For a long time the Red Hot Chili Peppers were a phenomenon. Take the famous ‘socks on cocks’ photo, for example, but there was no real consistency in their musical exploits. However, ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ (1991), which includes the evergreen ‘Under The Bridge’, was masterful. After this album the band spent many years in the wilderness. Consistent and widespread recognition as a great band only came 20 years later with ‘Californication’ (1999) and ‘By The Way’ (2002). The raging punk-funk-rap band from California then became a musical institution with a fist full of world hits and millions of record sales. The Peppers even hold a world record. In 2004 they entertained 258,000 people live in London’s Hyde Park over three evenings. In 2009 guitarist John Frusciante announced his intention to go solo. He even arranged a brilliant successor. Good friend Josh Klinghoffer has toured with the band since 2006 and has been well and truly ‘on board’ since the tenth studio album ‘I’m With You’ (2011).
Rock Werchter 2012