September 24, 2021 • 28 mins
Rock out with your sock out as Chris Rock honors the Red Hot Chili Peppers - a band who brought a splash of color that came as a fresh funk-punk breakout among their flannel-clad, grunge rock contemporaries.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
M Welcome to Induction Vault, a production of I Heart
Radio and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Red
(00:28):
Blending punk, funk, rock, and hip hop, the Red Hot
Chili Peppers have left an indalibal mark on music that
can still be felt today. As Chris Rock hilariously describes
them during their two thousand twelve induction, they are the
quote very ugly child of Brian Wilson and George Clinton,
delivering melodic personal lyrics with a flair for funk and flambuoyancy.
(00:51):
For Chris, seeing the band performed for the first time
was a happy accident and what he thought was going
to be a Grandmaster Flash concert, and he speaks on
how he came to view them as the quintessential sound
of California music, a magic blend of the Beach Boys
sound with the spirit of Iced Tea, coming together to
create music that is both happy and hard for reflecting
(01:13):
the moments of joy after experiencing sadness and hardship. Each
member of the band passed in present thank each other
as well as their family and friends who have stood
by their side during tough times. For Flee in particular,
to be inducted among his Heroes is the greatest achievement
in the most humbling experience. WHOA all right, now, this
(01:41):
is the last one to night, So let's give a
big hand to all the groups and everybody earlier in
the night. Donovan the face so good, You're rob every beasts.
Everybody was amazing. First the Beasts. I want to thank
them for, you know, inspiring. A lot of great white
(02:03):
rappers like Eminem and a lot of shitty white rappers
too numerous to mention right now. Um, A lot of
people are upset that Axel did not come tonight, but
let's face it, even if he was coming tonight, he
(02:23):
wouldn't have been here by now. I want to be here,
like where the funk is Axel? Um, So I'm presenting
the red Hot Chili Peppers white me because A. C.
Green was busy. I guess, um, they asked me to
(02:48):
do this, and it's it's a it's a huge honor.
Let me tell you about the first time I saw
the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Now, my friends and I
like drug a lot growing up, and so when we
went out, we had to get to the party really
early because if we didn't go early, we were just
(03:11):
gonna spend our money getting hot. So we went to
this party. We thought we were gonna go see Grand
Master Flash in the village, and we went to see
Flash and we got there at eight o'clock and we're like, okay,
this is cool. We didn't spend our money getting high,
We're gonna see Flash. But we went. We fucked up
and Flash was down the block, and we went and
(03:33):
we went to this other spot and we went to
see the Chili Peppers. And we didn't know we went
there to see the Chili Peppers until later in the evening.
We started to seeing all these white people and we're like,
what the fund is this ship. There's a lot of
white people coming to see Flash. We had never even
heard of Chili Peppers. And they came out and they
(03:54):
sang some ship. I couldn't understand the fucking word they said.
And then they had sucks on that dicks. And I've
never been to like a white show before, so I
thought all white groups put socks on their necks. Now
(04:17):
it's years later and they are one of the biggest
groups in the world. We're at the Rock at All
Hall of Fame. Now they have black ties on their
Dicks tonight. Now tell you about the group. Fleet and
Anthony met in high school. They met in high school,
(04:40):
or as they like to call it, really high school. Um, hey, hey, hey,
there are no monks in this band. There's no monks
in this band, Okay. And they started creating songs at
an early age. Man, lots of songs that never even
came out before, like jerking off the Fara fawcet, you know,
stuff like that. But let me tell you about the
(05:05):
Chili Peppers. Okay, if Brian Wilson, if Brian Wilson and
George Clinton had a kid, he'd be as ugly as fuck,
but he would sound like the Chili Peppers. He'd be Funkay, Okay.
(05:27):
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the quintessential California bed.
This sound is authentic to California, much like the Mama's
and the Papers, uh Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys.
But also they mix it in with a little iced tea,
(05:49):
a little king tea, a little in w Why you
hear all of those influences in the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Okay?
The thing I love about the Pepper say is that
it's the music is so happy, but at the same
time it's hardcore. It's hard core happiness, okay, because you
(06:12):
know they sing about it happy. That do you have
to be sad to get there? Okay? So when when
Anthony sings about you know, taking it on the other side,
you know that motherfucker was on the other side. Okay.
When they sing Scar tissue, you know they got scars. Okay, Okay,
(06:38):
they got scars. They Hey, it's it's like they're like
Robert Downey. Okay, they did a lot of drugs, but
then they did Iron Man and that ship's over. Nobody
gives a funk about that ship. Okay. Okay, Now i'd like,
you know, list some of the accomplished mets right now.
