Five songs that prove John Frusciante is a genius
The idea of a guitar hero has dwindled in relevance in recent years, yet John Frusciante continues to show why the flame has not yet been extinguished. With the Red Hot Chili Peppers and as a solo artist, he has pushed himself into many different areas, fuelled by natural technique and an ear for fresh sounds.
Toting his trusty Fender Stratocaster, Frusciante continues to be a widely influential figure for guitarists new and old, with many notable highlights on his extensive reel. Fusing the searing technique of his ultimate hero Allan Holdsworth, with the expressive power of Jimi Hendrix and the bite of punk, although his style is certainly distinctive, Frusciante has pulled from an expansive palette to define his blueprint.
This unfettered brilliance and, indeed, range saw Frusciante take up a seat at the table alongside the greats of the fretboard from decades ago. Joining the Red Hot Chili Peppers as an inexperienced 18-year-old following the death of Hillel Slovak in 1988, it wouldn’t be long before he achieved his dream of dragging his favourite band to new heights. He soon became a legend in his own right. Of course, his story is oscillating, often pitted with tragedy, but his playing comes before all else, and it is exceptional.
So, without further ado, we’ve compiled five songs that prove John Frusciante is a genius. Find the list below.
Five songs that prove John Frusciante is a genius:
5. ‘Under the Bridge’
In many ways, ‘Under the Bridge’ from Red Hot Chili Peppers’ hit 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik is John Frusciante’s signature performance. A crossover hit that everyone knows; although frontman Anthony Kiedis delivers the vocals of a lifetime, the track would be nowhere without the chiming, finger-picked riff of the young Frusciante.
As the world is highly familiar with the introspective central melody, it’s a testament to the 21-year-old’s talent that he conceived such an iconic and masterful composition early in his career. It proved that Frusciante is a force of nature on the guitar, from the tricky picking to the choppy strumming he delivers during the song’s choral climax. A seamless blend of jazz, blues, and rock since its release, ‘Under the Bridge’ has been a benchmark for budding guitarists.
4. ‘Scar Tissue’
From one masterfully picked performance to another, ‘Scar Tissue’ arrived in 1999 on the Californian quartet’s hit album Californication. An empathic display of Frusciante’s technical ability and softer side as a player, it’s blues-infused and expressive without forgoing any of the invention that made the Red Hot Chili Peppers axeman such a hero in the first place.
Although the clean ring of Frusciante’s jazz chords and rhythm in the verses are enough to assert why he is so luminous, it is the duo of overdriven, sliding solos that take the crown. The first arrives in the middle of the track and is a teaser of what’s to come at the end, as Frusciante bestows this sonic treat with its cherry before it winds to an end. A mixture of riffing, exciting chords and not one but two excellent solos, Frusciante covers all bases here.
3. ‘Give it Away’
From the softer side of Frusciante and Red Hot Chili Peppers to their most explosive. ‘Give it Away’ is a swaggering piece of funk rock that draws on psychedelia and a pinch of metal. The best word to describe the guitarist’s performance on this rollicking tune is surreal. Twisting and bending, with the central riff one of his choppiest and, therefore, most stylistic, Frusciante also relies heavily on reverse delay for the solos, which makes them that little bit more effective and otherworldly.
But once again, it is his ability to be distinctive without being over-complicated that truly stands out. For instance, who can forget the chords at the end? Droning and aggressive without being too over the top, there are many reasons why ‘Give It Way’ is included on the list, with Frusciante ramping it up with such panache being the main one.
2. ‘My Smile is a Rifle’
John Frusciante’s work outside the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a treasure trove of weird and wonderful efforts. One of his most notorious arrangements, and the most lauded by his fans, comes from his 1992 debut solo album, Niandra LaDes and Usually Just a T-Shirt. Recorded when in the depths of his heroin addiction and social isolation, it provides an enlightening peak into the mind of Frusciante during this era. It is undoubtedly challenging at points – something of an ancestor to The Madcap Laughs, if you will – but it is deeply rewarding.
Despite being unwell during this chapter, Frusciante delivers some of his best-loved work on Niandra LaDes. Regarding his guitar playing on the record, nothing beats the layered brilliance of ‘My Smile is a Rifle’. Melancholic and woven seamlessly, the two primary harmonies are undoubtedly among his best, with the raw, lo-fi solo also going a significant way in securing its place here.
1. ‘Snow (Hey Oh)’
Although some rightly criticise 2006’s Stadium Arcadium for being too long, it does contain flashes of majesty. For Frusciante, the highlight is ‘Snow (Hey Oh)’, which has threatened to knock ‘Under the Bridge’ off the top spot for his signature riff in recent years as it finds a new home with the TikTok generation.
Melodic, quick, intricate and deceptively challenging to play, this is a perfect riff in many ways, and on top of these aspects, it’s one hell of an earworm. Taking inspiration from the great Jimi Hendrix when conceiving its rhythm and pattern, it’s fitting that Frusciante did so, as his work here stands out among the finest performances a guitarist has recorded in the past 30 years. A flawless reflection of what makes John Frusciante so significant, ‘Snow (Hey Oh)’ represents the pinnacle of modern guitar playing.
