Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. For most of its career, the group 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 heavy metal with various elements of funk, punk rock, hip hop, 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, the former Dead Kennedys drummer, before the band found a permanent replacement in Chad Smith, while Slovak was replaced by upcoming 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 less 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 se...