Contribution to Pop Culture - Term Paper Example

 «Contribution to Pop Culture» Introduction: A rock group that originated way back in the 1980s proved that it is still one of the top pop groups today. The rock band Red Hot chili Peppers has evolved from teenage type music and hard rock to more serious and melodious music, proving its creativity and strength of improvisation. Their music is unique and distinctive, having evolved over the years into a seasoned blending, harmony and synchronicity between the four band members, to generate superior music. One of the elements that has set this group apart from others is that they have not stagnated into one particular music style, but have still been able to maintain a characteristic “noisy and funky and grungy” quality to their music that has made them popular with their fans.(McGregor, 2002). They have been able to incorporate diverse music styles into their repertoire while still maintaining a unique and distinct quality that characterizes their music. Nowhere is this more evident than their latest album titled “Stadium Arcadium” which brings a fresh new quality to their music with a greater emphasis on the guitar rather than the earlier focus on bass, and has been ranked No: 1 on the charts both in the US and UK as well as other countries. The history of the group: Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock bank that was originally founded in Los Angeles in 1983 and consists of four members – vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Michael Balzary also known as “flea” Balzary, guitarist John Frusciante, and drummer Chad Smith. The last two members were replacements for Hilel Slovak and Jeremy Irons who were original band members and the group originally started off with a different name – Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters if Mayhem.” (Apter, 2004:60). The very first performance of the newly formed band was to a crowd of about thirty people at the Rhythm Lounge, which was intended to be a one time performance, with improvised music by the band to accompany Kiedas rapping to a poem that he had written.(Kiedas and Sloman, 2004:105). But the performance was so lively and appreciated to such a degree that the bank was asked to perform again the next week and re-christened themselves Red Hot Chili Peppers. The first commercial album released by the band with Cliff Martinez and Jack Sherman replacing Slovak and Irons, was a flop, caused partly by the discord in music and lifestyle between Sherman and Kiedis. This ultimately led to Sherman being fired from the band.(Kiedas and Sloman, 2004:134). Slovak returned and the group’s second album titled Freaky Styley, introduced elements of punk and funk into the music, but despite the variety of music styles used in the album, it did not perform well commercially; neither were successive tours productive.(Kiedis and Sloman, 2004: 178-9). Cliff Martinez was dismissed from the group in 1986 and Irons returned, so that the original creative team were together again and were able to renew their creativity. The band was keen to hire Rick Rubin to produce their third commercial album, but he declined their offer and Michael Beinhorn was selected instead.(Apter, 2004:130-141). The band’s third commercial album titled “The uplift Mofo Party Plan” was released on September 29, 1987, containing music that had the same elements of punk and funk that were present in the earlier album but more closely aligned to punk rock and funk metal. This album did not become an overnight success, but it was more successful commercially than the earlier two albums had been. This was however a difficult period for the band, because not long after the tour following the release of the uplift Mofo album, Slovak’s serious addiction caused his death in June of 1988.(Kiedis and Sloman, 2004:222). Kiedis left the city and did not even attend Slovak’s funeral because he was himself in a surreal state, induced by his drug addiction. Irons also left the group, making it clear that he was not eager to be associated with a group where his friends were addicted to drugs and were dying.(Kiedis and Sloman, 2004:224). This came as a shock to the two members who were left - Kiedes and Flea, who struggled to replace Slovak and Irons. The fortunes of the band changed when John Frusciante auditioned for the role of guitarist and was accepted. This still left one spot vacant- the drummer for the band. A friend recommended Chad Smith, with the comment that he was such an excellent drummer that he “ate [drums] for breakfast.” (Kiedis and Sloman, 2004:233). This completed the band and they went on to produce their fourth album “Mother’s Milk”. This album was the first gold record for the group. But it was the album titled “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” released on September 24, 1991 which contained singles that climbed high on the billboard charts; the single titled “Give it away” won a Grammy Award in 1992 for the “Best Hard Rock performance with vocal”, while the ballad “under the Bridge” reached the no: 2 spot on the Billboard hot 100 chart.(www.allmusic.com). This album was supremely successful, but tragedy struck the band yet again when Frusciante abruptly quit the band, having developed an addiction to heroin which consumed him to the point that he was reduced to poverty and almost died.