List of Red Hot Chili Peppers band members

Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers performing at Pinkpop Festival in 2006. From left to right: Michael "Flea" Balzary, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, John Frusciante
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, funk rock
Years active	1983–present
Members
Anthony Kiedis Flea Chad Smith Josh Klinghoffer
Past members
Hillel Slovak Jack Irons Cliff Martinez Jack Sherman DeWayne McKnight D.H. Peligro John Frusciante Arik Marshall Jesse Tobias Dave Navarro

Red Hot Chili Peppers is an alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983. The band was formed by vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist Hillel Slovak, bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary, and drummer Jack Irons after they met while attending Fairfax High School. Since its inception, Red Hot Chili Peppers has maintained a four member lineup, with fifteen official members overall.

In late 1983, two weeks before signing with EMI, Slovak and Irons had obtained a record deal with MCA Records with their other band, What Is This?, and left Red Hot Chili Peppers. Rather than dissolving the band, Kiedis and Flea decided to recruit new members Cliff Martinez and Jack Sherman on drums and guitar respectively, and released their eponymous debut album on August 10, 1984. During the ensuing tour, continuing musical and lifestyle tension between Kiedis and Sherman complicated the transition between concert and daily band life. Sherman was fired soon after, with Slovak returning to the Chili Peppers in 1985 after growing tired of What Is This? The band then dismissed Cliff Martinez from the group in the summer of 1986 due to personal differences and replaced him with founding member Jack Irons, who was out of work and finally separated from other commitments. During this period, however, Kiedis and Slovak had both developed serious drug addictions, which resulted in Kiedis' brief departure that same year. On June 25, 1988, Slovak died of a heroin overdose shortly after the completion of The Uplift Mofo Party Plan tour. Kiedis would then retreat into hiding, further fueling his drug habit and even skipping Slovak's funeral. After a band meeting with manager, Lindy Goetz, Irons subsequently left the group, saying that he did not want to be part of a band where his friends were dying.

Attempting to cope with the death of Slovak and the departure of Irons, Kiedis and Flea temporarily employed Dead Kennedys drummer D. H. Peligro and former P-Funk guitarist DeWayne McKnight. McKnight's tenure was brief, lasting three shows in September 1988 before he was fired. He was quickly replaced by John Frusciante in October 1988. Peligro would last a few more months before he too was fired. Despite several open auditions, the band remained without a drummer. One of the final drummers to audition was Chad Smith, who Kiedis said was so proficient on the drums he "ate [them] for breakfast". After another successful jam session, Kiedis, Frusciante and Flea admitted Smith into the Chili Peppers and was hired in early 1989.

During the 1992 Japanese leg of the Blood Sugar Sex Magik tour, Frusciante, overwhelmed by the band's newfound success and his drug addiction, abruptly quit in May 1992. Circle Jerks bassist Zander Schloss was auditioned but after four days of rehearsing, Kiedis, Flea, and Smith decided that Schloss did not fit with their future plans. Guitarist Arik Marshall of L.A. band, Marshall Law was hired as Frusciante's official replacement but during pre-production of their sixth studio album, tensions grew between the band and Marshall, and they dismissed him from the band in early 1993. Jesse Tobias was then recruited after a series of open auditions; however, his tenure with the band was brief, as the band stated that "the chemistry wasn't right." They eventually settled on Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro on September 5, 1993.

In April 1998, it was announced that Navarro had left the band due to creative differences; Kiedis stated that the decision was "mutual". That same month, Flea visited Frusciante and invited him to rejoin the band. An emotional and now sober Frusciante readily accepted the invitation. In late 2007, Red Hot Chili Peppers went on a hiatus, with Kiedis citing exhaustion as the main reason. In December 2009, Frusciante posted a message on his official website announcing his departure from the band. He stated that he left Red Hot Chili Peppers during the hiatus to focus on a solo career. Josh Klinghoffer, who acted as a sideman during 2007 dates on the band's Stadium Arcadium tour and on John Frusciante's solo projects, joined the band on October 12, 2009; however, his membership was not announced until February 8, 2010.

Members

Current

As of 2011, the lineup of Red Hot Chili Peppers includes one vocalist, one bassist, one drummer, and one guitarist.

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Balzary, Michael "Flea"Michael "Flea" Balzary	1983–present	bass guitar, trumpet, piano, backing vocals	All Red Hot Chili Peppers releases
	Kiedis, AnthonyAnthony Kiedis	1983–1986, 1986-present	lead vocals	All Red Hot Chili Peppers releases
	Smith, ChadChad Smith	1989–present	drums, percussion	All Red Hot Chili Peppers releases from Mother's Milk (1989)
	Klinghoffer, JoshJosh Klinghoffer	2009–present	lead guitar, keyboards, six-string bass, organ, drums, percussion, banjo, backing vocals	Organ on "Stadium Arcadium" (2006), I'm with You (2011)

Former

The former members of Red Hot Chili Peppers consist of seven guitarists and three drummers.

