Red Hot Chili Peppers biography
The quintessential Californian rockers, Red Hot Chili Peppers have combined elements of funk and hip hop to create a unique brand of rock music. Surviving tragedy and numerous line-up changes over their many years together, it is with their most recent albums that they have had their greatest successes.
Early years
Anthony Kiedis (vocals) and Flea (bass) met at California's Fairfax High School, and formed a band called the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem, along with Hillel Slovak (guitar) and Jack Irons (drums). Early performances were so unexpectedly successful that they decided to start taking their project more seriously, changing names to Red Hot Chili Peppers, and playing venues across LA.
First album
After recording a demo, the group were eventually signed by EMI. However, Slovak and Irons thought they would have more success with the other band they played for, and quit. New members Cliff Martinez (drums) and Jack Sherman (guitar) were recruited. The Red Hot Chili Peppers was released in August 1984, and a dedicated fan base began to emerge. On the ensuing tour, Sherman was fired, and replaced by a returning Slovak.
Freaky Styley
The second album Freaky Styley saw the band still trying to find their feet, and did not see wide success. In the middle of 1986, Martinez was fired from the group, and old band mate Jack Irons rejoined.
The Uplift Mofo Party Plan and tragedy
With the four original members back together, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan was a commercial success, and set the template for future releases. However, this period is better remembered for a far more tragic reason. Kiedis and Slovak had become serious drug addicts, and Slovak died in June 1988, just after the band's most recent tour had ended.
What happened threw the rest of the band into chaos. Kiedis ran away from LA and did not go to the funeral, as he was unable to cope with the reality of what was happening. Irons also left the band and was later to join Pearl Jam.
Kiedis and Flea decided to continue with the band that had become their lives, and began searching for new band mates. John Frusciante was the guitarist they found, who claimed that the Chili Peppers were already his favourite band in the world. 40 drummers were auditioned before someone with the suitable amount of power behind a drum kit was found, and his name was Chad Smith.
Mother's Milk
The new four-piece dived straight into recording of the new album, and a more heavy metal sound was in evidence, despite friction with producer Michael Beinhorn. After the release of Mother's Milk in August 1989, a nine month world tour ensued. The album was a surprise runaway success.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
With the music world riding on a wave of expectation about the Chili Peppers, the band settled into a focussed period of recording with producer Rick Rubin, and new label Warner Brothers. They worked in a huge dilapidated mansion, where most of them also lived together for 6 months.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik was a gigantic success in September 1991, and produced what remain two of the band's very biggest singles, 'Give It Away' and 'Under the Bridge'. The album went on to sell 12 million copies.
Band member changes and One Hot Minute
Not everything was going as well as the band's sales. Frusciante had various problems with drugs, and he quit in May 1992. Arik Marshall was taken on as the new guitarist. However, after headlining Lollapalooza in the summer of that year (and appearing in an episode of The Simpsons), Marshall was replaced by Jesse Tobias, who was almost immediately fired and replaced by Dave Navarro. It took the band until 1995 to release their next album, One Hot Minute, which was another commercial success, though not a major critical one. On the following tour it became clear that Navarro was not right for the Chili Peppers. He left in early 1998.
Frusciante's return
Since leaving the band, John Frusciante's severe drug addiction left him in extremely poor health. Flea visited his former band mate and invited him to rejoin the group, so long as he attended rehab. He came back, and the band was reunited.
Californication
The album that pushed them to new heights, Californication involved a more traditional brand of guitar rock. A massive success in 1999, it sold over 15 million copies worldwide. 'Scar Tissue,' 'Otherside' and 'Californication' are considered some of the very best rock songs of the 2000s.
By the Way
Another mature step, By the Way included very little of the trademark Anthony Kiedis rapid-fire vocals. With catchy, gentler melodies, it produced five huge singles, including 'By the Way,' 'The Zephyr Song,' 'Can't Stop,' 'Universally Speaking' and 'Dosed.' An 18 month long world tour followed.
Stadium Arcadium
The monster 28-track Stadium Arcadium was released in 2006. A confidently ambitious piece of work, it debuted at number one in the US, the UK, and 25 other countries. 'Dani California' was the band's fastest-selling single to date, with other singles also performing well. A massive world tour included a stop at the Live Earth concert in London in 2007.
Extended break
Worn out, the band decided they needed a break, and agreed they would stay away from touring and recording together for at least 12 months.The second departure of Frusciante was announced in December 2009. He claimed there was no bad feeling, and that his reason for leaving the Red Hot Chili Peppers was that he wanted to focus on his solo career.
Tenth album
It was 2010 when the band made their live comeback with Klinghoffer on guitar and he was officially confirmed by Chad Smith as a full time replacement for Frusciante. In the same year the band said that, despite their roaring success, their music would not be appearing on shows like Glee and American Idol.
The band released their tenth studio album I'm With You in August 2011, with lead single 'The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie.' Flea described the album as a 'meaningful and rejuvenating rebirth for us.'