Josh Klinghoffer: John Frusciante Deserves to Be Back in Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers welcomed back John Frusciante for his third stint in the band this past December, but the move meant guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who had been with the band over the past decade, had to leave. In a new chat with Marc Maron's WTF podcast, Klinghoffer has now spoken about the split, stating that he feels "no animosity" over the move.
The guitarist says it was a "pretty simple" decision, stating, “It’s absolutely John’s place to be in that band. So that’s why I’m happy for him, I’m happy that he’s back with them.” Klinghoffer had worked with Chili Peppers before Frusciante's last exit and stepped into the lineup after the guitarist split.
Klinghoffer calls Frusciante's return "a complete shock, but not surprising," revealing that he was aware that the guitarist had been jamming with Flea in recent months. “John and Flea have a musical language. I’ll never be able to contend with the history him and John had," said the guitarist.
During the chat, Klinghoffer revealed that he had spent time working on the group's next album, but added that while songs were written, nothing had been recorded.
Reflecting on his time with the group, Klinghoffer stated, “If John coming back had happened five years ago, it would have been hard for me, temporally, to weigh [my contributions] against what they had. Now, after 10 years, two tours, and almost three albums of writing, I’m really proud of what I did with them. I feel like we did create something.”
Red Hot Chili Peppers have remained tight lipped about their next record, but it was recently confirmed that Frusciante would be recording with the band.
Hear Josh Klinghoffer on the WTF Podcast With Marc Maron
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