John Frusciante
Frusciante with Red Hot Chili Peppers at Madejski Stadium in Reading, England on July 3, 2006
Background information
Birth name	John Anthony Frusciante
Born	March 5, 1970 (1970-03-05) (age 38) Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.
Genre(s)	Alternative rock, experimental rock, electronica, indie rock
Years active	1988–present
Label(s)	Warner Bros. Records, Record Collection, Birdman, American Recordings
Associated acts	Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ataxia, The Mars Volta
Website	www.johnfrusciante.com
Notable instrument(s)
Fender Stratocaster Fender Jaguar Gretsch White Falcon

John Anthony Frusciante (pronounced [fruːˈʃɑːnteɪ (info)) (born March 5, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. Red Hot Chili Peppers are The Madejski Stadium is a football Stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Astoria is a Neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. The City of New York New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre and/or which pushes the boundaries Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range Indie rock is genre of Alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent Underground music scene In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Warner Music Group (WMG is the third-largest of the "big four" major record labels, the others being Sony BMG, EMI, and Universal Record Collection is an independently owned Venice CA based record company started in 2002 by Mike Piscitelli and Jordan Tappis. Birdman Records is an Independent record label based in South San Francisco founded by former Warner Bros This article is about the record label For the Johnny Cash album released by that same label see American Recordings (album American Recordings Red Hot Chili Peppers are Ataxia was a group formed by John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on guitar Joe Lally of Fugazi on bass and Josh Klinghoffer The Mars Volta is the name of a partnership between guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala founded in 2001 The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as the Strat, is a model of Electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares The Fender Jaguar is an Electric guitar which was introduced in 1962 The Gretsch White Falcon is a visually distinctive guitar commercially introduced in 1955 by Gretsch. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing He is best known as the guitarist of the alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he has recorded five studio albums. Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of Red Hot Chili Peppers are Frusciante also maintains an active solo career, having released nine albums under his own name, as well as two collaborations with Josh Klinghoffer and Joe Lally under the name Ataxia. Josh Klinghoffer (born October 3, 1979) is a Musician and Producer from Los Angeles, California. Joe Lally (born December 3, 1963 in Silver Spring Maryland) is a Bass guitar player primarily known for his work with Fugazi. Ataxia was a group formed by John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on guitar Joe Lally of Fugazi on bass and Josh Klinghoffer His solo recordings incorporate a variety of elements ranging from experimental rock and ambient music to New Wave and electronica. Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre and/or which pushes the boundaries Ambient music is a Musical genre in which sound is more important than notes New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range Drawing influence from guitarists of various genres, Frusciante emphasizes melody and emotion in his guitar playing, and favors vintage guitars and analog recording techniques.

Frusciante joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the age of eighteen, first appearing on the band's 1989 album Mother's Milk. Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers. The group's follow-up album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, was a breakthrough success. Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24 1991 However, he was overwhelmed by the band's newfound popularity and as a result quit in 1992. He became a recluse and entered a long period of heroin addiction, during which he released his first recordings: Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt (1994) and Smile from the Streets You Hold (1997). Heroin ( INN: diacetylmorphine, BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid synthesized from Morphine, a derivative Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt is the debut solo album by John Frusciante released on March 8 1994 on American Recordings. Smile from the Streets You Hold is the second solo Album by John Frusciante. In 1998, Frusciante successfully completed drug rehabilitation and rejoined the Chili Peppers for their 1999 album Californication. Californication is the seventh studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8 1999 on Warner Bros Since then he has continued to record with the band and has received critical recognition for his guitar-playing, ranking eighteenth on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2003. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published ^[1]

Biography

Early life

Frusciante was born in Queens, New York on March 5, 1970. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His father, John Sr. , was a Juilliard-trained pianist, and his mother Gail, was a promising vocalist who gave up her career to be a stay-at-home mother. The Juilliard School, located in New York City, is a world renowned Performing arts conservatory. ^[2] Frusciante's family relocated to Tucson, Arizona, and then Florida, where his father still serves as a Broward County judge. Tucson (ˈtuːsɒn is the seat of Pima County Arizona, United States, located 118 miles (188 km) southeast The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Broward County is a County located in the US state of Florida. His parents separated, and he and his mother subsequently moved to Santa Monica, California. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. ^[2]

A year later, Frusciante and his mother moved to Mar Vista, Los Angeles with his new stepfather who, according to Frusciante, "really supported me and made me feel good about being an artist. Mar Vista is a district on the West Side of Los Angeles California. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West "^[2] Like many youth in the area, he became intimately involved in the L. A. punk rock scene. At age nine he was infatuated with The Germs, wearing out several copies of their record (GI). The Germs is an influential Punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s By age ten, he had taught himself how to play most of (GI)'s songs in a tuning that allowed him to play every chord with a single-finger barre. ^[2] Soon after, Frusciante began taking guitar lessons from a player who introduced him to the music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. ^[3]

