- Abbreviated version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers history
-
Thanks to MUTHA, Heloisa Lourenco, and friends who have
helped me with this Biography.
 1983
The Red Hot Chili Peppers formed by singer Anthony Kiedis,
Flea (Michael Balzary), and Hillel Slovak.
1984
Hillel Slovak quits the band, and is replaced by Jack
Sherman. The first, self-titled record is released.
1985
Sherman is tossed out when Slovak opts to return. Freaky
Styley is released.
1987
The band releases Uplift Mofo Party Plan.
1988
The Abbey Road EP is released. Hillel Slovak dies of
a heroin overdose in June. Duane McKnight takes over
guitar duties in August. At the end of the year, McKnight
is replaced by John Frusciante.
1989
Frusciante provides the band with some of its best guitar
work on the album Mother's Milk.
1991
The band releases Blood Sugar Sex Magik, its commercial
breakthrough.
1993
While touring in support of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Frusciante
quits the band, allegedly due to the rigors of the road.
He is immediately replaced by Arik Marshall, an LA guitar
fixture who had played in a band called Trulio Disgracias
with Flea. Marshall fills in for the remaining dates
on the tour. Before work even begins on the next record,
Marshall is replaced by Jesse Tobias. Nine years after
the fact, Jack Sherman files suit against the band,
claiming he was mistreated by them and not adequately
compensated for his contributions. By the end of 1993,
Tobias is out, his stint in the band lasted about as
long as Duane McKnight's. By September, the Peppers
begin practicing with former Jane's Addiction guitarist
Dave Navarro.
1994
Although Navarro's hiring is still considered an industry
rumor, the band is scheduled to play Woodstock '94 and
produce another album by year's end. The band appears
at Woodstock with Navarro and begins recording in July.
1995
Numerous delays keep the Red Hot Chili Peppers from
completing One Hot Minute; it is finally released in
September.
1996
Chili Peppers record an Ohio Players cover song "Love
RollerCoaster" and release it on the Beavis and Butthead
Movie Soundtrack. "Love RollerCoaster becomes an instant
hit on the music charts and the number one song on the
soundtrack.
1998
Dave Navarro leaves the band to work on his "Spread"
project and John Frusciante rejoins the band in his
place.
1999
THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS are back. Now with the funkiest
fomation ever, they continue to rock the world with
the latest album Californication.
2000
Californication were sold 8 Million copies worldwide,
a MultiPlatinum album for sure. The RHCP along with
several major artist did some charity show for the end
of the years.
2001
Chili Peppers playing for Rock in Rio III in Brasil.
At the end of the year, they released Off The Map, in
DVD and VHS, featuring their Sept 2000 show in Portland,
Oregon. Also their backstage footages and interviews.
John Frusciante released his 3rd solo album, To Record
Only Water For Ten Days.
The Chili Peppers also took a part in the SilverLining
Silverlake benefit show the Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic.
2002
The Chili Peppers ready with their 8th album. By The
Way is the title of the long awaited album. This is
the best album! says Flea.
2003
The guys participated in a Tribute to the Ramones album.
They cover the song 'Havana Affair' and the album also
have special guest, John Frusciante.
In March, EMI (their 1st record label) ReIssued their
First 4 Albums. Remastered in Digital, the albums were
presented in special package, including Unreleased tracks,
and some original versions.
Can't Stop reached #1 and giving the RHCP the title
as #1 Band in Modern Rock Chart.
True Story about The Band with a Plan
Michael
Balzary, Hillel Slovak, and Jack Irons were three high
school pals. They had musical ambitions and together formed
a band they named 'Anthym'. The pals managed to score
themselves a few gigs but many club owners hid the youngsters
backstage for fear of getting busted with minors on the
premises. Anthym even had regulars at the shows, none
more of a regular than a guy called Anthony Kiedis. The
four, who all attended Fairfax High school, became mates
and Anthony even began opening the bands shows by reading
some lines from his poetry. Flea however left Anthym to
join the LA punk band 'Fear'. Hillel and Irons stayed
on, renaming the band, 'What is This?'. Anthony, Flea,
Hillel and Jack were reunited when they were asked to
play for a friend at the 'Rhythm Lounge Club'. A week
before the show all they had was a few funky bass lines
of Flea's and one of Anthony's poems. Unperturbed, the
guys dropped some acid and headed on-stage under the name
of, 'Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of
Mayhem.' Within days, news of the bands performance had
spread due to their rendition of 'Out in LA'. Word reached
as far as EMI. and within 6 months they had an 8 album
record deal.
