The Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles, CA, in 1983, with lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Flea, and drummer Chad Smith. Guitarist John Klinghoffer joined the band in 2009 after Frusciante’s departure from the band. Their style combines several genres, including alternative, funk, punk, and psychedelic. They best known for their hits Under the Bridge (Blood Sugar Sex Magik), Scar Tissue (Californiacation) and Dani California (Stadium Arcadium) a In total, the band was won seven Grammy awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

Lead vocalist Anthony Kiedis has a powerful tenor voice. While he can both sing and scream, he has rapped in some of the Peppers’ earlier songs. To replicate Anthony’s style, you will need a booming tenor with a broad range, but someone who can also control softer sounds, as he does in Californication.

Guitarist John Klinghoffer plays a wide variety of guitars, including a Ural, Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster, and Gibson Firebird. Klinghoffer uses a variety of effects and pedals, for the funk and sometimes psychedelic sound of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He uses a Boss Digital Delay, a Boss VB-2 Chorus, a Cyber Psychic Parametric Oscillo Filter, MXR Distortion+, an Ibanez WH10 Wah, and an Electro Harmonix Cathedral Reverb. These are just a sampling of the effects that John uses; he has an extensive board and uses over 30 different pedals. He also uses an MXR Micro Amp and Xotic EP Booster. His guitar parts range from easy to intermediate to difficult, so a guitarist above a novice level would be needed to replicate his sound.

Bassist Flea, whose given name is Michael Peter Balzary, is considered to be one of the greatest bassists of all time. When he plays, he typically snaps and pops the strings as opposed to more traditional methods. His bass of choice is a 1961 Fender Jazz Bass, but on tour he often plays a Sunburst Modulus Flea Bass. All of Flea’s basses contain BadAss II bridges, Aguilar OBP-1 preamps, and Lane Poor pickups. As with John Klinghoffer, Flea uses a variety of effects, including a Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive, MXR Micro Amp, a Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah, and a Big Muff. For amplification, he uses Acoustic USA and Galien Krueger cabinets, and Galien Krueger 2001 RB amplifier heads.

Drummer Chad Smith uses a Pearl Acrylic Kit, with three toms, a kick drum, and a Pearl Ultracast Snare. He also uses Sabian cymbals, Vater percussion sticks, Pearl hardware, and Remo drumheads. Chad has a powerful and large kit, so quite a bit would need to be invested to replicate his exact kit. However, an intermediate drummer may be able to play his style.

To sound the like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, you will need four very talented individuals, with the standout musician being the bassist. Many effects will be needed to replicated their sound, and a powerful vocalist will be needed as well.

Keep Rockin’!!!
Red Hot Chili Peppers by Upshaw Imagery taken on June 5, 2006
Red Hot Chili Peppers by eastscene taken on April 30, 2012
Red Hot Chili Peppers by Dena Flows taken on February 9, 2010