Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The band's current line-up consists of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Michael "Flea" Balzary (bass), Chad Smith (drums), and Josh Klinghoffer (guitar). The group's musical style has fused traditional funk with elements of other genres, including punk and psychedelic rock.
The group's original line-up featured guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Slovak died of a heroin overdose in 1988, resulting in Irons's departure. Former Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro briefly replaced Irons before the band found a permanent replacement in Smith. Guitarist John Frusciante replaced Slovak. This line-up recorded the band's fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth albums, Mother's Milk (1989), Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991), Californication (1999), By the Way (2002), and Stadium Arcadium (2006).
Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the group's first commercial success, has sold over thirteen million copies. Frusciante grew uncomfortable with the success of the band and left abruptly in 1992, in the middle of the album tour. His use of heroin increased. After recruiting guitarist Arik Marshall to complete the tour, Kiedis, Flea, and Smith employed Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction for 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 well as its predecessor. Navarro left the band shortly after the album's release. Frusciante, fresh out of drug rehabilitation, rejoined the band in 1998 at Flea's request. The reunited quartet returned to the studio to record Californication (1999), which sold fifteen million copies - the band's most commercially successful album. That album was followed three years later by By the Way (2002), which was also successful. In 2006, the group released the double album Stadium Arcadium, 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 to focus on his solo career. Josh Klinghoffer, who had worked both as a sideman for the band and on Frusciante's solo projects, joined as lead guitarist.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have won 7 Grammy Awards. The band has sold over 60 million albums worldwide, charting eight singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 (including three in the Top 10), five number one singles on the Mainstream Rock charts, and a record of eleven number one singles on the Modern Rock charts.
History
Early History
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed by Anthony Kiedis, Hillel Slovak, Flea, and Jack Irons while they attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, U.S.A. Originally under the moniker of Tony Flow & the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem, their first performance was at the Rhythm Lounge to a crowd of approximately thirty people, opening for Gary and Neighbor's Voices. They "wrote" for the occasion, which involved the band improvising music while Kiedis rapped a poem he had written called "Out in L.A.". Since Slovak and Irons were already committed to another group, What Is This?, it was intended to be a one–time performance. However, the performance was so lively that the band was asked to return the following week. Due to this unexpected success, the band changed its name to The 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.
Several months after their first performance Red Hot Chili Peppers was noticed by EMI and signed with the record label. Two weeks earlier, What Is This? had also obtained a record deal but with MCA. Slovak and Irons still considered the Red Hot Chili Peppers as only a side project and so they quit to focus on What Is This? Instead of dissolving the band, Kiedis and Flea recruited new members. Cliff Martinez, a friend of Flea's, joined shortly thereafter. The band held auditions for a new guitarist and Jack Sherman was selected.
Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill produced the first album. Gill, who "didn't embrace [the band's] musical aesthetic or ideology," argued constantly with the the band over the record's sound. Kiedis recalled that "Andy's thing was having a hit at all costs, but it was such a mistake to have an agenda." Despite the misgivings of Kiedis and Flea, Gill pushed the band to play with a cleaner, crisper, more radio-friendly sound. Their eponymous debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers was released on August 10, 1984. Though the album did not set sales records, airplay on college radio and MTV helped to build a fan base, and the album ultimately sold 300,000 copies. However, 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". During the ensuing tour, continuing musical and lifestyle tension between Kiedis and Sherman complicated the transition between concert and daily band life. Sherman was fired soon after, with Slovak returning to the Chili Peppers after growing tired of What is This?.
Freaky Styley and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1985–88)
George Clinton produced the next album, Freaky Styley. Clinton combined various elements of punk and funk into the band's repertoire, allowing their music to incorporate a variety of distinct styles. The band often indulged in heavy cocaine use while recording the album, which influenced the lyrics and musical direction of the album. The band had a much better relationship with Clinton than with Gill, 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. 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." The band appeared in the 1986 movie Thrashin' 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.In the spring of 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. 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. After the firing of Martinez, 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 same the drive or desire to come up with ideas or lyrics" and appeared at rehearsal "literally asleep". He was briefly kicked out of the band after the tour, and given a month to rehabilitate. While he was gone from the band, the band won the LA Weekly "Band of the Year Award" which prompted Kiedis to get clean. He called his mother in Michigan for guidance, who sent him to drug rehabilitation. 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. He rejoined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Los Angeles to record the group's next album, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan. The Chili Peppers attempted to hire Rick Rubin to produce their third album, but he declined. The band eventually hired Michael Beinhorn, the band's last choice. 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. 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. The recording process for the album was difficult; Kiedis would frequently disappear to seek drugs. 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. 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." 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."
