Quick! Name a forty-year-old funky rock quartet known for on-stage nudity, a history of substance abuse, and dedicated fans who don’t mind that they’re still churning out the same-sounding songs every album. It’s Phish, right? Gotta be Phish. Who else but Phish? Unless we’re talking about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But they’re basically Phish, just for people who like Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Red Hot Chili Peppers make the kind of music that Phish fans would like, only if instead of ten-minute jams they were into geographical rap-rock. The musicianship is incredible but it can get kinda repetitive and struggles to leave its limiting musical suburb. I must be talking about the Vermont quartet with their own Ben & Jerry’s flavor but I’m talking about the Red Hot Chili Peps.
Tell me, what band does this sound like? The fans know the best live shows, they know the ups and downs of their discography, and they spend a lot of money on concert tickets. You will only hear the band’s music when you visit your pothead friend. Their popularity is almost entirely based on the drug trade in the parking lot outside of their shows. Again, you’d think I was talking about Phish, and I was this time, but I could also be talking about the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Do you like Flea’s bass? Do you dig a little low-end to lay that groove down? Then you should check out Phish’s Mike Gordon. Maybe jam some “Wolfman’s Brother” and try to ignore the silly falsetto bits. Or put on “Sugar Shack” but also ignore the sour notes. Look, some of Phish’s vocals are more energy than accuracy. It’s fair to say Trey is no Anthony Kiedis. It’s also fair to say Red Hot Chili Peppers are Phish for people who like Red Hot Chili Peppers.