(07:01):
They have I don't know, eight Grammys. They they are
the baddest live band in the world. They have over
eighty five million records sold. Okay, sold out stadium. They
have influenced countless bands all over the world. I want
you to please welt them. One of the best rock groups,
(07:24):
one of the best rap groups, one of the best
red gang groups, one of the best god groups, one
of the best poker groups. It is my pleasure to
introduce to induct into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame after the Genus, Michael th Chad Smith, Josh Carlin,
Job and Shot Hill Out, Slow Back, Jock Gys and
(07:46):
Clip Pop. Datis the Red Hot Chili Peppers after the
great We're here from members of the Red Hot Chili
Peppers on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction Bault,
(08:08):
It's been twenty six years since I've played with this band,
so tonight I'm thrilled and honored to be standing here
at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the
Red Hot Chili Peppers. A band is sometimes an explosive
social organism, and this band is probably a little more
explosive than some. They've had more of their share, more
(08:31):
than their share of difficult times and obstacles to overcome.
There was the great on stage yogurt fight. They've had
to live with the curse of the Exploding Mysterious Eastring
year in and year out. And the fact that they
have consistently put out their unique and distinctive brand of
art that is loved by both old and new generations
(08:53):
of fans around the world for nearly thirty years is
a testament to their dedication and stoppable spirit. Thank you
guys for letting me join the party and for giving
the planet something good to listen to. May you continue
to rock out with your sock out for many years
to come. Wow, being a drummer doesn't really prepare you
(09:24):
for this, and uh we we don't get the teleprompter. Um.
I just want to thank my lovely wife to Nay
for all the years of support, my kids, my folks
for letting us all play in our bedroom when we
were about thirteen. UM, and all the great musicians I've
(09:44):
had a chance to play with. UM, none more so
than these guys, for all the years of perseverance, hard
work and great music. Thanks for having me. Guess ye
got it's dark in here. Oh these are prescription, so
(10:08):
don't worry. I got some notes here. I'm accepting this
award on behalf of my brother, Hello Slovak. He will
always be missed. Hello. Loved his music, family, friends, and
(10:31):
his fans. He was much more than a musician. He
was also an innovator far beyond his years. Today we
celebrate and honor his legacy and his amazing accomplishments and
his life. Thank you very much. It's been a long night,
(11:12):
you guys. Thanks for hanging in there a long night.
But you know, this is it, this is our shot.
I have to I have to thank um. First of all,
I have to thank my mother, who's sitting over here.
I love you, Mom. Thanks for putting up with all
(11:34):
the drums in the basement all those years. My father
as well, it's not with us anymore. Who's uh he was?
He got me these uh Lincoln log drumsticks and ice
cream tubs out of the back of a baskin Robbins
and that was my first dump set. And my father was.
I love music, and uh, you know, I wouldn't be
(11:55):
out here without him, and I love him very much
and we all miss him. So my brother, my sister,
my son Coles here, he's seven years old, just turned seven.
I started playing a drums when I was seven, and
I found my passion at an early age. And I
can't think of a greater thing to do with your
(12:16):
life than what you love and be able to travel
and and make music with your brothers who you love. Um,
it's uh, you know, I'm just really blessed and grateful
for that. I have to we have to say thanks
to Lyndy Gets was our first manager. He couldn't make it,
but Lyndy was. He was instrumental with helping the band out.
(12:40):
And also at the same time we went to Warner
Brothers Records and Moe Austin, who was a class gentleman,
couldn't make it either an icon this industry, and also
Rick Rubin at the same time I started working with
Ray still to this day, I love you, um you know,
(13:05):
of course all the former members that are here tonight,
but as well it aren't here. Guys like Jack Sherman,
guys like Dave Navarro, guys like Eric Marshall, hr Pligro,
these all these guys are all part of our journey
and it's really important that uh, you know, that they'd
(13:25):
be recognized and you know, as you can see, it's
like spinal tap in this band, you know, except with
guitar players. And of course Q Prime is our management.
We've been with for I don't know how long now
how long twelve years now they're here. Thank you guys.
Our career kind of went off to another level with
you guys. We really appreciate all your help and all
(13:46):
your love and support, um, you know, and and God
just to our fans, you know, our fans there. I've
been with us from the beginning to to the middle
to the where we are now. And it's it's odd
(14:06):
because we're looking back at our career tonight, but but
we're just getting started, you know, We're just getting started,
you know. So UM, thanks again, this is such an honor.
I'm truly humbled and honored. Thank you very much, Thank you. UM.
(14:34):
I would like to uh congratulate the other inductees this evening. Um.