On September 29, 1987, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan was released, becoming the first album to appear on any chart. Although it peaked at only #148 on the Billboard Hot 200, this was a significant success compared to the first two. During this period, however, Kiedis and Slovak had both developed serious drug addictions, 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. Kiedis fled the city and did not attend Slovak's funeral, considering the situation to be surreal and dreamlike. Irons subsequently left the group, saying that he did not want to be part of a group where his friends were dying. Irons went on to become a member of Seattle grunge band Pearl Jam; however in 1998, he quit, dissatisfied with touring. Kiedis and Flea debated whether they should continue making music, but ultimately decided to move ahead, hoping to continue what Slovak "helped build".Mother's Milk (1989–90)
Three weeks prior to the beginning of recording, the band was still without a drummer. Philip "Fish" Fisher from fellow LA based Punk-Funk band Fishbone briefly joined the band and is featured on the track "Taste the Pain". Eventually, a friend of the band told them about a drummer she knew, Chad Smith, who was so proficient on the drums he "ate [them] for breakfast". Kiedis had qualms about allowing Smith to try out; however, he agreed to give him a chance. At his audition, Smith overwhelmed the band by not only matching Flea's intricate and complex rhythm, but even beginning to lead him. After this successful jam session, Kiedis, Frusciante and Flea admitted Smith into the band. Smith was told to shave his head to fit into the band's style, but was nonetheless still allowed into the band when he showed up the next day with the same bandana.
In April 1989, the Chili Peppers embarked on a short tour to familiarize Smith and Frusciante with how the band managed live performances. The "Positive Mental Octopus tour" saw the band play small venues throughout the United States, including several concerts on the East and West Coast. During this period, Frusciante began to assert more energy and his ego "got a little swollen", according to Flea, "He was running around being rude to girls and getting them pissed off. But that's to be expected, I mean, shit, you're 18 years old and you want to get laid really bad and all of a sudden you're in a band, the girls want to fuck. You're bound to go crazy." Another incident, following a performance at the George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, caused legal repercussions; a student accused Kiedis of engaging in sexual misconduct and indecent exposure. The vocalist was subsequently arrested and released on bail pending a trial that was to be set for a later date.
Recording was hindered by conflict with producer Michael Beinhorn, whose primary agenda was to give Frusciante's guitar playing a loud, overpowering sound, similar to the abrasive tones utilized in heavy metal. 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. Beinhorn recalled that he and the band were at odds: "Suffice to say that I had a very intense personal relationship [with the band] and somewhere along the line I fell out with [them]." He constantly clashed with Frusciante over guitar effects. According to Kiedis, "[Beinhorn] wanted John to have a big, crunching, almost metal-sounding guitar tone whereas before we always had some interesting acid-rock guitar tones as well as a lot of slinky, sexy, funky guitar tones." Frusciante was frustrated with the producer's attitude and ultimately resented his playing on the record, feeling it was too "macho". Kiedis recalled that, in the end, "I couldn't tolerate his direction any longer. He was trying to squeeze something out of me that I wasn't feeling, and we got in a fight and I knew that I was done with him."
Mother's Milk was released in August 1989, and gave them their first top modern rock hits—a tribute ballad to Slovak, "Knock Me Down", their cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", and the song "Taste the Pain", which formed part of the film Say Anything... 's soundtrack. The anthem "Magic Johnson", a tribute to the Los Angeles Lakers pointguard and fellow Michigander, is still sung at Los Angeles Lakers games. The album reached #52 on the American album charts and became the band's first gold record.
