Photo: Emma Viola Lilja
B-sides don’t have as much relevance as they used to when Red Hot Chilli Peppers were rocking out with their cocks in socks in the '80s or even in the '90s when CD singles were still a thing.
Noel Gallagher even made a remark about it at Kendal Calling this year. Introducing one his song he said; “Here’s a b-side,” before trailing off and saying, “you probably don’t know what a b side is to one young audience member.” Although he was being jovial about it, there is something quite profound in what he said. The lack of physical copies of music compared to the millions of streams and downloads has meant that b-sides are done by fewer and fewer bands. Only those loooking to uphold tradition appear to be doing it.
But to demonstrate how much of a good thing it is to have to put a song out to accompany a single is this list of Chilli Pepper tracks. They unearth something special about the bands character and music taste. Giving information that would otherwise be left behind a studio door. From the riduculous 'Stranded' to the sublime 'Teenager In Love', and covers of the likes of Hendrix, Lennon, Ramones - there's something for everyone here.
Sikamikanio – (Under The Bridge - 1992)
Stranded (1983)
So RHCP have gone through their back catalogue and complied their rare tracks on their album Out IN LA that was out in 1994. There’s nothing rarer than the mentality on this track that they’ that they recorded when they were called Tony Flow And The Miraculously Majestic Masters Of Mayhem. It’s a 25 second slice of toilet humour recommending to wipe it with your hand if you run out of bog roll. A complete piss take but real good fun to listen to. The live version below was recorded in 1985.
Fire – (Fight Like The Brave 12" Picture Disc/12" Promo - 1987)
This shows just how brilliant of a lead guitar player and founding member of RHCP Hillel Slovak was. He had such flare nailing those difficult Hendrix licks with great feeling. He was a big Hendrix fan and also looked up to Santana, and Page. He had a very free style and improvised a lot. Sadly, he passed away in 1988 due to a heroin overdose. Flea said “Hillel was a huge influence on my life. Were it not for him, I would never had began to play the bass...Hillel is always with me and my love for him only.”
How Strong (Otherside - 1999)
'How Strong' is Californiancation Chilli’s with heavy wah-wah use and a bass line that sounds like it’s travelling through a muddy underwater cavern. Perhaps if they hadn’t gone so crazy with effects it would have made it onto the album as it’s a decent enough tune.
Yertle Trilogy (Around The World - 1999)
A seven minutes live jam that’s funky and raw, and a throwback to their '80s cock in a sock sound as opposed to the more pruned feel of Californiancation, of which ‘Around The World’ is the opening track. It’s a fantastic recording that truly makes you feel in the room as the intimate session is happening. A few cheers from those lucky enough to witness it bring it to life in a great way. The way it came out was so unplanned as you can tell nobody seems to know where to end the song and it gradually just fades out.
Slowly Deeply - (Universally Speaking - 2002)
‘Slowly Deeply’ is raw rock with a Black Sabbath meets Gang Of Four feel that morphs into bizarre John Frusciante solo that gives it a life of its own that like nothing else you’ve heard before. N.B. It’s entirely instrumental.
Gong Li (Scar Tissue - 1999)
An impressive, unique guitar instrumental from Frusciante forms and Kiedis’ pop vocals form the heart of this wistful cut. It feels like a great idea that they never quite finished.
Out Of Range (Zephyr Song - 2002)
Not overly different from anything else on the album. It sounds like something that could have been in contention for the final track listing on the album.
Time (By The Way - 2002)
A funky cut to accompany ‘By The Way’ which ended up being one of the band’s biggest hits. The tremolo-laden guitar chords and fast like quicksilver bass line from flea punctuate the verses whilst the chorus is soulful and seductive.
Teenager In Love - (By The Way - 2002)
Captures the feel of the 1959 doo-wop, rock and R&B original with expertly woven harmonies backing Kiedis leads with charisma and accuracy needed to pull it off. It’s the second b side to By The Way.
Jow (Desecration Smile - 2006)
The brilliant thing about exploring b sides is it opens you up to how broad a bands talents are. It also shows their music taste. Who would have pinned RHCP down as reggae buffs? Not me. Nevertheless, they nail the off-beat rhythms with this sweet cut that has a relaxed hazy Rastafari mood.