The Beastie Boys, we came up at the same time,
and it warms my heart to see them inducted. I
love them so much and our guns and roses. I
used to play football in the street with Stephen Idler
when we were thirteen years old. I grew up two
(14:57):
blocks from Slash. We knew each other and we were
kid And it's really beautiful to uh, you know, just
to see them inducted tonight. In congratulations to them as
well as the other inductees. UM. I see George Clinton
there and I just want to say, George, I love
you man. Dr Frankenstein, you give you giving me reason
(15:19):
to live so many times where life has been so hard.
I love you, man. UM, I say, UM. People often
ask me how has our band stayed together so long?
We've been around about thirty years, and um, you know,
there's a zillion reasons I can't say. You know, ego
(15:40):
and money aren't part of it. But much more than that,
I love music so much and all the great rockers
that have come before us that it means everything in
the world to me to honor that tradition. Um. And
every single day, every night, before we all on stage,
(16:01):
I get on my fucking knees and I pray to
God and I pray to uplift the people that have
come to see us play and to to love them,
and it give us the best that I can do them. Um,
that's my life's mission. But mostly, more than anything, the burning,
(16:21):
intense desire that is inside of me to play music
that is not diminished in the slightest, that has only
deepened as time has gone on. Is when we're hidden it,
when we are really inside the groove, when we're on
I'm lost, man. And in that moment in any any musician,
(16:42):
you know, any artists, I guess, anyone when they're doing
what they love. That I'm speaking to musicians tonight. You
know what I'm talking about. When you're on the one
and you're lost. When I'm lost like that, I am
truly free of everything, and I am truly one with everything,
and that is most free thing. And in that yearning
(17:02):
for freedom is my life's mission. Um I uh, I
want to say mom, I love your mom, thank you
for coming. Yeah. Um. And I just want to take
(17:22):
him in um for Hello Slovak, who was our dear,
dear friend who I never would have started playing bass
unless he asked me to. I love you, Hello, Jamie,
thank you for coming. And um, you know he told
me to start playing bass, jamming with him, taught me
(17:43):
how to play music. Before that, you know, I wanted
to be Dizzy Gillespie. When I was a kid, I
played trumpet. I actually played for Steven Adler's grandmother, um
when when I was thirteen. But um, I love you Hello,
You're always my brother. Thank you. Um. I just want
to take him inte to honor the great musician John Frusciante,
(18:08):
who is a huge part of our band. Um. He
wrote so many, so much great ship for us. He
left us with so many amazing gifts and the connection
and the depth of our bond musically changed my life. Forever,
Um and Chad and Affony Man, I love you guys,
(18:32):
man every day. I'm so lucky to get to play
with these guys and Josh, the journey continues. You're a
fucking amazing artist. Thank you for being with us. UM
it's real quick. I want to thank Rick Rubin. Rick,
you changed my life for the better so much. I
love you. UM. Thank you for you know, helping us
(18:54):
get our shipped together so many times. We would never
in a million years past here without you. And thank you. UM.
I'd like to thank you Prime, Peter and Cliff. I
love you guys. Thank you for taking care of us.
I trust you to the end of days. You've been
so good to us and you know, thank you. Thank you, Gail,
(19:15):
Thank you Eric Greenspan. You worked for us in a
free for free in the beginning. That's how Eric. You
worked for us for free because he believed in us.
And I know him well. He's my dear friend and
I love him. UM and UM like I thank my stepfather,
Walter Urban, who turned me onto music. UM. And you know,
I don't know I'm forgetting a lot of ship, but
(19:38):
you know, it's funny to do this because I feel
like we're just newborn. We're just starting to figure out
and trying to get better, and our best days are
ahead of us. I love music. I love to play.
It's given me everything, It's given me the reason, it's
saved me a million times. Thank you so much, humbly
for honoring us this evening. Thank you. Yea Flea is
(20:08):
an all time rocker. I just want you to know. UM.
I would also like to echo the sentiments of congratulating
all of the fellow inductees tonight. Uh. They were amazing
and music certainly makes this world go around. It's an
honor to be on the same stage with all of
them tonight. Um. Wow, have you heard some speeches yet?
(20:35):
I'm just gonna tell a couple of small little tales,
little stories of growing up in the red hot chili peppers.
This little ones, little tiny ones. Um. And and thank
goodness that rock and roll is open to interpretation. Oh
my god. UM. I met Flee when I was fifteen
years old, and I thought I knew something, but I
(20:59):
didn't know that much. And uh. And they talked about
being in the right place in the right time, while
I was in the right place in the right time.
When I met Fleet, he would change my life forever
and for the better. And we're still together. That was
thirty five years ago. UM Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California.
