements for songs such as "Midnight" and "Minor Thing".[101] The album was followed by an eighteen month-long world tour.[102] The European leg of the By the Way tour produced the band's second full-length concert DVD, Live at Slane Castle, recorded at Slane Castle in Ireland on August 23, 2003. The band released their first full-length live album, Live in Hyde Park; recorded during their performances in Hyde Park, London.[103] More than 258,000 fans paid over $17,100,000 for tickets over three nights, a 2004 record; the event ranked No. 1 on Billboard's Top Concert Boxscores of 2004.[104]
In November 2003, the Chili Peppers released their Greatest Hits album, which featured two new songs, "Fortune Faded" and "Save the Population".[105] The two songs were selected out of sessions that generated fifteen tracks[106]
and Smith later said the band had hopes to use along with new
compositions to create a full album after finishing the tour, but the
idea was vetoed by Frusciante because his musical influences and styles
had evolved and he wanted to do something new.[107]
In 2006 the band released the Grammy award-winning Stadium Arcadium
produced by Rick Rubin. Although 38 songs were created with the
intention of being released as three separate albums spaced six months
apart,[108]
the band instead chose to release a 28-track double album, and released
nine of the ten as B–sides. It was their first album to debut at No. 1
on the US charts, where it stayed for two weeks, and debuted at number
one in the UK and 25 other countries. Stadium Arcadium sold over seven million units.[109]
The record's first single, "Dani California", was the band's fastest-selling single, debuting on top of the Modern Rock chart in the U.S., peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reaching No. 2 in the UK. "Tell Me Baby", released next, also topped the charts in 2006. "Snow ((Hey Oh))"
was released in late 2006, breaking multiple records by 2007. The song
became their eleventh number one single, giving the band a cumulative
total of 81 weeks at number one. It was also the first time three
consecutive singles by the band made it to number one. "Desecration Smile" was released internationally in February 2007 and reached number 27 on the UK charts. "Hump de Bump"
was planned to be the next single for the US, Canada, and Australia
only, but due to positive feedback from the music video, it was released
as a worldwide single in May 2007.[citation needed]
The band began another world tour in support of Stadium Arcadium
in 2006, beginning with promotional concerts in Europe and culminating
in a two-month-long European tour from late May to mid-July. During this
tour Frusciante's friend and frequent musical collaborator Josh Klinghoffer
joined the touring band, contributing guitar parts, back up vocals, and
keyboards. Klinghoffer's presence allowed the live performances of
songs to sound more like the recorded versions, in which Frusciante laid
down multiple tracks himself. The group toured North America from early
August to early November, returning to Europe later in November for a
second leg, that ran until mid-December. The Chili Peppers began 2007
with a second North American leg, this time including Mexico, from
mid-January to mid-March. This was followed by April shows in various
cities in Australia and New Zealand and concerts in Japan in early June.
The Peppers concluded their tour with a third European leg from late
June to late August. They appeared at the Live Earth concert at London's Wembley Stadium on July 7, 2007. The band appeared at several festivals, including Denmarks Roskilde festival, Ireland's Oxegen in July 2006, Lollapalooza in August 2006 in Grant Park, Chicago, a subsequent set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California in late April 2007 and in August 2007 they appeared as one of three headliners at the Reading and Leeds festivals along with Razorlight and Smashing Pumpkins.
In February 2007, Stadium Arcadium won five Grammys: Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song ("Dani California"), Best Rock Performance by a Duo Or Group With Vocal ("Dani California"), Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package, and Best Producer (Rick Rubin).[61] Rolling Stone's '100 Best Albums of the Decade (2000–2009)' included Stadium Arcadium at No. 74.
Hiatus and Frusciante's second departure (2008–2009)
Following the last leg of the Stadium Arcadium tour,
the band members took an extended break. Kiedis attributed this to the
band being worn out from their years of nonstop work since Californication (1999). The band's only recording during this time was in 2008 with George Clinton on his latest album George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love. Accompanied by Kim Manning, the band recorded a new version of Shirley and Lee's classic "Let the Good Times Roll". The song would become the last song the band would record with Frusciante.[110]
Kiedis, who had recently become a father, was looking forward to the
time off and taking care of his son Everly Bear and possibly creating a
short television series called Spider and Son,[111] which was set to recap his autobiography. Flea began taking music theory classes at the University of Southern California, and revealed plans to release a mainly instrumental solo record, that was being recorded in his home; guest musicians include Patti Smith and a choir from the Silverlake Conservatory.[112] Flea also joined Thom Yorke of Radiohead in the supergroup Atoms for Peace.[113] Frusciante continued his solo career and released his solo album, The Empyrean.[114] Chad Smith worked with Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony in the supergroup Chickenfoot, as well as on his solo project, Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats.[115] The band planned to remain on hiatus for "a minimum of one year".
In October 2009 the band officially ended their hiatus and minus
Frusciante, entered the studio to begin writing for their tenth studio
album. The band was joined by Josh Klinghoffer, who to the public was
still the band's backup touring guitarist, although it was later
confirmed, that he was already an official member and Frusciante's
replacement with Frusciante having quit the band on July 29, 2009. An
official announcement on Frusciante's departure wasn't made until
December 2009.[116]
Frusciante explained on his MySpace page, that there was no drama or
anger about him leaving the band this time, and that the other members
were very supportive and understanding. Frusciante said he felt his
musical interests had led him in a different direction, and that he
needed to fully focus his efforts on his solo career.[117]
Klinghoffer replaces Frusciante and I'm with You (2010–2014)
The band, with Josh Klinghoffer on guitar, made their live comeback on January 29, 2010, paying tribute to Neil Young with a cover of "A Man Needs a Maid"
at MusiCares. After months of speculation, in February 2010 Klinghoffer
was officially confirmed by Chad Smith as Frusciante's full-time
replacement.[118]
The band officially began recording their tenth studio album with producer Rick Rubin in September 2010. According to Rubin, the band recorded enough material to release a second double album, following Stadium Arcadium
but ultimately decided not to. Rubin notes, "it was painful not to
share all of the material that we had, but we felt it would be too much.
