Red Hot Chili Peppers Biography

The Red Hot Chili Peppers began in the late 1970’s when California high school friends Anthony Kiedis, Michael Balzary, and Hillel Slovak were brought together by a common love of music. The friends taught each other to play instruments and encouraged Kiedis to focus on poetry and lyrics, and the trio began to rehearse together. After bringing in Jack Irons, the band formed Tony Flow & the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem and began performing along the sunset strip in the early 1980’s. Their unusual performances, which often featured the band members nearly naked, established a following, and by 1983, Balzary had adopted the nickname “Flea,” and the band became known as the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers signed with EMI Records, but before the band could start their debut album, Slovak and Irons announced that they were leaving the band. Jack Sherman and Cliff Martinez were added to the lineup, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers was released in 1984. The album garnered only moderate success, but the band continued to build a dedicated fan base through college radio. Eventually, Slovak and Irons returned, and the result was the album Freaky Styley, followed by The Uplift Mofo Party Plan in 1978. The latter was the first to reach into the charts, and paved the way for The Abbey Road EP in 1988.

That same year, however, Slovak was lost to a heroin overdose, and Irons left the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis and Flea moved forward, however, and they added John Frusciante and Chad Smith to the lineup. The result was the smash hit Mother’s Milk (1989), which certified gold in 1990 and set the Red Hot Chili Peppers on a road to stardom. Blood Sugar Sex Magik followed in 1991, and became an even bigger hit than its predecessor, selling seven million copies in the United States and spawning the hit singles "Give It Away" and "Under the Bridge."

The Red Hot Chili Peppers returned to the studio and released a series of albums in the rest of the decade and the new millennium: One Hot Minute (1995), Californication (1999), By the Way (2002), and Stadium Arcadium (2006.) A world tour followed in support of Stadium Arcadium, and continued into 2007. Ultimately, Stadium Arcadium earned five Grammys for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, including Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Best Rock Song, Best Producer, and Best rock Album.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers took a much-deserved break following the success of Stadium Arcadium, but returned to the studio in 2009. There have been some additional changes to the lineup, which now includes Josh Klinghoffer, but the Red Hot Chili Peppers has moved forward, releasing I’m With You in 2011 and embarking on numerous worldwide tours. Currently, the Red Hot Chili Peppers rank at number thirty on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock list and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. That same year, I’m With You was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album and the Chili Peppers nominated for Best Group at the People’s Choice Awards.