(21:20):
The next guy I met they would change my life
was Hello Slovak when I was sixteen and Uh, and
these guys knew about music. They practiced hard. Um. Jack
and Hello went to music school on the same day
for the first time. And and I didn't know anything
about practicing music or playing but I love these guys
and they invited me into their musical circle. And by
(21:42):
the time we were twenty, UM, a chap by the
name of Gary Allen suggested, you know, why don't you
give that guy Anthony a crack on the mic? And
they're like, what Anthony, Mike, that makes no sense, and
and Gary's like, just give him a shot. And Uh.
We wrote a song and we performed that song, and
for the first time in my life, I knew what
my purpose was going to be. So Jack and and Flee,
(22:02):
I have to thank you for giving me purpose to
my life. UM. We had some some great highs and
some great lows and uh, and I think we still will. UM.
But early on and the history of the red Hot
(22:24):
Chili peppers. I was struggling with some demons and some
some drug addiction, and my my band were being very
compassionate and patient with with my issues. And one day
I stayed up a little too late, and I was
hungover and passed out, and I think, I think Fleet
had kind of come to the end of his rope.
(22:46):
And he came and he found me in my little,
um one room apartment above a pizza parlor and he said, Anthony, man,
you're just You're fucked up. I don't know that I
can I don't know that I can do this anymore.
And I and I came out of my stupor and
I kind of cleared my eyes and I said, but flee.
I was going to be the James Brown of the eighties.
(23:08):
And and the look on his face was like, shit,
you you were, weren't you? Okay, Let's let's keep going
and he and he forgave me. It's like one more time,
you know my friends had love and forgiveness, and and
that was just the you know, the beginning of many
times that I would require a little love and forgiveness
from the guys that would end up becoming my family, Um,
(23:31):
you know, and and nothing could ever compare to the
low of of losing HELLEL. Slovak in his prime. You know.
We were young men, and we were living hard and
very unschooled in the ways of life. And uh and
we lost you know, the heart and soul and the
architect of the Red Hot Chili Peppers at a very
(23:54):
young point in time when he was just getting ready
to uh, you know, keep changing the world with his music.
And yeah, Hello Slovak was a funny, beautiful, stylish wizard
of a friend and guitar player and uh and he
left us with something which was a band and a
(24:16):
love and a desire to to carry on and everything
we do he will always be with us forever. He's
with us right now. And and and like so many things,
when disasters happen, beautiful things are born from them. And
the next thing that was born was the entrance of
John Fraschante, who was a mind blowing young man very
(24:41):
much um, a student of the school of Hello Slovak,
among many other art forms and musicians and uh and
his creative spirit drove us to new heights. Um. He
was on fire. And he's just one of you know,
the most amazing artists on Earth, and we were lucky
to have him in this band and twice and write
music with them. We're forever grateful to you, John for Chantey. Um.
(25:11):
Now we are with Josh Klinghoffer, who is going to
give his acceptance speech by way of guitar playing later
in the evening. He is a beautiful and lovely man,
and UM, I could not be any happier to be
in a band with him. He is the greatest. In fact, Chad,
Josh and Flee are my favorite musicians on earth. Um.
(25:34):
I had a very wild father and a very mild mother,
and and they both made me who I am. And
I want to thank my father for introducing me to
the arts, for inspiring me to be a free thinker
and go out and find out for myself. Um he's
a big part of who I am today. And although
(25:54):
my mother was much more sort of mild and laid
back about the whole thing, I lized years later that
I watched her suit up and show up for about
forty years going to work, and she taught me the
lesson of what it is to suit up and show
up and put your pants on and go to work.
Every day in the in the gratification that comes from
doing that. So thank you, Mom and Dad. I love
you both. We've been luckier than most. We've been able
(26:23):
to work with some of the coolest, most amazing minds
and music, including the man I'm looking at right now,
Rick Rubin. I love you, Rick sitting right next to
George Clinton, who I love so much. Both both guys
are a dream come true for us. We were kids
and uh and they said, if you could have anybody
in the world produced you, who would it be. We
said George Clinton. They said done. We're like what. The
(26:46):
next thing you know, we're in Detroit, Michigan, tracking with
George and that's how we got started. Thank you, George.
You are the man forever and and yeah, and now
it's time to play some music. So thanks for hanging in.
Hello Julie, Hello Jenny, Thanks for your patients, flops and
love everybody. Thanks for joining us on this week's episode
(27:25):
of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Vault. For
more on your favorite inductees, To shop Inductee merch or
to plan your trip to the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame, visit rock hall dot com plus rock and
Roll Hall of Fame Induction Special on demand on HBO Max.
Our executive producers are Noel Brown, Shelby Morrison, and Esa Gurkey.
(27:46):
Supervising producer is Taylor Shakogne. Research and archival assistants from
Isabelle Keeper and Shannon Herb. Thanks again for joining us
on this week's episode of Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame Induction Vault. Induction VALL is a production of I
heart Rate Video in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
(28:08):
For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the I
heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your
favorite podcasts.
