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I think most Chilis fans will have mixed feelings about this, but I’m glad they’ve gone for Klinghoffer rather than a Dave Navarro type of choice. Them was bad times, in my opinion.
They are not the Red Hot John Frusciantes, as much as I will miss John’s bad-ass guitar playing and backing vocals, I think Klinghoffer can carry the load. He is a very good guitarist that should fit right in with them. He is like John’s under-slate, this won’t be a HUGE,HUGE change. I’m excited to hear what it’s going to sound like.
You say “this won’t be a HUGE,HUGE change”, but that is exactly what disappoints me. Frusciante is always changing the sound and even the style that the Chilis play. His improvisation cannot be topped. No one, not even Frusciante’s own son could replace him and do him justice. I just hope klinghoffer is half the musician JF is.
Personally, I’m not so bummed about John Frusciante quitting again. He is a weird guy and for all I care he can go be weird somewhere else. I am hoping the new guy brings back the Mother’s Milk sound. I loved the heaviness of the guitars on that album.
I never see a good word about the Dave Navarro era, which I don’t really understand being that One Hot Minute is my favourite RHCP album. Some might remember that they intended Californication to be their last album but the success of it has pushed them through another 10 years, something that could be attributed to Frusciante returning to the band, but would that have happened if he didn’t disappear into obscurity?… I think a change for an album could be the best thing they could do, especially if Frusciante makes a return for the next.
It’s good to see that someone else likes One Hot Minute. While it is not my favorite, I still think it is great. I can’t stand it when people say Navarro sucks. He was just as good as John.
Well if it’s just you and I my friend, it’s already double the troops in the One Hot Minute camp.
dave is good and id say one hot minute is 4th on my list of rhcp albums but there is noway dave is as good a musical writer as john and noway hes half the guitarist john is.
noone is focusing on the fact that john has wrote the music on all the successful rhcp albums. he even wrote alot of mother’s milk. josh is a great guitarist but idt he could write like john.
@NRA, i’d think twice about your assertion of John being “weird” in a band that features Flea and Anthony Keidis; especially when you’d like them to return to the Mother’s Milk sound, one which was very driven by John’s guitar sound and which features a song called “Nobody Weird Like Me.”
@Campbell Miller, Yeah ok, so the other members are weird too. But they are weird in a fun and quirky way. John Frusciante kind of scares me, he is so out there. And yeah i love Mother’s Milk. Nobody weird like me is one of my favorite songs of all time. Just because I think he is strange, it doesn’t mean that hate his guitar playing, I just think it’s time for a change, that’s all.
@Matt: I certainly wouldn’t dispute that for a second, John is far better than Dave but the point I’m making is that RHCP aren’t dead in the water without John… His work is recognisable a mile off, but I’m ready for something a little less predictable from the band… another outsider album like One Hot Minute.
yeah i know what you mean but the problem is dave was a proven song writer and klinghoffer is not. im hoping for a good album but idk it will happen.
john is the best!!!
please you have to como to south america!!!! especially PERU you have thousands of fans here (also in brazil, argentina, chile, etc) PLEASE COME!!!!!!!
when i first saw this, i nearly cried, it will not be the same.
i love their sound sooo much, and now it will change.
Like some people say maybe its a good thing to go out on top, rather then write an average album.
I cant wait for another frusciante album, ive really grown to love the latest one
I, like many, had seen this coming for years. Frusciante’s creative pace and curiosity far outstrips the rest of the band. Not to discredit, an excellent drummer and one of the most creative bass players in history – but as far as ingenuity I can’t see them replacing Frusciante easily. However, Klinghoffer is a very interesting proposition. I have been following his career for about 7 years and he always struck me as having the spirit of a young John Frusciante. However, his band choices from Beck to Gnarls Barkley to Warpaint and various others would suggest that he has (like Frusciante) a much wider palette than the Chilis. Which makes me wonder if a guy like JK would be interested in joining the institution that is the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I’ve always looked forward to the day he formed his own band, and am a little disappointed that he has instead been drafted in to operate as a doppelganger for his now-departed best friend. Its very similar to when Hillel’s space was replaced by the young Frusciante who idolized Slovak’s playing. In this way, history appears to be repeating himself.
However, I really think the bravest thing the whole ensemble could do would be to retire the band name and call it something entirely new. That would be much more exciting. To see them demonstrate that they are so passionate about music, that they are willing at their age, to start all over again. In 97 Flea said to Keidis that unless Frusciante rejoined, it was over. On this thinking, surely it would be the dignified thing to do. They are a weird band. I grew up in awe of them, and have grown to be slightly embarrassed by their recent works.
I wonder what kind of songwriting it will throw up? Probably best confiscate Chad from bringing in the cheesy hair metal slant on things…
I just read back my comment and my grammar was god-awful… Apologies!
that was one of the most anal comments ive ever heard.
@Gordon: The “History repeating itself” thing is exactly what I thought, as for being a bit embarrassed about their recent works… which is why I’m okay about Frusciante’s departure, the band does seem to have just gone through the motions on the last 2 albums… this is their last stand in my opinion.
