John Frusciante has, from a past that would have finished most people, emerged as on of the most talented musicians of all time. Guitarist with the Red Hot Chili Peppers at only 18, he left only four years later to go solo, and to become a drug addict:
“When I originally decided to become a drug addict, it was a clear decision. I was very sad, and I was always happy when I was on drugs; therefore, I (thought I) should be on drugs all the time. I was never guilty — I was always really proud to be an addict.”
John certainly dedicated himself to this decision, and plunged head-first into the kind of addiction that most people thought could only end in death. But, with amazing clear-headedness, and the determination that he brings to all things he does, he decided in 1997 to quit drugs-just like that. Rather than viewing it as a bad period, and one to forget, John took it as another positive step to where he’s going-not a bad thing at all.
“I don’t look at it like that. That was the period that I learned, when I got my mind straight about everything that I needed to know. I really value that period of time.”
From this point John bloomed creatively, rejoining the Peppers and embarking on the most impressive & prolific part of his musical career, starting with ‘By The Way’ for the Chili Peppers and ‘To Record Only Water For Ten Days’ under his own name. But it was in 2004 that his creativity came into full flow, with seven albums in a little over a year. Each, in my opinion, a record that most other artists would be proud of once in a career, John came up with 7 albums of differing styles and resonating emotion.
‘Shadows Collide With People’ came first and was a deliberately polished, commercial record, made accessible as possible, yet still individually Frusciante. This was followed by ‘The Will To Death’ with very stripped down guitars & production, favouring one take recording, & leaving in minor errors, rather than recording again.
The next album was recorded under the name of Ataxia, a group also containing Joe Lally of Fugazi, and Josh Klinghoffer, a friend of Johns and talented musician in his own right. This album was very different, formed from improvised jams in the studio and looping bass lines and drum parts. The stunning track ‘The Sides’ features here, and never fails to raise goosebumps on me. September 2004 brought ‘The DC EP’, only 15 minutes, so perhaps pushing the tag ‘album’, but again showcasing music so melodic and simple, yet utterly compelling.
‘Inside of Emptiness’ now showed John’s heavier, rockier side with more intense guitar and lyrics, and a raw sound demanding to be played loud. Switching track completely, and annoying some ‘fans’ came ‘A Sphere in the Heart of Silence’. Inspired by Johns love of electronica and 80’s bands such as Depeche Mode, this album reminded me most of ‘To Record Only Water…’ After ‘Inside…’ demanding to be played loud, this was a headphones and dark room album, and I loved it.
Finally, and appropriately, came ‘Curtains’.? Quiet, introspective, and largely consisting of acoustic guitar, piano and upright bass, the main star of this album is John’s voice and the emotion it can convey. ‘Leap Your Bar’ is the stand out track, and I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck rising just typing about it.
An amazing output for one man in an entire career, much less just over a year. John has followed this up with a double RHCP album, ‘Stadium Arcadium’, and has more material from the ‘Ataxia’ sessions and a follow up to ‘Sphere’ to come. I can’t wait.
If you’d like to hear some of Johns Music, head over to his website, click on the clouds at the top, and you can listen to 5 tracks in their entirety, for free. You won’t regret the 15 minutes invested, I promise you.
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