Josh Adam Klinghoffer (born October 3, 1979) is an American musician best known for being the guitarist for the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2009 to 2019, with whom he recorded two studio albums, I'm with You (2011) and The Getaway (2016), and the B-sides compilation I'm Beside You (2013). Klinghoffer took the place of his friend and frequent collaborator John Frusciante in 2009, after a period as a touring member. At age 32, Klinghoffer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2012, making him the youngest inductee at the time.[1]
Additionally, Klinghoffer releases solo materials under the pseudonym of Pluralone, originally a working title for the group Dot Hacker.[3] He has released three solo albums, To Be One with You (2019),[4]I Don't Feel Well (2020) and This Is the Show (2022) plus multiple non-album singles and B-sides.
Dropping out of formal education at the age of 15, Klinghoffer became involved in performing and recording music in Los Angeles at an early age. Klinghoffer describes himself at this time as "[the] little music dork who lived around the corner, dropped out of high school, and was just playing guitar all day long."[7] In 1997, at the age of seventeen, Klinghoffer joined The Bicycle Thief, the then-current project from former Thelonious Monster frontman Bob Forrest. Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Anthony Kiedis noted that "Bob [Forrest] has always had a very keen sensibility about finding extremely talented and down-to-earth people who just want to get to a kitchen and write a song."[8] The band's subsequent studio album, You Come and Go Like a Pop Song, marked Klinghoffer's first recording experience.[7] Regarding bandmate Forrest's notorious drug addiction, which arguably stalled Thelonious Monster's commercial success, Klinghoffer stated at this time that he: "Pretty much had enough confidence in myself to know that I wasn't gonna be 'the next Bob Forrest'." It was during the recording of Bicycle Thief album that Josh first met John Frusciante, who came in to record a guitar solo. The two eventually began to hang out and listen to music together at Frusciante's home.[9]
In late 1999, The Bicycle Thief opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers, as the latter toured in support of their seventh studio album, Californication.
John Frusciante and Ataxia (2002–2004)
Klinghoffer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante began writing together in 2002, with the hopes of recording and releasing an album under a band name. This album was eventually released as a John Frusciante solo release in 2004, entitled Shadows Collide with People.[10] Regarding this decision, Frusciante stated:
We had written the song "Omission" together and this song came about through collaboration. He played keyboard and I played guitar and both of us had the ideas for the vocals. [...] We sat there and scribbled our parts onto a piece of paper and when we were ready we got back together again and sung our ideas together and they fit perfectly. At that time we thought that we'd do many songs together, just like this one. As time went by, this album became more of a solo album with which he's helping me. [...] We'll do further projects where we'll work together, but we realized that these were my songs and it therefore had to be a solo album.
During the first six months of 2004, Klinghoffer continued to assist Frusciante in the studio. Klinghoffer's drums, bass, vocals, keyboards, and/or guitar can be heard on the full-length albums The Will to Death, Inside of Emptiness, and in 2009's The Empyrean. 2004's A Sphere in the Heart of Silence is also credited to both musicians, and features several tracks with Klinghoffer on vocals, lead guitar, synthesizers and sequencing. He plays drums along with Frusciante and Fugazi bassist Joe Lally in Automatic Writing and AW II, under the name Ataxia.
Frusciante commented on his relationship with Klinghoffer in 2004 stating: "He's simply a very talented person and has been a very close friend for the past four years. He's one of the very few people who I really like to spend a lot of time with. In many respects he's the person who is closest to me, and with whom I can speak honestly about everything. His opinion is very important to me and I value it a lot."[10]
In 2004, Klinghoffer also appeared on the Thelonious Monster album, California Clam Chowder.
Golden Shoulders (2002–present)
In addition to infrequent live appearances with the band, Klinghoffer appeared on Golden Shoulders' first two albums, 2002's Let My Burden Be and 2004's Friendship Is Deep, playing bass guitar. He returned to play bass guitar, drums, electric guitar, mellotron, organ, and synthesizer on 2009's Get Reasonable, and electric guitar and piano on 2019's Could This Be the End.
Gnarls Barkley (2006–2008)
Klinghoffer was a touring and session musician for Gnarls Barkley. Klinghoffer appeared on the band's second album, 2008's The Odd Couple and was part of the band's touring lineup to support their first two studio albums which also included an opening slot for the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their Stadium Arcadium tour, a tour Klinghoffer would eventually join as a backing musician in 2007.