Superstardom, Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Frusciante's first departure (1990–92)
In 1990, the group switched labels to Warner Bros. Records and hired Rick Rubin to produce their then-untitled fifth album. Rubin produced all of the band's subsequent studio albums. 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".
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 Smith, convinced the location was haunted, refused to stay. He would, instead, come each day by motorcycle. Frusciante agreed with Smith, and said "There are definitely ghosts in the house," but unlike Smith, Frusciante felt they were "very friendly. We [the band] have nothing but warm vibes and happiness everywhere we go in this house." 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. 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".
On September 24, 1991, Blood Sugar Sex Magik was released. "Give It Away" was released as the first single; it won 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. The ballad "Under the Bridge" was released as a second single, and went on to reach #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the highest the band has reached on that chart as of 2011, 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 itself was an international sensation, selling over 15 million copies and greatly broadening the Chili Peppers' audience. 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 #3 on the U.S. album charts, almost a year after its release.
The unexpected success instantly turned the 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. 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.'" Frusciante abruptly quit the band hours before a show during the Blood Sugar Japanese tour in May 1992. Guitarist Arik Marshall 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 performed "Give It Away" at the MTV Video Music Awards. The band was nominated for seven awards including Video of the Year (which they lost) 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 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, things quickly changed and they decided that Marshall failed to fit with their future plans. Jesse Tobias of the Los Angeles-based band Mother Tongue was recruited. However, his tenure with the band did not last long, with the rest of the band stating that "the chemistry wasn't right". They eventually settled on former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, who had turned them down once shortly after Frusciante quit.
One Hot Minute (1993–97)
Navarro first appeared with the band at Woodstock '94, where they wore enormous light bulb costumes attached precariously to chrome metallic suits, making it near-impossible for them to play their instruments. The band followed up their performance at Woodstock with a brief tour which included a performance as the opening act for The Rolling Stones. According to Kiedis, however, opening for the Stones was a horrible experience. While externally, the band appeared to be settled, the relationship between the three established members and Navarro had begun to deteriorate. His differing musical background made performing difficult as they began playing together, and continued to be an issue over the next year. Kiedis was also struggling with his heroin addiction; he had been through a dental procedure in which an addictive sedative, Valium, was used; this caused him to relapse, and he once again became dependent on drugs.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. With Frusciante no longer present for collaboration, songs were written at a far slower rate. 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." To compensate, Kiedis and bassist Flea took several vacations together, during which entire songs were conceived.
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. 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. Despite mixed reviews, the album was a commercial success. Selling eight million copies worldwide, it spawned the band's third #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 spent most of 1996 playing shows in the United States and Europe. By 1997 the tour had all but ended and the band played just one show in 1997. 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 8 songs including aeroplane, stone cold bush, and walkabout for what would be the final time these songs have been played live to date before having to cut the show short due to the storm. No more shows were played in 1997.
In April 1998 it was announced that Navarro had left the band due to creative differences; Kiedis stated that the decision was "mutual". 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. Kiedis has since said that though the event should have been comical, it was instead pitiful and was the impetus for Navarro's departure.
Return of Frusciante, Californication (1998–2001)
After Navarro's departure in early 1998, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were on the verge of breaking up. Flea told Kiedis, "the only way I could imagine carrying on [with the Red Hot Chili Peppers] is if we got John back in the band." 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."
Within the week and, for the first time in six years, the reunited foursome jump-started the newly reunited Red Hot Chili Peppers. Anthony Kiedis said of the situation:
| “ | 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. | ” |
Despite the band's elation, Frusciante was both mentally and physically torn. Frusciante had not played with the band since his departure. He had lost his guitars in a house fire from which he barely escaped, he experienced a difficult time resuming his prior life. He had retained his talent, however, and 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 had an impact on the band's recording style during the album. Frusciante has frequently stated that his work on Californication was his favorite. On June 8, 1999, after over a year of production and meticulous practice, Californication was released as the band's seventh studio album. The album ultimately sold over 15 million copies and became the band's most successful recording to date. Californication contained fewer rap-driven songs than its predecessors, instead integrating textured, consistent, and melodic guitar riffs, vocals and bass-lines.
