John Frusciante
Frusciante on May 5, 2007, with Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood, California
Background information
Birth name	John Anthony Frusciante
Born	March 5, 1970 (1970-03-05) (age 37) Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, U.S.
Genre(s)	Alternative rock, indie rock, experimental rock, electronica
Years active	1988–present
Label(s)	Warner, Record Collection, Birdman Records, American Recordings
Associated acts	Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ataxia, The Mars Volta
Website	www.johnfrusciante.com
Notable instrument(s)
Fender Stratocaster Gretsch White Falcon

John Anthony Frusciante (IPA pronunciation: [fɹuˈʃɑnteɪ]) (born March 5, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the guitarist for the alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he has recorded five studio albums. Frusciante also maintains an active solo career, having released nine albums under his own name, as well as collaborations with Josh Klinghoffer and Joe Lally under the name Ataxia. His solo recordings incorporate a variety of elements ranging from experimental rock and ambient music to New Wave and electronica. Drawing influence from guitarists of various genres, Frusciante emphasizes melody and emotion in his guitar-playing, and favors vintage guitars and analog recording techniques. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 451 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (878 × 1167 pixel, file size: 401 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. ... ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... This article is about the day. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Aerial view of the Triborough Bridge (left) and the Hell Gate Bridge (right) spanning Astoria Park and the Astoria Pool Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. ... Queens is geographically the largest of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States, and the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S. It is coterminous with Queens County in the State of New York and is located on western Long Island. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... This article is about the state. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Alternative music redirects here. ... Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music often used to refer to bands that are on small independent record labels or that arent on labels at all. ... Experimental rock or Avant rock is a type of art music based on rock and roll which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, and/or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique. ... Electronica refers to a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; but unlike electronic dance music, is not specifically focused on the dance floor. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Record Collection is an American record label owned by Warner Bros. ... Birdman Records is an independent record label based in South San Francisco founded by former Warner Brothers A&R vice-president David Katznelson. ... American Recordings is a Los Angeles-based record label headed by record producer Rick Rubin. ... Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. ... Ataxia is a band comprised of John Frusciante (also of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Josh Klinghoffer (Bicycle Thief) and Joe Lally (Fugazi). ... The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock group founded by Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Isaiah Ikey Owens and Jeremy Michael Ward. ... “Stratocaster” redirects here. ... The Gretsch White Falcon is a visually distinct guitar commercially introduced in 1955 by Gretsch. ... Articles with similar titles include the NATO phonetic alphabet, which has also informally been called the “International Phonetic Alphabet”. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words, see IPA chart for English. ... This article is about the day. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the UK magazine, see Guitarist (magazine). ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition 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 and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Alternative music redirects here. ... Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. ... Josh Klinghoffer (born October 4, 1979) is a multi-instrumentalist and music 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 is a band comprised of John Frusciante (also of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Josh Klinghoffer (Bicycle Thief) and Joe Lally (Fugazi). ... Experimental rock or Avant rock is a type of art music based on rock and roll which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, and/or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique. ... Ambient music refers to a kind of music that envelops the listener without drawing attention to itself [1] // The term ambient music was first coined by Brian Eno in the mid-1970s to refer to music that can be either actively listened to with attention or as easily ignored, depending... New Wave was a rock music and pop genre and movement that existed during the late 1970s and the early-to-mid 1980s. ... Electronica refers to a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; but unlike electronic dance music, is not specifically focused on the dance floor. ...

