John Frusciante

John Anthony Frusciante, born in New York on March 5th 1970, is one of the main creative forces driving Red Hot Chili Peppers, and a respected solo artist in his own right. Joining the Chili Peppers in 1988 after the death of Hillel Slovak, the band's original guitarist, Frusciante featured on both Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik. However, John's rise was short lived. On May 7th, 1992, John quit the band just before the Chili Peppers were due on stage. (He did however play the show). His departure was considered a result of mental illness caused by his indulgence in drugs, as well as heavy fatigue from touring.

In 1994, John released Niandra Lades & Usually Just A T-Shirt, his first solo album. Some of the material had already been recorded whilst he was on tour. Many fans consider this album to be his best solo album which included many bizarre and aptly named songs such as "My Smile is a Rifle" and "Running Away Into You".

After his departure from the Chili Peppers, John slipped further into the world of drugs. In 1997, his second solo album, Smile From The Streets You Hold, was released. According to Frusciante, this album was released solely to raise money for his drug habit. It was later withdrawn from sale.

John's heavy drug usage had brought him close to death on multiple occasions. It was with this that he checked himself into rehab to overcome his habits. In 1998, he was asked to re-join the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He said yes, and in 1999, Californication was released with John back on guitar. His reappearance in the public eye was greeted with some shock, as there were many tales of his terrible descent into addiction, but it was clear to everyone who listened to Californication that Frusciante was truly back. The album, featuring the guitar skills of Frusciante, was a sonic celebration of life and rebirth ("Scar Tissue"), and also an exploration of Hollywood superficiality ("Californication").

Over the time spent touring and recording Californication, John created a set of his own songs that would come forth on his next solo album, To Record Only Water for Ten Days. Retaining his lyrical style, John pursued a different direction, and spewed a heavily synthesised album.

From the Sounds Inside was an internet-only release that made its debut on his official website. The album, which stretches over 21 songs, is comprised mainly of unfinished and unmastered demos from his Record Only Water era.

The highly anticipated follow-up to Californication, which was to be titled By The Way, was released in 2002. The album was generously received by fans and critics.

During the tour break of By The Way, Frusciante then proceeded to record seven solo albums in as little time as it took to create By The Way. In February 2004 John released the positively-received Shadows Collide With People. A well produced and orchestrated album, it pulled together the will power and the resolve that John held after his struggle with drugs and mental illness, and features band mates Flea and Chad Smith on several tracks. In May of that year, rumours circulated that another album would be soon released. Indeed it was, as John planned to release a total of six albums in six months through the Record Collection label.

The first album appeared at the end of June 2004. Named The Will to Death, it lacked the studio mixing and sharpness of Shadows Collide. Instead, it was a raw and unedited release that still retained a high quality. It also exemplified John's love of imperfection.

The second in the series would be titled Automatic Writing. Composed mainly of extended jams, it was not to be released under John's name but instead that of Ataxia. The project featured John Frusciante on guitar, Josh Klinghoffer on drums and Joe Lally on bass (Fugazi). Released in late August.

His next solo album to be released was the DC EP. On this production, Frusciante was accompanied by Jerry Busher on drums. Musically, the songs were very similar to Automatic Writing, but were different in tone and genre. With this album John worked with yet another former member of the DC Hardcore band Fugazi. Lead guitarist, and vocalist for Fugazi, Ian Mackaye helped John record and master the album at Ian's Dischord Records studio in Washington DC. Mackaye even loaned Frusciante the his guitar and amps to record on. Frusciante remarked that he was relieved that he still sounded like himself even on someone else's equipment. DC EP also marked the first album in five years that Frusciante had NOT used a synthesizer of any kind.

His other solo albums on the Record Collection label include Inside of Emptiness, A Sphere in the Heart of Silence (together with Josh Klinghoffer), and Curtains.

John is currently touring with the Red Hot Chili Peppers for their highly anticipated new double album, Stadium Arcadium, which was released the 9th of May 2006.

He has also found time in between dates on the tour to finalise and produce the second half of the much anticipated Ataxia sessions with Joe Lally and Josh Klinghoffer. Scheduled for release in Germany on June 30 2007, the album will be named Ataxia II.

At the moment John has written 17 songs for what is to become his next album in collaboration with Josh Klinghoffer, and his tenth solo album. He plans to finish it bit by bit during tour breaks, and hopes to release it this year. John announces that this will be his most personal album up to date, whereas in the past he used to write to hide himself. He wants to employ a lot of production techniques that he's used on the last Chili Peppers-album, but he wants to go even further and use classical instruments, orchestral instruments, retain the raw sound, but at the same time do a lot of production.