Californication produced three more number one modern rock hits: "Scar Tissue", "Otherside" and "Californication". "Scar Tissue" won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. It was performed at the ceremony and included a brief jam with rapper Snoop Dogg. Other singles included "Around the World", "Road Trippin'", and "Parallel Universe", which broke the Top 40 modern rock charts without a separate release as a single. Californication gained positive critical acceptance in contrast to its less popular predecessor, One Hot Minute, and was a greater success worldwide. While many critics credited the success of the album to Frusciante's return, they also noted that Kiedis' vocals had also greatly improved.In July 1999, as part of the band's two-year long international world tour in support of their new album, the Red Hot Chili Peppers played at Woodstock 1999, which became infamous for the violence it resulted in. 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, 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. the disruption escalated into violence when several women who had been crowd surfing and moshing were raped and nearby property was looted and destroyed. 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'."
In September 2000, the Peppers were nominated for five MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year, which they again lost; however they managed to win two awards for their Californication video and they performed the song as well. The Peppers were also honored with the MTV Video Vanguard Award which is given to musicians who have had a profound effect on MTV culture.
In 2001, the Chili Peppers released their first concert DVD, Off the Map. The DVD was directed by longtime friend Dick Rude, who had also produced music videos for "Catholic School Girls Rule" and "Universally Speaking". The footage was taken from two different concerts, but was amalgamated with transition and indistinguishable song conversions.
By the Way (2001–04)
Prior to recording By the Way, the Chili Peppers decided that they would again have Rick Rubin produce the album. Rubin had, in the past, granted the Chili Peppers 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. 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. Flea wanted to create more funk-inspired songs, while Frusciante felt that the band had overused their funk side and wanted to create slower, more melodic songs. Flea considered quitting the band after the album, but the two eventually worked out their problems.
By The Way was released on July 9, 2002 and produced five hit singles; "By the Way", "The Zephyr Song", "Can't Stop", "Dosed", 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". The album was followed by an eighteen month-long world tour. 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. More than 258,000 fans paid over $17,100,000 for tickets over three night, a 2004 record; the event ranked #1 on Billboard's Top Concert Boxscores of 2004.
The Chili Peppers released two new songs, "Fortune Faded" and "Save the Population" for their Greatest Hits album released in November 2003. According to Rolling Stone, the band recorded fifteen songs during the sessions that yielded "Fortune Faded" and "Save the Population", although it remains unclear what the other thirteen songs were (two may have been "Rolling Sly Stone" and "Leverage of Space", songs premiered during the European leg of their By the Way tour).
Stadium Arcadium (2005–07)
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, 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 #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 was named the year's best-selling album, moving over seven million units and recorded the highest weekly sales of the year.
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 #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and reaching #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.
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 was essentially a fifth band member: he contributed 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 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 5 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). The ceremony included a live performance of "Snow ((Hey Oh))", complete with confetti snow.
Hiatus and Frusciante's second departure (2007–09)
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. Kiedis explained that he was preoccupied with taking care of his new son and possibly creating a short television series called Spider and Son which was set to recap his autobiography. Flea began taking music theory classes at the University of Southern California. Flea also 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. Frusciante continued his solo career and released his solo album, The Empyrean. 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. The band planned to remain on hiatus for "a minimum of one year." 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".In 2007, Disneyland briefly launched a campaign called "Rockin' Both Parks" which updated the audio tracks for their Space Mountain and California Screamin' rides by replacing the original audio with "Higher Ground" for Space Mountain and a remixed version of "Around The World" for California Screamin'.
In May 2009, Kiedis, Flea, and Smith performed under the name 'The Insects' along with Ron Wood, Josh Klinghoffer and Ivan Neville at the fifth annual MusiCares event honoring Kiedis. He was honored with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award for his dedication and support of the MusiCares MAP Fund and for his commitment to helping other addicts with the addiction and recovery process.
In September 2009, the band became first time nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame although didn't end up making the final cut for the class of 2010.
In December 2009, Frusciante revealed that he had left the Red Hot Chili Peppers before the start of the year. 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.
New guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and new studio album (2009–present)
The band, along with 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. On February 8, 2010, Klinghoffer was officially confirmed by Chad Smith as Frusciante's full-time replacement.
