MTV
CULTURE CLUB
Discography:
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Few new wave groups were as popular as Culture Club. During the early '80s, the group racked up seven straight Top Ten hits in the U.K. and six Top Ten singles in the U.S. with their light, infectious pop-soul. Though their music was radio-ready, what brought the band stardom was Boy George, the group's charismatic, cross-dressing lead singer. George dressed in flamboyant dresses and wore heavy makeup, creating a disarmingly androgynous appearance that created a sensation on early MTV. George also had a biting wit and frequently came up with cutting quips that won Culture Club heavy media exposure in both America and Britain. Although closely aligned with the new romantics -- they were both inspired by Northern soul and fashion -- Culture Club had sharper pop sense than their peers and they consequently had a broader appeal. However, their time in the spotlight was brief. Not only could they not withstand the changing fashions of MTV, but the group was fraught with personal tensions, including Boy George's drug addiction. By 1986, the group had broken up, leaving behind several singles that rank as classics of the new wave era.
The son of a boxing club manager, Boy George (b. George O'Dowd, June 14, 1961), found himself attracted to the glam rock of T. Rex and David Bowie as a teenager. During the post-punk era of the late '70s, he became a regular at London new romantic clubs. Along with his cross-dressing friends Marilyn and Martin Degville (a future member of Sigue Sigue Sputnik), George became well-known around the London underground for his extravagant sense of style, and Malcolm McLaren invited him to join an early version of Bow Wow Wow. George briefly appeared with the band as Lieutenant Lush before leaving to form In Praise of Lemmings with bassist Mikey Craig (b. February 15, 1960). Once guitarist Jon Suede joined the group, they changed their name to Sex Gang Children. Within a few months, the band met Jon Moss (b. September 11, 1957), a professional drummer who had previously played with Adam & the Ants and the Damned.
By 1981, Boy George had renamed the group Culture Club and Suede had been replaced by Roy Hay (b. August 12, 1961), a former member of Russian Bouquet. Toward the end of the year, they recorded a set of demos for EMI, but the label turned them down. Early in 1982, the band landed a contract with Virgin Records, releasing "White Boy" in the spring. Neither "White Boy" or its follow-up, "I'm Afraid of Me," made the charts but the British music and fashion press began running articles about Boy George. In the fall, Culture Club released their breakthrough single, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," which rocketed to the top of the charts. Shortly afterward, the band's debut, Kissing to Be Clever, climbed to number five on the U.K. charts and the non-LP single "Time (Clock of the Heart)" reached number three. Early in 1983, Kissing to Be Clever and "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me" began climbing the U.S. charts, with the single peaking at number two. "Time" reached number two in the U.S. shortly after the non-LP British single "Church of the Poison Mind," attained the same position in the U.K. "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" became a Top Ten hit in America that summer.
By the time Culture Club's second album Colour By Numbers was released in the fall of 1983, the band was the most popular pop/rock group in America and England. "Karma Chameleon" became a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic, while the album reached number one in the U.K. and number two in the U.S. Throughout 1984, the group racked up hits, with "It's a Miracle" and "Miss Me Blind" reaching the Top Ten. In the fall, the group returned with its third album, Waking Up With the House on Fire. While "The War Song" reached number two in the U.K., the album was a disappointment in America, stalling at platinum; its predecessor went quadruple platinum.
Following a brief tour in February, Culture Club went on hiatus for 1985, with Craig, Moss, and Hay pursuing extracurricular musical projects in the interim. During the year, Boy George -- who had previously denounced drugs in public -- became addicted to heroin. Furthermore, his romance with Moss, which had always been rocky, began to disintegrate. All of these problems were kept hidden, but it became evident that something was wrong when Culture Club returned to action in the spring of 1986. Though their comeback single, "Move Away," became a hit in April, its accompanying album From Luxury to Heartache stayed on the charts for only a few months. Rumors of George's heroin addiction began to circulate, and by the summer, he announced that he was indeed addicted to the drug. In July, he was arrested by the British police for possession of cannabis. Several days later, keyboardist Michael Rudetski, who played on From Luxury to Heartache, was found dead of a heroin overdose in George's home. Rudetski's parents unsuccessfully tried to press wrongful death charges on Boy George.
