Rod's Ramblings
A podcast reminiscing about cultural events and how they affected this sixty something. Join me as we travel on a nostalgic journey through the cultural events that have shaped our lives. From classical composers, iconic music moments, rock stars and unforgettable TV shows. Let’s reminisce about how these events have influenced us all. Whether you’re a fellow baby boomer or just love a good story, Rod’s Ramblings offers a heartfelt, informative and entertaining look at the stories behind these great events. Cheers, Rod.
Rod's Ramblings
The Rewind Series - The Tumultuous Legacy of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Exciting News! 🎧 I've uncovered the original audio files from the very first series of "Rod’s Ramblings" which was broadcast in 2022 and am thrilled to share them with you. Thus, I proudly present "The Rewind Series." What if the challenges and chaos in your life could be the very fuel for your creativity and success? Join me on Rod's Ramblings as I navigate the compelling and tumultuous journey of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, just in time for the release of their 13th studio album, Return of the Dream Canteen. We'll explore the band's origins in the vibrant LA music scene of 1983, the tragic loss of original guitarist Hillel Slovak, and the profound impact it had on their path. Listen as we unravel the dynamic contributions of John Frusciante, his battles with the pressures of fame, and his remarkable returns that reshaped the band's sound. Through hit albums like Californication and Stadium Arcadium, we uncover the creativity and resilience that have kept the Chili Peppers at the forefront of alternative rock.
But the highs wouldn't be as poignant without the lows, and we don't shy away from the darker chapters of their story. From the outrageous antics that marked their early years to the personal demons each member faced, the Chili Peppers have seen it all. We'll recount Anthony Kiedis's brushes with the law and struggles with addiction, Flea's challenging upbringing, and John Frusciante's near-fatal encounters with substance abuse. Even Dave Navarro's haunting past finds its place in their narrative. Through it all, the theme of perseverance shines, providing a deeper understanding of how these experiences have shaped not just their music, but their lives. This episode promises a nostalgic and insightful look into the Red Hot Chili Peppers' enduring legacy.
Hello there and welcome to Rod's Ramblings, a podcast reminiscing about cultural events and their effect on this 60-something. I was wondering what subject to choose for this episode and a few friends got in touch saying how much they'd enjoyed seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Manchester earlier this year. This coincided with an announcement popping up on my phone saying that on October, the 14th this year, the band will be releasing their 13th studio album, to be entitled Return of the Dream Canteen. It follows the release of Unlimited Love, their first album since the return of guitarist John Frusciante. With over 100 million records sold worldwide, red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the best-selling bands of all time. They are the most successful band in the history of alternative rock, with the records for most number one singles 14,. Most cumulative weeks at number one 85, and most top ten songs 25, on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. They've won six Grammy Awards, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, and in 2022, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. These events, along with the band's history, were enough for me to decide to dedicate this episode of Rod's Ramblings to the four lads from Los Angeles.
Speaker 2:Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles in 1983, combining a dynamic, often athletic act with elements of alternative rock, funk, punk, hard rock and hip-hop. The current line-up consists of Anthony Cletus on vocals, flea real name Michael Peter Flea on bass, chad Smith on drums and John Frusciante on guitar. However, their original line up consisted of Kiedis Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Despite playing on demo tapes, due to commitments to other bands, slovak and Irons didn't play on the band's 1984 self-titled debut album, which instead featured guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez. Slovak first appeared on their second album, freaky Styly, in 1985, and Irons played on their third, the Uplift Mofo Party Plan, in 1987.
Speaker 2:Slovak was born in Haifa, israel, in 1962 and emigrated to the United States with his family in 1967, where he met his future bandmates Kiedis Flea and Irons at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. His guitar playing combined funk, reggae and hard rock and was a major influence on the band's early sound. During his career, slovak developed a serious heroin addiction, attempted to quit on many occasions and sadly lost the battle, dying of an overdose on June the 25th 1988, aged just 26. Irons chose to leave the band after Slovak's death, saying that he didn't want to be a member of a band in which his friends died, slovak's death saying that he didn't want to be a member of a band in which his friends died. He went on to play drums with Pearl Jam and was in an opening act for several dates, supporting the Chili Peppers' the Getaway World Tour when the album was released in 2016. Following Slovak's death, bass player Flea gave the following tribute Hillel was a huge influence on my life. Were it not for him, I would never have begun to play the bass. Hillel is always with me and my love for him only grows stronger with time.
Speaker 2:The band replaced Slovak and Irons with John Frusciante and Chad Smith, recorded the album Mother's Milk in 1989 and what became their first major commercial success, blood Sugar, sex Magic, in 1991. Major commercial success Blood Sugar, sex Magic in 1991. Frusciante became uncomfortable with their newfound popularity and, as a result of the success of the album, he began to argue with Kiedis. Their relationship became more problematic and when Frusciante messed up during a Saturday night performance, kiedis accused him of deliberately sabotaging the show. Later, during a tour of Japan, frusciante told the band's manager that he didn't want to perform anymore. The band persuaded him to play that night, but he quit the band.
