page_title: Red Hot Chili Peppers
section_title: 1998–2001: Return of Frusciante and Californication
hierarchical_section_title: Red Hot Chili Peppers / History / 1998–2001: Return of Frusciante and Californication
caption_attribution_description: English: John Frusciante promotional photo for Letur-Lefr
context_page_description: Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk, punk rock and psychedelic rock. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Flea, and drummer Chad Smith. With over 80 million records sold worldwide, Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the best-selling bands of all time. They are the most successful band in the history of alternative rock, with the records for most number-one singles, most cumulative weeks at number one and most top-ten songs on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. They have won six Grammy Awards, and in 2012 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
  Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles by Kiedis, Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak, and drummer Jack Irons. Because of commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band's 1984 self-titled debut album; instead, the album featured Jack Sherman on guitar and Cliff Martinez on drums.
context_section_description: With no guitarist, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were on the verge of breaking up. In the years following Frusciante's departure, it became public that he had developed a heroin addiction that left him in poverty and near death. Flea convinced Frusciante to admit himself to Las Encinas Drug Rehabilitation Center in January 1998. His addiction left him with permanent scarring on his arms, a restructured nose, and dental implants following an oral infection. In April 1998, Flea visited the recovered Frusciante and asked him to rejoin the band; Frusciante began sobbing and said nothing would make him happier.
  In June 1999, after more than a year of production, the Red Hot Chili Peppers released Californication, their seventh studio album. It sold over 16 million copies, and remains their most successful album. Californication contained fewer rap songs than its predecessors, instead integrating textured and melodic guitar riffs, vocals and basslines. It produced three more number one modern rock hits, "Scar Tissue", "Otherside" and "Californication". Californication received stronger reviews than One Hot Minute, and was a greater success worldwide. While many critics credited the success of the album to Frusciante's return, they also felt Kiedis's vocals had also improved. It was later listed at number 399 on the Rolling Stone magazine list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
  Californication was supported with a two-year international world tour, producing the first Chili Peppers concert DVD, Off the Map (2001). In July 1999, the Chili Peppers played the closing show at Woodstock 1999. During the set, a small fire escalated into violence and vandalism, resulting in the intervention of riot control squads. ATMs and several semi-tractor trailers were looted and destroyed. The band was blamed in the media for inciting the riots after performing a cover of the Hendrix song "Fire". In his memoir, Keidis wrote: "It was clear that this situation had nothing to do with Woodstock anymore. It wasn't symbolic of peace and love, but of greed and cashing in."
caption: The band regained commercial success after guitarist John Frusciante (pictured in 2006) rejoined them in 1998. He has since left and rejoined the band again.
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