Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers Biography

"Red Hot Chili Peppers" is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The band's current line-up is Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Michael "Flea" Balzary (bass), Chad Smith (drums) and Josh Klinghoffer (guitar). Their musical style has fused traditional funk with elements of other genres including hip hop, punk rock and psychedelic rock. The group originally featured guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Slovak, however, died of a heroin overdose in 1988, resulting in Irons' departure. Irons was replaced briefly by former Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro before the band found a permanent replacement in Smith, while Slovak was replaced by up-and-coming guitarist John Frusciante. This lineup recorded the band's fourth and fifth albums, "Mother's Milk" (1989) and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (1991). "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" was a significant record for the band; having sold over thirteen million copies, it provided the group's initial mainstream commercial success. Frusciante grew uncomfortable with this new found success and left abruptly in the middle of the tour for the album in 1992, descending into heroin addiction. After recruiting guitarist Arik Marshall to finish the tour, Kiedis, Flea, and Smith employed Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction for their subsequent album, "One Hot Minute" (1995). Although fairly successful, it did not match the critical acclaim of "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" and sold less than half the copies of its predecessor. Shortly afterwards, Navarro departed the band due to creative differences. Frusciante, fresh out of drug rehabilitation, rejoined the band in 1998, at Flea's request. The reunited quartet returned to the studio to record "Californication" (1999), which went on to sell fifteen million units worldwide, becoming their most commercially successful album to date. It was followed three years later with "By the Way" (2002), which continued their success. In 2006, the group released the double album "Stadium Arcadium", giving them their first American number one album. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have won seven Grammy Awards. The band has sold over 55 million albums worldwide, has had eight singles in the Top 40 of the "Billboard" Hot 100 (including three singles in the Top 10), five number one singles on the Mainstream Rock charts, and holds a record of eleven number one singles on the Modern Rock charts.