They
renamed the band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band did
their 1st out of town gig in Aspen at the Cathay Grand
Club. Their most notorious performance however was at
the Kit Kat Klub. During the show the guys performed surrounded
by a bevy of beauties in various stages of undress. Not
wanting to be outdone, the guys performed their encore
of Jimi Hendrix's 'Fire', with socks on their cocks. Word
of the on-stage romp spread like wildfire, the guys were
trying to get their music noticed, not their physical
attributes. Due to Hillel and Jack having prior commitments
with their band 'What Is This?', they had to choose which
musical project they would follow through. Having already
spent 6 years on 'What Is This?', the two friends decided
to leave the RHCP's. Replacements came with Jack Sherman
on guitar and Cliff Martinez, (former bands included Lydias
Lunch 13. 13 and Captain Beefheart and The Weirdos.) Andy
Gill, from The Gang Of Four, was asked to produce the
debut album. The Chili's wanted a sound similar to the
Gang of Four but Gill had other ideas. The relationship
between Gill and the band was at best-tepid. At one stage
it is rumored that Flea and Anthony sent Gill a pizza
box with a fresh turd inside. The album was released but
the Chili's weren't happy with the result. They wanted
no more to do with Gill. Lindy Goetz became the band's
manager and, as a result, they played more live shows
than ever. Time on the road was tough in the band's little
van, and they often stayed in seedy hotels between gigs.
'What Is This?' wasn't fairing as well in the stormy musical
seas. It therefore was no surprise, that in January 1984,
Sherman was dumped for Hillel-they're old pal. was dumped
for Hillel-they're old pal. It was during the coming months
that the band's experimentation with drugs took a new
turn. Flea tired of it, but Anthony and Hillel decided
to up the pace. Hillel denied he had a problem, Anthony
didn't.
The
Master of Funk, George Clinton, (Funkadelic, Parliament
and other derivatives of the two), had been a big influence
on the band and was asked to produce their 2nd album 'Freaky
Styley'. Clinton moved the guys to his studios outside
Detroit. Here the band wrote and recorded 13 songs.
This album, due to the cohersion of both parties was able
to capture the Chili's lusty punk/funk musical style.
The album bought the band more recognition. Still overseas
only 'Hollywood Africa' received meager airplay even though
the band did a stopover show at a festival in Germany
and a one-off show in England.The Chili's returned to
home to LA and suddenly, but not surprisingly, Martinez
was dumped for Jack Irons. The original lineup was once
more. The tour which followed was an explosion of Pepper
energy and it scored the band the recognition they deserved
as an intense live band. Hillel however was falling deeper
in his drug crazed world and was becoming alienated from
the rest of the band. He also began to mess up while playing,
often forgetting the notes.
'Uplift
Mofo Party Plan' outsold the previous two albums put together.
Michael Beinhorn, the producer, had previously worked
with the likes of Nona Hendryx, and Herbie Hancock. Beinhorn
knew exactly how he wanted the album to turn out. He also
liked the music of Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix and Sly
and the Family Stone-bands the Chili's also aspired to.
The tour which followed had the Red Hot Chili Peppers
playing in much larger venues with bands such as The Beastie
Boys and Faith No More playing support. This was also
the time the band faced criticism from various parent
groups for their often 'colorful' lyrics. Flea likened
the situation to kids hearing their parents say 'fuck'.
The Chili's had no desire to tone down their antics. Irons
(the supposed more sedate member of the band), walked
through Heathrow Airport with a 'tit' hat on. The fact
of the matter was, the Red Hot Chili Peppers made great
music and stuff the critics. 'Uplift Mofo Party Plan'
peaked at no. 143 on 'Billboards Top 150 Albums'. The
guys decided to release a new album by June 1988 but before
then they needed to do something about Hillel. His drug
addiction was steadily worsening and the Chili family
was suffering along with him. A decision was made to let
Hillel go after the show in Washington. Angelo Moore,
of the support band 'Fishbone', heard what was planned
and talked Anthony out of it. Moore reasoned with Anthony
that Hillel needed his friends, now more than ever. Hillel
stayed with the band whilst they traveled to England to
shoot the now infamous, socks on cocks photo of the Red
Hot Chili Peppers walking across that same pedestrian
crossing that the Beatles had made famous. The Abbey Road
cd included the cover of 'Fire' by Jimi Hendrix which
had been cut from Freaky Styley.
