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Red Hot Chili Peppers

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 ... 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 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 & the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem, a quartet that played strip bars along the Sunset Strip during the early '80s. It was during this time that the four 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 its 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 were kaput (after issuing a single self-titled album) and Slovak and Irons returned 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 a 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 featuring former Parliament guitarist Blackbyrd 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 bandmembers 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 its September 1991 release (eventually going on to 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 its sixth release overall, it quickly became apparent that Marshall didn't fit in, and he 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 layoff of four years, the Peppers' much delayed follow-up to BSSM was released in 1995, One Hot Minute. While the album was a sizable 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 he left the band in early 1998.

After Frusciante had left the group, he released a pair of obscure solo releases, 1995's Niandra Lades 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 refocused 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 re-ignited 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' 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 halted 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. Warner Bros. released a Greatest Hits compilation in 2003, followed by a chart-topping two-CD album of all-new material, Stadium Arcadium, in 2006.

After an extensive supporting tour, the Red Hot Chili Peppers took an extended hiatus and the members pursued individual interests. Flea began studying music theory at USC and played in a variety of side projects. Kiedis attempted to turn his autobiography, Scar Tissue, into a television show. Smith joined Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Joe Satriani in the party supergroup Chickenfoot. Frusciante released The Empyrean in 2009, by which time he left the band. His replacement was Josh Klinghoffer, who played secondary guitar on the Stadium Arcadium tour. Klinghoffer's first album with the band, I'm with You, was released in late summer of 2011.

Greg Prato
AllMusic.com
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tapes
Tape	Songs	Comments	Author
High School Flashback Songs from my time in high school, 2002-2006	15	12	Nataliexo
Hope, Love and More Feelings For The One I Love	20	0	Soloidus
Human Blanket	29	0	fallon
Fuzzy Mix I love all types of music, so my tape will probably be very ecclectic, but filled with songs that move me.	44	0	fuzzball73
High School Reminiscing This is sure to show my age lol. As the title suggests, this is to be a list of songs that remind me of my high school days (years 7-12). ...	26	3	0phelia
My Workout Mix This is the mix I use when I'm in the gym. Some fast paced, with a strong beat for cardio, and other stuff for strength/endurance training.	12	0	Nataliexo
music bank you'll see by the name that aic will feature here, but nods also go to nirvana, green day, pearl jam, foo fighters, suondgarden, rhcp, smash...	35	1	feminist92
Autumn. A real mix CD I gave someone. No emo bullshit. No blatant songs about love. Just good music to listen to.	17	0	himynameisjuan
Heart Songs Greatest Songs Ever Written	27	0	stuntmannorm
CALIFORNIA some california songs...they all seem pretty trippy too...	21	5	moonshadowbird396
From Me To You: Hope VS. Reality This is a mixtape I actually sent to a girl who is an incredible friend that I would say I love more than just a friend. Despite us being 1,...	18	4	torizemog
Some last ones for the road! Notta thing	20	7	ALWAYSYOURS4EVER
On the Stage Songs I used to play at work.	30	0	mawgojzeta
Songs That Remind Me Of The Summertime	24	0	caseycocainejones
Repeat [x2] I've never stopped loving any of these songs as much as I did the first time I heard them, although I'm not quite as obsessed... But they're...	11	0	sXe LEXXI
Go With The Flow Its...a compilation of awesome.	5	1	rara1337
Luv Songs	9	2	fallon
Songs that make me think of her Songs I continually promise myself never to listen to again cause they dredge up bittersweet memories of a time when I was deeply in love wi...	14	0	jamthedude
Smeeessseeeee cheeseeeeeeey Cheese. Cheddar. My favourite :)	19	0	Krissywoo
Souls Fade Away A reflection upon fate, death, and lost love...	10	0	shinyfirefly
cool songs more songs i like	14	4	writersblock
Personal (Calm)	29	4	InariKitsune
homework Stuff to listen to while doing homework woooooo. haha:)	6	0	ajherrera
theperfectday	12	1	leswilliams
loveandlossandloneliness	12	2	renegadepixie
chillaxin songs A whole bunch of random	6	0	buckeye115
Life As We Know It "We're the middle children of history.... no purpose or place. We have no Great War, no Great Depression. Our great war is a spiritual war...	7	4	Dismay
90's Rock A playlist of 90's rock songs	9	1	Panama904
Pawtay like a Cali Chik! when i'm cruising down the boulevard wit ma friends..chillin to da beats of blink182,rhcp,weezer,sublime...and more! you can never go wrong...	21	0	loveJungleBoogy
Boston	30	1	renegadepixie
Life in a Pringles can I love all types of music. That is all.	30	3	AnotherSamie
number two	19	2	dirtymagic
My favorites, volume 2.	30	1	XNeverMind
Red Hot Chili Peppers All my favorite songs by the artist Red Hot Chili Peppers	5	1	Sebastian1985
7 months to Go What is your mixtape about? It doesnt matter:/	8	8	PartyPoisen1
Daddy	15	0	reuelreuel
Memories in lyrics	22	3	klarusia
Chansons de marin Gus & Johnny, Ottawa	13	0	aukestrel
Chili Peppers Mix	11	15	god will up lift
NaNo Playlist The soundtrack to my NaNoWriMo Novel	11	0	Caria
English Portfolio 2012	8	0	Geochelone
The Year Punk Broke My fave songs of the before mentioned, groundbreaking year, 1991.	27	0	feminist92
Sunny mood A mix of pop, reggae, funk, folk and alternative rock that tries to fight the 'Rainy Mood' hype.	14	0	maxico44
Do you feel like a man when you push her around? All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, You better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, You ...	20	0	Enooby
♥	22	0	Orionya
Bipolar Opposites Volume 2 A little something for every mood you may be in.	30	1	EverythingandNothing
Ella, Andy, Riley A mixtape for my NANOWRIMO 2011 novel.	12	1	ColorMeClueless
listen to this music Volume 1 A continuation of the music I think people should at least know about. Please listen to it, it'll change your life.	30	8	iforgetwhat8wasfor
I'm With You	2	1	RHCPFTW
songs to sing	42	0	CorrinMarvelyn
Chili Mixtape Just a mix from Red Hot Chili Peppers. Taken from their entire music discography of nearly 30 years.	30	2	FFNSDBTCV
June '12	8	0	abasketcase1992
Winter Mix for when it's Winter inside my chest	11	0	RobinMarlo
Personal Favorites Simply a sample to allow people to get a general feel for my taste in music.	18	0	Ashkaari
My iTunes shuffle Just put it on shuffle and see what comes up.	15	1	FFNSDBTCV
Zuri	19	1	meshellle
"There's no aspect, no facet, no moment in life that can't be improved with pizza." A soundtrack to the 1997-2002 MTV cartoon Daria.	34	0	JohnnyLurg
Mindless Chihuahuocity	5	0	frodosfeet
My Music Taste is Better Than Yours Just a jumble of songs that prove my taste is perfect.	103	2	AndyWood
This is a test tape. I will delete this.	95	0	brunobr

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