THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1999

Red Hot Chili Peppers ready to burn up charts

By Daniel Oliveira

On-Line Forty-Niner

Posing for a photographer at a hotel in Beverly Hills, the members of funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers had fun during the promotional photo session for their upcoming album "Californication," in stores June 9.

But that happiness was not apparent during the last eight years.

John Frusciante left the California band after the album "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (1991) exploded worldwide with the hits "Under The Bridge" and "Give It Away."

"I didn't like the way everybody was buying into the success of everything and I didn't want to have any part of it," he said. "Where Anthony was drawing inspiration from audiences and stuff, I was at the time repelled by it."

The guitarist said he lived alone and got involved with drugs.

"I didn't want to do anything but just sit there and look into space," he said. "I was kind of miserable, so I decided the only way I was going to be happy was to start being a junky."

Anthony Kiedis, Michael "Flea" Balzary and Chad Smith recorded the following album, "One Hot Minute" (1995), with guitarist Dave Navarro (former guitarist for Jane's Addiction).

The tour to promote the album lasted 10 months and resulted in fatigue, Smith said.

While away from the music business, Kiedis said he got involved with heroin and had a serious motorcycle accident.

Tired of the band's problems, Balzary starred in the movie "The Big Lebowski" and toured with Jane's Addiction.

Smith said he also had a motorcycle accident and Kiedis said Navarro ended up quitting the band due to musical differences.

"That's all part of life and this band's experience," the singer said. "It's what makes who we are today. I don't think we could have made the new record if we hadn't lived through all these catastrophes and semi-catastrophes."

Now they are happy to play again mainly because of Frusciante's return to the band and his recovery from drugs, Kiedis said.