They
returned to the US and decided to release a new album.
4 weeks after a joyous homecoming though, Hillel was gone.
The months of drug abuse finally captured his life and
he overdosed. Hillel's death shook the band to it's roots.
Anthony hid out in a small mexican village-ridding himself
of any lingering, narcotic cravings. Jack Irons left the
band also, shutting himself from the rest of the world.
He blamed the Red Hot Chili Peppers for his friends demise,
therefore he wanted nothing more to do with any of it.
Flea
too immersed himself in other musical side projects-it
seemed the end of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Anthony returned
home, and Flea's wife Loesha gave birth to a little girl
they named Clara. Anthony and Flea decided to set about
rebuilding the band, in memory of their friend Hillel
at least. It was during this time that the two pals tried
to help out John Frusciante (who was one of their biggest
fans), by going along with him to an audition for the
band 'Thelonius Monster'. (John was to shy to go on his
own). Flea and Anthony sat in a corner while John did
his set. Everyone was surprised how well he could play
as he sounded so much like his idol Hillel-he'd copied
his style to a tee. It seemed only natural that John walked
out of the audition as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Finding a replacement drummer would prove to be much more
tedious. Ads were placed in the newspaper and scores of
drummers lined up for a chance to display their skills
on the skins. Nearing the end of another long day, all
hope had almost been lost when in walked Chad Smith. He
perched himself atop the drum kit and belted out a swirling,
frenzied tune backed up by his own 'obscene' lyrics. Chad
was in and the Red Hot Chili Peppers were a foursome once
more.
It
was March 1989 and they hit the road to tour. It was during
the tour of '89 that Anthony was charged with sexual battery.
The incident occurred backstage after a gig at George
Mason University. He dropped his pants in front of a female
concert goers seemingly innocent prank, and the serious
charges that were served on him came as quite a surprise.
It was a case of bad timing though when Anthony's charges
became public knowledge, as Flea found himself in hot
water too. An incident at the MTV Spring Break Party,
involving a bikini clad fan, Chad spanking her bum, and
Flea simulating sex with her on the stage, was eventually
dismissed as just fun and games. Anthony started dating
actress Ione Skye and his lifestyle changed dramatically.
Mother's
Milk was released in 1989, again Beinhorn was the producer.
The album contained eleven original tracks and covers
of Stevie Wonder's 'Higher Ground' and Hendrix's 'Fire'
on which Hillel featured. The first single 'Knock Me Down'
was released in memory of Hillel. Flea also displayed
his trumpeting prowess on the tracks 'Subway To Venus',
'Taste The Pain' and 'Pretty Little Ditty'. The tour that
followed was immense. A stricter routine was kept with
no drugs being allowed whilst touring. The guys did a
huge show in Dam Square in Amsterdam. World media was
finally taking notice. Anthony's frenzied on-stage displays
often left him battered and bruised, but he transformed
before every show into a pumped up powerhouse. The smash
hit movie 'Pretty Woman', featured 'Show Me Your Soul'
on its soundtrack and the song became a UK top 30 hit.
It wasn't long before the Red Hot Chili Peppers sought
out a new record company and after having their photos
taken with the bosses of Sony at the last minute switched
to Warner Bros.
The
band chose 'Def Jam' mainman, Rick Rubin to produce the
next album. Rubin hired a house out of town and trucked
in all the necessary gear. The house, seemingly was haunted,
and a physic was called in who confirmed the house was
indeed being visited but it was ok as the entities seemed
friendly. All tracks for this album were recorded live,
one even being recorded outside with the traffic roaring
past.' BloodSugarSexMagik' was a colossal smash. It earned
the Red Hot Chili Peppers a platinum album and stayed
in the US Billboard Chart for a year. The band appeared
on every major magazine cover including Rolling Stone.
The world tour was a total sellout. 'Give It Away' was
released and received massive acclamations, earning for
the band best breakthrough video in September 1992 at
the MTV awards. 'Under The Bridge', where Anthony recalls
his days of drug addiction, soared up every major music
chart worldwide. Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins
were some of the bands who now supported the Peppers on
tour. |