On May 6, 2010, Smith said that the band had written around twenty songs and that he expected recording to commence in July 2010. Rick Rubin produced the record. Smith commented on their new sound, explaining that Klinghoffer would also sing and play keyboards and that Flea would incorporate pianistic melodies he developed studying at USC.
In September 2010, the Red Hot Chili Peppers announced that their music would not be featured on the popular television show, Glee with Anthony stating that it didn't make sense for music near and dear to their hearts to appear on shows like Glee and American Idol and that it seemed emotionally displaced. The Chili Peppers are one of many rock bands who have declined an offer to have their music featured on Glee.
On October 16, 2010, the band's record label, Warner Brothers, announced that they were looking into legal action against pop singer Diana Vickers, claiming that her song "My Wicked Heart" sampled the bridge melody from the Peppers "Under The Bridge" without permission. Vickers claimed that she was listening to "Under The Bridge" when she wrote her song but thought nothing of it at the time.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers: An Oral/Visual History was released on October 19, 2010. The coffee table book was the first book by the Chili Peppers and was co-written by longtime friend Brendan Mullen. The book has over 300 photos and a full history of the band in their own words and those of past band members, friends and others directly involved.
Kiedis, Flea, and Klinghoffer, along with former members John Frusciante and Jack Irons, appear in the 2011 documentary Bob and the Monster, which details the life and career of musician and drug counselor Bob Forrest. Klinghoffer composed the music for the film.
The band began recording the new album on September 13, 2010 and the recording process officially ended on March 18, 2011. The album is currently in the mixing stage. According to Kiedis, the album's working title, inspired by a friend of the band's LSD trip, is Dr. Johnny Skinz’s Disproportionately Rambunctious Polar Express Machine-head.
Musical style
Techniques
The Peppers' musical style is a mix of funk, alternative rock, hard rock, and punk rock. The band's influences include Parliament-Funkadelic, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Gang of Four, Bob Marley, Sly and the Family Stone, Ohio Players, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Black Flag, Ornette Coleman, Led Zeppelin, Bad Brains, Fugazi, Fishbone, Marvin Gaye, Billie Holliday, Santana, Elvis Costello, The Stooges, The Clash, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Devo, and Miles Davis. Even bands of their own generation were a big inspiration and influence, like Radiohead, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters. Flea toured with Thom Yorke, the frontman of Radiohead, in their band called Atoms for Peace.Kiedis provided multiple vocal styles. His primary approach up to Blood Sugar Sex Magik was spoken verse and "rapping". Complemented with traditional vocals, he helped the band maintain a consistent style. Nevertheless, as the group matured, starting with Californication the group reduced the number of rapped verses. By the Way contained only two rap-driven-verse/melodic chorus form. Kiedis' more recent style was developed through ongoing coaching.
Hillel Slovak's style was strongly based on blues and funk. Slovak was primarily influenced by hard rock artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Santana and Led Zeppelin. His playing method was highly based on improvisation, a style commonly used in funk music. He also was noted for his aggressive playing style; he would often play with such force that his fingers would "come apart." Kiedis observed that his playing evolved during his time away from the group in What Is This?, with Slovak adopting a more fluid style featuring "sultry" elements as opposed to his original hard rock techniques. On The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, Slovak experimented with genres outside of traditional funk music including reggae and speed metal. His guitar riffs would often serve as the basis of the group's songs, with the other members writing their parts to complement his guitar work. His melodic riff featured in the song "Behind the Sun" inspired the group to create "pretty" songs with an emphasis on melody. Kiedis describes the song as "pure Hillel inspiration". Slovak also used a talk box on songs such as "Green Heaven" and "Funky Crime", in which he would sing into a tube while playing to create psychedelic effects.
