Published on Jan 19, 2005
Dogged by bandmate changes and general sloppy production, the
Red Hot Chili Peppers’s debut album was a mixed bag to say the
least. Even though the Peppers were still infants to the Los
Angeles music scene, they had already gained a reputation of being
one of the most intense live bands in the area; thanks to their
unique fusion of hardcore punk and funk.
Things seemed better in 1985 when original guitarist Hillel
Slovak and drummer Jack Irons rejoined the Peppers after their band
What Is This fizzled. Old lineup back, near legendary status on the
stage and a debut album that, for all its flaws, still was exciting
enough to raise eyebrows … looks like its time to go in the
studio and record an album.
Riding high from this good karma, the Peppers scored a major
coup by bringing in a producer who was perfect for the Red Hot
Chili Peppers: George Clinton. The elder statesman of funk may not
have been able to tame the Peppers, but he brought an infectious
enthusiasm that made their second album,
Freaky Styley, a euphoric mess.
Anthony Kiedis’s vocals were paper-thin, but they fit seemingly
perfect with Flea’s slap-happy bass and Irons’s staccato drumming.
Anyone looking for the introspectiveness of some of the Peppers’s
later songs should probably seek another album. At this stage of
their careers, the Peppers were more interested in thrashing and
singing about escapades that would be fit for a porno plotline.
Their sense of humor definitely had some Zappa influence:
“Yertle the Turtle” and “Blackeyed Blonde” were songs that were
almost more memorable for their titles than their content. Still,
Clinton was able to at least get the Red Hot Chili Peppers focused
on how great they could be when all cylinders fired.
Even if you prefer the newer style the Chili Peppers have
explored,
Freaky Styley still merits an investment. The album was
responsible for generating the Peppers’ first bonafide classic:
“Catholic School Girls Rule.”
Freaky Styley was definitely not the Red Hot Chili Peppers’s
best album, but it was likely their craziest.