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Saturday, June 2, 2012

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Band Profile
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk rock, metal, and psychedelic rock. The band consists of founding members Anthony Kiedis (vocals) and Michael "Flea" Balzary (bass), longtime drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who joined in late 2009, following the departure of John Frusciante. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have won seven Grammy Awards and sold over 65 million albums worldwide.

The band's original line-up featured guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Because of commitments to other bands, the two did not play on the debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Cliff Martinez was the drummer for the first two records, and guitarist Jack Sherman played on the first album only. Slovak performed on two albums with the band, Freaky Styley and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan; he died of a heroin overdose in 1988, resulting in Irons' departure. Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist, DeWayne McKnight was brought in to replace Slovak though his tenure was short and he was replaced by John Frusciante in 1988. Former Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro was brought in to replace Irons though after a short tenure with the band he was out and replaced by Chad Smith that same year. The line-up of Flea, Kiedis, Frusciante and Smith was the longest-lasting, and recorded five studio albums starting with 1989's Mother's Milk.

In 1990, the group signed with Warner Bros. Records and recorded under producer Rick Rubin the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991), which became the band's first commercial success. 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 Jesse Tobias though after a few weeks he was replaced by 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 in 1998. Frusciante, fresh out of drug rehabilitation, rejoined the band that same year at Flea's request. The reunited quartet returned to the studio to record Californication (1999), which became the band's biggest commercial success with 15 million copies worldwide. That album was followed three years later by By the Way, and then four years later by 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 on their Stadium Arcadium tour and on Frusciante's solo projects, joined as lead guitarist in 2009. Klinghoffer proceeded to record the band's tenth studio album, I'm with You, in 2011, and the album topped the charts in 18 different countries. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

History
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed by singer Anthony Kiedis, guitarist Hillel Slovak, bassist Flea and drummer Jack Irons while they attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. 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 30 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, the band announced that they were the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and were noticed by EMI and signed with the record label in early 1984. 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 and from the punk band, The Weirdos, joined shortly thereafter. The band held auditions for a new guitarist which included Weirdos guitarist, Dix Denney but it was decided that Jack Sherman was the best fit.

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 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?

Members Profile
Birth name : Chadwick Smith
Born : October 25, 1961 (age 50), St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
Genres : Funk rock, alternative rock, funk metal, experimental rock, hard rock, heavy metal, jazz-funk
Instruments : guitar, Piano, Guitar, Oboe, Saxophone, Didgeridoo, Flute
Years active : 1982–present
Associated acts : Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot, Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats, Glenn Hughes, Dave Navarro, Toby Redd
Birth name : Josh Adam Klinghoffer
Born : October 3, 1979 (age 32)
Origin : Los Angeles, California
Genres : Experimental rock, alternative rock, avant-garde, electronica, art rock, funk rock
Occupations : Musician, songwriter, producer
Instruments : Guitar, drums, synthesizer, keyboards, organ, piano, bass, vocals, cello, banjo, double bass, flute, marimba, trumpet, tuba, vibraphone
Years active : 1996–present
Associated acts : Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante, Ataxia, Dot Hacker, The Bicycle Thief, Thelonious Monster, Gnarls Barkley, Warpaint, Sparks
Born : November 1, 1962 (age 49), Lowell, Michigan, U.S.
Genres : Funk rock, alternative rock, punk rock
Occupations : Singer-songwriter, actor
Instruments : Vocals
Years active : 1983–present
Labels : Warner Bros. Records, EMI
Associated acts : Red Hot Chili Peppers
Birth name : Michael Peter Balzary
Born : October 16, 1962 (age 49), Burwood, Melbourne, Australia
Genres : Funk rock, experimental rock, punk rock, alternative rock, hardcore punk, jazz-funk
Occupations : Musician, actor
Instruments : Bass guitar, Guitar , trumpet, piano, vocals
Years active : 1982–present
Labels : Warner Bros. Records, EMI
Associated acts : Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rocketjuice and The Moon, Atoms for Peace, Fear, Jane's Addiction, John Frusciante, What Is This?, P, The Mars Volta, River Phoenix, Pigface

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