By Alex HudsonBack in the early '80s, no one could have guessed that Red Hot Chili Peppers would go on to become one of the world's most successful rock acts. The band's original formula was hardly made for longevity: their goofy hybrid of rock, funk and rap initially failed to make much of an impression on radio listeners, and their penchant for performing wearing nothing but strategically placed tube socks meant that they seemed destined to be forever regarded as a gimmick band. To make matters worse, their excessive, drug-fuelled lifestyle and volatile chemistry resulted in repeated line-up changes, and they burned through a steady stream of guitarists and drummers. Incredibly, the band not only survived, but evolved. Frontman Anthony Kiedis began to incorporate sensitive and melodic singing into his tongue-twisting raps, while bassist Flea learned to tame his giddy pops and slaps. With their mass appeal sound, they conquered mainstream rock radio, toured arenas and headlined major festivals. Despite their many successes, the band have never found their comfort zone, and their career has continued to be defined by struggle and upheaval. Nearly 30 years since they formed, the group are still in constant flux, and show no signs of settling down. As the group release their 10th LP, I'm With You, we look back on their wild and unpredictable career.
1962 to 1982
Flea is born Michael Peter Balzary on October 16, 1962 in Melbourne, Australia. As a child, he moves with his family to New York. His parents soon divorce and his mother marries Walter Urban Jr., a jazz musician. His stepfather hosts frequent jam sessions, and the family relocates to Los Angeles. Balzary develops an early interest in trumpet and plays with the Los Angeles Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. His home life is marred by violence and alcoholism, and the unhappy Balzary throws himself increasingly into music and marijuana. He loves jazz and is initially uninterested in pop and rock.
Anthony Kiedis is born on November 1 in Grand Rapids, MI, where he spends his childhood with his mother. He is wild from an early age, and is caught stealing Slim Jims from a store at age six. His stepfather Scott St. John runs into frequent trouble with the law and eventually ends up in jail. Kiedis moves to Los Angeles at age 11 to live with his father, Blackie Dammett. Also known as Spider, Dammett is an actor and Hollywood scenester who introduces his son to drugs and sex before Kiedis is even a teenager. He loses his virginity to his father's 18-year-old girlfriend. He takes on a number of small acting roles under the name Cole Dammett. After his father is busted by the cops for drugs, Kiedis posts bail with money he earns from appearing in a Coca-Cola commercial. While attending Fairfax High School, the two meet after Balzary puts a classmate in a headlock and Kiedis intervenes. The argument is cleared up and the two become fast friends, bonding over their chaotic home lives and recreational drug use. Their rowdy behaviour almost proves fatal when Anthony breaks his back as he attempts to jump off an apartment block into a swimming pool and lands on concrete. Balzary is dubbed "Flea" during a trip to Mammoth Lakes with friends.
They meet guitarist Hillel Slovak after seeing his band Anthym perform. Anthym is eventually rechristened What Is This?, and feature Balzary (who is now playing bass) and drummer Jack Irons. Kiedis frequently introduces the band on-stage by reading original poetry. Flea later quits What Is This? to join the iconic punk outfit Fear.
1983 to 1984
In February, Kiedis, Balzary, Slovak and Irons are asked to perform a one-song opening set for a friend's band. They christen themselves Tony Flow and the Miraculous Masters of Mayhem and write a funky rap song called "Out in L.A." for the occasion. The performance goes so well that they are invited back the next week to play a longer set, and they soon begin gigging all over the city under the name the Red Hot Chili Peppers (they later drop the "The" in official usage). They begin getting mentions in L.A. Weekly and Los Angeles Times. Flea quits Fear after frontman Lee Ving tells him that he must choose between the two groups. They record a demo, and Kiedis will later cite this three-hour session as the best recording experience the band will ever have. They cut six songs live off the floor, plus a handful of a cappella tracks.
During a show at a stripper bar called Kit Kat Club, the band perform an encore wearing nothing but tube socks over their manhoods. A talent manager named Lindy Goetz is in the audience, and he offers to represent them. He lands the band a seven-album deal with EMI. Slovak and Irons leave the group to focus on What Is This?, and the Chili Peppers hire drummer Cliff Martinez and guitarist Jack Sherman as replacements. Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill signs on as producer and the group record their debut LP, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. While in the studio, they clash with the producer and are unhappy with the finished result, which they see as too sterile and commercial. Many of the songs from the demo are re-recorded for the LP (including "Out in L.A."), but these lack the energy of the original versions.
Page 2 »
Posted by Nameless Poseur On 2011-08-23 12:13:30Great article! Thorough and in-depth.
Also praise for not complaining that "they'll never beat BSSM."
Posted by Nameless Poseur On 2011-08-24 21:00:25"By the time the outing is scheduled to end, Flea, Kiedis and Smith will all be over 50 years old."
Messed up!
Posted by Nameless Poseur On 2012-01-26 11:21:01Really informative, a great read! I have one critique though...Chad's band name is Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats- in 2010 you call them the Meatballs. Which is it? I Googled them both and while "Meatbats" has more results, there are a lot of people using "Meatballs" too. What's the deal with that?
POP & ROCK: Beach House - Bloom
SHARE IT! 
---c.-of-Warner-Music.jpg)
