Red Hot Chilli Peppers

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Biography

Gender:
Male
Birthplace:
Los Angeles, California
Birth Name:
The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Few rock groups of the '80s broke down as many musical barriers and were as original as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Creating an intoxicating new musical style by combining funk and punk rock together (with an explosive stage show, to boot), the Chili Peppers spawned a slew of imitators in their wake, but still managed to be the leaders of the pack by the dawn of the 21st century. The roots of the band lay in a friendship forged by three school chums, Anthony Kiedis, Michael Balzary, and Hillel Slovak, while they attended Fairfax High School in California back in the late '70s/early '80s. While… More Balzary and Slovak showed great musical promise (on trumpet and guitar, respectively), Kiedis focused on poetry and acting during his high school career. During this time, Slovak taught Balzary how to play bass, while the duo encouraged Kiedis to start putting his poetry to music, which he soon did. Influenced heavily by the burgeoning L.A. punk scene (the Germs, Black Flag, Fear, Minutemen, X, etc.) as well as funk (Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly & the Family Stone, etc.), the trio began to rehearse with another friend, drummer Jack Irons, leading to the formation of Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem, a group that played strip bars along the sunset strip during the early '80s. It was during this time that the quartet honed their sound and live act (as they stumbled across a stage gimmick that would soon become their trademark -- performing on stage completely naked, except for a tube sock covering a certain part of their anatomy). By 1983, Balzary had begun to go by the name "Flea," and the group changed their name to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Word spread quickly about the up-and-coming band, resulting in a recording contract with EMI. But before the Chili Peppers could begin work on their debut, Flea and Kiedis were dealt a disappointing blow when both Slovak and Irons announced that they were leaving to focus more on another band they were in, What Is This. With replacement members Jack Sherman (guitar) and Cliff Martinez (drums) filling in, the Peppers released their self-titled debut in 1984. But the absence of the two original members showed, as the album failed to capture the excitement of their live show. While the album didn't set the world on fire sales-wise, the group began to build a dedicated underground following with college radio buffs. By 1985, What Is This was kaput (after issuing a single self-titled album), as Slovak and Irons returned back to the Peppers, resulting in the George Clinton-produced Freaky Styley. While the album was an improvement over its predecessor, it still lacked the fire of the band's in-concert experience, a problem that would finally be solved with their next album, 1987's The Uplift Mofo Party Plan. The album was the group's first to make an impression on the charts, and they followed it up a year later with stopgap five-track release, The Abbey Road EP, in 1988. But just as the world was warming up to the Peppers, tragedy struck when Slovak died from a heroin overdose on June 25, 1988.

In the wake of Slovak's death, Irons left the group for the second and final time, while Kiedis (who was also battling drug addiction at the time) and Flea decided to soldier on. After a new lineup consisting of former Parliament guitarist Blackbird McKnight and former Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro didn't work out, the duo found worthy replacements in newcomers John Frusciante and Chad Smith. The new-look Chili Peppers hit pay dirt straight away, as their first album together, 1989's Mother's Milk, became a surprise hit due to MTV's exposure of their videos for a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" and a song about their fallen friend Slovak, "Knock Me Down," as the album was certified gold by early 1990. The group knew that their next release would be the most important one of their career, so they moved into a mansion-turned-recording studio with producer Rick Rubin to work on what would become their most successful release yet, the stripped down Blood Sugar Sex Magik (their first for the Warner Bros label). The album became a monster hit upon it's September 1991 release (going on to eventually sell a staggering seven million copies in the U.S. alone), as it spawned such hits as "Give It Away" and the group's first Top Ten single, "Under the Bridge."

But not all was well in the Chili Peppers camp. Like his predecessor, Frusciante had become addicted to hard drugs, and abruptly left the band mid-tour in early 1992. Undeterred, the band enlisted new member Arik Marshall, and headlined Lollapalooza II in the summer. When the band returned to the studio to work on their sixth release overall, it quickly became apparent that Marshall didn't fit in, and was replaced by Jesse Tobias. But before Tobias could record a note with the group, he was handed his walking papers as well, and former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro signed on. After a lay-off of four years, the Peppers' much-delayed follow-up to BSSM was released in 1995, One Hot Minute. While the album was a sizeable hit, it failed to match the success and musical focus of its predecessor, as it became apparent during the album's ensuing tour that Navarro wasn't fitting in as well as originally hoped, and left the band in early 1998.

