  The Red Hot Chili Peppers are
one of the few alternative rock bands that
have consistently maintained their sound over
the years. By mixing rock, hip hop, funk,
metal and punk, the Chili Peppers amassed a
following of fans before hitting it big in
1992.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers formed
in Los Angeles, anchored by Anthony Kiedis
(lead vocals), Flea (Michael Balzary - bass)
and Hillel Slovak.
 The band released their debut
LP, Red
Hot Chili Peppers and Slovak
quit the band and was replaced by Jack
Sherman.
 The following year Slovak
decided to return to the band, and
subsequently Sherman was kicked out.
Their 2nd LP, Freaky
Styley, was released.
The
Uplift Mofo Party Plan was released.
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers
released Abbey
Road.
Slovak died of a heroin overdose
and was replaced by Duane McKnight (who was
soon replaced by John Frusciante).
 By 1989, the Chili Peppers
consisted of Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante
(guitar), and Chad Smith (drums) and the band
released Mother's
Milk and found success with
alternative, rock, and college radio. The LP
contained their popular remake of Stevie Wonder's "Higher
Ground." The LP was dedicated to
Slovak's memory.
The video for "Higher
Ground" was nominated for 3 MTV Video Music
Awards for Best Group Video, Best Post Modern Video, and Breakthrough Video.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were
nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a
Duo or Group ("Higher Ground").
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers found
their biggest success with the release of
Blood
Sugar Sex Magik. The video for the track
"Give It Away" got the band noticed
more and soon tracks from the LP were heard
on pop stations as well. "Under The Bridge" became a huge
hit and help sell over 7 million copies of
the LP. Spin called the LP,
"...a tough sound... with funk, punk and
rap all mixed up..."
 # 30
Singles Artist of the Year
 Red Hot Chili Peppers hit the
Top 40 with "Under The Bridge."
Red Hot Chili Peppers hit the Top 10 with "Under The Bridge."
The single "Under The Bridge" was certified
gold.
 The band released What
Hits!? - a hits collection
described by New Musical Express as
"...a most excellent compilation."
The video for "Under The Bridge" won a MTV Video Music
Award for Viewer's Choice and was nominated for Video of the Year and Best Group Video. The video for
"Give It Away" won 2 awards for Breakthrough Video and Best Art Direction (Nick Goodman) and was
nominated for Best Alternative Video, Best Direction, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography.
 # 88
Singles Artist of the Year
 The Red Hot
Chili Peppers were nominated for 2 American Music
Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Single ("Under The Bridge") and Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock
Artist.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers won a Grammy
Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Give It
Away") and were nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a
Duo or Group ("Under The Bridge").
 Guitarist Arik Marshal was
replaced with Jesse Tobias.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers topped
the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for 5
weeks with "Soul To Squeeze."
Guitarist Jesse Tobias was
replaced with Dave Navarro from Jane's
Addiction.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers hit
the Top 40 with "Soul To Squeeze."
 Rolling
Stone: "The 100 Top Music Videos" included "Give It
Away" at # 25.
The band performed at Woodstock
'94.
 The band released a collection
of rarities with Out
In L.A. which included remixes
of the favorites "Higher Ground"
and "Behind The Sun" as well as
live tracks and unreleased recordings.
 # 127
Singles Artist of the Year
 After touring, releasing
"Souls To Squeeze" from the Coneheads soundtrack, and
appearing at Woodstock (in memorable light
bulb costumes), the Red Hot Chili Peppers
released One
Hot Minute with the tracks
"Warped" and "Aeroplane."
The band continued to have success on
alternative and rock stations, video
stations, and occasionally on pop radio.
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers hit
the Top 40 with "My Friends."
The Red Hot Chili Peppers topped
the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks for 4 weeks
with "My Friends."
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers topped
the Billboard Album Rock Tracks for 4 weeks
with "My Friends."
 # 117
Singles Artist of the Year
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers were
nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("Blood Sugar Sex
Magik").
The Red Hot Chili Peppers' video
for "Warped" was nominated for a MTV Video Music
Award for Best Editing.
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers hit
the Top 40 with "Love Rollercoaster" from the Beavis
And Butthead Do America soundtrack.
 # 122
Singles Artist of the Year
Rock
'N Roll Hall Of Fame's 500
Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll includes "Give It
Away."
Anthony talked with MTV
about rumors of his heroin use. He stated
"...during the last year, I am sorry to
say that I have used this narcotic
substance..." and "...when I'm
using, my life sucks, and when I'm clean my
life gets really beautiful, so when I was
using my life got really ugly and sad, and
now I'm just happy to be back here and not
using."
The summer proved risky for some
Chili Peppers members. Anthony was injured
when his motorcycle hit a car in Los Angeles.
He suffered a dislocated wrist which required
surgery.
Drummer, Chad Smith dislocated
his shoulder from a motorcycle accident in
Los Angeles. Smith was treated and released
from the hospital.