Frusciante began studying guitarists like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix at the age of eleven. Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck (born June 24, 1944 to Arnold and Ethel Beck in Wallington, England) is an English James Patrick Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944 is an English Guitarist, Composer and record producer James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter After mastering the blues scale, he discovered Frank Zappa, whose work he would study for hours. In Music and Music theory, a hexatonic scale is a scale with six pitches or notes per Octave. Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21 1940 – December 4 1993 was an American Composer, Electric guitarist Record producer and Film director ^[2] Frusciante dropped out of high school at the age of sixteen with authorization from his parents and completion of a proficiency test. With their support, he moved to Los Angeles on his own in order to focus on developing his musical dexterity. ^[4] He began taking classes at the Guitar Institute of Technology, but soon figured out a way to punch in for classes without actually attending, thus allowing himself complete autonomy in pursuing recreational drugs. Musicians Institute is a Music college located in Hollywood, California. ^[2]

1988–1992: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Main article: Red Hot Chili Peppers

The first Red Hot Chili Peppers performance Frusciante attended was at the age of fifteen; it caused him to rapidly become a devoted fan. Red Hot Chili Peppers are ^[4] He idolized guitarist Hillel Slovak–familiarizing himself with virtually all the guitar and bass parts from the Chili Peppers' first three records. Hillel Slovak (הלל סלובק 13 April, 1962 &ndash June 25, 1988 Frusciante became acquainted with Slovak by frequenting Red Hot Chili Peppers shows; the two spoke months prior to Slovak's death and Frusciante's subsequent joining:^[5]

Frusciante became friends with former Dead Kennedys drummer D. H. Peligro in early 1988. Dead Kennedys was an American Hardcore punk band from San Francisco, California. DH Peligro (b 1960 St Louis Missouri, real name Darren Henley) was the Drummer for the hardcore punk band Dead Kennedys from They jammed together on numerous occasions, and Peligro invited his friend Flea (bassist of Red Hot Chili Peppers) to jam with them. Michael Peter Balzary (born October 16 1962 more commonly known by the Stage name Flea, is an Australian-born American Bassist, Trumpet player Frusciante and Flea developed a musical chemistry immediately, with Flea later acknowledging that might have been the day he first played the bass riff to "Nobody Weird Like Me". Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers. ^[6] Around the same time, Frusciante was going to audition for Frank Zappa's musical congregation, but abandoned any such ideas before the final try-out as Zappa strictly prohibited illegal drug use among musicians in his band. In an interview Frusciante said, "I realized that I wanted to be a rock star, do drugs and get girls, and that I wouldn't be able to do that if I was in Zappa's band. "^[2]

Slovak died of a heroin overdose in 1988, and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons, who was incapable of coping with Slovak's death, left the group. Jack Steven Irons (born July 18 1962 in Los Angeles, California) is an American Drummer. Remaining members Flea and vocalist Anthony Kiedis regrouped, determined to persevere in the music industry. Anthony Kiedis (kiːdɪs "kee-dis" (born November 1 1962 is an American musician and the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band added Peligro on drums and DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, formerly of P-Funk, on guitar. DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight is an American guitarist. The bands Parliament and Funkadelic cannot be easily separated ^[7] McKnight, however, failed to spark any notable chemistry within the group. Flea proposed auditioning Frusciante, whose intimate knowledge of the Chili Peppers' repertoire astonished him. Flea and Kiedis auditioned Frusciante for the band and unanimously agreed that he would be a suitable replacement for McKnight, who was promptly fired. ^[8] When Flea called Frusciante with the news of his acceptance into the Chili Peppers, Frusciante was elated; he ran through his house screaming with joy, and jumped on a wall, subsequently leaving permanent boot marks. ^[9] He was in the midst of signing a contract with Thelonious Monsters at the time—and had actually been playing with the act for two weeks—but his unanticipated reception into the Chili Peppers prompted him to change his plans. Thelonious Monster is a Punk rock band from Los Angeles, led by singer-songwriter Bob Forrest. ^[10]

A few weeks into the band's new lineup, Peligro, whose performance was suffering due to extreme drug abuse, was fired. ^[11] Soon after, Chad Smith was added as the group's new drummer and the new lineup began recording their first album, 1989's Mother's Milk. Chadwick "Chad" Smith (born 25 October, 1961) is the Drummer of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers. During recording, Frusciante focused his playing entirely on emulating Slovak's signature style, rather than imposing his own personal style on the group. Producer Michael Beinhorn disagreed, and wanted Frusciante to play with an uncharacteristic heavy metal tone, which was largely absent in the band's three preceding records. Michael Beinhorn is an American Musician and Record producer. ^[12] Frusciante and Beinhorn fought frequently over guitar tone and layering, and Beinhorn's ideology ultimately prevailed as Frusciante felt pressured by the producer's considerably greater knowledge of the studio. ^[12]

Frusciante (right) and Kiedis (left) performing as the Red Hot Chili Peppers during the Blood Sugar Sex Magik tour in 1991

