by Steven Booth

Created on: July 12, 2009   Last Updated: July 13, 2009

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a great band because they have balls, brains and soul. With the LA hardcore scene dying out, they had the audacity to form a funk band with average at best musical chops, then they proceeded to stut around like they were the next coming of George Clinton. They honed their musicianship and writing over time to become original and intellegent. Somewhere along the line, they gained the intangible known as soul. A band with all of their highs and lows now sing and play like they lived every moment of their songs.

The Los Angeles scene in the early 1980's was in transition. Hair metal ruled Sunset Boulevard, and the fading hardcore scene was splintering. Black Flag and Bad Religion were going metal, the Circle Jerks were breaking up, and the rest of the scene was marginal. The Peppers started up as four punk rockers who fell in love with the funk of James Brown and George Clinton. The fact that they really couldn't play R & B not only didn't stop them, they walked and talked like funk gods regardless. "Freakey Styley" was the embodiment of this. The equivalent of a third-string quarterback throwing a hail mary to win a game. While Flea could lay down a decent groove, the rest of the band got by on sheer cockiness. It was the case of the sum being greater than the parts. If you think you're great, than you are. Despite its musical shortcomings, the record is a hoot, showing you can succeed with pure gut and attitude. The band didn't stop there. They slowly but surely mixed in other elements into their sounds, at different times mixing Zeppelin crunch, Beatlish whimsey, and Beach Boy-style harmonies into the mix. Adding John Frusciante to the mix helped. He added not only a new musical dimension to the sound, but was also a crazed experimenter. A great band is not afraid to take chances, and whether it's the pure attutde of their earlier work or the greater musical exploration of their recent work, the Peppers have never been afraid.

There was no way of figuring how the sock-clad knuckleheads of "Freakey Styley" would still be alive, much less relevant over twenty-five years on. While you cann't exactly call them "brainy", they have evolved into one of the more intellegent and progressive bands out there. It has happened by evolution.. Anthony Kleidis's lyrics have evolved greatly. From "Jungleman" to "Under the Bridge" to "Snow" he has gone from frat boy cheerleader to a very thoughtful lyricist. Flea has greatly expanded his range

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