Watch Red Hot Chili Peppers Cover Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Purple Haze’
The Red Hot Chili Peppers debuted their cover of the Jimi Hendrix classic “Purple Haze” this past weekend during a short set in support of the nonprofit Silverlake Conservatory of Music.
The Los Angeles organization exists to “facilitate a dynamic music education and to teach beginning and accomplished musicians of all skill levels.”
The band delivered a seven-song set, opening with the Allman Brothers Band’s “Ramblin’ Man” before playing their own tracks “Dark Necessities,” “I Like Dirt,” “Goodbye Angels,” “Under the Bridge” and “By the Way.” They closed with “Purple Haze.”
After the show, bassist Flea – who performed a solo charity set two weeks ago – described the Silverlake show as “a fucking righteous party." "Depth of thanks to the artists and musicians and supporters who all made it happen," he added. You can watch the “Purple Haze” performance below.
Hendrix began writing the song 10 days after the release of his debut single, “Hey Joe,” on Dec. 16, 1966. His manager, former Animals bassist Chas Chandler, overheard the opening riff in a dressing room on Dec. 26 and told Hendrix to finish writing it because it was going to be his second single.
The song was first performed on Jan. 8, 1967, and released as a single on March 17. it reached the top 20 across Europe, peaking at No. 3 in the U.K., and reached No. 65 in the U.S. Years later, "Purple Haze" was given the No. 1 position in Q magazine’s greatest guitar songs ever, and No. 2 in Rolling Stone’s similar list.