The Chili Peppers are one of those bands that you listen to when your feeling funky. They always play with a huge amount of energy and distinct stage presence. The band is rooted in the California music scene throughout the 70's and 80's when the music was turning into metal hair bands and there was a huge influence of Pop beginning to develop.
The Peppers however diverted from the other musical formula's of the time by creating their own custom sound. It's hard to describe it really but to come close it's important to look at their stuff starting from the beginning.
The band began their career in the late seventies performing many underground shows in the local scene. It was during this time that the band really started to develop their sound as artists.
Their music is heavily influenced by Jazz, Punk and the local Grunge music of their time. Their style also helps define this band as artists and their wild stage antics are truly original. The Chili Peppers have performed whole shows wearing nothing but tube socks.
After working on several albums the band debuted on the national music scene with their album entitled Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1984. Hits from this album include the tracks "Get Up and Jump", "Out in L.A.", "True Men Don't Kill Coyotes" and "Police Helicopter". It was with this album that the band started to expand their following past the local scene and into the mainstream world of music.
Recording this album proved problematic for the group as their original guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons left the band before they began work on this album. Guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez were picked up to fill their spots.
The next year, the band releases Freaky Styley and continued their plans of being professional musicians. Hit's from this album include "Brothers Cup", "Catholic School Girls Rule", "Thirty Dirty Birds", and "American Ghost Dance". For this album Slovak and Irons returned to the group and the band was back in full swing.
The Uplift Mojo Party Plan was released two years later in 1987. Hits from this album include "Me and My Friends", "Walkin' On Down the Road", "Behind the Sun", and "Special Secret Song Inside". This album proved to be one of the bands more poetic attempts in their music. The Chili Peppers have always been a highly artistic and creative band, their stage performances are what truly make this band unique.
1988 the band works on their Abby Road EP, a five track collection of their works. Sadly, following the release of this album, guitarist Hillel Slovak passes away due to a drug overdose and drummer Jack Irons leaves the band for the last time.
Despite the tragic effect of loosing their fellow band members the two man show pressed on; trying out different guitarists and drummers until finally resting on guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith. Mother's Milk was then released in 1989. This album is one of the bands more Punk albums. Songs like "Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky", "Knock Me Down", "Pretty Little Ditty" and a both a cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" and Stevie Wonders "Higher Ground" appear on this album. Mother's Milk is a pretty solid album. The Chili Peppers have that feel.
A feel that can only come from a band of this magnitude. Flea's signature licks help form the sturdy foundation of this band and this is very evident on this album. He has this sterling ability to produce the funkiest chops out of any other bass player out there. It's the kind of music that just makes you want to get up and dance.
Two years later the band releases Blood, Sugar, Sex Magik. This is perhaps the bands most famous album. It's on this album that the band diverts from their original formula of producing concert type albums.
On this album are the songs "Under the Bridge", "Give it Away", "Breaking the Girl", "Suck My Kiss" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". "Under the Bridge" is one of the most captivating songs ever written. It's heartfelt lyrics and powerful message make this song special in the hearts of many a fan.
In 1992, Frusciante leaves the band during their tour that year and the Chili Peppers continue with guitarist Arik Marshall for a short time. Then guitarist Jesse Tobias played with the group for a brief stint. Finally, the band hooked up and jacked in with Dave Navarro formally of Jane's Addiction and began working on Red Hot Minute.
The next release for the band would be their first greatest hits album, simply titled What Hits?. Tracks included on this album include "The Brothers Cup", "Under The Bridge", "Me and My Friends", "Higher Ground", "Backwoods", "Get Up and Jump" and "Taste the Pain".
Out in L.A. arrived in 1994 and contains various re-mixes of the Chili Peppers prior works as well as both rare demo versions and live versions of some of the bands previous songs along with new tracks from the band.
Tracks on this album include "Out in L.A.", "Never Mind", "Flea Fly", and a cover of Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand". Also included on this album is the song "What It Is", which is also the name of the band that guitarist Slovak and drummer Irons were in during the 1984 break of the band.
The following year, 1995, the band releases One Hot Minute. Tracks contained on this album include "My Friends", "Aeroplane", "Walkabout" and "One Hot Minute". The song "My Friends" is an exceptional example of what Red Hot Chili Peppers music is; bringing a real life look at the world around us through music. That's the thing about the Peppers, they always bring their high intensity and emotionally incendiary music to life for their fans.
Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers was released in 1998. For this album the band covers a variety of different bands ranging from Bob Dylan to Robert Johnson. Other artists covered include Elton John, Hank Williams, Parliament, Stevie Wonder, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Meters, and Iggy Pop and The Stooges. Covers include "Tiny Dancer", "Castles Made of Sand", "Fire", "Search and Destroy" and "Subterranean Homesick Blues". 1998 was also the year that Dave Navarro left the Chili Peppers due to artistic differences.
1999 was a revolutionary year for the band as the band welcomed back guitarist John Frusciante to the band and the band releases their smash Californication album. Californication was an important milestone for the band as it breathed new life into the band. Incredible hits from this album include "Around the World", "Parallel Universe", "Scar Tissue", "Other Side", "Californication", "Road Trippin'", "I Like Dirt" and "Savior".
In 2002 the band debuts their 7th fully original full-length album entitled By the Way. Hits from this album include "Universally Speaking", "The Zephyr Song", "Dosed", "Don't Forget Me" and "By the Way".
The next year the band releases their second greatest hits album simple entitled Greatest Hits. This album covers the bands hits from Mother's Milk through By the Way and includes two previously unreleased tracks.
Selected hits that appear on this album include "Under the Bridge", "Soul to Squeeze", "Scar Tissue", "Californication" and "Save the Population". "Soul to Squeeze" also appeared on the hit movie Coneheads soundtrack in 1993.
With over twenty years of music making under their belt, the band composed of Anthony Keidis, Flea, Chad Smith and John Frusciante have both shocked and awed the world in their wake of musical mastery. Their latest release, entitled Stadium Arcadium is a two disc set of awesomeness. Killer tracks from this set include "Dani California", "Hump de Bump", "Especially in Michigan", and "Snow (Hey Oh)".