Dot Hacker (2008–present)
Klinghoffer founded his own band, Dot Hacker, in 2008, where he holds the position of primary songwriter, singer, rhythm guitarist and pianist. The group is made up of former touring musicians for Gnarls Barkley. In 2012, they released their first full-length album, Inhibition. The title track to Inhibition was first played in a Bob Forrest radio show.[11] A previously unreleased track, "Rewire", is also included in the digital-only 4-song Dot Hacker EP.[12]
Dot Hacker released a two-album series in 2014, with How's Your Process (Work) being released on July 1, 2014, and the second album, How's Your Process (Play) being released on October 7, 2014. The band has played at The Chapel, San Francisco[13] in July 2014 and Los Angeles in August 2014. The band announced plans to play Tokyo in February 2015 in support of the two albums. This will be their first time performing outside of the United States.[14] Dot Hacker released their third album, N°3, on January 20, 2017.
Red Hot Chili Peppers (2007–2019)
In 2007, Klinghoffer played with Red Hot Chili Peppers on the final few legs of their Stadium Arcadium tour, playing additional guitar, backing vocals, and keyboard parts alongside the band. His first show with the band took place on March 12, 2007, at the Cox Convention Center Arena in Oklahoma City. On May 8, 2009, amidst confusion as to whether Frusciante still remained within Red Hot Chili Peppers. Klinghoffer, Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, Ron Wood and Ivan Neville performed under the name The Insects at a MusiCares benefit in honor of Kiedis's commitment to helping those struggling with addiction and recovery.[15]
In 2009, the Chili Peppers ended a two-year hiatus, and were joined by Klinghoffer in the studio to begin work on their tenth album, I'm with You. At the time, unbeknownst to the public, Frusciante had already quit the band earlier that year without announcing his departure. In January 2010, Klinghoffer performed with the band for the first time as their lead guitarist at a MusiCares tribute event to Neil Young for a performance of Young's "A Man Needs a Maid." It was later revealed he would permanently replace Frusciante as guitarist.[16] Klinghoffer was officially named the replacement for John Frusciante in early 2010. Regarding his entry into the band, Klinghoffer notes, "I've always been attracted to the idea of a tight-knit unit, a band of family, a brotherhood. Since my earliest memory, they always seemed like a band with a lot of love for each other."[17]
After eleven months of writing and rehearsing, the Chili Peppers began recording a new album, I'm with You, on September 13, 2010.[19] Klinghoffer also sang, wrote music and played keyboards on the album.[20] Recording was completed on March 18, 2011, and the album was released on August 29, 2011. The album's first single was "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie".[21]
In 2011, Klinghoffer wrote and performed the original score for the documentary Bob and the Monster. Klinghoffer also appears in the documentary, which is based on the life and career of musician and drug counselor Bob Forrest.[22] Klinghoffer was said to have contributed to at least one track on former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery's second solo album, LIFE.TIME. (2013), although the album did not include it.[23] On July 10, 2011, Klinghoffer appeared at the 2011 School of Rock's Rock the House Tour which also featured Keith Morris and Page Hamilton. Klinghoffer joined the School of Rock kids on stage to perform Red Hot Chili Peppers songs "Dani California" and "Give It Away". This was the first time he performed any of the Chili Peppers' songs live since officially joining the band as their guitarist.[24]
In April 2012, Klinghoffer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers at 32 years of age. This made him the youngest ever inductee until 2020, when he was surpassed by Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin.[25][26]
In January 2015, Klinghoffer returned to the studio with the Chili Peppers to begin work on their eleventh studio album which would be produced by Gnarls Barkley's Danger Mouse. Recording was put on hold the following month when bassist Flea suffered an injury during a skiing trip. Production resumed in August 2015 and The Getaway was released on June 17, 2016, which was followed by an extensive world tour that concluded in October 2017.