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Slovak, HillelHillel Slovak	1983, 1985–1988	lead guitar, backing vocals	Co-wrote "Baby Appeal", "Get Up and Jump", "Green Heaven", "Out In L.A., and "Police Helicopter" from The Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984), Freaky Styley (1985), The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987), The Abbey Road E.P. (1988), "Fire" from Mother's Milk (1989), What Hits!? (1992), Out in L.A. (1994), Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers (1998)
Jack Irons	Irons, JackJack Irons	1983, 1986–1988	drums, percussion	Co-wrote "Baby Appeal", "Get Up and Jump", "Green Heaven", "Out In L.A., and "Police Helicopter" from The Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984), Co-wrote "Nevermind", "The Brother's Cup" and "Sex Rap" from Freaky Styley  (1985), The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987), The Abbey Road E.P. (1988), "Fire" from Mother's Milk (1989), What Hits!? (1992), Out in L.A. (1994), Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers (1998)
	Martinez, CliffCliff Martinez	1983–1986	drums, percussion	The Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984), Freaky Styley (1985), Co-wrote "Walkin' On Down the Road" from The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987), The Abbey Road E.P. (1988), What Hits!? (1992), Out in L.A. (1994), Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers (1998)
	Sherman, JackJack Sherman	1983–1985	lead guitar, backing vocals	The Red Hot Chili Peppers (1984), The Abbey Road E.P. (1988), backing vocals on "Good Time Boys" and "Higher Ground" from Mother's Milk (1989), What Hits!? (1992), Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers (1998)
	McKnight, DeWayneDeWayne McKnight	1988	lead guitar, backing vocals	"Blues for Meister" from Out in L.A. (1994)
	Peligro, D.H.D.H. Peligro	1988	drums, percussion	Co-wrote "Stone Cold Bush" and Sexy Mexican Maid" from Mother's Milk  (1989) "Blues for Meister" from Out in L.A.  (1994)
	Frusciante, JohnJohn Frusciante	1988–1992, 1998–2009	lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals	Mother's Milk (1989), What Hits!? (1992), Out in L.A. (1994), Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991), Under the Covers: Essential Red Hot Chili Peppers (1998), Californication (1999), By the Way (2002), Live in Hyde Park (2004), Stadium Arcadium (2006)
	Marshall, ArikArik Marshall	1992–1993	lead guitar, backing vocals	none
	Tobias, JesseJesse Tobias	1993	lead guitar, backing vocals	none
	Navarro, DaveDave Navarro	1993–1998	lead guitar, backing vocals	One Hot Minute (1995)

Touring musicians

Red Hot Chili Peppers has employed numerous touring musicians throughout its career. A touring musician is an unofficial member who only performs live with the band and does not contribute to studio releases. Josh Klinghoffer was featured as a backing musician on the final half of the band's Stadium Arcadium tour, also performed Organ on the album's title track and eventually become an official member replacing guitarist Josh Frusciante in 2009. The band's I'm with You tour currently features percussionist, Mauro Refosco. Refosco provided percussion for most of the tracks on the band's I'm with You album. The band's roadie/drum tech, Chris Warren also provides keyboards on the current tour. Vicki Calhoun, Keith Barry, and Philip Fisher did contribute to Mother's Milk (1989), where Calhoun performed backing vocals on "Knock Me Down", "Higher Ground", "Good Time Boys", and "Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky", Barry played tenor sax on "Subway to Venus", and Fisher provided drums on "Taste the Pain".

Current touring musicians

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Reference(s)
—	Refosco, MauroMauro Refosco	2011–present	percussion
—	Warren, ChrisChris Warren	2007–present	keyboards

Former touring musicians

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Reference(s)
	Klinghoffer, JoshJosh Klinghoffer	2007	rhythm guitar, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals
	Rodriguez-Lopez, MarcelMarcel Rodriguez-Lopez	2006–2007	keyboards, clavinet, percussion
—	Rule, RobRob Rule	1989–1990, 1995–1996	opening comedy act, rhythm guitar, backing vocals, roadie
—	Phoenix, RainRain Phoenix	1995–1996	backing vocals
—	Ludwig, AcaciaAcacia Ludwig	1995–1996	backing vocals
—	Calhoun, VickiVicki Calhoun	1989–1990	backing vocals
	Fisher, Philip "Fish"Philip "Fish" Fisher	1988	drums, percussion
—	Barry, Keith "Tree"Keith "Tree" Barry	1987–1990, 2011	saxophone
—	Bulger, MichaelMichael Bulger	2011	trumpet, piano

References

General

• "Red Hot Chili Peppers". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p5241. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
• Kiedis, Anthony; Sloman, Larry (October 6, 2004). Scar Tissue. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 1-4013-0101-0. 
• Red Hot Chili Peppers; Mullen, Brendan (2010). An Oral/Visual History. It Books. ISBN 978-0-06-135191-4. 

Specific