 USA Today reported that
the Chili Pepper's publicist Ken Phillips
confirmed guitarist Dave Navarro had been
"using hard drugs again." After
erratic behavior while touring with the
reunited Jane's Addiction and a reportedly
amorous message in blood to Fiona
Apple, rumors of Navarro's sobriety
started. Phillips stated: "I wouldn't
say he's a drug addict or dying. He says he's
experimented, but he doesn't recommend it,
and he's not saying he'll never do it
again."
In an interview with AllStar,
Dave Navarro responded to recent allegations
of substance use. He stated: "I don't
know how that thing got to the place it did.
My side of it was... what I told (a reporter)
is that I've been working on a film wherein
drug use takes place, and I describe one of
those scenes, but I in no way indicated to
them that I was in drug rehab, or had a
problem or all the stuff that came afterwards
in terms of hearsay and press."
It was announced that Dave
Navarro had amicably left the Chili Peppers
after 4 years as the band's 6th guitarist.
Navarro said in a statement: "I will
miss the band very much. I know in my heart
that the friendships we've established will
remain forever eternal." Anthony Kiedis
said of the departure: "This is a
completely mutual parting based on creative
differences." At the end of April it was
announced that John Frusciante would return
to the Chili Peppers as guitarist to replace
Navarro. Frusciante had left the band 6 years
ago as the band was hitting it big and
getting ready to participate in the 1992
Lollapalooza tour.
Months after a motorcycle
accident, Anthony Kiedis filed a lawsuit
against the other motorist. Kiedis claims the
motorist made an illegal u-turn which caused
the accident and resulted in a broken wrist,
other undisclosed physical and emotional
injuries, and the canceling of several
performances.
 # 43
Singles Artist of the Year
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers
released their next LP, Californication and the first single
"Scar
Tissue"
which topped the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
chart for 16 weeks.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers
performed at Woodstock '99 in Rome, New York
- and closed the show as the crowd became
unruly and set fires.
"Scar
Tissue"
topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart for 10 weeks.
 The band hit the Top 40 with
"Scar
Tissue."
The band hit the Top
10
with "Scar
Tissue."
"Scar
Tissue"
became the longest #1 hit on Billboard's
Modern Rock Tracks chart and became the
band's second Top 10 pop hit.
The band was nominated for a VH1
Fashion Award for the Most Stylish Video
("Scar
Tissue").
 The band was also nominated for
2 MTV Europe Music Awards for Best Rock
Artist and Best Album (Californication).
Flea could also be seen acting
in the film Liar's Poker.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were
given special recognition at the Billboard
Music Awards for setting the record for most
weeks at #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart
with "Scar
Tissue."
MTV: 100
Greatest Videos Ever Made includes
"Give It Away" at # 36.
 # 27
Singles Artist of the Year
 The Red Hot Chili Peppers won an
American Music
Award for Favorite
Alternative Artist.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were
nominated for 3 California Music Awards. The
band was also nominated for a Brit Award for
Best International Group.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers won
their 2nd Grammy Award for Best Rock Song ("Scar
Tissue")
and were nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a
Duo or Group ("Scar
Tissue")
and Best Rock Album (Californication).
"Otherside" topped the
Billboard Modern Rock chart for 13 weeks.
 As "Otherside" hit the charts, Californication was certified 3x
platinum.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers began
touring with the Foo Fighters.
Flea won a California Music
Award for Outstanding Bassist.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers hit
the Top
10
with "Otherside."
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were
nominated for a VH1/Vogue Fashion Award for
Most Stylish Band.
Californication was certified 4x
platinum.
The band was nominated for 2
MuchMusic Video Music Awards for Best
International Video and Favorite
International Group ("Californication").
"Californication" topped the
Billboard Mainstream chart for 2 weeks and
the Modern Rock chart for 1 week.
 The video for "Californication" won 2 MTV Video Music
Awards for Best Direction (Johnathan Dayton
& Valerie Faris) and Best Art Direction (Colin Strause), and
was also nominated for Video of the Year, Best Group Video, and Best Special Effects (Pixel Envy). Red Hot
Chili Peppers performed the song at the
ceremony and were honored with the Video
Vanguard Award.
"Californication" hit the Top 40
also topped the video charts in Canada and
the MTV Top 20.
The band won a MuchMusic Video
Award for Best International Video ("Californication").
The Chili Peppers performed at
the Bridge School Benefit concert held in
California.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers came
in at # 30 on VH1: 100
Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
The band won a Billboard Music
Video Award for Best Modern Rock Clip of the
Year ("Californication") and a MTV
Europe Music Award for Best Rock Act.
Rolling Stone
& MTV: 100 Greatest Pop Songs includes "Under The Bridge" at # 54.
The band took home 2 'My VH1'
Awards - Pushing the Envelope Video ("Californication") and Must-Have
Album (Californication).
When Billboard compiled
the video
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