While Boy George was battling heroin addiction, and his subsequent dependence on prescription narcotics, Culture Club broke up. George confirmed the group's disbandment in the spring of 1987, and he began a solo career later that year. While his solo career produced several dance hits in Europe, George didn't land an American hit until 1992, when his cover of Dave Berry's "The Crying Game" was featured in the Academy Award-nominated film of the same name. In 1995, George published his autobiography, -Take It Like a Man. Culture Club reunited in 1998, issuing the two-disc set VH1 Storytellers/Greatest Hits.
Source: Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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AVENGED SEVENFOLD
The members of metalcore outfit Avenged Sevenfold (or A7X) were still attending high school in Huntington Beach, CA, when they formed their band in 1999. Nevertheless, it didn't take long for M. Shadows (vocals), Zacky Vengeance (guitar), Synyster Gates (guitar), the Reverend (drums), and Johnny Christ (bass) to make an impression with their aggressive hybrid of metal and punk-pop. The band made its official debut in July 2001, releasing Sounding the Seventh Trumpet on the Good Life label before moving to the Hopeless roster for 2003's Waking the Fallen. Warner Bros. took interest in the band's aggressive sound and issued its breakthrough release, City of Evil, in June 2005. The album reached number 30 on Billboard's Top 200, propelled in part by the Top Ten success of the single "Bat Country." The accompany music video was heavily rotated on MTV and Fuse, where live appearances also helped boost Avenged's growing profile, and the band ultimately won the Best New Artist Award (though they were hardly newcomers) at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.
As demand for their music increased, Avenged Sevenfold canceled their tour dates for fall 2006 and decamped to Houston, TX, where they set to work on a fourth studio album. Boasting a grittier sound than previous releases, the self-titled/self-produced disc appeared in October 2007, debuting at number four on the Billboard Top 200 and spinning off the radio single "Almost Easy." The album also fared well in England, where three songs cracked the Top Five of the U.K. rock charts, and Avenged Sevenfold helped support the release by touring North America on the Taste of Chaos tour. Released in September 2008, the CD/DVD package Live in the LBC and Diamonds in the Rough captured the band during a tour stop in Long Beach.
Source: Christina Fuoco, All Music Guide
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CREED
During the late '90s, Creed emerged from a veritable sea of post-grunge contenders to become one of the decade's biggest-selling rock bands. At a time when many other Seattle disciples were lapsing into inactivity or experimenting with less commercial sounds, Creed carried the torch of straightforward, grungy hard rock without apology -- and they were amply rewarded, selling millions upon millions of albums in just a few years' time. That success didn't translate into critical acclaim, however. Many reviewers slammed the band's music as derivative, and frontman Scott Stapp was lambasted by publications like Rolling Stone for being "irony-deficient, Jesus-haired and often shirtless in a way that reminded people of the guy from Lord of the Dance." Based on their frequently spiritual lyrics, some observers deemed Creed part of a new breed of alternative-styled Christian bands, an affiliation that Creed actively tried to downplay. Neither critical derision nor a potential secular backlash could derail the band, however, and they went into the new millennium as a seemingly unstoppable commercial juggernaut. Ultimately, it was Stapp's substance abuse and increasingly erratic behavior that brought an end to Creed's heyday in 2004. The remaining members partnered with vocalist Myles Kennedy to form Alter Bridge, while Stapp briefly pursued a solo career before reconvening Creed in late 2008.
Creed took root in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Founding members Scott Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti had been classmates in high school and both attended Florida State University, where Stapp studied law before dropping out to pursue music (a decision that led to conflict with his anti-rock & roll parents, as his father was a Pentecostal minister). Stapp and Tremonti began writing songs together, many of which obliquely addressed themes of Christian spirituality, and added a rhythm section consisting of bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips. As an alternative to the band's original moniker (Naked Toddler), Marshall suggested the name Creed, having previously played in another band dubbed "Mattox Creed." Now boasting a new name and a muscled, modern rock sound, Creed went on to form their own label, Blue Collar, before entering the recording studio in 1997 with producer John Kurzweg. Recorded on a shoestring budget of $6,000 and initially self-released in a limited run, the debut album My Own Prison was soon picked up by Wind-Up Records -- a fledgling imprint with distribution through Sony -- and treated to a beefy remix that gave it a heavier, radio-friendly punch. The trick worked, as My Own Prison subsequently spun off no less than four number one singles -- "My Own Prison," "Torn," "What's This Life For," and "One" -- on Billboard's mainstream rock radio charts, making Creed the first band to accomplish the feat with its debut album. My Own Prison proved to be extremely popular, moving over five million copies over several years' time despite little MTV exposure or media coverage.
