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The Chili's biggest asset, and unfortunately their biggest problem, was John Frusciante
He was the defining highlight of BSSM, then went off the reservation
One Hot Minute was a commercial nightmare
Kiedis and Flea recognised they needed Frusciante back so they went and saw him in hospital IIRC
Californication is a tremendous album, with a band revitalised by the return of Frusciante
However, realising Frusciante was key to their ongoing commercial success, Kiedis and Flea acquiesced to Frusciante in terms of song writing direction and the sound they developed. I've seen Kiedis admit this in interviews. You only have to listen to Frusciante's solo stuff to hear the link.
The direction Frusciante was going in was not traditionally "chili" style. No funk, electronic tinged, almost ethereal. I think that's what finally killed them off. By the time Frusciante left, probably for good, the damage was done and they're a bland, turgid, dad rock band.
Plus they should have stayed on the drugs.
I cycled across France in '92 and BSSM was one of just four tapes I had on my walkman.
Needless to say I know all the words...
Justice for all - I like One but the mix ain't good - the drums sound too loud to me on my Naim/Kef system.
Definitely their finest album. It doesn't necessarily feature my song of theirs but as a collection its brilliant.
*Opens iTunes and hits play.
I'm guessing you've never heard And Justice For All
Am I alone in quite liking Justice?
Love Justice - it's got some of my favoutite 'Tallica songs on it (Blackened, Dyer's Ever and Harvester of Sorrow). The production is poo though.
BSSM is my favourite RHCP album. Mother's Milk was pretty good and Californication had some great songs but also some that I hate (Purple Staain, I Hate Dirt etc).
I despise By the Way - it just seems so safe and dull. The best description I heard was 'coffee table rock'. Sums it up for me.
might have to go revisit Californication after this! 😆
i bought it pretty much the day it came out, listened about twice and it's been gathering dust ever since. i was past disappointed, i was angry with them! Just thought it was bland, plodding, and cynically commercial.
i did love One Hot Minute though - it's clearly not as good as BSSM but it's messy and druggy and i loved that, even though at 15 i didn't really understand where that vibe was coming from.
(i found out later though, ha)
I've seen the Chilis 3 times I think. 95 on the OHM tour at Manchester Apollo supported by Flaming Lips and Moby (I would love to see that again). Then 03 at MEN (Mars Volta) which was a fantastic gig, in the top two or three ever for me. Then again at City of Manchester Stadium, where J Brown was good but the Chilis were grumpy because Chicks on Speed got booed (they were quite rubbish).
Sadly missed out on the BSSM tour. But I conclude that there have been some very high peaks, and some fairly flat bits. In recording terms I do agree that things went a bit awol later. Stadium Arcadium was very disappointing, and I haven't heard anything since that hits the highs of the earlier albums.
Given the length of time, and the breadth of different stuff they've recorded from the earliest tapes, they are still a great band. Even if they are less great now!
No you are all wrong. BSSM was the start of a long decline that peeked with MM. BSSM is the point where they started taking themselves too seriously. They lost what funk they had.
Just spotted this on FB, figured it was relevant here whilst there's a thread running.
Red Hot Chili Peppers cancelled a concert slated for Saturday night at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in Irvine, California, after lead singer Anthony Kiedis was hospitalized, the band announced at the venue.
...
Bassist Flea broke the news to concert-goers about his 53-year-old bandmate's hospitalization."Anthony is on his way to the hospital right now and we're unable to play this evening," Flea told concert-goers, as seen in the video below. "We are devastated about it. We're really sad. We love you so much. We live to rock...But unfortunately there's a medical thing that happened and he needed to deal with it."
I'd rather listen to the new Stone Roses single than the new RHCP stuff.
IMHO, RHCP died about 20 years ago and were replaced by imposters moulded from Dave Grohls turds.
Been a RHCP for years. Californication is their best album. Plus AK cameo in Point Break. His biography " Scar tissue " is well worth a read too
Much of The Getaway (new album) was reportedly inspired by Anthony's 'nuclear' break-up from Australian 21-year-old model Helena Vestergaard after their two-year relationship.
really? new album sounds shit already then.