After Frusciante had left the group, he released a pair of obscure solo releases, 1995's Niandra Ladies and Usually Just a T-Shirt and 1997's Smile From the Streets You Hold, yet rumors circulated that the guitarist was homeless, penniless, and sickly with a death-defying drug habit. After checking himself into rehab and putting his demons behind him, Frusciante emerged once again re-focused and re-energized, and promptly accepted an invitation to rejoin the Peppers once more. The group's reunion album, 1999's Californication, proved to be another monster success, reconfirming the Chili Peppers as one of alternative rock's top bands. The band put in a quick guest appearance on Fishbone's Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx before hitting the road to support the album. The following months found the band getting involved in bizarre situations and controversies. First, their refusal to play songs from One Hot Minute during the tour was an unpopular decision with some fans and a sore spot for Dave Navarro. Next, they reignited a personal feud between Kiedis and Mr. Bungle singer Mike Patton by refusing to play a series of European concerts with Bungle. Patton responded with a "tribute" show for the Peppers, where Bungle mocked their stage moves, faked shooting up heroin, and imitated Kiedis's comments about Patton. They also played the ill-fated Woodstock '99 festival, where their headlining performance was met with piles of burning rubble and a full-scale riot. Tours with the Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam brought them into the next year without problems, but they stepped off the road after a planned stop in Israel was haulted due to security worries. They returned to the studio in November of 2001 and by the summer of 2002 they had a new album ready to drop, By the Way this was a critical and worldwide smash hit. There new offering Stadium Arcadium is due for release in spring 2006.

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  •  
    9 Superb
    such a legendary band... hide show

    rhcp is such a legendary band with songs that is out of this world but i cant say that this is the best band ever. the best band award only applies for fall out boy and my chemical romance and green day. i do like some songs from red hot chilli peppers and that is snow hey oh and tell me baby. basicly i like their last album..stadium arcadium and i regard that as the best album ever.they are one of the best band ever but i like say before fall out boy and mcr is still better than them in many ways than 1.

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    lastrider94 Added Mar 27, 2009 All my reviews
  •  
    9 Superb
    Super Talented. hide show

    The Red Hot Chili Peppers were playing the LA club circuit for many years until the made there breakthrough with 1989’s Mother’s Milk. I really did not discover them until 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magic with it’s great funk/rap/rock style and such hit songs as Give it away and one of my favourite songs Under the Bridge. The band now consist of lead singer Anthony Kiedis, base player Flea (Michael Balzary), lead guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith. Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons were in the original line up but sadly Hillel died in 1988 and Jack Irons devastated by the death of his best friend, left the band. That’s when Frusciante and Smith joined the band. Jane's Addiction's Dave Navarro also had a short stint in the band due to John Frusciante’S drug abuse John left the band only to return later. There albums Freaky Styley, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, Mother's Milk, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, One Hot Minute, Californication, By the Way and Stadium Arcadium Disc. I think they are a really great band and always love listening to their music the have changed their style over their 20 year’s in music from funk/rap/rock to the the melodic. I would recommend this band to anyone

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    HEYHEY_MYMY Added Jan 17, 2007 All my reviews
  •  
    9.9 Superb
    One of the greatest rock bands in History! hide show

    It's amazing to see a band that's been out for some many years past, still alive and going strong to this day!

    Red Hot Chilli Peppers are an awesome rock band which have a countless number of hits from years back and even one's that have appeared in the music industry.

    I've heard their new song 'Dani California' on the radio and it rocks! It's amazing that no matter how well these guys do with an album, they always manage to top themselves with the next one! Each and every time they do, and never fail!

    I can't wait to get their new album, it should be awesome!

    Any fan of rock will love this band, from no matter what time era they play it, they play damn well! And I would recommend this band to anyone who likes rock! You will love them!

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    spyder_m Added May 21, 2006 All my reviews
 

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