The Chili Peppers collaborated with producer Rick Rubin for their second record with Frusciante, Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Frederick Jay "Rick" Rubin (born March 10 1963 in Lido Beach New York) is an American Record producer and is currently Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24 1991 Rubin felt that it was important to record the album in an unorthodox setting, so he suggested an old Hollywood Hills mansion, and the band agreed. The Hollywood Hills, an unofficial designation of part of Los Angeles, California, United States, are part of the eastern section of the low transverse ^[13] Frusciante, Kiedis and Flea isolated themselves in the mansion for the duration of recording. Frusciante and Flea made few ventures into society, and spent most of their time smoking significant amounts of marijuana. Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi / Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā hemp) is a ^[14] Around this time, Frusciante started a side collaboration with Flea and Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins called The Three Amoebas. Jane's Addiction is an American Alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles California in 1985 Stephen Andrew Perkins (born September 13, 1967) is an American Musician and Songwriter. They recorded roughly ten to fifteen hours of material, though none of it has ever been released. ^[5]

Blood Sugar Sex Magik was a huge hit upon its release on September 24, 1991. Events 622 - Prophet Muhammad completes his hegira from Mecca to Medina. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The album peaked at #3 on the Billboard charts, and eventually sold over seven million copies in the U. S. alone. ^[15][16] The album's unexpected success instantly turned the Chili Peppers into rock stars. Frusciante was blindsided by his newfound fame, and struggled to cope with it. Soon after the album's release, he began to develop a dislike for the band's popularity. Kiedis recalled in his memoir that he and Frusciante used to get into heated discussions backstage after concerts: "John would say, 'We're too popular. I don't need to be at this level of success. I would just be proud to be playing this music in clubs like you guys were doing two years ago. '"^[17] Frusciante later said that the band's rise to popularity was "too high, too far, too soon. Everything seemed to be happening at once and I just couldn't cope with it. "^[18] He also began to feel that destiny was leading him away from the band. When the Chili Peppers began their world tour, he started to hear voices in his head telling him "you won't make it during the tour, you have to go now". ^[19] Frusciante admitted to having once taken great pleasure in a hedonistic existence; however, ". Hedonism is the Philosophy that Pleasure is of ultimate importance, the most important pursuit . . by the age of twenty, I started doing it right and looking at it as an artistic expression instead of a way of partying and screwing a bunch of girls. To balance it out, I had to be extra-humble, extra-anti-rock star. "^[20] Frusciante refused to take the stage during a performance at Tokyo's Club Quattro on May 7, 1992, announcing to his bandmates that he was leaving the band. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) He was eventually persuaded to perform the show, but left for California the following morning. ^[9]

1992–1997: Drug addiction

Frusciante developed serious drug habits while touring with the band during the previous four years. He said that when he "found out that Flea was stoned out of his mind at every show, that inspired me to be a pothead". ^[21] Not only was Frusciante smoking large amounts of marijuana, but he began to use heroin and was on the verge of full-scale addiction. Upon returning to California in the summer of 1992, Frusciante entered a deep state of depression; feeling that his life was over, and that he could no longer write music or play guitar. In the fields of Psychology and Psychiatry, the terms depression or depressed refer to both expected and pathologically chronic or severe ^[19] For a substantial period of time, he focused his creative output on painting, producing 4-track recordings he had made during the time he spent recording Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and writing short stories and screenplays that dealt with a variety of motifs. To cope with his worsening depression, Frusciante significantly increased his heroin use to a state of abuse; and subsequently spiraled into a life-threatening dependency. ^[22] According to Frusciante, his use of heroin to medicate his depression was a clear decision: "I was very sad, and I was always happy when I was on drugs; therefore, I should be on drugs all the time. I was never guilty—I was always really proud to be an addict. "^[23] Despite the fact that Frusciante openly admitted to being a "junkie", his mode of thinking had been fundamentally warped due to the excessive drug use, believing they were the only way of "making sure you stay in touch with beauty instead of letting the ugliness of the world corrupt your soul. "^[24]

 Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt sample:

"Your Pussy's Glued to a Building on Fire"

Sample of "Your Pussy's Glued to a Building on Fire", from Frusciante's first solo album, Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt

Problems listening to the file? See media help. Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt is the debut solo album by John Frusciante released on March 8 1994 on American Recordings.

Frusciante released his first solo album Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt, on March 8, 1994. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The majority of the tracks on the album were recorded while he was strung out on heroin in his Hollywood apartment. ^[25] The effect drug use had on the album's sound is exemplified on its tenth track, "Your Pussy's Glued to a Building on Fire". Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt was partly recorded during the Blood Sugar Sex Magik sessions, and was released on Rubin's label American Recordings. This article is about the record label For the Johnny Cash album released by that same label see American Recordings (album American Recordings Warner Bros., the Chili Peppers' label, owned rights to the album because of the leaving-artist clause in Frusciante's Chili Peppers contract. Warner Bros Records Inc is an American Record label that operates as a wholly owned Subsidiary of Warner Music Group. However, because he was living as a recluse, the label gladly handed the rights over to Rubin, who released the album at the urgings of Frusciante's friends. ^[26]