Speaker 2:After the show, frusciante released solo albums Neanderer Ladies and Usually Just a T-Shirt in 1994, and Smile From the Streets you Hold in 1988. In 1994, and Smile From the Streets you Hold in 1988. Both albums were greeted with confusion and mixed reactions from the music press and the public. Reviewing the Smile From the Streets you Hold for Pitchfork, an American online music blog, james Wisdom said it would have to be the easiest CD to hate that I've ever heard. But hidden beneath deeply twisted and tortured vocals, there are a few gems.
Speaker 2:Frischianti rejoined the Chili Peppers in 1999 and helped them record their seventh album, californication, which became their biggest commercial success, selling 16 million copies worldwide. Other successful albums followed, with my favourite, by the Way, released in 2002, and Stadium Arcadium, released in 2006. Stadium Arcadium was their first album to reach number one in both the US and the UK. Frusciante once more felt uncomfortable with the band's success and left in 2009 to focus on his solo career. To focus on his solo career, he was replaced by Josh Klinghoffer, who appeared on the albums I'm With you in 2011 and the Getaway in 2016.
Speaker 2:Klinghoffer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2012, becoming the youngest ever living inductee, at the time, age 32. This passed the previous record holder, stevie Wonder, who was 38 when he was inducted. He and Frusciante were great friends and collaborated on many of Frusciante's solo albums. Frusciante said of his relationship with Klinghoffer he's simply a very talented person and has been a very close friend for the past four years. He's one of the very few people who I like to spend a lot of time with. In many respects, he is the person who is closest to me and with whom I can speak honestly about everything. His opinion is very important to me and I value it a lot. Frusciante would rejoin his friends once more in 2019, recording their latest album, unlimited Love, which went to number one all over the world. In the following clip, frischke Ante talks about rejoining the band.
Speaker 3:It was a certain amount of soul searching that I'd done. It seemed like I'd changed and grown enough as a person to where it felt like it would be a beautiful thing to have another chance to do it right. I felt that way when I rejoined the first time. On a personal level and on a musical level. I had some new ideas about where I thought those relationships could go. And it was the same thing this time. I just I was seeing Anthony and Flea and Chad through a different lens than I had seen them through when I quit Not that either time that I quit, that it was specifically anything to do with personal.
Speaker 3:But you know, having a personal relationship in a band is a hard thing. You've got to be in sync with four people working as hard as they work, doing you know, going where they go, doing what they do, almost thinking what they think. It's an intense thing to do, you know, and so I've found for myself that I've needed to clear my head of it and try to figure out who I am as a person, and I really wanted to have that closeness and that kind of vulnerable interaction with them again.
Speaker 2:We've all heard the phrase. There's no such thing as bad publicity, haven't we? And it applies to the Chilli Boys as much as anyone else? In 1983, they hadn't been going long and were trying to establish a reputation around the clubs of Los Angeles. They were playing at the Kit Kat Strip Club and, as the punters were more used to watching girls taking off their kit rather than four lads bashing out a mix of funk, rock and rap that the first half of the band set didn't go down very well at all. Knowing that they needed to do something special if they were going to save the show, the lads decided to show the girls some solidarity and returned to the stage totally naked, except for white sports socks over their wedding tackle. There was an outrageous reaction not only from the audience but also from the local press, and word soon got round, encouraging audiences to flood to see the band. You could say it was a job well done. The band only repeated the act once more around the time of the Californication album, but the story has been associated with them ever since. In 2009, they were immortalised in an episode of the Simpsons, but modesty prevailed when Matt Groening and his team reproduced them dressed in their underpants. Phew. I said just now that there's no such thing as bad publicity. This is true to a certain extent, but there are parameters that must not be crossed. In 1990, antoni Kidis was convicted of sexual battery and indecent exposure after a concert at George Mason University in Fairfax, virginia, on April 21st 1989. Kidis exposed himself and pressed his penis to a woman's face against her wishes. Also in 1990, flea and Chad Smith were arrested on charges of battery in Daytona Beach, florida, at a performance for MTV during spring break, with Flea also charged with disorderly conduct and solicitation to commit an unnatural and lascivious act. Flea picked up a 20 year old woman and threw her into the, while Smith forcibly removed her bathing suit and slapped her buttocks. Flea allegedly demanded that she perform a lewd act with him before both he and Smith were escorted off the premises.