Frusciante joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the age of 18, first appearing on the band's 1989 album Mother's Milk. The group's follow-up album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, was a breakthrough success. 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). In 1998 Frusciante successfully completed drug rehabilitation and rejoined the Chili Peppers for their 1999 album Californication. Since then he has continued to record with the band and has received critical recognition for his guitar-playing, having ranked eighteenth on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2003.^[1] Singles from Mothers Milk Released: 1989 Released: 1989 Released: 1989 Mothers Milk is the fourth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers. ... Singles from Blood Sugar Sex Magik Released: 1991 Released: 1991 Released: 1992 Released: 1992 Released: 1993 Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. ... For other uses, see Heroin (disambiguation). ... Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt is Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciantes debut solo album, released in 1994 on American Recordings. ... Smile from the Streets You Hold is a solo album by John Frusciante, the current guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, although he was not performing with the band at the time of the recording. ... Californication is the seventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999 on Warner Bros. ... This article is about the magazine. ... The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time was a cover story of the 18 September 2003 issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in August 2003. ...

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Frusciante was born in Queens, New York on March 5, 1970. 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.^[2] Frusciante's family relocated to Tucson, Arizona, and then Florida, where his father still serves as a Broward County judge. His parents separated, and he and his mother subsequently moved to Santa Monica, California.^[2] Queens is geographically the largest of the five boroughs of New York City in the United States, and the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S. It is coterminous with Queens County in the State of New York and is located on western Long Island. ... This article is about the state. ... This article is about the day. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Juilliard School is one of the worlds premiere performing arts conservatory located in New York City, it is informally identified as simply Juilliard, and trains in the fields of Dance, Drama, and Music. ... Nickname: Location in Pima County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country State County Pima Government  - Mayor Bob Walkup (R) Area  - City  195. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami metropolitan area Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Broward County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. ... For other uses, see Santa Monica (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

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."^[2] Like many youth in the area, he became involved in the L.A. punk rock scene. At age nine he became fixated on The Germs, wearing out several copies of their album (GI). 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] Mar Vista is a large district on the West Side of Los Angeles, California. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... The Germs are a punk rock band from Los Angeles formed in the late 1970s. ... (GI) is the lone studio album from influential American punk band The Germs. ...

Frusciante began studying guitarists like Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix at the age of eleven. After mastering the blues scale, he discovered Frank Zappa, whose work he would study for hours.^[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 sharpening his musical skills.^[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.^[2] Geoffrey Arnold (Jeff) Beck (born June 24, 1944 to Arnold and Ethel Beck in Wallington, Greater London) is an English rock guitarist. ... James Patrick Jimmy Page, OBE (born 9 January 1944) is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. ... Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was an American guitar virtuoso, singer and songwriter. ... In music a hexatonic scale is a scale with six (hexa) degrees. ... Frank Vincent Zappa[1] (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, musician, and film director. ... The Musicians Institute is a Hollywood, California music school. ...

[edit] 1988–1992: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Main article: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Frusciante first saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert when he was fifteen and became a devoted fan.^[4] He idolized guitarist Hillel Slovak, and studied and learned virtually all the guitar and bass parts from the Chili Peppers' first three albums. Frusciante became acquainted with Slovak by frequenting Chili Peppers shows; they spoke at the last show Frusciante attended before joining the group:^[5] Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. ... Hillel Slovak (Hebrew: הלל סלובק) (April 13, 1962 – June 25, 1988) was an Israeli American guitarist. ...

Frusciante became friends with former Dead Kennedys drummer D. H. Peligro in early 1988. They jammed together on numerous occasions, and Peligro invited his friend Flea (bassist of Red Hot Chili Peppers) to jam with them. Frusciante and Flea developed a musical chemistry immediately, with Flea later saying that might have been the day he first played the bass riff to "Nobody Weird Like Me".^[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] The Forum, known for a time as the Great Western Forum, is an indoor arena in Inglewood, California owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which uses it for its Sunday morning service. ... The Dead Kennedys (often known by their initials DK, as in decay) are a punk band from San Francisco, California. ... D.H. Peligro (b. ... Michael Peter Balzary (born October 16, 1962 in Melbourne, Australia), better known by his stage name Flea, is the bassist for the alternative rock rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. ... Nobody Weird Like Me is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 1989 album, Mothers Milk. ...

