Biography

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk, punk rock, and psychedelic rock. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. With over eighty million records sold worldwide, the 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, most cumulative weeks at number one, and most top-ten songs on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. They have won six Grammy Awards, and in 2012 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles by Kiedis, Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Because of commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band’s 1984 self-titled debut album, which instead featured guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez. Slovak rejoined in time for their second album, Freaky Styley, released in 1985, and Irons rejoined for their third, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, released in 1987. Slovak died of a drug overdose on June 25, 1988; Irons, devastated, left the band.

With new recruits Frusciante and Smith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded Mother’s Milk in 1989, and their first major commercial success, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, in 1991. Frusciante was uncomfortable with their newfound popularity and left abruptly on tour in 1992; he was replaced by Dave Navarro, who appeared on the group’s sixth album, One Hot Minute, in 1995. Although successful, the album failed to match the critical or popular acclaim of its predecessor. Frusciante and Kiedis struggled with drug addiction throughout the 1990s.

In 1998, following Navarro’s dismissal, Frusciante rejoined the band. Their seventh album, Californication, released in 1999, became their biggest commercial success, with sixteen million copies sold worldwide. By the Way in 2002 and Stadium Arcadium in 2006, were also successful; Stadium Arcadium was their first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Frusciante left again in 2009 to focus on his solo career; he was replaced by Josh Klinghoffer, who appeared on I’m with You in 2011 and The Getaway in 2016, before Frusciante rejoined in 2019.