Chad Beats The Hell Out Of His Drums, You Know?
2004. More information would be much, much appreciated
There are musicians who, with increasing age, begin to repeat themselves and who merely defend their slot. But there are also those who seem to keep on growing. John Frusciante is one of the latter. On his new album "Shadows Collide With People" the Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist opens yet again new musical horizons. Synthesizers are coupled with acoustic guitars, electronic interludes and rock'n'roll.
Cologne, a day after the beginning of carnival: While outside the first carnival lovers are looking forward to new heights in alcohol input, a somewhat tired but yet quite cheerful John Frusciante is sprawled out in an armchair belonging to a hotel room which quite a few people wouldn't mind as an apartment. However, in this case it is just an interview room. As usual his shoulder-length hair falls into his face when he gesticulates while talking and talking is what he still does to a great extent even after three days full interviews.
Alternative Nation: You've been through three days full of interviews. Are there any questions you are sick and tired of by now?
Frusciante: I tend to answer those questions I like to be asked instead of answering every question I am being asked. So if you ask me the same questions I'll try to move into a different direction. That's how I maintain my mental sanity.
Alternative Nation: The last time you were in Germany you played some showcases. Why don't you play any shows this time and when will your German fans get to see you live?
Frusciante: In Los Angeles I am currently recording a lot and I play assorted experimental shows with my friend Josh Klingloffer. In November, the Peppers started a six-months break and I try to use this time in the best way possible, because when I'm doing Chili Peppers' stuff, it's hard to go to the studio, rehearse and do everything else one has to do in order to record along the way. Therefore, I try to use my time in a sensible way so that I've finally got something done worth showing. If I went on tour, there'd be nothing left but memories. (laughs) I have to do something useful in my life. I've written so many songs and I simply need to use this time to record them. I could imagine putting together a band in a few years time and to do a real tour, especially when I've got more material to choose from, more than just this album, i.e. more music for a real band performance. I've done these acoustic shows for my last album, it was fun and it was nice to have this very personal experience with the audience. But what I'm really longing for is to re-define my relation to the medium "recording". I think lately I had a lot of this exchange of love with large crowds and at the moment I'm trying to get myself back into a balance by doing these few experimental shows. I need to get a balance as a human being whose fundamental reason for being is to make music. In this way I'm happier because I get more music out of me.
Alternative Nation: Now that you've mentioned Josh Klingloffer: About two years ago you said in an interview that the next album would be released under a band name since Klingloffer would have his part in it. I "Shadows Collide With People" this album you were talking about?
Frusciante: Yes, it's this album. But now it is different from what is was back then. Originally we had written the song "Omission" together and this song came about through collaboration. He played keyboard and I played guitar and both of us had the ideas for the vocals. So I said: "I'll go into one corner of the room and do my vocals and you stay here and do yours." We sat there and scribbled our parts onto a piece of paper and when we were ready we got back together again and sung our ideas together and they fit perfectly. At that time we thought that we'd do many songs together, just like this one. As time went by, this album became more of a solo album with which he's helping me. There were also some other songs we wrote together, but when we decided to do a John Frusciante solo record we decided to save these songs for some other time. Only four songs were written in collaboration and maybe they'll be released as an EP. They don't have the same mood as the rest of the album, rather cold, electronic, experimental tracks. We'll do further projects where we'll work together, but we realized that these were my songs and it therefore had to be a solo album.
