Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea on John Frusciante: ‘ He’s My Brother’

As we recently reported, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who have already been through seven different guitarists, thought the departure of John Frusciante really might be the end of the band. Luckily, they kept on, and are now delighted with how new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has brought fresh ideas to the band.

“You know, we’ve [Frusciante and Flea] been friends since we were 15," the bass man told Q Magazine. “We were inseparable. And even though our relationship has been really antagonistic… we offend each other and we can both be a couple of self-righteous twat c----faces... I really love the guy and he’s my brother.”

Which obviously made it hard to warm up to a new musical partner: “The trickiest part of getting together with Josh for me was also the best, which is that he’s completely different to John,” Flea said. “There were things that I had come to expect John to do. He’s such a phenomenal musician that I was used to playing something and – bam! – John would hit it. He and Chad and I would lock in, and it was undeniably good."

Klinghoffer added that couldn't even try to fill those particular shoes shoes: “I couldn’t begin to think that I’d ever replace [Frusciante]. So I could only resolve to try and do something new with these guys.” Flea agrees, stating, "Josh is way different. He’d be floating around the outside with this ethereal, texture thing, It was like, 'Whoa! When’s he gonna do that thing we know?' And he didn’t. I had to consciously say to myself, ‘Dude, relax'”

The band is obviously pleased with the results, and based on early reaction to their new single 'The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie,' it seems fans are too. The Chili Peppers' new album 'I'm With You' hits on Aug. 30.

Watch Flea and John Frusciante Jam During 'Don't Forget Me'