An article published by the New Times LA described Frusciante as "a skeleton covered in thin skin" who, at the pinnacle of his addictions, nearly died from a blood infection. New Times LA is a now-defunct Alternative weekly newspaper that was published in Los Angeles California by the New Times Media corporation from ^[26] His arms became fiercely scarred from improperly shooting heroin and cocaine, leaving permanent abscesses. Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant An abscess (abscessus is a collection of Pus (dead Neutrophils) that has accumulated in a cavity formed by the tissue on the basis of an infectious process ^[20] Frusciante spent the next three years holed up in his Hollywood Hills home, the walls of which were badly damaged and covered in graffiti. ^[27] During this time, Frusciante's friends Johnny Depp and Gibby Haynes went to his house and filmed an unreleased documentary short called Stuff, depicting the squalor in which he was living. John Gibson Jerome "Gibby" Haynes (born 1957 is an American musician radio personality painter and the lead singer of the group Butthole Surfers. Stuff is a short documentary of John Frusciante's house It was made in 1993 by Johnny Depp and the lead singer of the Butthole Surfers, ^[27] The house was eventually destroyed by a fire that claimed his vintage guitar collection, and left him with a few serious burn injuries after he narrowly escaped. ^[28]

Frusciante released his second solo album, Smile from the Streets You Hold, in 1997. The album's first track, "Enter a Uh", was largely characterized by cryptic lyrics and hysterical screeches. Frusciante also coughs throughout the track, showcasing his deteriorating health. By his own admission, the album was released in order to get "drug money"; he withdrew it from the market in 1999. ^[29] Although his initial motives for releasing the album were ignoble, Frusciante has stated that he likes the album and has promised to one day re-release it. ^[30]

1997–2002: Rehabilitation and return to the Chili Peppers

In late 1997, after more than five years of addiction to the drug, Frusciante quit using heroin cold turkey. " Cold Turkey " is a song written by John Lennon, and recorded by The Plastic Ono Band. ^[31] However, months later he was still unable to break addictions to crack cocaine and alcohol. Crack cocaine or crack is a solid smokable form of Cocaine. It is a freebase form of cocaine that can be made using baking soda ( Sodium bicarbonate ^[31] In January 1998, upon the urgings of longtime friend Bob Forrest, Frusciante checked himself into Las Encinas, a drug rehabilitation clinic in Pasadena to begin a full recovery. Bob Forrest is the lead vocalist and lyricist for Los Angeles Bands Thelonious Monster and The Bicycle Thief. Drug rehabilitation (often drug rehab or just rehab) is an umbrella term for the processes of medical and/or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency Pasadena ( is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ^[31] Upon his arrival at the clinic, he was diagnosed with a potentially lethal oral infection, which could only be alleviated by removing all of his teeth and replacing them with dentures. ^[2] He also received skin grafts to help repair the abscesses on his ravaged arms. ^[27] About a month later, Frusciante checked out of Las Encinas and reentered society. ^[32]

Fully recovered and once again healthy, Frusciante began living a more spiritual, ascetic lifestyle. Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. He changed his diet, becoming more health-conscious and eating mostly unprocessed foods. ^[19] Through regular practice of vipassana and yoga, he discovered the effect self-discipline has on the body. Vipassanā ( Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना Sanskrit) means Insight into the impermanent nature or Anicca, ^[28] To maintain his increased spiritual awareness and reduce distraction from his music, Frusciante decided to abstain from sexual activity stating: "I'm very well without it. Sexual abstinence is the practice of voluntarily refraining from some or all aspects of Sexual activity. "^[19] All of these changes in his life have led him to a complete change in his attitude toward drugs:^[22]

Despite his experience as an addict, Frusciante does not view his drug use as a "dark period" in his life. He considers it to be a period of rebirth; during which he found himself and cleared his mind. ^[33] Frusciante has since stopped practicing yoga, due to negative effects it was having on his back, but he still tries to meditate daily. ^[28]

Frusciante with Red Hot Chili Peppers on June 25, 1999 at the 1999 Woodstock Festival

In early 1998, the Red Hot Chili Peppers fired guitarist Dave Navarro and were on the verge of breaking up. Woodstock 1999, held July 23 - 25, 1999 was the second large-scale Music festival (after Woodstock '94) that attempted to emulate the Flea told Kiedis, "the only way I could imagine carrying on [with the Red Hot Chili Peppers] is if we got John back in the band. "^[34] With Frusciante free of his addictions and ailments, Kiedis and Flea thought it was an appropriate time to invite him back. When Flea visited Frusciante at his home and asked him to rejoin the band, Frusciante began sobbing and said "nothing would make me happier in the world. "^[32] With Frusciante back on guitar, the Chili Peppers began recording their next album, Californication, which was released in 1999. Californication is the seventh studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8 1999 on Warner Bros Frusciante's return restored a key component of the Chili Peppers' sound, as well as a healthy morale. He brought with him his deep devotion to music when he returned, which had a significant impact on the band's recording style during the album. ^[14] Frusciante has frequently stated that his work on Californication was his favorite. ^[14]