Although Creed saw a good deal of competition from their post-grunge contemporaries, the band's sophomore album demonstrated their staying power. Released in the fall of 1999 (when tracks from My Own Prison were still peppering the Billboard charts and radio playlists), Human Clay turned out to be a blockbuster, entering the charts at number one and selling a whopping ten million copies over the next two years. The album's leadoff single, "Higher," spent a record-breaking 17 weeks at number one on rock radio, and the follow-up singles "What If" and "With Arms Wide Open" topped the chart as well. This gave the band seven consecutive chart-topping hits on rock radio. "With Arms Wide Open" also gave Creed their first number one pCp hit; several months later, the song won a Grammy for "Best Rock Song."
During the summer of 2000, bassist Brian Marshall made headlines for criticizing Pearl Jam's recent songwriting style during a radio interview; he later apologized, and Stapp distanced the rest of the band from Marshall's comments on Creed's website. Months later, as the band readied itself for an American tour, it was announced that Marshall was no longer a member of Creed. He was quickly replaced by touring bassist Brett Hestla (also of Virgos Merlot) and later formed a new band, Grand Luxx, with his old bandmates from Mattox Creed. That same summer, Stapp was goaded into a brief media feud with Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst, who launched into a profane tirade against Stapp at a summer festival that both bands were playing. Although Stapp later blasted Durst's business tactics (as senior VP at Interscope), claiming they stemmed from a "mobster mentality," things soon reverted to normal as the band returned to the studio.
Creed worked on their new album for much of 2001; although Hestla remained in the touring lineup, Tremonti chose to handle the bass parts himself, preserving the band's initial core. Weathered was then released in November 2001, entering the charts at number one and tying a record (among other number one debuts) by remaining there for eight straight weeks; during that two-month time, it also sold a staggering five million copies. The first single, "My Sacrifice," was a Top Five pop hit that spent nine weeks atop the rock-radio charts. "One Last Breath" also demonstrated the band's crossover appeal by faring well on both charts.
Stapp was involved in a car accident in April 2002 and suffered both a concussion and vertebrae damage. Creed initially canceled the rest of their tour, but Stapp recovered quickly, allowing the band to reschedule most of their show dates during the summer. Stapp's health was slipping in other ways, however, as he developed an addiction to Percocet and began taking a host of other medications on the road, including Xanax and throat steroids. The tour concluded with an infamous performance in Chicago, during which an obviously intoxicated Stapp performed one song whilst lying on his back. Such problems quickly led to the band's unraveling.
Wind-Up Records officially announced the breakup of Creed in June 2004. Over the course of ten years, the band had sold over 30 million albums worldwide and became one of the biggest touring draws of the 1990s. Founding members Mark Tremonti, Scott Phillips, and Brian Marshall went on to form Alter Bridge with ex-Mayfield Four frontman Myles Kennedy. Scott Stapp went on to issue a solo record, 2005's The Great Divide, which included a collection of rock songs inspired by Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ.
Three years later, Stapp and Tremonti reconvened at the Hard Rock Hotel in Florida, where they began to reconcile past differences. Shortly thereafter, the two persuaded Scott Phillips and original bassist Brian Marshall to band together once again, thus cementing Creed's reunion. While material for a new album, the band booked a series of shows for the summer of 2009.
For The Record:
Members include Brian Marshall (born April 24, 1973), bass; Scott Phillips (born February 22, 1973), drums; Scott Stapp (born August 8, 1973, in Orlando, FL; one son, Jagger), vocals; Mark Tremonti (born on April 18, 1974), guitar.
Source: Andrew Leahey & Steve Huey, All Music Guide; eNotes
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Buggles
As the answer to the trivia question "What was the first act ever played on MTV?," the Buggles assured their place in pop music history.
Vocalist and bassist Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes formed the electro-pop duo in England in 1979 after meeting two years prior as session musicians. Their first single, "Video Killed the Radio Star" hit number one in the U.K. in late 1979; when MTV went on the air in 1981, the prophetically-titled record's video was the first ever broadcast on the fledgling cable network.
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Although the Buggles enjoyed three more British hits "The Plastic Age," "Clean Clean" and "Elstree" -- both Horn and Downes were more interested in production than performing; in 1980, they helmed Yes' Drama, and later joined the group as replacements for Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson. After Yes' break-up, Downes signed on with Asia, while Horn formed ZTT Records and produced hits for the likes of Frankie Goes to Hollywood and ABC.
