Frusciante vs Klinghoffer?

Aleks

I dunno how many of you have taken a listen to the new RHCP album "I'm with You", but it's pretty solid.
I want to see what guitarists think of Klinghoffer though.
Some say that there's definitely a John Frusciante shaped hole in the music, but others say that Josh Klinghoffer turns RHCP into a totally different band.
I for one think that the two are not very comparable, but as a loyal fan for 12 years now, it's hard to not notice.

Gearhead

I did not completely agree with what seems to be the forum consensus on Frusciante (useless) until I bought RHCP's Live At Slane Castle. I must say, I am by no means an accomplished player but I dare say my bends are more accurate than his, eish. So even though I haven't heard the Klinghoffer (btw sounds like a character from 'Allo 'Allo) he must be better.

Jack-Flash-Jr

Gearhead wrote: I did not completely agree with what seems to be the forum consensus on Frusciante (useless) until I bought RHCP's Live At Slane Castle. I must say, I am by no means an accomplished player but I dare say my bends are more accurate than his, eish. So even though I haven't heard the Klinghoffer (btw sounds like a character from 'Allo 'Allo) he must be better.

Forum consensus? >☹

The Chilis are generally not great in concert but the Frusciante's style is not built on accuracy (check out his solo albums) - just like Kiedis' non-voice people love it for the very rough edges.

On "I'm With You" - got it, listened a few times, one or two song on a mix cd now but it's just ok imho. Not bad, not great. Klinghoffer is boring to me - he makes his living, or used to, being a steady sessioneer and it shows. I like Brendan's Song and the lead single but I'll not weep if I never hear them again.
People hate One Hot Minute but at least the songs on there were strong if atypical.

singemonkey

Frusciente is an amazing guitar player and song-writer. That he's by no means technically proficient didn't mean all those better guys wrote the lick to Under the Bridge that had every kid in the world trying to learn it. He's no Yngwie Malmstein, but what he does really counts.

And as a song writer: it's no coincidence that when he joined them for Blood Sugar Sex Magic they went from being local heroes to international stars. It's also no coincidence that their star began to wane the moment he left, and flared back to brilliance when he returned. I will not be surprised to see it dim again now.

Hearing some of his solo tunes, the obvious thing is that they sound suspiciously like all those hits on Californication and the like (not the experimental records obviously). Makes you wonder where all those hits came from...

joealien22

I'm new to the the forum so I don't know about any forum concensus regarding Frusciante.

IMHO Frusciante is brilliant. He may not be the most technically great guitarist but when he picks up the guitar you can feel he's playing from the bottom of his gut. He puts all his energy and soul into his playing.

I agree with JFJ in that Klinghoffer definitely sounds like a seasoned session guitarist in the new album. Its almost like he's just going through the motions. I still enjoyed the album, and obviously Klinghoffer has absordbed some of Frusciantes style of playing, but it still doesnt have that "heart" to it, if I can put it that way. I'm not saying he's a bad musician, there are just some musicians who play more from the soul than others. Kudos to him anyways.

That said, the more I listen to the album, the more I seem to be enjoying it.

domhatch

'one hot minute' with dave navarro totally tanked for me. it just wasn't the peppers for me. why? no frusciante. my peppers were built around the frusciante sound, as much as anthony kiedis' half-way there vocalisation, and flea's all the way to hell and back bass rhythmationing. (i just made that last word up.) i'm not a fan of the klinghoffer peppers, but you have to say he's probably a better technical guitarist than john. i even bought stadium arcadium, but i ain't buying this album. i'll probably just catch some tracks on you tube.

maybe
dh

singemonkey

domhatch wrote: 'one hot minute' with dave navarro totally tanked for me. it just wasn't the peppers for me. why? no frusciante. my peppers were built around the frusciante sound, as much as anthony kiedis' half-way there vocalisation, and flea's all the way to hell and back bass rhythmationing. (i just made that last word up.)

Well said.

Jack-Flash-Jr

domhatch wrote: 'one hot minute' with dave navarro totally tanked for me. it just wasn't the peppers for me. why? no frusciante. my peppers were built around the frusciante sound, as much as anthony kiedis' half-way there vocalisation, and flea's all the way to hell and back bass rhythmationing. (i just made that last word up.)

Nope. These are two great songs off that album and there's at least 3 more good ones:

I'm not arguing the Frusciante point just saying Minute always gets an unfair raw deal imho.

shadow1

what makes a "good guitarist"? is it someone who can play lighning fast? Is it someone that knows scales backwards? Is it simple (like Nirvana) OR is it about the music that can move the listener?

For me its definately the last one there. I dont care if the player is not 100% accurate, For me I want to see the soul come through the music/ guitaring and John F is definately one of those guitarists to me. I rate him big time! personally find the new RHCP guitarist pretty boring.

I have watched guitarists shred the crap out of every song and I leave the gig not remembering a single song or even enjoying much of the show (besides the first 5minutes) Then I have listened to bands like Nirvana since the 90's and still love listening to some of those simple tunes.

Just my opinion.

John F for the WIN ?

mladenvic

When it comes to music, sometimes less is more. Frusciante is praised for funky tunes/riffs composed in all the successful albums most of us have grown to listern to. When you were in school, varsity, first job, first girlfriend or whatever life phase we were going through, there was always some song playing in the backround by peppers, and notably written by Frusciante. The guy is a legend and a musical genius.

Sure, he is messy with his guitar, but is music really there to be confined by rules and techical expectations.

The peppers just ain't the same without John Frusciante.