I think I must be one of those rarer RHCP fans, because I’m a huge fan of the early albums and the recent ones. I don’t see what there is to be embarassed about with the recent albums, I thought Stadium Arcadium was a great record.
It’s good, if you cut out about 30-40% of the album… just my opinion of course.
yay also
Why? are quite clearly the all time best band in the world ever. I <3 Yoni Wolf.
The best artist of all time for sure! After millions of records sold they are still killing all the new younger aged people in sales. Simply amazing.
People, come on. Can’t we love both? I love both Oh Glory and Change, both bands rock lets leave it at that.
Agreed?
Agreed.
sad that panic broke up, but now we’ve got twice the magic
Juliett – your doin it right.
Check your definition of ‘indie’. They self produced their first album and it got them a ton of recognition. That means the music is the real deal.
i think john will be back eventually. probably like 5-10 years from now but im sure he’ll go back even if it’s just for a reunion tour.
Not only does Vampire Weekend’s Contra weeve through a myriad of genres it does so with a more than just a hint of confidence. The album is constructed as if it were daringly precise or just done by some refined musicians. At any rate it mirrors form with style; reminding me of Can, Devotchka, and even Paul Simon’s Graceland, which if african derived. At any rate it is like nothing I know to date. Good work guys.
The Dawn Chorus have confirmed their appearance at 2000Trees for this year in the leaf lounge, late afternoon with a special guest appearance of you-know-who
…on the Friday that is
I look forward to the new album, Hopefully I’ll see The New Pornographers live too if they come within like 500 miles of where I live.
Hey, good read interview from one of my all-time faves, who are rarely given press, so always good to have an insight into the Oceansize cogs and gears.
Caught their Liverpool show, and somewhat similarly to what Gambler alludes to, was a wee bit miffed at three quarters of the show being new stuff – I know you shouldn’t moan at hearing new swag but it’s always particularly hard to take in new ‘Size material.
Anyhoo, cannot wait for the new record, hope it does indeed shit on the others from a great height.
Oh, and Last Wrongs is indeed a belter!
Saw them at Koko last week, my-oh-my were they good. Such energy and charisma! There is a sense of joy in the music which is totally at odds with the lyrics, the new album more than the others. Love it.
It’s rather rattling to find out my favourite band in the world can’t support themselves purely with the music that they make. Well, I suppose I’ll have to buy a few more copies of Frames to distribute as birthday presents, then.
Love the live shows, too.
This e.p is amazing, honestly one of the best things i have heard in years!
I saw the very last concert with Avery in Perth, the last date of the Soundwave Tour. All I can say is that they were great, old school tracks only, tight musicianship, a ‘lil less beefier (then ‘Strays’ era) though reminiscent of the early Jane’s.
It’s always a shame when an original member leaves a band, though Avery is the king of departures.
With all respect to him, I hope he stays away for good this time. His commitment is an issue that Jane’s shouldn’t have to put up with, and he has no respect nor appreciation of Jane’s legacy hence his refusal to rejoin back in ‘97/98 and ‘01. It’s as if he’s there til the next big offer.
Navarro and Farrel have their shit down, and are tighter than ever. I personally would love to see Chaney back. Dunno how Duff will go though…
Regarding EA being the “king of departures”, my understanding is that the band agreed to end via the first Lollapalooza, and that interpersonal tensions and drug use led to it back then.
As for his respect and admiration for Jane’s legacy, I’d argue that that’s exactly why he didn’t rejoin with them until very recently. He didn’t need to cash-in, and felt like the reunions could sully their legacy. He agreed to play a single NMA show to honor their legacy, after which he stated that he was fascinated by the idea that maybe this time they could craft something new together again. My understanding is that interpersonal issues caused them to shuttle that idea in favor of touring, in order to keep things pleasant.
Having bought and listened to ‘Strays’, it was a decent disc, but to me, and lots of others, it wasn’t the Jane’s I was looking for. I saw that Jane’s this past summer with EA on stage, and
Ryan has such a talent for making “alternative country” that it is a disappointment every time he deviates from it. He’s tried numerous times to break into other genres with occasional tracks, web tunes, and even whole albums, but none of them turned out very well. Rock’N'Roll was arguably his worst album to date. Half of Cardinology was awful, borderline butt-rock (the other half being a pretty solid album).
He has a remarkable ability to fuse country, rock, and folk music in a way that no other musicians can. He’s shown this on Jacksonville City Nights, Cold Roses, and of course Heartbreaker. The Suicide Handbook is still probably one of my favorite acoustic albums, despite it being unofficial. That collection of songs shows that he’s a great songwriter when he’s writing about something that matters to him, and can mean something to other people.
While I applaud most musicians’ efforts at diversifying their sound and branching out, it just doesn’t work for him. He does one thing really well, and it wouldn’t hurt for him to stick to it. He can do what he wants of course, but it’s just frustrating to see crap music come out of a truly talented musician. It’s difficult to tell whether he’s even being serious by making music like this.
K, well /rant off. It just sucks that we’ll probably have to wait until Ryan is bankrupt before he gives up on the side projects and returns to making the music that his fans really want to hear.