During the Californication world tour, Frusciante continued to write his own songs, many of which would be released in 2001 on his third solo album To Record Only Water for Ten Days. To Record Only Water for Ten Days is the third solo album by John Frusciante, released in 2001 on Warner Music Group. The album was a stylistic divergence from his previous records in that it wasn't as markedly stream-of-consciousness or avant-garde. Avant-garde (avɑ̃gaʁd in French) means "advance guard" or "vanguard However, the album's lyrics were still very cryptic and its sound was notably stripped down. ^[35] The songwriting and production of To Record Only Water for Ten Days were more efficient and straight-forward than on his previous recordings. ^[35] The album strayed from the alternative rock he had just written with the Chili Peppers on Californication, focusing more on electronic and New Wave elements. Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range New Wave is a Rock music genre that existed during the late 1970s and the 1980s ^[36] Instead of focusing mostly on his guitar work, Frusciante focused more on synthesizers, which are a distinctive feature of this record. ^[36]

In 2001 Frusciante began recording his fourth album with Red Hot Chili Peppers, By the Way; he considered the time to be among the happiest in his life. By the Way is the eighth studio album by American Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on July 9 2002 on Warner Bros ^[14] He relished the chance the album gave him to "keep writing better songs". ^[14] While working on By the Way, Frusciante also composed most of what would become Shadows Collide with People, as well as the songs created for the movie, The Brown Bunny. Shadows Collide with People is the fourth studio album by John Frusciante, released February 24 2004. The Brown Bunny is a 2003 American Independent film written produced and directed by Actor Vincent Gallo about a motorcycle ^[37] His goal to improve his guitar playing on the album was largely driven by a desire to emulate guitar players such as Andy Partridge, Johnny Marr and John McGeoch; or as he put it, "people who used good chords". Andrew John Partridge, born 11 November 1953 in Mtarfa, Malta, and known variously as Andy Partridge, Sir John Johns Johnny Marr (born John Martin Maher on 31 October 1963 in Ardwick, Manchester) is an English Guitarist, John Alexander McGeoch, (28 May 1955 &ndash 4 March 2004 was a Scottish guitarist who played with some of the biggest bands of the Post-punk era including Magazine ^[14] The album marked Frusciante's shift to a more group-minded mentality within the Chili Peppers, viewing the band as a cohesive unit rather than as four separate entities. ^[14] By the Way was released in the U. S. on July 9, 2002. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

2002–present: 2004 recordings and Stadium Arcadium

Frusciante wrote and recorded a plethora of songs during and after the By the Way tour. In February 2004, he started a side project with Joe Lally of Fugazi and Josh Klinghoffer, called Ataxia. Joe Lally (born December 3, 1963 in Silver Spring Maryland) is a Bass guitar player primarily known for his work with Fugazi. Fugazi are an American alternative / post-hardcore band that formed in Washington D Josh Klinghoffer (born October 3, 1979) is a Musician and Producer from Los Angeles, California. Ataxia was a group formed by John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on guitar Joe Lally of Fugazi on bass and Josh Klinghoffer The group was together for about two weeks, during which time they recorded approximately 90 minutes of material. ^[38][39] After two days in the recording studio, they played two shows at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, and spent two more days in the studio before disbanding. The Knitting Factory is a New York City, Hollywood, Boise, and Spokane music club and concert house originally specializing in Jazz ^[39] Later that year, five songs provided by Frusciante appeared on The Brown Bunny soundtrack. The motion picture soundtrack to Vincent Gallo's film The Brown Bunny was released exclusively in Japan ^[40]

 Curtains sample:

"The Past Recedes"

Sample of "The Past Recedes", from Frusciante's latest solo album, Curtains

Problems listening to the file? See media help. Curtains is the ninth solo album by John Frusciante released February 1, 2005 on the label Record Collection.

Frusciante released his fourth full-length solo album Shadows Collide with People on February 24, 2004. Shadows Collide with People is the fourth studio album by John Frusciante, released February 24 2004. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The album featured guest appearances from some of his friends, including Klinghoffer, and Chili Peppers bandmates Smith and Flea. ^[41] In June 2004, Frusciante announced that he would be releasing six records over the span of six months:^[42] The Will to Death, Ataxia's Automatic Writing, DC EP, Inside of Emptiness, A Sphere in the Heart of Silence and Curtains. The Will to Death is the fifth studio album by John Frusciante, released on June 22, 2004. Automatic Writing is an album by Ataxia released in 2004 Ataxia consisted of John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Joe Lally DC EP is the third recording in a series of six that John Frusciante released from June 2004 to February 2005 Inside of Emptiness is the fourth album of a six album series released by John Frusciante from June 2004 to February 2005 A Sphere in the Heart of Silence is the fifth album in a series of six solo efforts that John Frusciante undertook from June 2004 to February 2005 Curtains is the ninth solo album by John Frusciante released February 1, 2005 on the label Record Collection. With the release of Curtains Frusciante debuted his only music video of 2004, for the track "The Past Recedes". He wanted to produce these records quickly and inexpensively on analog tape, avoiding modern studio and computer-assisted recording processes. ^[43]