Slovak died of a heroin overdose in 1988, and Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons, who was incapable of coping with Slovak's death, left the group. Remaining members Flea and singer Anthony Kiedis regrouped, determined to persevere in the music industry. The band added Peligro on drums and DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, formerly of P-Funk, on guitar.^[7] McKnight, however, was failing to spark any 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 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 so excited that he ran through his house, jumped up a wall and left permanent boot marks there.^[9] He was about to sign a contract with Thelonious Monster at the time (and had actually been playing with them for two weeks), but his unanticipated reception into the Chili Peppers prompted him to change his plans.^[10] Jack Irons (born July 18, 1962 in Los Angeles, California, USA) is a drummer who has played for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, What Is This?, Redd Kross, Raging Slab, Joe Strummer and The Latino Rockabilly War, Pearl Jam, Colonel Les Claypools Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, and Eleven. ... Anthony Kiedis (born November 1, 1962) is the lead singer and a co-founder of the alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. ... DeWayne Blackbyrd McKnight is a guitar player that is a former member Parliament-Funkadelic member and at one point played with Red Hot Chili Peppers. ... ... Thelonious Monster is a punk rock band from Los Angeles, led by singer-songwriter Bob Forrest. ...

A few weeks into the band's new lineup, Peligro, whose performance was suffering due to extreme drug abuse, was fired from the band.^[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. During recording, Frusciante wanted to focus his playing 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.^[12] Frusciante and Beinhorn frequently fought over guitar tone and layering, and Beinhorn's view ultimately won out.^[12] For other persons named Chad Smith, see Chad Smith (disambiguation). ... Singles from Mothers Milk Released: 1989 Released: 1989 Released: 1989 Mothers Milk is the fourth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers. ... Michael Beinhorn is an American musician and record producer. ... “Heavy metal” redirects here. ...

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. 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.^[13] Frusciante, Kiedis and Flea isolated themselves in the mansion for the duration of recording. Smith however, felt the mansion was haunted and refused to live there.^[14] For the duration of recording, Frusciante and Flea made few ventures into society, spending most of their time consuming significant amounts of marijuana.^[15] Around this time, Frusciante started a side collaboration with Flea and Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins called The Three Amoebas. They recorded roughly ten to fifteen hours of material, though none of it has ever been released.^[5] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Frederick Jay (Rick) Rubin (born March 10, 1963 in Lido Beach, New York) is an American record producer and is currently the co-head of Columbia Records. ... Singles from Blood Sugar Sex Magik Released: 1991 Released: 1991 Released: 1992 Released: 1992 Released: 1993 Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. ... The Hollywood Hills, an unofficial designation of part of the City of Los Angeles, California, are part of the eastern section of the low transverse range of the Santa Monica Mountains, which extends from the Los Feliz District and Hollywood, on the south side of the Valley, to Pacific Coast... Cannabis, known as marijuana[1] or ganja[2] in its herbal form and hashish in its resinous form,[3] is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa L. subsp. ... Janes Addiction was an American rock band featuring Perry Farrell (vocalist), Dave Navarro (guitarist), Eric Avery (bassist), and Stephen Perkins (percussionist). ... Stephen Andrew Perkins (born September 13, 1967 in Los Angeles, California) is an American musician and songwriter. ...

Blood Sugar Sex Magik was a huge hit upon its release on September 24, 1991. The album peaked at #3 on the Billboard charts, and eventually sold over seven million copies in the U.S. alone.^[16][17] 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.'"^[18] 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."^[19] 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".^[20] Frusciante admitted to having once taken great pleasure in a hedonistic existence; however, "...by the age of 20, 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."^[21] Frusciante refused to go on stage during a performance at Tokyo's Club Quattro on May 7, 1992 announcing to his bandmates that he was leaving the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He was eventually persuaded to perform the show, but left for California the following morning.^[9] is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... This article does not cite any sources. ... is the 127th day of the year (128th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