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Yes
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
King Crimson
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
King Crimson By Roger Gibbens
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My Chemical Romance
With their emo-punk songcraft, theatrical vocals, and stylized neo-goth appearance, My Chemical Romance rose from the East Coast underground to the forefront of modern rock talent during the mid-2000s. In keeping with the tragic element of the group's best-known singles -- including "Helena,", "I'm Not OK (I Promise)," "Famous Last Words," and "Welcome to the Black Parade". My Chemical Romance has roots in catastrophe, as frontman Gerard Way decided to form the band after watching New York's Twin Towers collapse on September 11th, 2001. Drummer Matt Pelissier joined the project one week later, while Way dealt with his growing anxiety by penning the group's first song,"Skylines and Turnstiles". Guitarist Ray Toro climbed aboard soon after, and the quintet's ranks solidified with the addition of bassist Mikey Way (Gerard's younger brother) and guitarist Frank Iero. With their lineup in place, the bandmates began playing shows along the Northeast Corridor and made plans to start work on an album.
My Chemical Romance's debut effort, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, appeared in 2002 courtesy of New York's Eyeball Records. Comparisons to Thursday were frequent; both bands hailed from New Jersey, both had recorded for Eyeball, and both combined punk-pop's musical aggression with introspective, confessional lyrics. The album attracted a modest underground following, and My Chemical Romance jumped to the big leagues in 2003 by signing with Reprise Records. The following year, they released the aggressively slick Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, a platinum-selling album that featured cover art by Way himself. Proving to be hugely popular, the album produced several radio singles and popular MTV videos, including "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)," "Helena," and "The Ghost of You."
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Amid this growing popularity, Pelissier departed in mid-2004 and was replaced by drummer Bob Bryar, who had previously met the band while running sound for the Used (with whom the band had toured several years prior). Relentless touring followed, with My Chemical Romance headlining dates with Alkaline Trio, scoring an opening slot on Green Day's American Idiot tour, and sharing bills with Story of the Year and Taking Back Sunday. As My Chemical Romance prepared to enter the studio for their third album, they issued a stop-gap recording, Life on the Murder Scene, in March 2006. The CD/double-DVD package offered an extensive combination of demos, music videos, live footage, interviews, and more; it sufficiently tied fans over until My Chemical Romance (now boasting a sober and bleach-haired Gerard Way) issued the darkly conceptual and highly ambitious The Black Parade that October. Anticipation for the album reached its apex upon the release of its grandiose first single, "Welcome to the Black Parade," whose elaborate music video looked and sounded like the result of Tim Burton directing Queen. The record acheived platinum status by early 2007 and was followed by a live recording, Black Parade Is Dead!, in 2008.
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Fall Out Boy
Green Day
Smashing Pumkins
Avenged Sevenfold
Placebo
Pearl Jam
Blood On The Tracks
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Panic At The Disco
The members of Panic! at the Disco had barely graduated high school when their full-length debut, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, transformed the suburban Las Vegas teenagers into national emo-pop stars. The band had materialized several years earlier, when friends Spencer Smith (drums) and Ryan Ross (guitar) began covering blink-182 tunes together. After tiring of playing another group's material, the duo recruited two additional classmates, guitar/vocalist Brendon Urie and bassist Brent Wilson, and the newly-formed quartet decided to model its name after a line in Name Taken's "Panic". Crafting pop-influenced songs with theatrical touches, quirky techno beats, and perceptive lyrics, Panic! at the Disco posted several demos online that soon caught the attention of Decaydance Records, the Fueled by Ramen imprint headed by Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz. Even though the band had yet to play a live show, they subsequently became the first band signed to the label.
