Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante discussed his decision to return to the band to try to help create new ideas in the rock genre as it takes its ‘last breaths’ in a new RA Exchange interview. Alternative Nation transcribed Frusciante’s comments. Please credit us if you use our transcription. A video of John Frusciante reacting to Josh Klinghoffer soloing was just revealed.
“It’s a certain type of challenge trying to make music that a specific audience is going to think is good. Rock music being something that, to my ear, has been dying for quite awhile, and is really taking its last breaths right now. It seemed like an interesting challenge to try to make good rock music that has some idea that people haven’t thought of yet.
From a lot of people’s perspective, you would think when music is dying it’s because its possibilities have been explored and exhausted. I don’t feel that way about any style of music, I feel like you could still come out with great blues music, you could still come out with great 50’s style rock and roll. On my eye especially, there’s a lot I can do with the basic idea of jungle that is new and fresh sounding, and with the band it’s the same thing.
In making electronic music, I’m a big collector of soul records, funk records from the 60’s and 70’s. We have our own sort of way of approaching those styles, it’s something that I can only do with those people. Like what Flea’s bass playing does to my guitar playing, it’s what makes me want to play guitar. I don’t really have too much of an interest in it were it not [for Flea].
If I write a set of chord changes, I get to hear how he plays bass over it. He has this way of playing something that is written, yet it’s also improvised at the same time that is endlessly fun to listen to at rehearsals. I don’t think I’d find that with another bass player, and our styles were made to compliment each other’s styles.
That is one of those god given things I don’t think I could expect to have with any other bass player. So yeah, all those things contributed to my decision to accept their offer to play in the band.”