Work on Klinghoffer's album To Be One With You was announced in September 2018,[27] with plans to release it sometime in 2019.[28] However, the recording was delayed due to the Woolsey Fire.[29]
On November 2, 2019, the band performed a charity event at the Silverlake Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles. This would be the band's final show with Klinghoffer.[30]
On December 15, 2019, it was announced via an Instagram post that Klinghoffer was "parting ways" with the band after ten years on good terms, and that John Frusciante would be rejoining the band.[31] "Josh is a beautiful musician who we respect and love. We are deeply grateful for our time with him, and the countless gifts he shared with us. We also announce, with great excitement and full hearts, that John Frusciante is rejoining our group. Thank you." the band's statement read.[32]
In an interview released on January 18, 2020, by Ultimate Guitar, Klinghoffer spoke briefly for the first time about his departure from the band. Klinghoffer said that he couldn't go into detail about his departure but when asked if there was any hard feelings between him, the band or Frusciante he responded by saying "I don't think so. Not from me."[33] However, in June 2022, he admitted that the friendship between him and Frusciante was "non-existent" and that they hadn't spoken in over 10 years, while maintaining that he had no hard feelings towards the rest of the band.[34]
Klinghoffer on January 23, 2020, gave an interview with Marc Maron on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast where, for the first time, he discussed in detail his firing from the band. Klinghoffer described the meeting with the band as being "really sweet" and that “I rode my bike over [to Flea’s house]. They just said, 'We’ll get right to it. We’ve decided to ask John to come back to the band' And I just sat there quiet for a second and I said, ‘I’m not surprised.’ And the only thing I could think to say was, ‘I wish I could have done something with you guys, musically or creatively, that would have made this an absolute impossibility.” Klinghoffer said that “It’s absolutely John’s place to be in that band. So that’s why I’m happy for him, I’m happy that he’s back with them.” The news of his firing did however come as a “complete shock but not a surprise” as he had known Frusciante had been jamming with Flea in recent months and that Anthony Kiedis was also recently in contact with him. “John and Flea have a musical language. I’ll never be able to contend with the history him and John had.” Klinghoffer also discussed Frusciante's departure in 2009 saying “We had been friends and working together. When they decided they wanted to carry on and he maintained he was sort of done with it, and they asked me to do it, I think he was really surprised that they were going to carry on without him… It was sort of a strange position I was holding.” Klinghoffer maintained that he was fine with the decision and there was "no animosity" between him and the band. “If John coming back had happened five years ago, it would have been hard for me, temporally, to weigh [my contributions] against what they had. Now, after 10 years, two tours, and almost three albums of writing, I’m really proud of what I did with them. I feel like we did create something.”[35][36]
On January 31, 2020, Klinghoffer was interviewed by Rolling Stone and opened up much more about his firing. Klinghoffer said "I love those guys deeply. I never saw myself as deserving to be there over John." He further discussed the moments when he found out he was being fired saying "It was mostly Flea talking. Anthony didn’t say much. But I can see in his eyes that it was a very painful decision. And I think of Anthony as a very tender and supportive person. We all hugged and Chad texted me before I even got home. He was really heartbroken about the whole thing because Chad and I are very good friends." Klinghoffer said that he was unaware of the band's statement on his firing and said "I was totally surprised. And it does look exactly like a death announcement." Klinghoffer also discussed the two albums he recorded while in the band saying "I’m not particularly fond of the two records. I liked the songs and I think we wrote some really cool songs together, but I’m such a pain in the ass. Rick Rubin was the producer [on I’m With You]. And the reason why I didn’t want to work with him the second time [the band was in talks for Rubin to produce the new album] was because I felt like those four had a relationship and I was the odd man out."[37]
As Pluralone (2019–present)
On August 16, 2019, Klinghoffer released his first solo single "Io Sono Quel Che Sono B/W Menina Mulher Da Pele Preta" under the name Pluralone.[38] The single was made available on vinyl on August 30, 2019.[39] The album featured two covers of non-English songs; "Io Sono Quel Che Sono" is a cover of Italian singer Mina, and "Menina Mulher Da Pele Preta" is by Brazilian singer Jorge Ben. Klinghoffer performed all instruments and vocals across these two tracks, with album art by Dot Hacker partner Eric Gardner.
Klinghoffer released a follow-up album titled To Be One with You on November 22, 2019, under the name Pluralone.[40] The album features guest appearances from Flea and Red Hot Chili Peppers alum Jack Irons. Members of Klinghoffer's band Dot Hacker also appeared along with former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery.[40]
His live debut as a solo artist was going to be opening shows to Pearl Jam as part of the North American leg of Gigaton Tour. The tour dates were scheduled to begin on March 18, 2020, but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with an intent to reschedule at a later date.
On August 21, 2020, Klinghoffer performed the Clash's "Rudie Can't Fail" during A Song for Joe: Celebrating the Life of Joe Strummer, a live stream tribute to Joe Strummer on what would have been his 68th birthday.[41]
On September 22, 2020, the release of his second album as Pluralone, I Don't Feel Well, was announced; as a preview the song "The Night Won't Scare Me" was released on digital platforms. The album will be released in vinyl (with a limited edition gold vinyl), CD and digital.[42]
On January 26, 2022, the release of his third studio album, This Is the Show, was announced,[43] with the first single "Claw Your Way Out" coming to digital outlets that day. The album was released on black vinyl, clear colour vinyl, CD, and digital. Additional singles for "Offend"[44] and "Fight For The Soul"[45] were released with videos.