With their record scheduled for a release in September 2005, Panic! at the Disco joined the successful Nintendo Fusion Tour and hit the road alongside Fall Out Boy, Motion City Soundtrack, Boys Night Out, and the Starting Line. The band continued to tour into early 2006, while their single "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" found its way into TRL hearts and the Billboard Top 40. Proving to be a popular lineup, the Nintendo tour (which also featured Hellogoodbye, "Acceptance," and the Academy Is...) consistently sold out venues across the country. Wilson was fired from the group mid-year; undaunted, Panic! pressed on with their friend Jon Walker on board for a full summer tour that culminated with appearances at Lollapalooza, Reading, and the Leeds festival. The guys picked up "Video of the Year" at MTV's annual VMA ceremony, beating out heavy hitters like Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and a collector's box set version of Fever (featuring random Panic paraphernalia and a DVD) came out just in time for the 2006 holiday season. After additional tour dates, the band announced that they were eliminating the exclamation point from their name, a sign that seemed to foreshadow the mature, less emo-driven rock featured on Pretty. Odd. Released in March 2008, the sophomore album peaked at number two in the U.S. and showcased an evolving band whose tastes had grown to encompass The Beatles' psychedelic pop. The group supported the album with another string of show dates, one of which was captured on the CD/DVD release ...Live in Chicago.
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My Chemical Romance
blink-182
AFI
Fall Out Boy
Blood On The Tracks
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THOMAS DOLBY
The man behind iconic 80s song, She Blinded Me with Science, is Thomas Dolby. This synth-based, catchy song was supported with an appealing video and remains a staple when discussing the early days of MTV. But Dolby’s career in the music industry is denser than a one-hit wonder. As a producer and musician, he has become a well-known and sought after collaborator, technology advocate, and inspiration for fledgling synth-rock maestros globally.
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Dolby’s Grammy-nominated approach and style in music has constantly been in flux – from the synth-driven pop of his first album The Golden Age of Wireless to funky and emotive arrangements in later albums like Aliens Ate My Buick and Astronauts and Heretics.
His career started out shortly after he taught himself music and dropped out of school to join an R&B/Jazz band. By the 80s, he was contributing to albums as a session musician for the Thompson Twins, Def Leppard and Foreigner. This financially supported his own solo efforts to record his first album, 1982’s The Golden Age of Wireless. Two years later he released The Flat Earth on Capitol Records.
These two albums by Dolby were well-received by critics and achieved Gold status in the US. Despite, his later un-charting singles in the late-80s and early-90s, Dolby remained active in the music industry and established a technology company that would go on to develop a music file format for internet usage. This venture for Dolby was important as he is a strong advocate for copyright protection and has consistently voiced his opinion over unauthorised sampling and piracy.
Dolby’s musical talents would also benefit him in another business activity in composing hundreds of polyphonic ringtones including the Nokia signature theme. He has also worked as a producer and soundtrack composer for films and video games. In 1998, Yahoo! awarded Dolby with a Lifetime Achievement in Internet Music.
After various, successful one-off gigs in the 2000s, Dolby returned to the music scene and moved back to the UK in 2006. He continues to collaborate, tour and release new and re-mastered material.
Albums:
Sources: Juanita Appleby; Jeffrey Taylor
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Pink Floyd
Depeche Mode
Stevie Wonder
The Dream Goes On Forever: Todd Rundgren
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BILLY IDOL
Billy Idol started his musical life in the punk rock scene in the 70’s with band Generation X. The band released 3 albums but the English rock star was better known as a solo star, with popular videos played regularly on MTV, such as 'White Wedding' and 'Dancing With Myself'.
Idol, born in Stanmore, Middlesex, in 1955, gained his moniker after a school teacher labelled him idle. Second album, Rebel Yell really set the charts ablaze, born in the UK, and the States where he became a major star. However in 1990, he suffered a setback in the form of a motorcycle accident in Hollywood, nearly losing a leg. In 1994 he overdosed twice, subsequently fully recovering after a stint in rehab.
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By 1996 he was back in The Who live version of Quadrophenia and he played himself in the movie starring Adam Sandler The Wedding Singer, which also featured White Wedding as the title track.
In 2005, Idol released his first studio album in 12 years: Devil's Playground and returned to the live scene at Download Festival.
Idol continues to tour and in 2008 released a greatest hits album: The Very Best Of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself.
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For The Record:
Born William Broad on November 30, 1955, in Stanmore, England; son of a salesman; children: Willem Wolf Broad.
Singer, songwriter; formed Chelsea in 1976; started Generation X soon after and released three albums, including seven hit singles; moved to New York in 1981, released mini LP; hooked up with guitarist Steve Stevens and released debut LP, 1982; has since recorded three more and a greatest hits package; released Charmed Life, 1990, and Cyberpunk, 1993; appeared in the Wedding Singer, 1998; performed on VH1, leading to the release of VH1 Storytellers, 2002; reunited with guitarist Steve Stevens and released Devil's Playground, 2005.