(www.rollingstone.com). The group continued to perform with guitarist David Navarro, who also played with them at Woodstock, but it was only after Frusciante’s return in 1998 that the group was commercially successful again with its seventh album “Californication”, which peaked at no: 3 on the billboard chart.(www.allmusic.com). “By the Way” was their next successful release, selling more than a million copies within the first week of its release and hitting the no: 2 spot on the billboard 200. (www.allmusic.com). This album represented a change from their traditional punk-funk, rapping, rock style. The tone of the music changed in this album, to a more subdued, melodic ballad style and Frusciante’s input was greater. Unlike earlier albums where Frusciante’s guitar playing was made to overpower the rest of the music to produce the abrasive notes of heavy metal, this one was characterized by fewer rap songs and more melodic music. One of the singles from this album – Scar Tissue – won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Song. Stadium Arcadium: The album “Stadium Arcadium” was initially intended to be a short record with only 11 or 12 songs rather than 17, but instead, three months later, the group had “38 songs, all of which were meaningful and worth recording and mixing.”(Cohen, 2006). Their first option was to release the songs as a trilogy of records, each spaced about six months apart, but the long wait of two years for the release to be fully complete was a deterrent; as a result the group finally decided to release the music as a double album with twenty eight songs. The album was the ninth album of the band and Warner Brothers released the record on May 5, 2006. The album was an instant success, racing up to the number one position on the Billboard 200, selling 442,000 copies in the first week itself. In a sense, it represented a comeback for this band, with a new kind of music and was also their first album to debut at No:1, not only on the U.S. charts but also the U.K. and 25 other countries. The double album “Stadium Arcadium” marked a high point in the career graph of the Hot Chili Peppers band because it was able to garner seven Grammy award nominations in 2007, including the award for the Best Rock Album. This represented the largest number of nominations the group had ever received. In February 2007, the album won six Grammys: Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song for Dani California, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Short Form Music Video (also for the song Dani California), Best Producer award for Rick Rubin and Best Boxed or Special Limited edition package. Hiatt (2006) rates it as “the most ambitious work of its [the rock band’s] twenty three year career”, because it is an attempt to consolidate all of the various styles they used in earlier albums – funk metal type of music, soul baring style of balladry and vocal-harmony pop into one consolidated album. The double album received generally favorable reviews from critics, with several recognizing the new trend style being set in this record that mingles the scope of all their earlier work and sets a new tone for the group. For instance, Ian Cohen(2006a), while offering some negative views about the sometimes crude language that was used in the earlier albums of the group, points out that “their sense of craft is too developed for them to make a bad album”. He praises the two songs “if” and “Hard to concentrate” as pretty and affecting pieces because “they play with atmosphere and texture, creating legitimate new sounds for the band.” The New York Times(2006) has also observed the change in music style of the band in the double album, as compared to the early music they started out with in 1983. Rather than representing a “midlife bummer”, the music instead “brims with creative euphoria almost shocking for a band that has been around since Ronald Reagan’s first term.”(New York Times, 2006). The Entertainment Weekly points out that the quality of the music is such that it is likely to appeal to listeners from all age groups, and ensures that “graying Lollapalooza-era fans, indie teens and rowdy lunkheads will all be satisfied.” (Endelman, 2006) According to Kiedis, one of the reasons why the rock album turned out so well was the improved band chemistry. He put it as follows: “Always in the past, there was a little bit of struggle between Flea, John or myself as contributing writers –a struggle to dominate. But we are now confident enough in who we are, so everybody feels more comfortable contributing more and more valuable quality stuff.(Cohen, 2006b). A significant source for the new sound of Hot Chili Peppers is the genius of guitarist John Frusciante, who has “an instantly recognizable sound” and has experimented with different kinds of guitar effects in the double album, including effects such as the outer-space synthesizer on “Animal Bar”.