In early 2005, Frusciante entered the studio to work on his fifth studio album with the Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium. Stadium Arcadium is the ninth studio album by the Rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on May 5, 2006 via Warner Bros His guitar playing is dominant throughout the album, and he provides backing vocals on the majority of the tracks, as well. Frusciante, who usually follows a "less is more" style of guitar playing,^[44] began using a full twenty-eight track mixer to display the full range of his guitar arsenal. ^[45] In the arrangements, he incorporates a wide array of sounds and playing styles, ranging from the Blood Sugar Sex Magik to By the Way. Several reviews have stressed that Frusciante's influence by Hendrix is evident in his solos on the album,^[46] with Frusciante himself backing this up. ^[47] He also expanded use of guitar effects throughout the album, and used various other instruments such as the synthesizer and mellotron. The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical polyphonic keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s Frusciante worked continuously with Rubin over-dubbing guitar progressions, changing harmonies and utilizing every tool in his arsenal. ^[47]

Frusciante began a series of collaborations with friend Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and his band The Mars Volta, by contributing vocals and electronic instrumentation to their album De-Loused in the Comatorium. Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López (born September 1, 1975) is a Multi-instrumentalist, Songwriter, Lead guitarist and producer The Mars Volta is the name of a partnership between guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala founded in 2001 De-Loused in the Comatorium is the first Studio album by the Progressive rock band The Mars Volta. ^[48] He also contributed guitar solos on their 2005 album Frances the Mute. Frances the Mute is the second studio album by Progressive rock band The Mars Volta released in the US on March 1, 2005 ^[49] In 2006, he helped The Mars Volta complete their third album Amputechture by playing guitar on seven of the album's eight tracks. Amputechture is the third full length studio album by The Mars Volta released on September 12, 2006. ^[50] In return, Rodriguez-Lopez has played on several of Frusciante's solo albums, as well as Stadium Arcadium. ^[51][52][53] Ataxia released their second and final studio album, AW II, on May 29, 2007. AW II is the second half of the Ataxia sessions and is the followup to Automatic Writing which consists of John Frusciante, Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Musical style

Frusciante's musical style has evolved significantly throughout his years of playing. Although he has received moderate recognition for his guitar work in the past, it was not until Stadium Arcadium that music critics and guitarists alike began to fully recognize his work. ^[54] Frusciante attributes this to his shift in focus, stating that he chose an approach based on rhythmic patterns that were inspired by the complexity of material Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen produced. Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen (born January 26 1955 is a Dutch Guitarist, Keyboardist, Songwriter and producer ^[55] On preceding records, however, he centered much of his output around the influence of various underground punk and New Wave musicians. ^[14] In general, his sound is also defined by an affinity for vintage guitars. All the guitars that he owns, records, and tours with were crafted prior to 1970. ^[56] Frusciante will use the specific guitar that he finds appropriate for a certain song. All of the guitars he owned prior to quitting the band were destroyed when his home burned down in 1996. ^[57] The first guitar he purchased after rejoining the Chili Peppers was a 1967 red Fender Jaguar. The Fender Jaguar is an Electric guitar which was introduced in 1962 ^[57] His most frequently used instrument, however, is a 1962 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster which he has played on every album since joining the Chili Peppers, and their ensuing tours. The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as the Strat, is a model of Electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton and Freddie Tavares ^[58][57] Frusciante's most prized instrument is a 1957 Gretsch White Falcon, which he used twice per show during the By the Way tour. The Gretsch White Falcon is a visually distinctive guitar commercially introduced in 1955 by Gretsch. He has since removed the White Falcon from his repertoire, feeling there was "no room for it". ^[58] Virtually all of Frusciante's acoustic work is played with a vintage 1950s Martin 0-15. The CF Martin & Company is a US Guitar manufacturer established in 1833 by Christian Frederick Martin. ^[59][57]

Frusciante uses a variety of vocal styles on his solo albums, ranging from the distressed screeches heard on Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt and Smile from the Streets You Hold, to more conventional styles on subsequent records. ^[60] With the Chili Peppers, Frusciante provides backing vocals in a falsetto tenor, a style he established on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The term falsetto (Italian diminutive of falso, false refers to the Vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the Modal voice register and He thoroughly enjoys his role in the Chili Peppers as backup singer, and feels that backing vocals are a "real art form". ^[61] Despite his commitment to the Chili Peppers, he feels very strongly that his solo material and his contributions to the band should remain separate. When he returned to the Chili Peppers in 1999, Kiedis wanted the band to record "Living in Hell", a song Frusciante had written several years prior. Frusciante rejected the request, feeling that the creative freedom he needs for his solo projects could conflict with his role in the band. ^[61]