Frusciante's musical style has evolved over the course of his career. His guitar playing employs melody and emotion rather than virtuosity. Although virtuoso influences can be heard throughout his career, he has said that he often minimizes this. Frusciante brought a more melodic and textured sound to albums such as By the Way, Californication and Stadium Arcadium. This contrasts with his previous abrasive approach in Mother's Milk, as well as his dry, funky and more docile arrangements on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. On Californication and By the Way, Frusciante derived the technique of creating tonal texture through chord patterns from post-punk guitarist Vini Reilly of The Durutti Column, and bands such as Fugazi and The Cure. He originally intended By the Way to be made up of "these punky, rough songs", drawing inspiration from early punk artists such as The Germs and The Damned. However, this was discouraged by producer Rick Rubin, and he instead built upon Californication's melodically-driven style. During the recording of Stadium Arcadium, he moved away from his New Wave influences and concentrated on emulating flashier guitar players such as Hendrix and Van Halen.
Navarro brought an entirely different sound to the band during his tenure, with his style based on heavy metal, progressive rock and psychedelia.
Flea's electric bass style is an amalgamation of funk, psychedelic, punk, and hard rock. The groove-heavy, low-tuned melodies, played through either finger–picking, or slapping, contributed to their signature style. While Flea's slap bass style was prominent in earlier albums, albums after Blood Sugar Sex Magik have more melodic and funk–driven bass lines. He has also used double stops on some newer songs. Flea's bass playing has changed considerably throughout the years. When he joined Fear his technique centered largely around traditional punk rock bass lines, however he was to change this style when the Red Hot Chili Peppers formed. He began to incorporate a "slap" bass style that drew influence largely from Bootsy Collins. Blood Sugar Sex Magik saw a notable shift in style as it featured none of his signature technique but rather styles that focused more on traditional and melodic roots. His intellectual beliefs on how to play the instrument were also altered: "I was trying to play simply on Blood Sugar Sex Magik because I had been playing too much prior to that, so I thought, 'I've really got to chill out and play half as many notes'. When you play less, it's more exciting—there's more room for everything. If I do play something busy, it stands out, instead of the bass being a constant onslaught of notes. Space is good."
Smith blends rock with funk. He mixes funk, rock, metal and jazz to his beats. Influences include Buddy Rich to John Bonham. He brought a different sound to Mother's Milk, playing tight and fast. In Blood Sugar Sex Magik, he displays greater power. He is recognized for his grace notes, his beats and his fast right foot. MusicRadar put him in sixth place on their list of the "50 Greatest Drummers Of All Time", behind Mike Portnoy, Neil Peart, Keith Moon, Rich and their number one choice, Bonham.
Lyrics and songwriting
Through the years, Kiedis' lyrics covered a variety of topics, which shifted as time progressed. Early in the group's career, Kiedis wrote mostly comical songs filled with sexual innuendos as well as songs inspired by friendship and the band members' personal experiences. However, after the death of his close friend and band mate Hillel Slovak, Kiedis' lyrics became much more introspective and personal, as exemplified by the song "Knock Me Down" which was dedicated to Slovak. He began to to write about anguish, and the self mutilating thoughts he would experience as a result of his heroin and cocaine addiction. During the recording of the album One Hot Minute, Kiedis once again struggled with his addictions, which contributed to his melancholy and sometimes cryptic lyrics. After witnessing Frusciante's recovery from his heroin addiction, Kiedis wrote many songs inspired by rebirth and the meaning of life on Californication. He was also intrigued by the life lessons that the band had learned, including Kiedis' experience with meeting a young mother at the YMCA, who was attempting to battle her alcohol addiction while living with her infant daughter. On By the Way, Kiedis was lyrically influenced by love, his girlfriend, and the emotions expressed when one fell in love. Drugs also played an integral part in Kiedis' writings, as he had only been sober since December 2000. Tracks like "This Is the Place" and "Don't Forget Me" expressed his intense dislike for narcotics and the harmful physical and emotional effects they caused him. Stadium Arcadium continued the themes of love and romance; Kiedis stated that "love and women, pregnancies and marriages, relationship struggles - those are real and profound influences on this record. And it's great, because it wasn't just me writing about the fact that I'm in love. It was everybody in the band. We were brimming with energy based on falling in love."
Themes within his repertoire include love and friendship, teenage angst, good-time aggression, various sexual topics and the link between sex and music, political and social commentary (Native American issues in particular), romance, loneliness, globalization and the cons of fame and Hollywood, poverty, drugs, alcohol, dealing with death, and California.
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