Addresses: Record company—Sanctuary Records, Sanctuary House, 45-53 Sinclair Rd., London, W14 0NS, Website—Billy Idol Official Website.
Discography:
Don't Stop (mini LP), Chrysalis.
(With Generation X) Generation X, Chrysalis, 1977.
(With Generation X) Valley of the Dolls, Chrysalis, 1979.
(With Generation X) Kiss Me Deadly, Chrysalis, 1981.
Billy Idol, Chrysalis, 1982.
Rebel Yell, Chrysalis, 1983.
Whiplash Smile, Chrysalis, 1986.
Vital Idol, Chrysalis, 1987.
Charmed Life, Chrysalis, 1990.
Cyberpunk, Capitol, 1993.
VH1 Storytellers, Capital, 2002.
Devil's Playground, Sanctuary, 2005.
Source: Wendy Gabriel, eNotes.
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The Who
Adam Ant
Siouxsie & the Bandshees
LA Guns
David Lee Roth
Wayne Fontana The Mindbenders Game Of Love
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is a rock band hailing from New Jersey and labeled as one of the most successful acts in America. This five-piece made up of Jon Bon Jovi (lead vocals), Richie Sambora (lead guitar), David Bryan (keyboard), Hugh MacDonald (bass) and Tico Torres (drummer) is a largely unchanged lineup from 1984. Alec John Such (bass) left the band in the mid-90s.
Boasting over 120 million album sales and an obsession with touring, Bon Jovi had its first #1 hits with third album Slippery When Wet in 1986. The band hit popularity at the right time as the hair metal genre was dominating the charts. Jon Bon Jovi’s good looks, devastating smile and flowing locks was also a hit with the ladies, so much so that when he cut his hair for the 1992 release Keep the Faith it made the headlines of CNN.
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Some of Bon Jovi’s music industry trailblazing includes a 1989 MTV Video Music Awards acoustic set that is acknowledged as the inspiration for the channel’s phenomenal Unplugged series and taking a unthought-of action for the time of firing all its business advisors and agents to set up Bon Jovi Management.
The band maintained its popularity amongst the 90s grunge movement with a power ballad, Bed of Roses and an extensive arena sell-out tour schedule.
After a lengthy hiatus in the late-90s, Bon Jovi returned with Crush in June 2000. It contained the single It’s My Life which paid tribute to the band’s fictional characters, Gina and Tommy, who also featured in the classic song Livin’ on a Prayer. The song sold 8 million copies and introduced the band to a whole new generation.
Despite mixed reviews on its subsequent album releases, the new millennium sees Bon Jovi transformed into a legendary act with an induction into the UK Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Royal Variety Performance for the Queen, and cross-over awards in the country music genre. Bon Jovi continues to write new material, collaborate and tour globally.
Juanita Appleby
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Skid Row
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ZZ Top
Kiss
Top 10 Rock Star Film Cameos
Red Hot Chili Peppers
American based funk rockers The Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed back in 1983 by school friends Antony Kiedis, Hillel Slovak, Jack Irons, and Michael ‘Flea’ Balzary. Although there first gig comprised of the band improvising and Kiedis performing a rap he had written, they received a lively response from the crowd, which pushed them into writing more original songs of there own.
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After only playing the LA circuit for several months, they were noticed by EMI records, and were subsequently signed by the label. There debut self titled album was released on August 10th 1984, and although they only achieved mildly pleasing sales of 300,000, airplay on college radio and MTV introduced the band to a growing fan base.
During the next few years front man Kiedis, and guitarist Slovak had developed serious heroin addictions, sadly resulting in the guitarists death from a overdose on June 25th 1988. This caused drummer Jack Irons to leave the band citing “he did not want to be in a band where his friends were dying.”
Subsequently the band recruited guitarist John Frusciante, and drummer Chad Smith, and went on to record the album that thrust them into the mainstream ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ in 1991.
This was the start of the success for the Chili’s, with them churning out top 5 singles ‘Give it Away’ and ‘Under the Bridge’, and from 2002’s By the Way self titled single.
After their 9th studio album 'Stadium Arcadium', John has decided to quit the band for the second time to pursue his solo career. He has since been replaced by Josh Klinghoffer.
With there trademark sound, and Fleas’ funk driven bass lines, The Red Hot Chili Peppers have one of the most distinctive sounds around, and with millions of album sales under there belt and a new album on the way and they show no signs of retiring just yet.
Aaron Phillips
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