Pearl Jam (2020–present)
On January 21, 2020, Pearl Jam announced Klinghoffer, under the Pluralone name, was set to "support Pearl Jam on the Spring 2020 tour dates",[46] before the band announced the tour postponement in March.[47] Klinghoffer made his debut with Pearl Jam as a multi-instrumentalist touring musician once the band resumed performing live at the Sea.Hear.Now Festival on September 18, 2021.[48] His involvement with the band was aimed particularly to help flesh out the live versions of songs from Pearl Jam's new album Gigaton.[49] He also performed in the recordings of Eddie Vedder’s album Earthling and as a member of Vedder’s backing band, The Earthlings, at The Ohana Festival in Dana Point, CA, and toured with them in February 2022. Josh also filled in as Pearl Jam's drummer on September 13, 2023 when the band's drummer Matt Cameron could not perform due to contracting COVID-19.[50]
Current and upcoming projects
Klinghoffer appears on seven songs on Iggy Pop's 2022 album, Every Loser. He also co-wrote two songs on the album. To promote the album, Klinghoffer will be part of Pop's backing band called The Losers which consists of his former Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmate, Chad Smith, Duff McKagan and Andrew Watt.[51]
Klinghoffer, Chad Smith, and Flea collaborated with Morrissey on his upcoming album Bonfire of Teenagers, which was supposed to be released in February 2023, but in December 2022 it was announced that its future is in limbo, as Capitol Records has decided not to release it.[52][53]
After making guest appearances with the group in 2022, Klinghoffer was announced as the touring guitarist for Jane's Addiction in 2023, filling in for longtime member Dave Navarro, who was ill with long COVID.[54] Navarro is expected to return for the band's 2024 European shows which begin in May 2024.
Personal life
2024 motor vehicle collison
On March 18, 2024, Klinghoffer was involved in a vehicular collision in Alhambra, California, when behind the wheel of a black GMC Yukon.[55] Klinghoffer made a left turn and collided into 47-year old Israel Sanchez, who was using a pedestrian crossing at the time. According to TMZ, Sanchez "was dragged across the asphalt as a result of the collision and sustained blunt force trauma to his head, injuries that ultimately killed him only hours later".[56] Klinghoffer was sued for negligence and wrongful death, with Sanchez' family alleging that he was using a phone at the time of the collision. The lawsuit also says that Klinghoffer was driving the car and didn't so much as tap his brakes. He was on his cell phone when the incident happened and his GMC Yukon had no license plates according to police. Video shows the incident and also shows Klinghoffer pulling over after hitting Sanchez, walking over to the body and then turning around and quickly walking back to the car. Klinghoffer's attorney told Rolling Stone' "Josh immediately pulled over, stopped the vehicle, called 911, and waited until police and the ambulance arrived. He is fully cooperating with the traffic investigation." Nick Rowley, the attorney for the family said in a statement on behalf of the family that "Mr. Klinghoffer should be arrested and prosecuted for homicide. We have a video of him on his cell phone at the time he hit and killed Israel Sanchez, a loving father, in a crosswalk."[57]
Instruments and sound
Guitars
Klinghoffer has used a wide variety of instruments over the course of his career, but he generally prefers Fender Stratocasters.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk, punk rock, hard rock, hip hop, and psychedelic rock. Their eclectic range has influenced genres such as funk metal, rap metal, rap rock, and nu metal. With over 120 million records sold worldwide, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the top-selling bands of all time. They hold the records for most number-one singles (15), most cumulative weeks at number one (91) and most top-ten songs (28) on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. They have won three Grammy Awards, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, and in 2022 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
John Anthony Frusciante is an American musician and the guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has released 11 solo albums and 7 EPs, ranging in style from acoustic guitar to electronic music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2012. Rolling Stone named Frusciante among the greatest guitarists of all time.
Anthony Kiedis is an American musician and a founding member and lead vocalist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis and his fellow band members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
Shadows Collide with People is the fourth studio album by American musician John Frusciante, released February 24, 2004. The album was written during the recording of By the Way (2002) by Frusciante's group Red Hot Chili Peppers and is widely regarded as his most accessible work, featuring a mix of guitar-driven alternative rock, folk ballads, and electronica. Frusciante has stated that this was his most expensive solo album to date, costing around $150,000 to produce, a significant departure from his earlier albums, which had been low-budget and recorded at his home. Frusciante noted, "I was sick and tired of people dismissing my records as being fucked-up and unprofessional."