M Welcome to Induction Vault, a production of I Heart
Radio and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Red
(00:28):
Blending punk, funk, rock, and hip hop, the Red Hot
Chili Peppers have left an indalibal mark on music that
can still be felt today. As Chris Rock hilariously describes
them during their two thousand twelve induction, they are the
quote very ugly child of Brian Wilson and George Clinton,
delivering melodic personal lyrics with a flair for funk and flambuoyancy.
(00:51):
For Chris, seeing the band performed for the first time
was a happy accident and what he thought was going
to be a Grandmaster Flash concert, and he speaks on
how he came to view them as the quintessential sound
of California music, a magic blend of the Beach Boys
sound with the spirit of Iced Tea, coming together to
create music that is both happy and hard for reflecting
(01:13):
the moments of joy after experiencing sadness and hardship. Each
member of the band passed in present thank each other
as well as their family and friends who have stood
by their side during tough times. For Flee in particular,
to be inducted among his Heroes is the greatest achievement
in the most humbling experience. WHOA all right, now, this
(01:41):
is the last one to night, So let's give a
big hand to all the groups and everybody earlier in
the night. Donovan the face so good, You're rob every beasts.
Everybody was amazing. First the Beasts. I want to thank
them for, you know, inspiring. A lot of great white
(02:03):
rappers like Eminem and a lot of shitty white rappers
too numerous to mention right now. Um, A lot of
people are upset that Axel did not come tonight, but
let's face it, even if he was coming tonight, he
(02:23):
wouldn't have been here by now. I want to be here,
like where the funk is Axel? Um, So I'm presenting
the red Hot Chili Peppers white me because A. C.
Green was busy. I guess, um, they asked me to
(02:48):
do this, and it's it's a it's a huge honor.
Let me tell you about the first time I saw
the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Now, my friends and I
like drug a lot growing up, and so when we
went out, we had to get to the party really
early because if we didn't go early, we were just
(03:11):
gonna spend our money getting hot. So we went to
this party. We thought we were gonna go see Grand
Master Flash in the village, and we went to see
Flash and we got there at eight o'clock and we're like, okay,
this is cool. We didn't spend our money getting high,
We're gonna see Flash. But we went. We fucked up
and Flash was down the block, and we went and
(03:33):
we went to this other spot and we went to
see the Chili Peppers. And we didn't know we went
there to see the Chili Peppers until later in the evening.
We started to seeing all these white people and we're like,
what the fund is this ship. There's a lot of
white people coming to see Flash. We had never even
heard of Chili Peppers. And they came out and they
(03:54):
sang some ship. I couldn't understand the fucking word they said.
And then they had sucks on that dicks. And I've
never been to like a white show before, so I
thought all white groups put socks on their necks. Now
(04:17):
it's years later and they are one of the biggest
groups in the world. We're at the Rock at All
Hall of Fame. Now they have black ties on their
Dicks tonight. Now tell you about the group. Fleet and
Anthony met in high school. They met in high school,
(04:40):
or as they like to call it, really high school. Um, hey, hey, hey,
there are no monks in this band. There's no monks
in this band, Okay. And they started creating songs at
an early age. Man, lots of songs that never even
came out before, like jerking off the Fara fawcet, you know,
stuff like that. But let me tell you about the
(05:05):
Chili Peppers. Okay, if Brian Wilson, if Brian Wilson and
George Clinton had a kid, he'd be as ugly as fuck,
but he would sound like the Chili Peppers. He'd be Funkay, Okay.
(05:27):
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the quintessential California bed.
This sound is authentic to California, much like the Mama's
and the Papers, uh Jan and Dean, the Beach Boys.
But also they mix it in with a little iced tea,
(05:49):
a little king tea, a little in w Why you
hear all of those influences in the Red Hot Chili Peppers? Okay?
The thing I love about the Pepper say is that
it's the music is so happy, but at the same
time it's hardcore. It's hard core happiness, okay, because you
(06:12):
know they sing about it happy. That do you have
to be sad to get there? Okay? So when when
Anthony sings about you know, taking it on the other side,
you know that motherfucker was on the other side. Okay.
When they sing Scar tissue, you know they got scars. Okay, Okay,
(06:38):
they got scars. They Hey, it's it's like they're like
Robert Downey. Okay, they did a lot of drugs, but
then they did Iron Man and that ship's over. Nobody
gives a funk about that ship. Okay. Okay, Now i'd like,
you know, list some of the accomplished mets right now.
