Recently, former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer made an appearance on the Don’t Die: An Addiction podcast, hosted by Bob Forrest. Klinghoffer, who was the guitarist for the Chili Peppers from 2009-2019 was fired by the group in December of 2019 so they could bring back their former guitarist John Frusciante. However, it could have been possible to have both guitarists in the lineup. Alternative Nation has transcribed the following.
Forrest: So Josh plays with Pearl Jam and he’s the opening band – Pluralone. It’s so crazy that you ended up there. It’s so crazy and so beautiful – it doesn’t mean that some people that treated you badly are excused from their behavior.
Josh: I didn’t think anyone treated me badly *second-guesses* oh, I thought you were talking about yourself. *Laughs*
Forrest: Wait a minute Josh, you ended up in your favorite band and the right hand of your favorite singer. I mean that’s pretty crazy.
Josh: It is crazy.
Klinghoffer would replace Frusciante during the period where the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ tenth studio album, ‘I’m With You’ was in its infancy stage. In July 2009, John Frusciante left the band with no announcement being formally made until December of that year. However, Frusciante revealed via social media at the time that there was no ‘ill will’ and that he wanted to focus on his solo projects.
By October 2009, The Red Hot Chili Peppers would enter the studio to begin writing, ‘I’m With You’, with Josh Klinghoffer, replacing Frusciante. As of May 2016, I’m with You has sold 1,700,000 copies worldwide with 574,000 copies being sold in the United States.
This was seen as an overall disappointment in comparison to the band’s previous release, Stadium Arcadium which sold eight million copies worldwide and half a million copies in the United States. However, Rolling Stone ranked “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” as the 50th best single in the Top 50 singles of 2011 while ranking the overall album, ‘I’m With You’ as the 8th best album of that year. “Brendan’s Death Song was in addition, named s the tenth best track for that year as well.
