Retro Review -Californication

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This month marks 22 years since the release of Californication, the seventh studio album by Red hot chili peppers. The record hit stores on the 8th of June 1999. 

1998 marked the return of John Frusciante who had departed from RHCP in 1992 during the group’s tour of Japan.

Frusciante had previously played on the 1989 album mother’s milk and 1991’s Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik, but left the band abruptly midway through touring. 

The Peppers recorded their sixth album, One Hot Minute, in 1995 without Frusciante, replacing him with Dave Navarro on guitar.  But the record was a miss fire and it received mixed reviews. Meanwhile, Frusciante had developed a serious drug addiction and had taken up painting and had temporarily quit music altogether. 

However, in 1998 Frusciante got sober and re-joined the group. Solidifying the band’s iconic line-up once more.  

The band’s line-up consisted of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (Bass guitar), Chad Smith (Drums), and the before mentioned John Frusciante on guitar, for Califonication. 

RCHP had some serious ground to make up after the commercial failure of One Hot Minute. They needed to get this one right to get back on track. And they certainly did. 

Singles from the album, Scar tissue, Around The World, Otherside and Californication, let the world know that Red Hot Chili Peppers were back once again. 

Californication picks up where Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magik left off. Singles like Give It Away and Under The Bridge, were the hits that transformed the group into superstars back in 1991. 

Flea’s legendary bass playing, Smith’s heavy drumming, Frusciante’s inventive riffs, and Kiedis’ wacky lyrics, all contributed to this iconic album’s unique sound. 

The lesser-known tracks on the album also pack a punch. Easily, Purple Stain, and Road Trippin, are all great songs that give me a strong sense of nostalgia. 

My personal favourite track is Get On Top. The intense drumming and aggressive lyrics make sure that the song stands out. 

A lot of the songs themselves are about the individual struggles that the band members had gone through in recent years. The Album was produced by Rick Rubin and the recording took place at Cello Studios in Los Angeles. 

Californication proved to be one of, if not the best Red Hot Chili Peppers album. The record went onto to sell 15 million copies worldwide and reached number 3 on the Billboard hot 100 chart. 

Californication proved to be the band’s biggest selling album. 

Joe Strong

Retro Review - Favourite Worst Nightmare

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Fourteen years ago, this month, Arctic Monkeys released their second studio album, Favorite worst nightmare. 

The record hit the shelves on the 23rd of April 2007 and was a massive hit upon its release.

The alternative rock band’s first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, was also very successful and a tour of America soon followed afterward. However, original bass guitarist, Andy Nicholson, left the group shortly before the tour in June 2006 and was replaced with Nick O’Malley. 

I Bet That You Look Good On The dancefloor, Dancing Shoes, and When The Sun Goes Down, all gave Arctic Monkeys their first taste of universal success. But their second effort built on this and proved to many that they could change their sound. 

The group’s line-up for Favorite worst nightmare consisted of Alex Turner (lead vocals and guitar), Jamie Cook (guitar and keyboard), Matt Helders (drums), and the before mentioned Nick O’Malley on bass guitar. 

Like their debut effort, favorite worst nightmare received very positive reviews upon release. The record was a bit more adventurous than the Sheffield groups’ debut album.  The songs were a lot faster and much louder, with more meaningful lyrics, courtesy of Alex Turner. Matt Helders’ drumming received praise. His technique helped bring this masterpiece together. 

The three singles from the album were also very successful. Brianstorm, Fluorescent Adolescent, and Teddy Picker, all received a positive reception in the UK and in America.

My personal favorite from this record, is 505, the album’s closing track. The organ at the beginning of the song replicates a sound from the soundtrack of the 1966 classic western, the good the bad, and the ugly. ‘505’ is a reference to a room in a hotel where Turner’s girlfriend is supposedly staying. 

Other tracks on the album like This House Is A Circus, Only Ones Who Know, and D is for Dangerous, all also hit different with their manic pacings and witty lyrics. 

The album was recorded at several recording studios in London and Liverpool and was produced by James Ford and Mike Crossey, under the Domino label. 

Favorite Worst Nightmare went onto sell over 200,000 copies after a week. Meaning it climbed to the number 1 album spot in the UK. The record went onto win a BRIT award for the British album of the year. 

Arctic Monkeys followed Favorite Worst Nightmare up with Humbug, which they released two years later, in the summer of 2009. 

Review By Joe Strong

The Doors Debut Album

54 years on and the Doors still light my fire

This week marks 54 years since the Doors released their self-titled debut album.

The Doors were formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965 and were an essential piece in the 1960s counterculture puzzle. The band’s lineup consisted of Jim Morrison (vocals), Robby Kriger (Guitar), Ray Manzarek (Keyboard) and John Densmore (Drums).

American audiences had not seen a front man quite like Jim Morrison before, and in truth, many people were not ready for him. Morrison’s on-stage performances sparked controversy and the Doors were the first and only group, to be banned from playing on the iconic Ed Sullivan show, after just one appearance.

The psychedelic rock album, ‘the Doors’, was released by the band on January 4th 1967 and it received very positive reviews upon its release. One such review described the record as a crossover between the Beach boys and the Rolling stones.

Despite the album’s overall positive reception, the album’s first single, ‘break on through (to the other side)’ was unsuccessful. In contrast the album’s second single, light my fire, was quite the opposite. The song climbed to No.1 on the US billboard hot 100 chart. However, the album was not as successful over the pond, as it was here in Britain.

When I first listened to this album, I must admit I thought it was a bit weird. But the more I listened, the more it grew on me. I had not listened to many songs like ‘Soul kitchen’ or ‘Twentieth Century Fox’ before I heard this album, and in truth, I have not heard many songs like them since.

The final song on the record, ‘The End’ can only be described as bizarre. Some reviews even describe it as scary and disturbing. With an almost 12-minute run time you almost feel like you have been on a journey when the song comes to an end.

In my opinion the album has its own unique psychedelic style. The keyboard instrumentals from Ray Manzarek set this record apart from other legendary 60s psychedelic bands, like Cream and the Jimi Hendrix experience.

The Doors followed up their debut album with Strange days in September of the same year.

Around four years after the release of the first album, Jim Morrison died, whilst living in a rented apartment in Paris. His death was mysterious, as the cause of death remains undetermined, because no autopsy was performed on his body.

Morrison was buried in the city of love, his grave (or the Tombe De Jim Morrison), can be found at the Père-Lachaise cemetery.

The band continued without Morrison and released two albums as a three piece but eventually called it a day in 1973. However, they did reunite briefly a few years later in the late 70s.

Joe Strong

The Doors has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; "Light My Fire" was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It has been reissued several times on CD, including a 1999 remaster in “96/24 bit advanced resolution”, a 2007 remixed ”40th Anniversary new mix” and a 2017 new remaster in stereo and mono – "50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition." In 2015 the Library of Congress selected The Doors for inclusion in the National Recording Registry based on its cultural, artistic or historical significance.