(New York Times, 2006). The song “Snow” is cited by Kiedis as one of his favorites mainly because of the “really crazy sounding guitar part”…..which is “very busy but rhythmically desirable at the same time.” (Cohen, 2006b). The song “Dani California” was the biggest hit single in this album, while other hit singles include “Snow (Hey O)”, “Desecration Smile”, “Hump de Bump” and “Tell me Baby”. Hiatt (2006) is of the view that the depth and boosting of the music of the album is clearly attributable to the guitar skills of Frusciante. He points out that ever since the guitarist returned to the band after his near fatal heroin addiction; he appears to have been blessed with “musical superpowers” which are in “full bloom” in this album.(New York Times, 2006). This album is notable for the fact that it has some very intensive guitar solos.(Cohen 2006b). It took Frusciante’s return for the band to realize that they shared a special chemistry. According to drummer Chad Smith, “For some reason, we have a special thing, the four of us. We’ve changed the chemistry of the band a couple of times. When John rejoined for the second time, we were like: this is a special chemistry we have.” (Leonard, 2008). The group plans to take a break and get back to recording music after a couple of years. Red Hot Chili Peppers is one of the best known Californian bands. Over the years, the tone and style of the group’s music has ranged from funk and rap to melodic ballads and psychedelic rock. The range and skill displayed by this group has made them a significant feature on the pop scene over the years. The fact that this group has managed a smash hit like Stadium Arcadium decades after they first formed as a group, is quire remarkable and provides an indication of the enduring quality of their music on the pop scene. As Hiatt(2006) points out, the group is a “real band”, with the members synchronizing and blending well with each other. They are able to improvise music during their live performances, and this is one of the characteristic features of the band. While the group has been periodically afflicted by setbacks like the drug addiction of its members, the work they have produced over the decades has reflected a variety of themes from love, sex, death, loneliness, globalization, as well as social and political commentary. Their musical technique and style has evolved and developed over the years. Kiedes’ vocal style encompasses rapid rap to traditional singing style which has provided versatility and range into the group’s work. The characteristic style of the group is also evident in Flea’s style on bass, that ranges from the aggressive slapping and popping that have accompanied Kiedes’ rap and earlier rock beats of the group to the new, melodic bass style. Chad Smith’s style of drumming allows for more space and effective incorporation of melodies and grooves and blends well with the group’s signature style. Frusciante also performs solo and his guitar improvisations and solos have played a huge role in the success of Stadium Arcadium. The long lasting tenure of their performance history and their ability to improvise skillfully has won them many fans over the years. Their ability to successfully blend a variety of styles like funk, punk, rap, rock and melodic ballads to generate a unique quality product has made them a signature band that will live on in music history for a long time to come. Their latest album Stadium Arcadium has enjoyed huge levels of success, because it not only represents the maturing of the band and the greater integration and harmony in their music, but also satisfies the tastes of a wide range of music lovers, young and old. It stirs up nostalgia for the music of earlier decades while also providing a fresh new feel and tone to the music that has set it apart from the music of other composers. This album has proved decisively that the Peppers still have plenty of distinctive music left to contribute. References: * Apter, Jeff, 2004. “Fornication: the Red Hot Chili Peppers story”, Omnibus Press. * Cohen, Ian, 2006. “Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium”, Stylus, http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/red-hot-chili-peppers/stadium-arcadium.htm; * Cohen, Jonathan, 2006. “Peppers double the pleasure with Stadium Arcadium”, BillBoard, http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001881276; * Endelman, Michael, 2006. “Music Review: Stadium Arcadium: Red Hot chili Peppers”, ew.com Entertainment Weekly, http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1191005,00.html; * Hiatt, Brian, 2006. “Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium”, Rolling Stone, http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/10193413/review/10203828/stadiumarcadium; * Kiedis, Anthony and Sloman, Larry, 2004. “Scar Tissue”, Hyperion. * Leonard, Michael, 2008. “Chili Peppers not splitting” Music Radar, July 21, 2008. http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/chili-peppers-not-splitting-165942; * McGregor, Andrew, 2002. “Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest Hits.” BBC 17 November, 2003. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/hvjw/; * New York Times, 2006. “Critics’ choice: New CD’s”, New York Times, May 8, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/08/arts/music/08choi.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all; * Red hot chili peppers: Billboard. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:mx6m967o3ep8~T51; * Red hot redux: red hot chili peppers. April 30, 1998. http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/redhotchilipeppers/articles/story/5923940/red_hot_redux; Read More