April 26, 2021

1991 - October: Red Hot Chili Peppers “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”

38 minutes

Today the Red Hot Chili Peppers are a well known by all as one of the alternative rock founders, and that fame began with Blood Sugar Sex Magik, their fifth studio album. This was the first album created under their new Warner Brothers label, and was recorded at the Houdini mansion in Los Angeles. Front man Anthony Kiedis, guitarist John Frusciante, and bassist Flea moved into the former house of Harry Houdini for the duration of the recording session, but drummer Chad Smith did not. Kiedis claims that Smith wouldn't stay in the house because he thought it was haunted, through Smith denies this.

Flea and Kiedis met in high school during a brawl, and eventually decided to form a band. The original lineup consisted of Hillel Slovak on guitar and Jack Irons on drums. Slovak died of a drug overdose after the group's third album, replaced by Frusciante. Irons left the group in reaction to Slovak's death, not wanting to be in a group where his friends were dying. Irons would be replaced by Chad Smith. Unfortunately, drug use and abuse would plague the group long after Slovak's overdose.

The band's fourth album entitled Mother's Milk would become a success, with the single cover of Stevie Wonder's “Higher Ground” leading to mainstream interest.

While Blood Sugar Sex Magik was the start of mainstream popularity for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it would mark the end for guitarist John Frusciante. Frusciante enjoyed being in the underground music scene, and hated the popularity the group was experiencing. He left the group in 1992 in the middle of their world tour. Frusciante would eventually rejoin the group in 1998.

Under the Bridge

This is the track that put the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the mainstream map. Anthony Kiedis wrote this song about the hopelessness and loneliness he felt as a result of dependence on narcotics. He was reluctant to share the lyrics with the group, because he didn't think it fit well with the rest of their repertoire. However, the group took it in and it became a big breakthrough hit for them.

Give It Away

The first single from the album originated in an ongoing jam session between John Frusciante and bassist Flea. The lyrics were inspired by selflessness that Kiedis observed from his girlfriend when she gave away clothes in her closet that Kiedis liked. The idea of giving things away was new to him, as he expected from his upbringing that you had to take what you wanted, because no one would give it to you.

If You Have to Ask

This is a deeper cut from the album, with a funky guitar intro and stream-of-consciousness rap lyrics.

Breaking the Girl

The fourth single from the album was inspired by the turbulent relationship between Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend, Carmen Hawk. Frusciante wrote the music under inspiration from Led Zeppelin's "The Battle of Evermore." The video features a cameo by River Phoenix, and features guitarist Arik Marshall on guitar. Marshall briefly replaced Frusciante, though he did not play on the track itself.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the animated television series “X-Men”

The animated series for Marvel's X-Men premiered in October of 1991, ushering in a new era of superhero cartoons.

STAFF PICKS:

Rush by Big Audio Dynamite II

Wayne starts the staff picks with the second iteration of a group headed by Mick Jones of The Clash after leaving that group. The song mixes disparate styles and samples, including The Who's "Baba O'Riley." "Somehow I stayed thin while other guys got fat."

Dreamline by Rush

Bruce's staff pick is the lead track from Rush's Roll the Bones. Dreamline is about being young and ready to test your mettle against the world, "learning that we're only immortal for a limited time."

Shiny Happy People by R.E.M.

Brian features Athens, Georgia's favorite sons playing a piece inspired by a line from Chinese propaganda posters, “shiny happy people holding hands.” It was used ironically, as this was only two years after the Tiananmen Square crackdown in which hundreds were killed. Kate Pierce of the B-52's, another Athens band, joins for the female vocals.

Hole Hearted by Extreme

Rob finishes out the staff picks with an acoustic driven song with great harmonies off the fourth single from Exreme's Pornograffiti. Nuno Bettencourt wrote this - on the toilet - when he got his first 12-string. Led Zeppelin's third album was an inspiration.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Wham! by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble

This blues instrumental is off "The Sky Is Crying," a compilation of songs released in November of 1991 after the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan.

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By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

4.9

4747 ratings