We really wanted it to be twelve songs but it ended up being fourteen
just because nobody could agree on which twelve." The recording process
lasted until March 2011. Many of the songs were written between October
2009 and August 2010 and according to Flea around 60–70 songs were
written in the ten months prior to entering the studio to record the
album.[119]
In July 2011, the band kicked off a trio of invitation-only warm-up
dates in California. These were the first shows the band played since
August 2007 and their first official shows with Josh as their lead
guitarist.[120][121]
I'm with You,
the band's tenth studio album was released in the United States in
August 2011. The album topped the charts in 18 different countries
although failed to provide the band with their second straight number
one debut in the U.S. The album was met with mostly positive reviews
from the critics. The album's first single, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" was released a month earlier and went on to become the band's twelfth number one hit single, topping their own record. Kreayshawn
was tapped to direct the music video for the single, however due to
unknown reasons, the video shot by Kreayshawn went unreleased and a
second video directed by Marc Klasfeld was released in its place.[122][123] "Monarchy of Roses", "Look Around" and "Did I Let You Know", released only in Brazil, followed as singles/music videos. "Brendan's Death Song" would be the next single and released during the summer of 2012.[124]
The band kicked off a monthlong promotional tour in August 2011
starting in Asia. On August 30, 2011, the band appeared on movie screens
throughout the world via satellite from Cologne, Germany performing the
entire new album in sequence, minus "Even You Brutus" and adding "Give
It Away" and "Me and My Friends".[125] The band officially kicked off the I'm with You Tour on September 11, 2011, the next day, on September 12, they played in Costa Rica. On December 31, 2011 the band was hired by Roman Abramovich for a reported £5m to perform at his New Year's Eve celebration at his estate on the Caribbean island of St Bart's, and the show included a special appearance from Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals as they played a rendition of "Louie Louie" together.[126][127]
The tour lasted into 2013 and was one of the band's biggest to date.
All shows from the upcoming world tour were made available to purchase
as downloads through LiveChiliPeppers.com.[128]
The North American leg of the tour, which was expected to begin on
January 19, 2012, had to be postponed due to a surgery Kiedis went to
resolve multiple foot injuries he had suffered through since the Stadium
Arcadium tour. The first U.S. leg of the tour, including dates in
Canada, kicked off in March 2012 and lasted into June, followed by
summer shows in Europe, while the rest of the already scheduled U.S.
dates took place in August and then from September through November
2012. Jack Irons and Cliff Martinez again joined the band during their
August 12, 2012 performance of "Give it Away" in Los Angeles.[129] Following the I'm with You World Tour, the band set out on another small tour consisting mostly of festivals in the United States however the tour expanded to dates in South America as well for November. Flea along with Chili Peppers touring percussionist, Mauro Refosco spent the band's break keeping busy with their side-project Atoms For Peace, who had many dates throughout the world scheduled from July to November 2013.
The band was nominated for two MTV Europe Music Awards for Best Rock Band and Best Live Artist[130] and nominated for Best Group at the 2012 People's Choice Awards[131] I'm with You was also nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album.[132]
The band released 2011 Live EP
on March 29, 2012. The EP a free five live song MP3 download through
their website. The five songs were selected by Chad Smith from the
band's 2011 European live albums, which were released for purchase
through their website as well. On April 14, 2012, the band was inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. May 1, 2012 saw the release of digital download only Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Covers EP,
which consisted of previously released studio and live covers of
artists that influenced the band. In addition to their newly released
live performances, starting in August 2012, the band started to put out a
collection of singles from the I'm With You Sessions.
The singles, which contained two songs each and total 17 songs were
made available on 7-inch vinyl, digital download and CD. All of the
singles were eventually released together as I'm Beside You LP on November 29, 2013 as a Record Store Day exclusive.
The band finished the I'm with You Tour in April 2013. The
tour ranked 15th on Billboard 's "Top 25 Tours" list of 2012. Following
the end of that tour, the band headed right back out on the road the
next month for another lengthy tour which included their first ever shows in Alaska, Paraguay, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.
The Chili Peppers joined Bruno Mars as performers at the Super Bowl XLVIII
halftime show on February 2, 2014, to which a record 115.3 million
viewers tuned in. The band's performance was met with mixed reviews from
fans, the media, and even musicians towards Flea and Klinghoffer for
performing to pre-recorded music; Flea responded that it was a NFL
rule for bands to pre-record music due to time and technical issues,
and that the band agreed because it was a once in a lifetime
opportunity. He said Kiedis' vocals were completely live and the band
pre-recorded "Give it Away" during rehearsals.[133]
In June 2014 the band wrapped up their tour
which began in May 2013; since September 2011 they had played 158 shows
on their two tours, the longest span of touring in their history
without a real break. 2012-13 Live EP was released on July 1, 2014 through their website as a free download. Like the 2011 Live EP, five songs were selected by Chad Smith from the band's tour as a way to announce the official conclusion of the tour.
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