Watch Red Hot Chili Peppers get jazzy on Night Music
In 1983, Red Hot Chili Peppers formed from a group of Los Angeles misfits on a quest to bring a fresh sound to the rich tapestry of American rock music. Their sound was a heavy and psychedelic funk-inspired take on the genre, fuelled by the hedonism and depravity that rock ‘n’ roll had taught us to expect over the previous two decades.
The band members themselves were certainly no civilians in the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, instead sitting assertively in the driver’s seat on the road to oblivion. The Chilis’ first lineup consisted of singer Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. In the run-up to their eponymous debut album, the group were still navigating their early 20s and took every opportunity to revel in the boisterous lifestyles they had chosen.
Taking after punk artists before them, the Chilis were no strangers to onstage nudity or spouting playful abuse between one other and their audience. As can be seen in the video below, they were a particularly whacky gang to behold, especially during their early rise to fame.
Through the 1980s, prior to the induction of John Frusciante, the Chilis focussed on funky compositions with a heavy rock accompaniment to suit their wild personas. Tragically, Slovak died from a heroin overdose in 1988, leaving the band in disarray. Shortly thereafter, the original drummer, Irons, left the band devastated by the loss of his close friend.
Hiring Chad Smith as the replacement drummer and Frusciante on guitar, Flea and Kiedis persevered, initially continuing in their funky direction. In 1990, prior to the game-changing album of the following year, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the Chilis were welcomed to perform on Michelob Presents Night Music in New York City.
The popular Sunday night programme, hosted by pianist Jools Holand and saxophonist David Sanborn, often gave their guests’ sound a little added flavour; specifically, this would involve Holland’s boogie-woogie piano or Sanborn’s sax virtuosity.
For the Chilis’ appearance, Sanborn joined the band to give a touch of brass to the funk-rock sound of ‘Subway to Venus’, a track from the band’s 1989 album, Mother’s Milk. Watch below.
