The Red Hot Chili Peppers have credited new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer with bringing a positive change in the band’s sound.
The group, who have been together for more than 28 years, have changed guitarists many times over the years. From the band’s first guitarist Jack Sherman, who was fired after a disagreement with frontman Anthony Kiedis, through to Hillel Slovak, who was the inspiration for the song ‘My Lovely Man’ after dying of a heroin overdose in 1988, the group’s guitarists have always been influential to the sound of the group.
Since the departure of the group’s longest serving guitarist John Frusciante, who was widely credited with many of the band’s biggest hits, the torch has been passed to long-time RHCP friend and collaborator Josh Klinghoffer.
Speaking to Spinner, drummer Chad Smith described Klinghoffer’s contributions as “different” but ultimately serving as a positive change to the band’s material. Of Frisciante, Smith said: “He’s written some of the best parts of our biggest songs and he’s just a great musician… We’re all very grateful for what he gave to the band.”
Frontman Anthony Keidis told MTV News that the band didn’t even consider going with anyone other than Klinghoffer:
“He was the only choice, and a lot of it had to do with the fact that he was our friend, and it’s just rare that you have someone who’s right there and completely overqualified for the job.”
Almost immediately after being appointed to the band, Klinghoffer found himself in the studio working on the band’s latest album “I’m With You,’ which was released on August 29.
“The band, from its inception, has always been about four people getting into a room and making music together. And that’s whether I brought in a chord progression or Flea did, or John in the past, or anyone before that, it was the same. We were doing it together,” Klighoffer said.
Proud of the contributions of his fellow band members, Kiedis said: “Both Josh and Flea would come in with ideas, and since Flea had been to school to learn piano and theory, he was coming in more frequently with piano chords instead of bass lines… Josh kind of understands it too, so their conversations were quite beautiful, and it sounded like Thelonious Monk talking to Coltrane or something. I mean that, honestly.”
As their recently released album ‘I’m With You‘ receives praise from both critics and fans, the band recently added 9 tour dates in the UK as part of their european tour, beginning in Cologne, Germany.
Watch Anthony Kiedis talking about Josh Klinghoffer below:
