Writer: Helena San Roque
You either love them or you hate them—although many often choose the latter.
In 1983 , lead guitarist John Frusciante, drummer Chad Smith, lead singer Anthony Kiedis, and bassist "Flea", who's real name is Michael Peter Balzary, came together to form one the most influential rock bands of the time— the Red Hot Chili Peppers ( RHCP). Despite being know for their hits, such as "Under the Bridge", "Snow", "Californication", the pressure of their success, ultimately, lead to Frusciante leaving the band in July 2009.
Frusciante and the RHCP are also known for their illicit drug use, but let's be honest, what famous rock band hasn't used them?
In 2009, Frusciante was replaced with Josh Klinghoffer as the lead guitarist. Although an extremely talented music, the RHCP was left with a gapping whole that only Frusciante could fill. After recording the two albums, I'm With You 2011 and The Getaway 2016, they announced the return of their original guitarist.
After 16 years, since their previous album Stadium Arcadium 2006, Frusciante is once again part of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Klinghoffer said that the dismissal "truly felt like death", but that he wasn't taking it personally "because I know they cared about me and I know they liked me as a person."
During these past couple of weeks, we've already seen two songs released from their new album Unlimited Love 2022
"Black Summer" was the first song released. The title is a reference to the Black Sumer Australian Bushfire season around 2019-2020. It captures the best of the Red Hot Chili Peppers —Frusciante's melodic, Hendrix-like guitar embellishments, along with Kiedis's more laid-back vocals. The song is tuned down to E-flat instead of the regular E-standard, which is, potentially, a nod to guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who is also known for tuning his songs down a half-step.
Frusciante's guitar is the first thing you hear—each chord flows into each other on a bed of reverb while the chorus effect makes you feel like you're floating down a river. This lyric is clearly a "welcome back" card to their lead guitarist:
"Its been a long time since I made a duet/ Waiting on another black summer duet"
Then, once you've settled into the verse and chorus, Frusciante's solo rips into you with a fiery burst of fuzz. With every note, his fingers fly across the fretboard with both unruly, raw emotion and precise, harmonic understanding.
"Poster Child", which was just released this past March 3, on the other hand, captures what I personally think the band can do without—Anthony Kiedis's rapping. The lyrics don't even seem to make much sense when you're listening to the song. Not everyone can appreciate the way Kiedis awkwardly enunciates his words, but some people actually find it appealing. In this song, though, I don't think I'm one of those people.
Even when I tried to analyze the lyrics on paper, it did little to clear my confusion. Just reading the line:
"Melle Mel and Richard Hell were dancing at the Taco Bell / When women heard a rebel yell "
Instead of a clear message, the song is a list of references to Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, Bernie Mac and other well known figures who are associated as the "Poster Child" of their respective niches.
Instead of showcasing the melody, like in "Black Summer", the funky, guitar rhythm takes the center stage. In my opinion, it tries too hard to be raunchy, but it's unpredictable, unexpected, and undoubtedly different from the rest of their pieces.
In the outro, you can hear small snippets of Frusciante's lead playing— almost as if he's holding back.
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