[edit] 1992–1997: Drug addiction

Frusciante developed serious drug habits as a result of 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."^[22] Not only was Frusciante smoking large amounts of marijuana, he began using heroin and was on the verge of full-scale addiction. He went back to his home in California and fell into a deep state of depression; feeling that his life was over, and that he could no longer write music or play guitar.^[20] For a long period of time, he focused primarily on painting and producing 4-track recordings he had made during the time he spent recording Blood Sugar Sex Magik. To cope with his worsening depression, Frusciante dramatically increased his heroin use to a state of abuse; and subsequently spiraled into a life-threatening dependency.^[23] 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."^[24] In everyday language depression refers to any downturn in mood, which may be relatively transitory and perhaps due to something trivial. ...

Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt sample:

"Your Pussy's Glued to a Building on Fire" Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt is Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciantes debut solo album, released in 1994 on American Recordings. ... Image File history File links Pussy. ...

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.

Frusciante released his first solo album Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt, on March 8, 1994. 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. Warner Bros., the Chili Peppers' label, had rights to the album because of the leaving-artist clause in Frusciante's Chili Peppers contract. 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] is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... American Recordings is a Los Angeles-based record label headed by record producer Rick Rubin. ... Warner Bros. ...

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.^[26] His arms became fiercely scarred from improperly shooting heroin and cocaine, leaving permanent abscesses.^[21] 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.^[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] New Times LA is a now-defunct alternative weekly newspaper, published in Los Angeles , until 2002, by the New Times Media corporation. ... Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ... For the death metal band, see Abscess (band). ... Johnny Depp (born John Christopher Depp II[2] on June 9, 1963, in Owensboro, Kentucky) is an Academy Award-nominated and SAG Awards-winning American actor and for his performances in the films Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Whats Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Ed Wood (1994... 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 mini-documentary showing John Frusciantes house made in 1992 by Johnny Depp and the lead singer of The Butthole Surfers, Gibby Haynes. ...

[edit] 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.^[31] However, months later he was still unable to break addictions to crack cocaine and alcohol.^[31] In January of 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.^[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] Cold turkey is a slang expression describing the actions of a person who gives up a habit or addiction all at once. ... A pile of crack cocaine ‘rocks’. Crack Cocaine is a highly addictive form of cocaine that is popular for its intense high. ... Bob Forrest was the lead vocalist and lyricist for Los Angeles Bands Thelonious Monster and The Bicycle Thief. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ...

Fully recovered and once again healthy, Frusciante began living a more spiritual, ascetic lifestyle. He changed his diet, becoming more health-conscious and eating mostly unprocessed foods.^[20] Through regular practice of vipassana and yoga, he discovered the effect self-discipline has on the body.^[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".^[20] All of these changes in his life have led him to a complete change in his attitude toward drugs:^[23] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (Sanskrit) means insight. While it is often referred to as Buddhist meditation, the practice taught by the Buddha was non-sectarian, and has universal application. ...

Despite his experience as an addict, Frusciante does not view his drug use as a "dark period" in his life. He has said that he values the period as a time when found himself and got his mind straight with everything he needed to know.^[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]

In early 1998 the Red Hot Chili Peppers fired guitarist Dave Navarro and were on the verge of a breakup. Flea told Kiedis, "the only way I could imagine carrying on [with the 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 went over to Frusciante's house and asked him to rejoin the band, Frusciante started sobbing and said "nothing would make me happier in the world."^[32] “David Navarro” redirects here. ...

With Frusciante back on guitar, the Chili Peppers began recording their next album, Californication, which was released in 1999. 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.^[15] Frusciante has frequently stated that his work on Californication is his favorite.^[15] Californication is the seventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on June 8, 1999 on Warner Bros. ...

