Red Hot Chili Peppers announced on Sunday that John Frusciante is reuniting with the band, replacing Josh Klinghoffer. The band’s next booked tour date is a show at the Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama on May 15, 2020.
The Chili Peppers said, “The Red Hot Chili Peppers announce that we are parting ways with our guitarist of the past ten years, Josh Klinghoffer. Josh is a beautiful musician who we respect and love. We are deeply grateful for our time with him, and the countless gifts he shared with us. We also announce, with great excitement and full hearts, that John Frusciante is rejoining our group. Thank you.”
John Frusciante dropping a Kurt Cobain bombshell was detailed last week. Frusciante officially left the band a decade ago in 2009, with Klinghoffer replacing him, after having served as a backing guitarist on their 2007 tour. Frusciante has not performed live since a club show with Flea in Los Angeles in September 2008, and his last show with the Chili Peppers was in August 2007. RHCP’s next album, expected in 2020, will be the first album featuring Frusciante since 2006′ Stadium Arcadium.
Frusciante has largely abandoned the guitar in the last decade, only releasing some electronic music and largely being retired from the music business, outside of making appearances with Linda Ramone at the annual Johnny Ramone tribute event at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery every year. Frusciante first left the Chili Peppers in 1992, with Dave Navarro eventually becoming his official replacement. After struggling with drug addiction, Frusciante got clean and rejoined the band in 1998 to record the 1999 smash hit Californication. John Frusciante previously rejecting a Red Hot Chili Peppers offer was also revealed.