Red Hot Chili Peppers
 L.A. funk-rock
band the Red Hot Chili Peppers struggled for years to find commercial
success, finally attaining it in the 1990s, despite frequent lineup
changes and struggles with heroin addiction and indecency
charges.
1.heroin: n. 海洛因, 吗啡
2.indecency: n. 下流, 不适当, 猥亵
The nucleus of the band has always been vocalist Anthony
Kiedis and bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary (born in Australia),
who met at Fairfax High School in the late '70s. Flea performed
with several L.A. bands, including the vulgar punk outfit Fear,
before forming the Chili Peppers with Kiedis in 1983. Along with
guitarist Hillel Slovak (born in Israel) and drummer Jack
Irons, originally of the band What Is This, the Chili Peppers gigged
around the Los Angeles area looking to make it big. Kiedis and Slovak
became addicted to heroin, and Slovak quit the band in 1984, replaced
by local guitarist Jack Sherman. The Peppers landed a record contract
with EMI and released their self-titled debut album late that year
to little public attention. Slovak returned to the band in 1985
for their follow-up effort, the more funk-oriented Freaky Styley,
produced by George Clinton. This album did not sell well, though
the group began to get an underground reputation for their wild
stage antics, often performing naked or nearly so. Several times
the band was arrested after exposing themselves off-stage and otherwise
sexually harassing female fans. 1.nucleus: [nuclear的复数,
见nuclear] n. 核子
2.bassist: n. 低音歌手, 低音乐器的演奏者
3.drummer: n. 鼓手, <美> 旅行推销员
The more aggressive 1987 album The Uplift Mofo Party and
the 1988 EP Abbey Road did not expand their following significantly,
and Slovak left the band in early 1988 due to his ongoing drug problems;
he died of a heroin overdose in June of that year. After Slovak's
death, the band tried to regroup. A long-time friend of Slovak,
Irons quit the band to grieve (later returning to music as
the drummer for Pearl Jam). After a long search for a new drummer,
Irons was replaced with Chad Smith, while Slovak was replaced with
guitarist John Frusciante. 1.grieve: v.
(使)悲痛, (使)伤心, 忧伤
With the lineup temporarily stable, the band recorded their 1989
breakthrough Mother's Milk, which went gold and signaled
the band's emergence into the mainstream. After leaving EMI for
Warner Bros., the band recorded their 1991 follow-up, Blood Sugar
Sex Magik, with famed producer Rick Rubin. The record went on
to sell over two million copies, riding on the success of the radio
and MTV hits "Breaking the Girl," "Under the Bridge," and "Give
It Away." The Chili Peppers became a household name, and appeared
on the 1992 Lollapalooza tour, cementing their status as one of
the most popular bands of the early '90s.
During their 1993 tour, guitarist John Fusciante quit the band,
citing the pressures of constant touring, though it was rumored
that he, too, had problems with heroin. Several years later he began
a solo career. After chewing through two guitarists over the next
few months, the band settled on ex-Jane's Addiction/Porno For Pyros
guitarist Dave Navarro. The Peppers showcased their new lineup at
the Woodstock '94 festival, where they appeared with light bulbs
on their heads. 1.rumor: n. 流言, 谣言, 传闻 vt. 谣传,
传闻
After a long hiatus, the Chili Peppers returned in later 1995 with
One Hot Minute, which failed to duplicate the success of
Blood Sugar Sex Magic. In 1996 the band scored a No. 1 hit
with a cover of the disco single "Love Rollercoaster," taken from
the Beavis and Butthead soundtrack. Flea and Navarro worked
on solo material and joined the re-formed Jane's Addiction, but
despite rumors of a breakup, the Red Hot Chili Peppers spent most
of 1997 preparing material for a new album.
In the spring of 1998, five years after leaving the band, Frusciante
was brought back on board, replacing guitarist Navarro. The following
year, the band released the critically acclaimed Californication,
containing the multi-platinum hit "Scar Tissue." The album received
a Grammy nomination for 1999's Best Rock Album.
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