(07:01):
They have I don't know, eight Grammys. They they are
the baddest live band in the world. They have over
eighty five million records sold. Okay, sold out stadium. They
have influenced countless bands all over the world. I want
you to please welt them. One of the best rock groups,
(07:24):
one of the best rap groups, one of the best
red gang groups, one of the best god groups, one
of the best poker groups. It is my pleasure to
introduce to induct into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame after the Genus, Michael th Chad Smith, Josh Carlin,
Job and Shot Hill Out, Slow Back, Jock Gys and
(07:46):
Clip Pop. Datis the Red Hot Chili Peppers after the
great We're here from members of the Red Hot Chili
Peppers on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction Bault,
(08:08):
It's been twenty six years since I've played with this band,
so tonight I'm thrilled and honored to be standing here
at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the
Red Hot Chili Peppers. A band is sometimes an explosive
social organism, and this band is probably a little more
explosive than some. They've had more of their share, more
(08:31):
than their share of difficult times and obstacles to overcome.
There was the great on stage yogurt fight. They've had
to live with the curse of the Exploding Mysterious Eastring
year in and year out. And the fact that they
have consistently put out their unique and distinctive brand of
art that is loved by both old and new generations
(08:53):
of fans around the world for nearly thirty years is
a testament to their dedication and stoppable spirit. Thank you
guys for letting me join the party and for giving
the planet something good to listen to. May you continue
to rock out with your sock out for many years
to come. Wow, being a drummer doesn't really prepare you
(09:24):
for this, and uh we we don't get the teleprompter. Um.
I just want to thank my lovely wife to Nay
for all the years of support, my kids, my folks
for letting us all play in our bedroom when we
were about thirteen. UM, and all the great musicians I've
(09:44):
had a chance to play with. UM, none more so
than these guys, for all the years of perseverance, hard
work and great music. Thanks for having me. Guess ye
got it's dark in here. Oh these are prescription, so
(10:08):
don't worry. I got some notes here. I'm accepting this
award on behalf of my brother, Hello Slovak. He will
always be missed. Hello. Loved his music, family, friends, and
(10:31):
his fans. He was much more than a musician. He
was also an innovator far beyond his years. Today we
celebrate and honor his legacy and his amazing accomplishments and
his life. Thank you very much. It's been a long night,
(11:12):
you guys. Thanks for hanging in there a long night.
But you know, this is it, this is our shot.
I have to I have to thank um. First of all,
I have to thank my mother, who's sitting over here.
I love you, Mom. Thanks for putting up with all
(11:34):
the drums in the basement all those years. My father
as well, it's not with us anymore. Who's uh he was?
He got me these uh Lincoln log drumsticks and ice
cream tubs out of the back of a baskin Robbins
and that was my first dump set. And my father was.
I love music, and uh, you know, I wouldn't be
(11:55):
out here without him, and I love him very much
and we all miss him. So my brother, my sister,
my son Coles here, he's seven years old, just turned seven.
I started playing a drums when I was seven, and
I found my passion at an early age. And I
can't think of a greater thing to do with your
(12:16):
life than what you love and be able to travel
and and make music with your brothers who you love. Um,
it's uh, you know, I'm just really blessed and grateful
for that. I have to we have to say thanks
to Lyndy Gets was our first manager. He couldn't make it,
but Lyndy was. He was instrumental with helping the band out.
(12:40):
And also at the same time we went to Warner
Brothers Records and Moe Austin, who was a class gentleman,
couldn't make it either an icon this industry, and also
Rick Rubin at the same time I started working with
Ray still to this day, I love you, um you know,
(13:05):
of course all the former members that are here tonight,
but as well it aren't here. Guys like Jack Sherman,
guys like Dave Navarro, guys like Eric Marshall, hr Pligro,
these all these guys are all part of our journey
and it's really important that uh, you know, that they'd
(13:25):
be recognized and you know, as you can see, it's
like spinal tap in this band, you know, except with
guitar players. And of course Q Prime is our management.
We've been with for I don't know how long now
how long twelve years now they're here. Thank you guys.
Our career kind of went off to another level with
you guys. We really appreciate all your help and all
(13:46):
your love and support, um, you know, and and God
just to our fans, you know, our fans there. I've
been with us from the beginning to to the middle
to the where we are now. And it's it's odd
(14:06):
because we're looking back at our career tonight, but but
we're just getting started, you know, We're just getting started,
you know. So UM, thanks again, this is such an honor.
I'm truly humbled and honored. Thank you very much, Thank you. UM.
(14:34):
I would like to uh congratulate the other inductees this evening. Um.
