Red Hot Chili Peppers are a Grammy Award-winning, four-piece rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983.
Even though they have experienced numerous line-up changes and personal problems, the band has harmoniously fused various elements of alternative rock, punk, funk, heavy metal and psychedelic rock. They are also notable for incorporating hip hop-style rhymes in some of their repertoire.
Their albums have sold approximately 60 million copies worldwide. They also hold the records for most #1 modern rock (10), and most weeks spent atop that chart (76).
Red Hot Chili Peppers (originally Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem) were formed after what was supposed to be a one-time performance in 1983 by Fairfax High School alumni Michael "Flea" Balzary (bass), Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Jack Irons (drums) and Hillel Slovak (guitar). Later in that same year, after becoming a popular draw in the Los Angeles rock scene, they secured a record deal with EMI.
Irons and Slovak viewed the band as a side project, and left the Chili Peppers shortly before their self-titled debut to focus on their original band, What Is This?. Red Hot Chili Peppers, the band's 1984 debut album, was recorded with replacement members Jack Sherman on guitar and Cliff Martinez on drums. Produced by Gang of Four's Andy Gill, the album did not achieve commercial success. The ensuing tour did not fare much better, with internal fighting between Sherman and the rest of the band resulting in him leaving, and Hillel Slovak returning.
Parliament-Funkadelic's George Clinton was hired to produce their second album, 1985's Freaky Styley. Martinéz was fired from the band soon after the release of the album, allowing the return of original drummer Jack Irons in early 1986. During this time, drug problems started to become prevelant with the band. At one point Anthony Kiedis left the band due to his heroin addiction, only to rejoin after getting clean. Hillel was also using heroin but managed to keep himself together and stay in the band.
Their next album became their first enter the Billboard Top 200, 1987's The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, was produced by Michael Beinhorn. This would be the only album to feature the four original members.
During the supporting tour, drug problems came to public light when Slovak relapsed; resulting in erratic behavior and botched performances. Shortly after the band returned from some performances in Europe on June 27, 1988, Slovak was found dead of a heroin overdose. Jack Irons left the band because of Slovak's death, going on to drum with Pearl Jam and Eleven.
The band temporarily employed Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro and former P-Funk guitarist DeWayne “Blackbyrd” McKnight, before replacing them with Chad Smith and John Frusciante to record their next album. Mother's Milk was released in August 1989, and gave the band their first top modern rock hits with their tribute ballad to Slovak, "Knock Me Down" [1], and their cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground". The album reached #52 on the album charts, the best chart position the band had attained thus far.
Flea's bass style is an amalgamation of funk and blues, borrowing from artists such as Bootsy Collins of Parliament-Funkadelic and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. The groove-heavy, low-tuned melodies, composed through either normal finger style or slapping, have contributed to the Red Hot Chili Peppers' signature style. While Flea's slap bass style was prominent in earlier albums, later albums (post "Blood Sugar Sex Magik") have more melodic basslines.
The guitar styles of the guitarists that have recorded albums with the group share common traits, featuring a sharp, distorted sound with strong range. Replacement players appear to have tried to stay as close as possible to original guitarist Hillel Slovak's style with its heavy blues and funk elements. However, during his short time with the band, Dave Navarro focused on a style rooted in heavy metal, and progressive. Current guitarist John Frusciante brought a more melodic, textured, and deep sound.
Kiedis provides a range of vocal styles for RHCP songs, with his style of rapping and spoken verse (the latter being the primary characteristic of his vocals up to Blood Sugar Sex Magik) complemented with more traditional vocals have helped the band maintain a relatively consistent style.
Chad Smith, starting on the album Mother's Milk, creates incredible pocket grooves. He is most notably known for his extensive use of ghost notes and his ability to put his feeling into the drumset. Chad Smith has such a definable way of grooving that his sound is completely distinct from every other drummer. His cymbals, the Sabian AA line, are loud and expressive, which definitely contribute to the Red Hot Chili Pepper's sound.
Post je objavljen 04.11.2006. u 12:30 sati.