Re: RHCP~ I'm With You
In August 2007, at the close of the band's world tour in support of Stadium Arcadium (2006), the band entered a one-year hiatus, which subsequently stretched to over two years. Bassist Flea stated, "I talked everyone into it and some people were more prone to it than others. I just felt like I wanted to take two years away just to really look and see if the band was something we should still be doing. Things had gotten dysfunctional and not fun." During this time, Flea studied music theory at the University of Southern California, drummer Chad Smith recorded and toured with hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot, whilst guitarist John Frusciante recorded and released his tenth solo album, The Empyrean. According to vocalist Anthony Kiedis, there was a collective decision "not to do anything Red Hot Chili Peppers-related for a minimum of one year. We started in 1999, with the writing and the recording of Californication, and we didn't really stop until the tour ended last year. We were all emotionally and mentally zapped at the end of that run." During the band's self-imposed hiatus, Frusciante departed from the band for a second time, stating, "there was no drama or anger involved, and the other guys were very understanding. They are supportive of my doing whatever makes me happy and that goes both ways."Regarding Frusciante's departure, Flea stated, "he just didn't want to do the Red Hot Chili Peppers anymore. He really wanted to do what he wants to do, on his own, without having to deal with the band dynamic, our band dynamic." Kiedis notes that, "John had become disenchanted with being in a touring rock band, which is completely understandable. He's a driven person in the world of music and sound, and he wanted to change gears."
Following Frusciante's departure, Kiedis stated that both he and Flea, "had this intuitive feeling. We're not really done. We wanted to maintain the Red Hot Chili Peppers if we could do it in a way that upheld historically what we had accomplished. There were some interesting conversations about, do we try to find someone we don't know, or maybe there is somebody right in our own backyard who is the perfect solution?" Flea commented on the band's eventual return stating, "for me, the biggest thing during the time off, and what really made me want to continue doing the band, specifically after John decided he didn't want to continue, was I just realized, Anthony, man, he's my brother, I love him so much, and we started this band when we were kids. I wanted to keep that going, I never want to let that go."
Frusciante was subsequently replaced by friend and frequent collaborator Josh Klinghoffer, who had been performing alongside the band during the final legs of the Stadium Arcadium tour. Regarding Klinghoffer's entry into the band, Smith noted, "we've known him a long time. He's super-talented, smart, handsome. He fits in perfectly, which is a good thing," and later stated: "We couldn't have asked for a better person to play music with." Klinghoffer noted, "I've always been attracted to the idea of a tight-knit unit, a band of family, a brotherhood. Since my earliest memory, they always seemed like a band with a lot of love for each other."
Joining the band in late 2009, Klinghoffer began writing and jamming with the band on October 12th the same day that friend and autobiographer Brendan Mullen passed away. According to Flea, "it was a poignant moment for us. It was an emotional thing." Klinghoffer notes that: "It was sort of a sad hello. Everybody lost a good friend."
Klinghoffer subsequently made his live debut with the band on January 29, 2010, performing a cover of the Neil Young song, "A Man Needs a Maid", at MusiCares event honouring Young. Prior to the event, Chad Smith noted, "it's the first time we've played out with Josh, just the four of us, so it'll be an exciting night for him. We're taking it slow. One song at a time." Flea commented on Josh's impact on the band, stating "over time he really revealed himself to be just the best person we could've got. And John Frusciante's such a powerful musician and left such an imprint on our band and gave so much as a writer, as a player, a serious part of our band, that no one could ever replace John. No one's ever gonna step in and do what John did. But Josh came in and does what Josh does and does it in a beautiful way."
On August 23, 2011 I'm with You streamed free on iTunes.