MusicRadar
The No.1 website for musicians
John Frusciante has left Red Hot Chili Peppers, says source
Band working with guitarist Josh Klinghoffer
Joe Bosso, Sun 13 Dec 2009, 12:39 pm GMT
It would appear that John Frusciante is no longer working with the Red Hot Chili Peppers - so says a source close to the band in an exclusive interview with MusicRadar.
"Josh Klinghoffer has been playing with the group for a couple of months now," says the source. "Optimistically, the Peppers are trying to lock down a replacement for John, who has apparently quit.
"Mentally, John checked out a long time ago. He's interested in doing his own thing, his own albums - the whole big rock band machinery just doesn't appeal to him anymore."
The news that Frusciante has quit can hardly be viewed as surprising. During a podcast interview with MusicRadar earlier this year, the guitarist was lost for words during a routine question about the status of the group. He paused for nearly 30 seconds (later edited) before awkwardly stating that the Peppers had "no plans."
Frusciante also refused to be introduced to be as 'guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers,' preferring instead to be called, simply, 'guitarist.'
Josh Klinghoffer (right) appearing with Flea and Bob Forrest at the 5th Annual MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert last May. Image: © Katy Winn/Corbis
Frusciante has up and quit before
This wouldn't be the first time Frusciante has split from the band: Overwhelmed by the success of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, he quit in 1992 and descended into heroin addiction. After kicking drugs cold turkey, he rejoined the Peppers in 1999 for the album Californication (the group had fired his replacement, Dave Navarro, a year earlier).
Still, the past decade hasn't been an easy ride for Frusciante. Intensely private, he has issued a number of wildly experimental, introspective solo recordings - a stark contrast to the over-the-top, circus-like antics of life in the Chili Peppers. Rumors of his commitment to the band resurfaced late last month when, during an interview with Classic Rock magazine, drummer Chad Smith, responding to a question about Frusciante's involvement, stated: "Well...at this time I can't talk about that. I have been told to stay away from the John questions."
"The big thing right now that the band will have to consider is, Can Josh write great songs? Can he help push them forward?" A source close to the Red Hot Chili Peppers on Josh Klinghoffer, who is said to be working with the group
Klinghoffer's a well-liked LA player
Oddly enough, Klinghoffer is not only friends with the Chili Peppers but with Fruscinate as well. "Josh has been on everybody's radar for quite some time," says the source. "He's extremely popular within a certain circle of LA musicians.
"The big thing right now that the band will have to consider is, Can Josh write great songs? Can he help push them forward? Everybody knows he can play, but the Peppers need somebody who can come up with amazing material and get them moving again."
User comments (19)
-
i love the chilli peppers with a passion. no im not a flaming homosexual although theres nothing wrong with that i just really love these guys. man my heart sank when i learned of johns parting with the band. i love john like a brother. to me no one can match his guineas on the guitar. he is the best. to all those that have left negative things about this amazing band and the decisions that its members have made can all rot. you just dont realize greatness when you hear it. i understand that your to much of a coward to separate yourself from the mold. but try to live your own life and make your own decisions about things then you might be able to truly injoy the greatness of the chilli peppers. as for johns parting like i mentioned at the beginning it literally stoped me in my tracks i even shed tears. theres no way to describe how the chilli peppers and john has changed my life. i understand his decision and support him in all he does. tallent like that can never be caged in one area for long. GOD bless you john in your new chapter in life. you have lifetime faithful fan and brother in me.
-
RHCP best music is NOT P-funk. If you don't like what they've done since 2000 your brain dead. It's their early music that was unlistenable. What have they gotten all the grammys for, eh?
-
The chili peppers should have switched directions 20 years ago, or should have quit altogether and each went on separate paths. they have been caricatures of themselves starting with BSSM in '91. they got poppy, they started to make serious coin, and they made themselves believe they have been honest musicians ever since. they are not, and have not been, for a long, LONG time. they used to be interesting and unique, but now they've become what they used to poke fun of in their first 4 albums. flea's talented....he should maybe start playing some jazz or something (heard he's going to music school.....good for him). john is talented also....great to hear he'll be resuming his solo career. keidis made the mistake of trying to sing in '91....he shouldn't have. he should stay at home and wax his penis or something. chad smith sucks (except for his playing on mother's milk, which was somewhat interesting at times). now he's boring and, despite what everyone thinks about him as being a funk drummer, he's about as funky as a nun playing to a beat box. he should consider a career as a double in will ferrell movies.
it'd be interesting to hear flea and john work together. the other two? who cares.....they've been far from "red hot" for a long time. -
I've been a chili and John fan since Mother's Milk, but cant say I'm sad to see him go. Over the last couple of albums John has taken them in a direction away from what the peppers were and I found the albums weak and the funk that defined them, half arsed
-
Frusciante has been a modern g-b-e triad chord funk master a la James Brown git players, Nils Rodgers and others that can play that stark naked strat and throw in heavy shit on top. The epitome of straight funk and punk or groove-based heavy chord stuff. The riffs he wrote with Flea with never be touched without the two of them together. I sensed that with Stad Arcade he was coming into his own both as a player but a singer, songwriter as well. Sure, liberate yourself from the confines of RHCP but don't officially depart from a band that someone of my generation sees as a saving grace to contemporary music. Us early 40's guys who still cover Suck My Kiss and owe so much to John for his ability to take the old funk formula and transform it into modern rock. Having said that, you're not the only guy who can lay down a straight funk laying way back riff that would love to find a rhthym section, Flea-Chad Smith to join in on the backbeat comfy feeling we old funksters have longed for. I digress, but why shut the RHCP door when other projects can always be pursued without burning the whatever that brought ya...
-
As a guitar player i have been influenced greatly by the work of John and RHCP. It sucks that he may be quitting the band, but i'm a fan of his solo stuff too. I think if he dedicates all his time to this than it will lead to some beautiful art. And maybe we'll get more of him with The Mars Volta and other bands.
As for RHCP, although John played a big roll in their music, particularly on Stadium Arcadium, maybe a change will bring some good. I was really looking forward to hearing some new stuff from them with John, but maybe someone like Klinghoffer can get some cool new stuff coming from them. It will just be hard to replace the brotherhood they had with John. Initially, no one likes the replacement, but who ever it ends up being will hopefully grow on me.
In the end, i see john eventually going back to play with them. My guess is he just needs a longer break than the rest of them. I think the break was good for them, and if he needs longer, so be it. -
Great, hopefully they'll stop now. Probably the most over rated band of all time, but a close run thing with Nirvana and Radiohead?
-
Sad news if it's true. Rarely does a band come along of this magnitude. Thankfully, we were given as much music as we were, if this is truly the end of the RHCP's. Too often artists of this caliber are taken from us before their time. Luckily and thankfully for everyone that knows and/or loves these guys they have continued to defeat their deamons. Much love.
Give It Away -
This may not be the popular reaction, but my first thought was 'Yay! More Chickenfoot!' but that's obviously not going to happen anytime soon.
Apologies to RHCP fans. I'm sure it will all sort itself out eventually and we'll get a proper announcement soon. -
Hey if you hear me guys, im available if you need a guitarist hehe!
You need to be logged in to post a comment. Login or Register to post a comment.
ReviewFinder
Click to find gear in the following categories:
- Guitars (3076)
- Amplification (815)
- Computers & Software (1503)
- Recording (395)
- Keys & Synths (150)
- Drums (699)
- DJing (28)
- Publications (47)
- Clothing (2)
- Gadgets (13)
Buy here
mizzike2012
1 week ago.