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. The album was dissimilar to his preceding records in that it wasn't as markedly stream-of-consciousness or avant-garde. 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.^[36] Instead of focusing mostly on his guitar work, Frusciante focused more on synthesizers, which are a distinctive feature of this record.^[36] To Record Only Water for Ten Days is John Frusciantes third solo album and was released in 2001 via the Warner Music Group. ... In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a literary technique which seeks to portray an individuals point of view by giving the written equivalent of the characters thought processes. ... A work similar to Marcel Duchamps Fountain Avant garde (written avant-garde) is a French phrase, one of many French phrases used by English speakers. ... Electronica refers to a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; but unlike electronic dance music, is not specifically focused on the dance floor. ... New Wave was a rock music and pop genre and movement that existed during the late 1970s and the early-to-mid 1980s. ...

In 2001, Frusciante began recording his fourth album with the Chili Peppers, By the Way; a time that he considers to be among the happiest of his life.^[15] He relished the chance the album gave him to "keep writing better songs".^[15] 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."^[15] 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.^[15] By the Way was released in the U.S. on July 9, 2002. Singles from By the Way Released: 2002 Released: December 3, 2002 Released: February 17, 2003 Released: 2003 Released: 2003 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. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Johnny Marr (born John Martin Maher on 31 October 1963 in Ardwick, Manchester) is a virtuoso Irish/English guitarist, keyboardist, harmonica player and singer. ... John McGeoch, (May 28, 1955 – March 4, 2004), was a Scottish guitarist who played with some of the biggest bands of the post-punk era, including: Magazine, Visage, The Armoury Show, Public Image Ltd. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

[edit] 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. The group was together for about two weeks, during which time they recorded approximately 90 minutes of material.^[37][38] 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.^[38] Joe Lally (born December 3, 1963 in Silver Spring, Maryland) is a bass guitar player, primarily known for his work with Fugazi. ... “Fugazi” redirects here. ... Josh Klinghoffer (born October 4, 1979) is a multi-instrumentalist and music producer from Los Angeles, California. ... Ataxia is a band comprised of John Frusciante (also of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Josh Klinghoffer (Bicycle Thief) and Joe Lally (Fugazi). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Curtains sample:

"The Past Recedes" Curtains is an album by John Frusciante released February 1, 2005 by the label Record Collection. ... Image File history File links Recedes. ...

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

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

Frusciante released his fourth full-length solo album Shadows Collide with People on February 24, 2004. The album featured guest appearances from some of his friends, including Klinghoffer, and Chili Peppers bandmates Smith and Flea.^[39] In June of 2004, Frusciante announced that he would be releasing six records over the span of six months:^[40] The Will to Death, Ataxia's Automatic Writing, DC EP, Inside of Emptiness, A Sphere in the Heart of Silence and Curtains. 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, shunning modern studio and computer-assisted recording processes.^[41] Shadows Collide with People is the fourth studio album by John Frusciante, released in 2004, conceived during the recording of By the Way. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Will to Death is an album released by John Frusciante in the year 2004. ... Automatic Writing is an album by Ataxia released in 2004. ... DC EP is the third record 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 that John Frusciante undertook 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 an album by John Frusciante released February 1, 2005 by the label Record Collection. ...

Frusciante at Madejski Stadium in Reading England in July 2006.

In early 2005, Frusciante entered the studio to work on his fifth studio album with the Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium. 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,^[42] began using a full 28 track mixer to display the full range of his guitar arsenal.^[43] 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,^[44] with Frusciante himself backing this up.^[45] He also expanded use of guitar effects throughout the album, and used various other instruments such as the synthesizer and mellotron. Frusciante worked continuously with Rubin over-dubbing guitar progressions, changing harmonies and utilizing every tool in his arsenal.^[45] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (481x873, 358 KB)John Frusciante with the Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006) Taken at the Red Hot Chili Peppers show on the 3rd July 2006 at Readings Madejski stadium. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (481x873, 358 KB)John Frusciante with the Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006) Taken at the Red Hot Chili Peppers show on the 3rd July 2006 at Readings Madejski stadium. ... The Madejski Stadium is a football stadium in Reading, England. ... Singles from Stadium Arcadium Released: April 4, 2006 Released: July 18, 2006 Released: November 20, 2006 Released: February 12, 2007 Released: April 7, 2007 Stadium Arcadium is the ninth studio album by the alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on May 5, 2006 on Warner Bros. ... For other uses, see Synthesizer (disambiguation). ... The Mellotron is an electromechanical polyphonic keyboard musical instrument originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. ...

