These engaging Hollywood ruffians mixed funk, punk and grunge in the mid-80s and encouraged a legion of other bands to regurgitate the formula.
 Led by 'Antwan The Swan' (b. Anthony Kiedis, 1 November 1962, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; vocals), the band's original line-up also featured 
'Flea' (b. Michael Balzary, 16 October 1962, Melbourne, Australia; bass), Hillel Slovak (b. 31 March 1962, Israel, d. 25 June 1988; guitar) and
 Jack Irons (b. California, USA; drums). They began life as garage band Anthem before Balzary departed for seminal 80s punks Fear. When Irons and
 Slovak moved on to join the less notable What Is This?, the nails appeared to be firmly in place on the Anthem coffin. However, under their new 
name, the Red Hot Chili Peppers acquired a speculative recording contract with EMI Records America. Unfortunately, as Irons and Slovak were under 
contract with their new band, their debut album had to be recorded with Jack Sherman on guitar and Cliff Martinez (ex- Captain Beefheart ; Weirdos )
 on drums. Production was handled, somewhat surprisingly, by the Gang Of Four 's Andy Gill. The band set about building their considerable reputation
 as a live outfit, much of which was fuelled by their penchant for appearing semi-naked or worse. Slovak returned to guitar for the second album, this
 time produced by George Clinton. Also featured was a horn section comprising Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley, veterans of James Brown, among others. Martinez
 returned shortly afterwards to reinstate the original Anthem line-up, and their third album saw a shift back to rock from the soul infatuation of its predecessors.
 In 1988 they released the Abbey Road EP, featuring a pastiche of the famous Beatles album pose on the cover (the band were totally naked save for socks covering
 their genitalia). However,
 the mood was darkened when Slovak took an accidental heroin overdose and died in June. Deeply upset, Irons left, while the band recruited John Frusciante (guitar) and 
Chad Smith (b. 25 October 1962, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA; drums). After the release of Mother's Milk, the single 'Knock Me Down' was released as a tribute to Slovak. Of 
their most commercially successful excursion, 1991's BloodSugarSexMagik, they accurately diagnosed their motivation, and much of their attraction: 'Just recognizing that 
I was a freak, but knowing that was a cool place to be.' Producer Rick Rubin, usually associated with the harder end of the metal and rap spectrum ( Slayer, Danzig ), nevertheless
 brought out the Peppers' first ballads. Such sensitivity has done little to deter the vanguard of critics who have long since raged at what they saw as the band's innate sexism. 
Frusciante was replaced in June 1992 by Arik Marshall, who in turn was sacked one year later. In 1994 new guitarist Dave Navarro (b. 7 June 1967, Santa Monica, California, USA; 
ex- Jane's Addiction ) joined in time to participate in recording the excellent One Hot Minute, released in 1995. BloodSugarSexMagik had sold four million units in the USA by 1996.
 Navarro left the band in 1998 and was replaced by ex-member John Frusciante.