20th anniversary of BloodSugarSexMagik approaching, tributes rolling in
As the 20th anniversary of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ iconic fifth album BloodSugarSexMagik is approaching later this month (as well as the one of Nirvana’s Nevermind!), many online outlets are looking back at how that album left a clear mark in history of music.
In their ongoing series where many of today’s lesser-known artists are discussing the impact 1991 made in music and the albums released that year; VH1 asked Mark Pontius of Foster The People about his favourites and he shared some nice words about BBSSM.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blood Sugar Sex Magik
One of the most important, celebrated albums of the ’90s alt-rock explosion, Blood Sugar saw the Chili Peppers grow up, get deep and, of course, become hugely famous. While songs like “Give It Away” and “Suck My Kiss” still bobbed and weaved with the band’s visceral energy, it was on tracks like the massive “Under the Bridge” and “Breaking the Girl” where they slowed things down and found their biggest commercial successes. Recorded by producer Rick Rubin in a supposedly haunted mansion in Laurel Canyon, its creation has become the stuff of rock legend, and though the Peppers would subsequently sag beneath its success (guitarist John Frusciante, unable to cope with his sudden fame, quit the band mid-tour), Blood Sugar still stands as perhaps the finest accomplishment of their 28-year career. It would be nearly four years before they released a follow-up, though, given the album’s hugely influential status, you really couldn’t blame them.As Remembered by Mark Pontius, Foster the People: “My favorite record of 1991, and I think the only reason I got this record was my sister had it, and she’s older than me, so it just sort of fell into my lap, is Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik. I think I have to credit that record [for teaching me] a lot of my drumming skills. I loved playing their records, and that one always stuck out to me. It had so much grit, and that was rock and roll at that time of my life.”
Please, note that the first paragraph is an editorial introduction to the album. You can read the entire article here.
In the next couple of weeks, do send over any articles celebrating the album’s 20th anniversary! it’s an important birthday for something that defined 90s’ music and was a soundtrack to growing up/maturing for both generations X and Y.
You might also want to check out:
BSSM 18th on the list of 100 greatest guitar albums ever
Buy yourself a copy of BloodSugarSexMagik, if you haven’t already
Read about the album’s recording in this 1992 article from Guitar School