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.^[46] He also contributed guitar solos on their 2005 album Frances the Mute.^[47] In 2006, he helped The Mars Volta complete their third album Amputechture by playing guitar on seven of the album's eight tracks.^[48] In return, Rodriguez-Lopez has played on several of Frusciante's solo projects including two songs from Curtains.^[49] Ataxia released their second and final studio album, AW II, on May 29, 2007. Omar Alfredo Rodriguez-Lopez (born September 1, 1975 in Bayamón, Puerto Rico) is the composer, lead guitarist and producer for the progressive rock group The Mars Volta and the former guitarist for the post-hardcore outfit At the Drive-In. ... The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock group founded by Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Isaiah Ikey Owens and Jeremy Michael Ward. ... Alternate cover Alternate cover found on certain limited editions and on the reverse side of original cover De-Loused in the Comatorium is the first LP and concept album by the progressive rock band The Mars Volta. ... Frances the Mute is the second studio album by progressive rock band The Mars Volta released in the US on March 1, 2005. ... Amputechture is the third full length studio album by The Mars Volta released on September 12, 2006. ... AW II (Automatic Writing II) is the second half of the Ataxia sessions by John Frusciante, Joe Lally, and Josh Klinghoffer, completed in January 2004. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

[edit] 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 started to recognize his work.^[50] Frusciante attributes this to his shift in focus, stating that on the album he chose an approach based on rhythmic patterns that were inspired by the complexity of material Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen produced.^[51] On preceding records, however, he centered much of his output around the influence of various underground punk and New Wave musicians.^[15] 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.^[52] Frusciante will use a designated guitar for the song he finds it suits best. His most frequently used instrument of recent times is a 1962 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster which he has used on every album since returning to the Chili Peppers, and their ensuing tours.^[53] Frusciante's most prized intstrument is a 1955 Gretsch White Falcon, which he used twice per show during the By the Way tour. He has since removed the White Falcon from his repertoire, feeling there was "no room for it."^[53] Edward Van Halen (born Edward Lodewijk van Halen on January 26, 1955[1] in Amsterdam, Netherlands), is a guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer most famous for being the lead guitarist and a co-founder of the hard rock band, Van Halen. ... “Stratocaster” redirects here. ... The Gretsch White Falcon is a visually distinct guitar commercially introduced in 1955 by Gretsch. ...

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.^[54] With the Chili Peppers, Frusciante provides backing vocals in a falsetto tenor, a style he established on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. He thoroughly enjoys his role in the Chili Peppers as backup singer, and feels that backing vocals are a "real art form".^[55] 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.^[55] Falsetto is a singing technique that produces sounds that are pitched higher than the singers normal range, in the treble range. ...

[edit] 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.^[56] 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.^[56] 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.^[15] 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. 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.^[15] 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. 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."^[56] 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.^[56] 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."^[56] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Bow Wow Wow was a 1980s New Wave band organized by Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren in 1980 whose music is described as having an African-derived drum sound.[1] McLaren persuaded guitarist Matthew Ashman, bassist Leigh Gorman and percussionist David Barbarossa of the original lineup of Adam & the Ants... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the band. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Steven Steve Siro Vai (born June 6, 1960 in Carle Place, New York) is a Grammy Award winning guitarist, composer, vocalist, and record producer. ...

