Red Hot Chili Peppers Biography

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American
alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. For most
of its career, the band has consisted of vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist
John Frusciante, bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary, and drummer Chad Smith.
The band's varied musical style has fused traditional rock and funk
with various elements of heavy metal, punk rock, and psychedelic rock.



In addition to Kiedis and Flea, the group originally featured
guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. However, Slovak died of a
heroin overdose in 1988, resulting in Irons resigning. Irons was replaced
briefly by D. H. Peligro, former Dead Kennedys drummer, before the band
found a permanent replacement in Chad Smith, while Slovak was replaced by
up-and-coming guitarist Frusciante. This lineup recorded the band's
fourth and fifth albums, 1989's Mother's Milk and 1991's Blood
Sugar Sex Magik.



Blood Sugar Sex Magik was a critical success
and sold over twelve million copies. However, Frusciante grew increasingly
uncomfortable with the band's success and left the band abruptly in
1992. Kiedis, Flea, and Smith employed Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction
for their subsequent album, 1995's One Hot Minute. It failed, however,
to match the critical acclaim of Blood Sugar Sex Magik and sold fewer than
half the copies of its predecessor. Shortly afterwards, Navarro was fired
from the band due to creative differences.



Frusciante, while
absent from the band, developed a severe drug addiction and nearly died. In
1998, he completed rehabilitation and, at Flea's request, rejoined the
band. The reunited foursome returned to the studio to record 1999's
Californication, which went on to sell fifteen million units worldwide,
becoming their most successful album to date. It was followed three years
later with By the Way, which continued their success. In 2006, the group
released the double album Stadium Arcadium. It was voted the second best
album of 2006 by Rolling Stone magazine. It also won The Grammy Award for
Best Rock Album and was also nominated for the "Album of the Year" at the
2007 ceremony.



On February 27th 2008, albumvote.co.uk revealed
that the Red Hot Chili Peppers are to have their first four studio albums
re-mastered, re-packaged and re-released on March 24 2008. Collectively the
albums will come with an extra 12 tracks.