Speaker 2:Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll is the closing track on Ian Durie's album New Boots and Panties. It also played a big part in the lives of the Chili Peppers. One of their biggest hits, under the Bridge, was written about Kiedis' struggles with drug addiction. The bridge the song refers to is believed to be in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles and it is where Kiedis went when, in a desperate need to score, he entered gang territory pretending to be engaged to the sister of a gang member. He later referred to this as one of the lowest steps he'd ever sunk to.
Speaker 2:After Frusciante left the band the first time in 1992, his life went rapidly downhill. He was searching for individual creative freedom, but suffered from depression and tried to recover by using as much heroin and cocaine as he could get his hands on. Frusciante went on to suffer five near-fatal overdoses and his teeth became so rotten that he needed to spend $90,000 in dental bills before he eventually cleaned up his act in 1998 and rejoined the band. The current members of the band weren't the only ones to struggle with narcotics. When Frusciante left, he was replaced with Dave Navarro, who stayed from 1993 to 1998. Navarro is also known for playing lead guitar in the band Jane's Addiction and was married to Carmen Electra from 2003 to 2007.
Speaker 2:The event that caused Navarro to spiral into his addiction was when his mother and aunt were murdered by his mother's ex-boyfriend in 1983. 16 year old Dave was due to spend the night with his mother, but decided to spend it with his dad at the last moment. Like most kids when I was growing up, my mates and I had nicknames for each other. Some were wordplayers based on our names or mickey takes of our characteristics, but they were all given with friendship. It's difficult, therefore, to understand why young Michael Balsery ended up with the name Flea, not being the most complimentary of names. Even more difficult to come to terms with is how rough his childhood was. In his book Acid for the Children, he describes it as growing up in a very violent alcoholic household. In the following clip he describes his feelings after writing the book.
Speaker 1:The writing wasn't hard, but when I would read it out loud I would break down in tears all the time. I mean, I'm 57. I stopped doing drugs, drinking alcohol, when I was about 30 and then I started feeling everything and sometimes it was a river of pain.
Speaker 2:He was born in Melbourne, australia, in 1962, and when he was 5 years old, his father moved the family to New York to take up a job with the customs department. Life was quite ordinary for a while, until his mum left his dad to move in with a guitar teacher. The man who was to become his stepfather was a violent alcoholic, and his behavior terrified young Michael. In 1972, the family moved to Los Angeles and, in order to escape from his turbulent home life, michael began walking the streets of LA routinely, hanging out until the early hours of the morning.
Speaker 2:In an article for Time magazine, he said that this was also when he started smoking marijuana and, soon enough, started abusing virtually any drug he could get his hands on and got into trouble with both dealers and cops. At school, however, things weren't all bad. He started to play the trumpet and in 7th grade he competed and won the National Orchestra Award playing Joseph Hayden's Trumpet Concerto. The prize was free private lessons, which was a big thing for him, giving himself something good to focus on. It was also at school that he met Anthony Kiedis. In the following clip, flea describes what happened whilst he was wrestling with one of his classmates.
Speaker 1:Flea describes what happened whilst he was resting with one of his classmates and here comes up this kid he's got a crew cut, a hard buzz crew cut, and he's big and he's muscly and he's lay off him. Comes up to me, lay off him, and it was Anthony and he had just moved to to LA himself. We were both apart from things like both outcasts in a way. Our relationship is a strange one and a difficult one, and something that's one that's often antagonistic. We rub against each other wrong ways. Maybe he understands it. I don't understand it. I know that I love him.
Speaker 2:The band have been together in their various forms for nearly 40 years and it's clear in their music, their writings and their interviews that not only are they great musicians, but over the years they've become great friends with a lot of respect and love for each other. In the following clip, cadice talks about their love for Froschianzi.
Speaker 4:He's our brother, he's our family and I think just being around him and seeing how much he pours into what he does is infectious, it's contagious, it's inspiring literally inspiring, not just like, oh, wow, I'm inspired, but he offers ingredients and love and hard work and for sure it makes us want to do better work harder.
Speaker 2:As we come to the end of this episode, I'm reminded of an interview where Ozzy Osbourne said that he'd been sacked by Black Sabbath more times than he'd had hot dinners. The same could be said about the number of times the Red Hot Chili Peppers have had guitarists. Although this is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek comment, it has become a running joke amongst the band. Throughout their history they have had some talented men playing guitar, but their most successful periods have undoubtedly been when Frusciante has been by their side. Well, the good news is that Frusciante is currently a fully paid up band member. He plays on the new record, and the icing on top of the cake is that it's a double album. So we've got a lot to look forward to. Like you, I can't wait for October 14th and return of the Dream Canteens release and hope that it lives up to its promise. I hope you've enjoyed my ramble through the history of the boys from Los Angeles. In the meantime, take care, look after yourselves, and I'll see you next time on Rod's Ramblings. Cheers, cheers.
