I was flipping through the R section in KEXP's vinyl library the other day when I stumbled across several records by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (which is exactly what should happen when you're flipping through the R section in any radio station worth its salt). It occurred to me at the moment - as has now been verified via our trusty friend Google - that in over nine years of writing this series, I have yet to include a single RHCP album! How is this possible? They've released two albums I haven't heard since I started this thing, the least I could do is go back and dig up the delightful repartee on one of the albums I have heard.
The discussion on their self-titled debut does not disappoint, featuring a music-nerd-trivia battle, two-word reviews (of both the disgusted and the delighted variety), anti-snobbery, pointed digs at commercial radio, and more. Enjoy!
"Boy, these guys are really varied. Weird subject matter, as well as rap, funk, and thrash. From L.A., and are in the latest issue of 'In Touch' mag. Completely nude. (?)""Phil Lithman (aka Snakefinger) played in a band with this same name in the early '70s."
"So what? Trivia! Or?"
"Produced by Andy Gill. A bit slick, but what else would expect?"
"COOL RECORD!"
"Truly Awful"
"... There is no excuse for this."
"There's no excuse for closemindedness."
"That's not true! Work in commercial radio!"
"One need not dislike this record to be narrow-minded. If I dislike Lionel Richie does that make me narrow-minded?"
"I love it!"
"For your information, Snakefinger's old band was called Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, which also had Pete Thomas (of Attractions) on drums. And this is good, too."
"One needn't be in commercial radio to be narrow-minded, Aaron. Also, vice versa."
[Here someone wrote "Stupids" with an arrow pointing to the first commercial radio comment, I think?]
This week we're looking at the second album from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who now need no introduction, but in 1985 were far from a household name.