Technique

Frusciante's guitar playing is largely centered on melody and emotion rather than virtuosity. Although certain elements of his virtuoso influences can be heard throughout his career, he has said that he often downplays this as much as possible. ^[62] He feels that in general, guitar mastery has not evolved much since the 1960s and considers the greatest players of that decade to remain unsurpassed. ^[62] When he was growing up in the 1980s, many mainstream guitarists chose to focus on speed. Because of this, he feels that the skills of many defiant New Wave and punk guitarists were largely overlooked. ^[14] It is for this reason that Frusciante chooses to accentuate the melodically-driven technique of players such as Matthew Ashman of Bow Wow Wow and Bernard Sumner of Joy Division as much as possible. Matthew Ashman (born 1960 London, died 21 Nov 1995, London was the Guitarist with Adam & the Ants and Bow Wow Wow. Bow Wow Wow was a 1980s New Wave band managed by former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren during 1980 Bernard Sumner (born 4 January 1956 in Lower Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England) is a British singer Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. He feels that their style has not been fully developed as a result of being overlooked, and therefore chooses to draw heavily from their technique. ^[14] Despite this, he considers himself a fan of technique-driven guitarists like Randy Rhoads and Steve Vai, but represses an urge to emulate their style: "People believe that by playing faster and creating new playing techniques you can progress forward, but then they realize that emotionally they don't progress at all. Randall William "Randy" Rhoads ( December 6, 1956 – March 19, 1982) was an American Heavy metal Guitarist Steven "Steve" Siro Vai (born June 6 1960 in Carle Place New York) is an American Instrumental rock Guitarist They transmit nothing to the people listening and they stay at where Hendrix was three decades ago. Something like that happened to Vai in the 80s. "^[62] Believing that focusing only on "clean tones" is negative, Frusciante developed an interest in playing with what he calls a "grimy" sound. As a result, he considers it beneficial to "mistreat" his guitar and employ various forms of distortion when soloing. ^[62] He also tries to break as many "stylistic boundaries" as he can, in order to expand his musical horizons. Frusciante considers much of the output from today's guitarists to lack originality, and that many of his contemporaries "follow the rules with no risk". ^[62]

Over the years, Frusciante's approach to album composition changed. On his early recordings, he allowed and welcomed imperfections to enter the sound, noting that "even on [To Record Only Water for Ten Days] there are off-pitch vocals and out-of-tune guitars. "^[63] However, on subsequent albums such as Shadows Collide With People, he sought the opposite aesthetic: "I just wanted everything to be perfect—I didn't want anything off pitch, or off time, or any unintentional this or that. "^[63] Frusciante views songwriting as a progressive development, which he does not force upon himself: "If a song wants to come to me, I'm always ready to receive it, but I don't work at it. "^[19] Much of his solo material is initially written on an acoustic or unamplified electric guitar. ^[64] Frusciante cultivates an atmosphere conducive to songwriting by constantly listening to the music of others and absorbing its creative influence. ^[65] He also prefers to record his albums on analog tapes, and other relatively primitive equipment. ^[66] This preference stems from his belief that the use of older equipment can actually serve to speed up the recording process, and that modern computerized recording technology gives only an illusion of efficiency. ^[43] Frusciante tries to streamline the recording process as much as possible, because he feels that "music comes alive when [you] are creating it fast". He also enjoys the challenge of having to record something in very few takes, and believes that when musicians are unable to handle the pressure of having to record something quickly, they often get frustrated, or bogged down by perfectionism. ^[66]