The Beastie Boys, we came up at the same time,
and it warms my heart to see them inducted. I
love them so much and our guns and roses. I
used to play football in the street with Stephen Idler
when we were thirteen years old. I grew up two
(14:57):
blocks from Slash. We knew each other and we were
kid And it's really beautiful to uh, you know, just
to see them inducted tonight. In congratulations to them as
well as the other inductees. UM. I see George Clinton
there and I just want to say, George, I love
you man. Dr Frankenstein, you give you giving me reason
(15:19):
to live so many times where life has been so hard.
I love you, man. UM, I say, UM. People often
ask me how has our band stayed together so long?
We've been around about thirty years, and um, you know,
there's a zillion reasons I can't say. You know, ego
(15:40):
and money aren't part of it. But much more than that,
I love music so much and all the great rockers
that have come before us that it means everything in
the world to me to honor that tradition. Um. And
every single day, every night, before we all on stage,
(16:01):
I get on my fucking knees and I pray to
God and I pray to uplift the people that have
come to see us play and to to love them,
and it give us the best that I can do them. Um,
that's my life's mission. But mostly, more than anything, the burning,
(16:21):
intense desire that is inside of me to play music
that is not diminished in the slightest, that has only
deepened as time has gone on. Is when we're hidden it,
when we are really inside the groove, when we're on
I'm lost, man. And in that moment in any any musician,
(16:42):
you know, any artists, I guess, anyone when they're doing
what they love. That I'm speaking to musicians tonight. You
know what I'm talking about. When you're on the one
and you're lost. When I'm lost like that, I am
truly free of everything, and I am truly one with everything,
and that is most free thing. And in that yearning
(17:02):
for freedom is my life's mission. Um I uh, I
want to say mom, I love your mom, thank you
for coming. Yeah. Um. And I just want to take
(17:22):
him in um for Hello Slovak, who was our dear,
dear friend who I never would have started playing bass
unless he asked me to. I love you, Hello, Jamie,
thank you for coming. And um, you know he told
me to start playing bass, jamming with him, taught me
(17:43):
how to play music. Before that, you know, I wanted
to be Dizzy Gillespie. When I was a kid, I
played trumpet. I actually played for Steven Adler's grandmother, um
when when I was thirteen. But um, I love you Hello,
You're always my brother. Thank you. Um. I just want
to take him inte to honor the great musician John Frusciante,
(18:08):
who is a huge part of our band. Um. He
wrote so many, so much great ship for us. He
left us with so many amazing gifts and the connection
and the depth of our bond musically changed my life. Forever,
Um and Chad and Affony Man, I love you guys,
(18:32):
man every day. I'm so lucky to get to play
with these guys and Josh, the journey continues. You're a
fucking amazing artist. Thank you for being with us. UM
it's real quick. I want to thank Rick Rubin. Rick,
you changed my life for the better so much. I
love you. UM. Thank you for you know, helping us
(18:54):
get our shipped together so many times. We would never
in a million years past here without you. And thank you. UM.
I'd like to thank you Prime, Peter and Cliff. I
love you guys. Thank you for taking care of us.
I trust you to the end of days. You've been
so good to us and you know, thank you. Thank you, Gail,
(19:15):
Thank you Eric Greenspan. You worked for us in a
free for free in the beginning. That's how Eric. You
worked for us for free because he believed in us.
And I know him well. He's my dear friend and
I love him. UM and UM like I thank my stepfather,
Walter Urban, who turned me onto music. UM. And you know,
I don't know I'm forgetting a lot of ship, but
(19:38):
you know, it's funny to do this because I feel
like we're just newborn. We're just starting to figure out
and trying to get better, and our best days are
ahead of us. I love music. I love to play.
It's given me everything, It's given me the reason, it's
saved me a million times. Thank you so much, humbly
for honoring us this evening. Thank you. Yea Flea is
(20:08):
an all time rocker. I just want you to know. UM.
I would also like to echo the sentiments of congratulating
all of the fellow inductees tonight. Uh. They were amazing
and music certainly makes this world go around. It's an
honor to be on the same stage with all of
them tonight. Um. Wow, have you heard some speeches yet?
(20:35):
I'm just gonna tell a couple of small little tales,
little stories of growing up in the red hot chili peppers.
This little ones, little tiny ones. Um. And and thank
goodness that rock and roll is open to interpretation. Oh
my god. UM. I met Flee when I was fifteen
years old, and I thought I knew something, but I
(20:59):
didn't know that much. And uh. And they talked about
being in the right place in the right time, while
I was in the right place in the right time.
When I met Fleet, he would change my life forever
and for the better. And we're still together. That was
thirty five years ago. UM Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California.
(21:20):
The next guy I met they would change my life
was Hello Slovak when I was sixteen and Uh, and
these guys knew about music. They practiced hard. Um. Jack
and Hello went to music school on the same day
for the first time. And and I didn't know anything
about practicing music or playing but I love these guys
and they invited me into their musical circle. And by
(21:42):
the time we were twenty, UM, a chap by the
name of Gary Allen suggested, you know, why don't you
give that guy Anthony a crack on the mic? And
they're like, what Anthony, Mike, that makes no sense, and
and Gary's like, just give him a shot. And Uh.