Jack Steven Irons is an American drummer. He is the founding drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers until he departed in 1988 and is a former member of Pearl Jam and Eleven.
"Breaking the Girl" is a song by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from their fifth studio album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991). It was released as the fourth single from their studio album in August 1992 and is a melodic ballad that refers to a turbulent relationship between frontman Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend, Carmen Hawk.
Stadium Arcadium is the ninth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was a double-album, first released in Germany on May 5, 2006, and released on May 9, 2006 in the United States on Warner Bros. Records. It produced five singles: "Dani California", "Tell Me Baby", "Snow ", "Desecration Smile" and "Hump de Bump", along with the band's first fan-made music video, for the song "Charlie". In the United States, Stadium Arcadium became the band's first number-one album. Stadium Arcadium was originally scheduled to be a trilogy of albums each released six months apart, but was eventually condensed into a double album.
"Dosed" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2002 album, By the Way. It was released as a single in the United States and Canada only. It peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. No music video was made for the single.
Ataxia was an American experimental rock supergroup formed in 2004 by guitarist John Frusciante, bassist Joe Lally (Fugazi) and drummer Josh Klinghoffer, who later succeeded Frusciante as the lead guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers until 2019, at which point Frusciante rejoined the band.
"Hump de Bump" is a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their 2006 double album, Stadium Arcadium. The song is the fifth and final single released from Stadium Arcadium and the last single the band would release with John Frusciante until "Black Summer" in 2022, as he had quit the band in 2009 before returning in 2019. Originally expected to be the fourth single for the US, Canada and Australia, the Red Hot Chili Peppers decided to make the single and video a worldwide release thanks to the positive feedback on the video, which was directed by comedian and good friend Chris Rock. The single was released in the US on April 7, 2007 while it was released May 10, 2007 in the rest of the world.
The Stadium Arcadium World Tour was a 2006–2007 concert tour by the band Red Hot Chili Peppers in support of their ninth studio album, Stadium Arcadium. The band started out with a pre-tour promotional leg of dates around the world while the world tour was composed of six legs, three in Europe, one in Australia, New Zealand and Asia, and the other two in the US and Canada.
The Californication Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Red Hot Chili Peppers to support their seventh studio album Californication which saw the return of guitarist John Frusciante who rejoined the band in 1998 after quitting six years earlier.
Dot Hacker is an American experimental rock band from California, formed in 2008. The band consists of Josh Klinghoffer, Clint Walsh, Jonathan Hischke (bass) and Eric Gardner (drums).
I'm with You is the tenth studio album by the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. The album was released by Warner Bros. Records on August 26, 2011, in Europe and on August 29, 2011, in the United States. The album made its debut at number one in 18 countries including the United Kingdom, while reaching number two in the United States and Canada.
2011 Live EP is a live EP by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released in 2012 through their website as a free MP3 download. As a way to celebrate the kick-off of the band's U.S. leg of their world tour, Chad Smith personally selected five of his favorite performances from the 2011 European leg of the tour for fans to download for free.
Red Hot Chili Peppers Live: I'm with You is the title of 2011 live concert by Red Hot Chili Peppers which was recorded live on August 30, 2011 at E-Werk in Cologne, Germany and shown via satellite at select movie theaters. Encore presentations were shown on September 1, 2011.
I'm with You World Tour 2012–13 is a live EP by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released in 2014 through their website as a free MP3 download. As a way to celebrate the culmination of the band's I'm with You World Tour, Chad Smith personally selected five of his favorite performances from select dates tour for fans to download for free.
The Getaway is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released through Warner Bros. on June 17, 2016. The band's first studio album since 2011's I'm with You, it was produced by Danger Mouse, who replaced Rick Rubin after 25 years and six albums as the band's producer. This is the band's second and final album with guitarist Josh Klinghoffer before the return of John Frusciante in 2019, with Rubin also returning soon thereafter.
To Be One with You is the debut studio album from multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Josh Klinghoffer, under the pseudonym of Pluralone. The album features guest appearances from his Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmate Flea and his bandmates in the experimental rock band Dot Hacker, Eric Gardner and Clint Walsh along with appearances by former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery and former Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam drummer Jack Irons. Klinghoffer previously released the single "Io Sono Quel Che Sono/Menina Mulher Da Pele Preta" under the Pluralone name.
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