Influences

Although Slovak and Hendrix were arguably Frusciante's biggest early influences, some of his other early influences include avant-garde acts like Captain Beefheart, The Residents, The Velvet Underground, Neu! and Kraftwerk. Don Van Vliet (born Donald Glen Vliet on January 15 1941, in Glendale California, U The Residents is an American Avant-garde music and Visual arts collective who have created over sixty albums created numerous musical short films This article is about the band For their self-titled album see The Velvet Underground (album; for the book see The Velvet Underground (book Kraftwerk (ˈkʁaftvɛɐk German for " power plant " or " Power station " is an influential Electronic music band from ^[2][3] Frusciante credits his inspiration for learning guitar to Greg Ginn, Pat Smear and Joe Strummer, among others. Gregory Regis Ginn (born June 8, 1954) is a Guitarist, Songwriter and singer Pat Smear (born Georg Ruthenberg on August 5, 1959) is a musician who has been a regular member of several well-known bands albeit of different subgenres John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002 better known as Joe Strummer, was the co-founder lyricist Rhythm guitarist and lead singer of the ^[54] Heading into his adolescent years, he began focusing on Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, as well as lesser known bands like Public Image Ltd., Siouxsie & the Banshees and The Smiths. Led Zeppelin were Public Image Ltd ( PiL) were an English musical group formed in 1978 by vocalist John Lydon, Guitarist Keith Levene Siouxsie & the Banshees were a British rock band which formed in 1976 The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982 ^[3][14] During the recording of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Frusciante's influences by Captain Beefheart, and the acoustic, one-man blues of Lead Belly and Robert Johnson, were among the most noteworthy. Huddie William Ledbetter, (January 1888 – December 6 1949 was an American folk and Blues Musician, notable for his clear and forceful singing Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8 1911 – August 16 1938 is among the most famous of Delta blues musicians ^[67][68] On Californication and By the Way, Frusciante derived the technique of creating tonal texture through various chord patterns from post-punk guitarist Vini Reilly of The Durutti Column; and bands such as Fugazi and The Cure. Post-punk was a popular musical movement in the mid to late 1970s following on the heels of the initial Punk rock explosion of the early 1970s Vincent "Vini" Gerard Reilly (b August 1953) is an English musician and leader of the Post-punk group The Durutti Column See Durruti Column for the anarchist column during the Spanish Civil War. Fugazi are an American alternative / post-hardcore band that formed in Washington D The Cure are an English rock band that formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976 ^[14][67] Frusciante originally intended By the Way to be made up of "these punky, rough songs"; drawing inspiration from early punk artists such as The Germs and The Damned. The Damned are an English band formed in London in 1976 notable for being the first Punk rock band from England to release a single (" New Rose " an The premise however, was discouraged by Rubin, and Frusciante instead chose to build upon Californication's melodically-driven style. ^[69] During the recording of Stadium Arcadium, Frusciante moved away from his New Wave influences and concentrated on emulating flashier guitar players, such as Hendrix and Van Halen. ^[55] With his recent solo work, Frusciante has cited electronic music—in which the guitar is often completely absent—as an influence. Electronic music is music that employs Electronic musical instruments and Electronic Music technology in its production His electronic music influences include Ekkehard Ehlers, Peter Rehberg and Christian Fennesz. Ekkehard Ehlers is an artist working in the field of Electronic music. Peter Rehberg (aka Pita) (born 29 June 1968, London) is an author of electronic audio works Christian Fennesz (born December 25, 1962) is an Austrian Electronic musician often credited on albums simply as Fennesz. ^[3] His interests are constantly changing, as he believes that without change, he will no longer hold any interest in playing: "I'm always drawing inspiration from different kinds of music and playing guitar along with records, and I go into each new album project with a preconceived idea of what styles I want to combine. "^[63]

Discography

Main article: John Frusciante discography

References

• Apter, Jeff (2004-11-23). The discography of John Frusciante, who is best known as the guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, consists of nine solo albums three EPs Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt is the debut solo album by John Frusciante released on March 8 1994 on American Recordings. This article is about the record label For the Johnny Cash album released by that same label see American Recordings (album American Recordings Events 1071 - Battle of Manzikert: The Seljuk Turks defeat the Byzantine Army at Manzikert. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Smile from the Streets You Hold is the second solo Album by John Frusciante. Birdman Records is an Independent record label based in South San Francisco founded by former Warner Bros Events 1258 - Baghdad falls to the Mongols, and the Abbasid Caliphate is destroyed Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. To Record Only Water for Ten Days is the third solo album by John Frusciante, released in 2001 on Warner Music Group. Warner Music Group (WMG is the third-largest of the "big four" major record labels, the others being Sony BMG, EMI, and Universal Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Going Inside is the second EP by John Frusciante, released on March 5, 2001. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Shadows Collide with People is the fourth studio album by John Frusciante, released February 24 2004. Warner Bros Records Inc is an American Record label that operates as a wholly owned Subsidiary of Warner Music Group. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Will to Death is the fifth studio album by John Frusciante, released on June 22, 2004. Record Collection is an independently owned Venice CA based record company started in 2002 by Mike Piscitelli and Jordan Tappis. Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " DC EP is the third recording in a series of six that John Frusciante released from June 2004 to February 2005 Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Inside of Emptiness is the fourth album of a six album series released by John Frusciante from June 2004 to February 2005 Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " A Sphere in the Heart of Silence is the fifth album in a series of six solo efforts that John Frusciante undertook from June 2004 to February 2005 Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Curtains is the ninth solo album by John Frusciante released February 1, 2005 on the label Record Collection. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 800 - Charlemagne arrives at Rome to investigate the alleged crimes of Fornication: The Red Hot Chili Peppers Story. Omnibus Press. Omnibus Press is a British Publisher of Books primarily about Music. ISBN 1-84449-381-4.  
• Kiedis, Anthony; Sloman, Larry (2004-10-06). Anthony Kiedis (kiːdɪs "kee-dis" (born November 1 1962 is an American musician and the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 105 BC - Battle of Arausio: The Cimbri inflict the heaviest defeat on the Roman army of Gnaeus Mallius Maximus Scar Tissue. Scar Tissue is the autobiography of Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Anthony Kiedis. Hyperion. Hyperion is a general-interest book publishing division of The Walt Disney Company, established in 1991. ISBN 1-4013-0101-0.  

Notes

External links

• Official website
• John Frusciante at MySpace
• Official Red Hot Chili Peppers website