Red Hot Chili Peppers Lineup - First 30 Years Quiz

Answer:

In 1982 the Red Hot Chili Peppers formed with original members Anthony Kiedis, Michael Balzary (Flea), Hillel Slovak, and Jack Irons. By the time they recorded their debut album in 1984, Slovak and Irons had left the band. Cliff Martinez on drums and Jack Sherman on guitar played on their self-named first album. Slovak and Irons returned for the band's second and third albums but Slovak died of drug overdose in 1988.

1989 was a breakthrough year for the Chili Peppers. The release of "Mother's Milk" propelled the band into superstar status. New lead guitarist, John Frusciante, and new drummer, Chad Smith, joined the band. This lineup of Kiedis, Flea, Frusciante, and Smith in 1989 was also the lineup in 2024. But many changes in those 35 years!

By 1992, John Frusciante was battling addiction issues and was dismissed from the band. First came Arik Marshall who played lead guitar at Lollapooloza and the music video for "Breaking The Girl". But Marshall was fired for "just not working out" and replaced with Dave Navarro who was previously with Jane's Addiction. Navarro played on their "One Hot Minute" album in 1995. Dave lasted three years but was replaced with Frusciante who cleaned up and rejoined the RHCP.

During the early 2000s, John Frusciante struggled with some of the creative choices of the band. He stepped away from the group in 2008 and his friend, John Klinghoffer, took over lead guitar duties for the next eleven years. In 2019, John Frusciante rejoined the band and Klinghoffer was amicably dismissed as "a beautiful musician who we respect and love". So after so many lineup changes, we're back to the classic quartet of Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, and Frusciante on guitar.