Twenty years ago in Los Angeles, a bunch of mates wearing nowt but socks on their cocks fused the urgent punk of Black Flag with the groovesome funk of Parliament. It worked rather well.
Eight studio albums later, the multi-million selling Chili Peppers are still with us, although the path of success has not always been smooth. Countless line-up changes, nervous breakdowns, heroin addiction and the tragic fatal overdose of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak have all challenged the staying power of the band's surviving line-up - singer Anthony Keidis, guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Flea and drummer Chad Smith.
Yet, as this 'Greatest Hits' package proves, despite their ups and downs the Chilis' music has seldom lacked quality. Taking material from the band's 1989 breakthrough album 'Mother's Milk' onwards, this fine 16-track collection (including two new songs) charts the band's development from the muscular, rough and ready punk-funkers of their early years to today's sophisticated, mellow, melody-driven rockers.
The Chilis' version of Stevie Wonder's 'Higher Ground' still sounds as ballsy and boisterously funky as it did back in '89. Meanwhile, 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik', from 1991, is represented by four tracks including the gritty, bass-heavy rapping swagger of 'Give It Away' and the 'Horse' horrorshow ballad 'Under The Bridge' - later given the R&B treatment by All Saints.
Making its first appearance on a Chilis' album is the gently aimless funk of 'Soul To Squeeze', as featured on the soundtrack to 1993's Coneheads soundtrack, while the only song to make it from 1995's lacklustre 'One Hot Minute' album (recorded with Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro) is the ponderous balladry of 'My Friends'. These two songs represent the only lull in an otherwise excellent compilation.
Five cuts have been selected from 1999's 'Californication', the album many consider to be the band's best. These include the title track and the irresistible melodies of 'Scar Tissue' and 'Otherside'. Sadly last year's hugely successful 'By The Way' album only contributes two tracks - the feisty groove of the title track and the slow stomp of 'Universally Speaking'. Strange that the mighty fine 'The Zephyr Song' has not been included.
Finally, recently described by Flea as no thinking, just rocking, both the two new songs - current single 'Fortune Faded' and 'Save The Population' - do just that and bode well for the Chilis' future, despite rumours that the band may split. There's plenty of life in this band of rock'n'roll survivors yet.
by Gary Crossing