We wrote a song and we performed that song, and
for the first time in my life, I knew what
my purpose was going to be. So Jack and and Flee,
(22:02):
I have to thank you for giving me purpose to
my life. UM. We had some some great highs and
some great lows and uh, and I think we still will. UM.
But early on and the history of the red Hot
(22:24):
Chili peppers. I was struggling with some demons and some
some drug addiction, and my my band were being very
compassionate and patient with with my issues. And one day
I stayed up a little too late, and I was
hungover and passed out, and I think, I think Fleet
had kind of come to the end of his rope.
(22:46):
And he came and he found me in my little,
um one room apartment above a pizza parlor and he said, Anthony, man,
you're just You're fucked up. I don't know that I
can I don't know that I can do this anymore.
And I and I came out of my stupor and
I kind of cleared my eyes and I said, but flee.
I was going to be the James Brown of the eighties.
(23:08):
And and the look on his face was like, shit,
you you were, weren't you? Okay, Let's let's keep going
and he and he forgave me. It's like one more time,
you know my friends had love and forgiveness, and and
that was just the you know, the beginning of many
times that I would require a little love and forgiveness
from the guys that would end up becoming my family, Um,
(23:31):
you know, and and nothing could ever compare to the
low of of losing HELLEL. Slovak in his prime. You know.
We were young men, and we were living hard and
very unschooled in the ways of life. And uh and
we lost you know, the heart and soul and the
architect of the Red Hot Chili Peppers at a very
(23:54):
young point in time when he was just getting ready
to uh, you know, keep changing the world with his music.
And yeah, Hello Slovak was a funny, beautiful, stylish wizard
of a friend and guitar player and uh and he
left us with something which was a band and a
(24:16):
love and a desire to to carry on and everything
we do he will always be with us forever. He's
with us right now. And and and like so many things,
when disasters happen, beautiful things are born from them. And
the next thing that was born was the entrance of
John Fraschante, who was a mind blowing young man very
(24:41):
much um, a student of the school of Hello Slovak,
among many other art forms and musicians and uh and
his creative spirit drove us to new heights. Um. He
was on fire. And he's just one of you know,
the most amazing artists on Earth, and we were lucky
to have him in this band and twice and write
music with them. We're forever grateful to you, John for Chantey. Um.
(25:11):
Now we are with Josh Klinghoffer, who is going to
give his acceptance speech by way of guitar playing later
in the evening. He is a beautiful and lovely man,
and UM, I could not be any happier to be
in a band with him. He is the greatest. In fact, Chad,
Josh and Flee are my favorite musicians on earth. Um.
(25:34):
I had a very wild father and a very mild mother,
and and they both made me who I am. And
I want to thank my father for introducing me to
the arts, for inspiring me to be a free thinker
and go out and find out for myself. Um he's
a big part of who I am today. And although
(25:54):
my mother was much more sort of mild and laid
back about the whole thing, I lized years later that
I watched her suit up and show up for about
forty years going to work, and she taught me the
lesson of what it is to suit up and show
up and put your pants on and go to work.
Every day in the in the gratification that comes from
doing that. So thank you, Mom and Dad. I love
you both. We've been luckier than most. We've been able
(26:23):
to work with some of the coolest, most amazing minds
and music, including the man I'm looking at right now,
Rick Rubin. I love you, Rick sitting right next to
George Clinton, who I love so much. Both both guys
are a dream come true for us. We were kids
and uh and they said, if you could have anybody
in the world produced you, who would it be. We
said George Clinton. They said done. We're like what. The
(26:46):
next thing you know, we're in Detroit, Michigan, tracking with
George and that's how we got started. Thank you, George.
You are the man forever and and yeah, and now
it's time to play some music. So thanks for hanging in.
Hello Julie, Hello Jenny, Thanks for your patients, flops and
love everybody. Thanks for joining us on this week's episode
(27:25):
of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Vault. For
more on your favorite inductees, To shop Inductee merch or
to plan your trip to the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame, visit rock hall dot com plus rock and
Roll Hall of Fame Induction Special on demand on HBO Max.
Our executive producers are Noel Brown, Shelby Morrison, and Esa Gurkey.
(27:46):
Supervising producer is Taylor Shakogne. Research and archival assistants from
Isabelle Keeper and Shannon Herb. Thanks again for joining us
on this week's episode of Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame Induction Vault. Induction VALL is a production of I
heart Rate Video in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
(28:08):
For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the I
heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your
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