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."^[57] 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."^[57] 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."^[20] Much of his solo material is initially written on an acoustic or unamplified electric guitar.^[58] Frusciante cultivates an atmosphere conducive to songwriting by constantly listening to the music of others and absorbing its creative influence.^[59] He also prefers to record his albums on analog tapes, and other relatively primitive equipment.^[60] 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.^[41] 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.^[60]

[edit] Influences

Although Slovak and Hendrix were arguably Frusciante's biggest influences prior to joining the Chili Peppers, some of his other early influences include avant-garde acts like Captain Beefheart, The Residents, The Velvet Underground, Neu! and Kraftwerk.^[2][3] Frusciante credits his inspiration for learning guitar to Greg Ginn, Pat Smear and Joe Strummer, among others.^[50] 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.^[3][15] Frusciante likes the acoustic one-man blues of Lead Belly and Robert Johnson, and the two were a notable influence on him during the recording of Blood Sugar Sex Magik.^[61] On Californication and By the Way, Frusciante derived the technique of creating tonal texture through various chord patterns, from post-punk musician Vini Reilly of The Durutti Column.^[15] During the recording of Stadium Arcadium however, Frusciante moved away from his New Wave influences and concentrated on emulating flashier guitar players, such as Hendrix and Van Halen.^[51] With his recent solo work, Frusciante has cited electronic music—in which the guitar is often completely absent—as an influence. His electronic music influences include Ekkehard Ehlers, Peter Rehberg and Christian 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."^[57] Don Van Vliet (born Don Glen Vliet on January 15, 1941, in Glendale, California, USA) is a musician and visual artist, best known by the pseudonym Captain Beefheart. ... For other uses, see Resident. ... This article is about the rock band. ... Neu! (the German word for new, pronounced noy) were a German band, probably the archetypal example of what the UK music press at the time dubbed Krautrock. ... Kraftwerk (pronounced [], German for power station) is a German musical group from Düsseldorf that has made key contributions to the development of improvisational rock and electronic music, most notably within the latter categorys sub-genres which later became known as synthpop, electro, techno, house and IDM. Early musical... Gregory Regis Ginn (born June 8, 1954) is a guitarist, songwriter and singer. ... Pat Smear (born Georg Ruthenberg on August 5, 1959), is a U.S. rock guitarist who has been a regular member of several well-known bands, albeit of different subgenres: The Germs, Nirvana and Foo Fighters. ... For other persons named John Mellor, see John Mellor (disambiguation). ... For the bands 1969 self-titled debut album, see Led Zeppelin (album). ... Public Image Ltd. ... Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band that formed in 1976. ... The Smiths were an English rock band active from 1982 to 1987. ... For the film, see Leadbelly (film). ... For other persons named Robert Johnson, see Robert Johnson (disambiguation). ... Post punk generally refers to the particularly fertile and creative period following the initial punk rock explosion. During the first wave of punk, roughly spanning 1976-1983, bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones and The Damned began to challenge the current styles and conventions of rock... The Durutti Column is the ongoing band project of gifted Manchester guitarist Vini Reilly (born August ?, 1953), usually accompanied by the talents of drummer Bruce Mitchell. ... See Durruti Column for the anarchist column during the Spanish Civil War. ... For other uses, see Electronic music (disambiguation). ... Ekkehard Ehlers is an electronic music artist, in the ambient category. ... Peter Rehberg (a. ... Christian Fennesz (born December 25, 1962) is an Austrian musician who uses white noise to create his electronic compositions. ...

[edit] Discography

Main article: John Frusciante discography

The following is a comprehensive discography of singer-songwriter and guitarist John Frusciante. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt is Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciantes debut solo album, released in 1994 on American Recordings. ... American Recordings is a Los Angeles-based record label headed by record producer Rick Rubin. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Smile from the Streets You Hold is a solo album by John Frusciante, the current guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, although he was not performing with the band at the time of the recording. ... Birdman Records is an independent record label based in South San Francisco founded by former Warner Brothers A&R vice-president David Katznelson. ... is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... To Record Only Water for Ten Days is John Frusciantes third solo album and was released in 2001 via the Warner Music Group. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the day. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...