I'll Be Your Domino (Snow (Hey Oh) - 2006)
A track further revealing Kiedis’ fixation on nudity: “Down on the river tonight / Take off your panties and fight.” It’s nothing outstanding compared to their greatest hits but it’s a decent enough listen.
Search and Destroy (Give It Away U.S. Cassette single - 1991)
A fine choice to cover possible Iggy and The Stooges best song. It’s either that or ‘Gimme Danger’ also on Raw Power. The Chilli’s give it everything they’ve got and although there’s no way of surpassing the original they do a good job. A great track to get ready to go out for the night to.
Havana Affair (Ramones tribute album - 2003)
As opposed to imitating the punk energy of the original they’ve reigned it in to create something slower and pop. The appregio picking of Frusciante is very much of the essence of By The Way Chilli’s which was out at the time this studio version was recorded. The rough punk edges are kept to some extent though and most traceable in the rhythm guitar. Hats off to them for paying tribute for one of the seminal bands of this world.
A Certain Someone (Tell Me Baby - 2006)
Fantastic organ tones here in a cut quite down tempo and exposes Kiedis’ more conventional songwriting talents. It seems to lend from country, folk, and Radiohead. Toilet humour and penis references are left out of this one.
Show Me Your Soul (Taste The Pain - 1989)
Show Me Your Soul was originally a b-side for the singles of ‘Knock Me Down" and ‘Taste the Pain’. But it didn’t last in the shadows for long. In 1990 it was put out as a single. Goes to show that what you relegate to the background isn’t always the right decision and that real gems are overlooked.
If You Have To Ask (Disco Krisco Mix - 1991)
Stunning hip hop remix of the classic from Blood Sugar Sex Magic. It came out as the second track of a cd single (remember them?) released in 1993. You could make an album of RHCP hip hop covers and it’d do quite well if they turn out anything as interesting as this.
Bob (One Hot Minute - 1995)
21 songs exists from the One Hot Minute sessions. 13 made the album. This didn’t surface until 11 years after the release of the album it was intended Bob finally emerged as onus track on iTunes. Iy’s one of the most chilled out songs in their arsenal so perfect for a dinner time playlist.
Let's Make Evil (My Friends - 1995)
This is possibly one of the strongest songs of the lot. It was put out with ‘My Friends’ which is on One Hot Minute so Janes Addiction’s Dave Navarro’s is on guitar duty and let’s fly in places and holds back in others. But throughout there’s a top end studio quality that makes it rich, vibrant, heavy, with every texture drawing you closer. How this didn’t make the album beats me.
Melancholy Mechanics (Warped - 1995)
This is more of an outtake and not properly mixed down you can hear the fuzz of the tap machine in the background quite loudly. Nevertheless, it’s got a magnetic charm. At the start It’s got a jangle pop lo-fi indie feel which is quite extraordinary for RHCP. But they’re ill-content to remain twee and go full whack in the middle transforming into a venomous rock band for a split second. Before sinking back into Pete Astor territory.
Rivers of Avalon (Zephyr Song - 2002)
A more interesting piece of music than ‘Zephyr Song’ just not as catchy. The tone of the guitar is original and fantastic keyboard part comes in in the intro that shows the band were firing from all cylinders on the sessions surrounding the By The Way album.
Red Hot Chilli Peppers (I Found Out - 1995)
This cover of John Lennon was put out on the tribute album Working Class Hero: A Tribute To John Lennon. It’s not the slickest of studio recordings but is wild in all the right places and captures the latter day Lennon feel brilliantly.
Suffragette City (Aeroplane - 1995)
We’ve established that RHCP had influences coming from all the right places in covering Hendrix, Lennon, The Stooges, and Ramones. A live cover of David Bowie's ‘Suffragette City’ consolidates them as true comrades of rock ‘n’ roll. This is real raw energy.
Fela's Cock (Under The Bridge - 1992)
Solely instrumental funk jam that’s highly danceable and hypnotic due to the repetitive nature of it. Feels highly improvised which is an important elements of HCP existence as musicians.
Soul To Squeeze (Give It Away - 1993)
This was originally recorded for Blood Sugar Sex Magic but not featured and came out as a b side to ‘Give It Away’. However, it was so loved that it got released as a single in 1993 and now sits on the Greatest Hits album.
Millionaire's Against Hunger (Knock Me Down - 1985)
The youthful exuberance of one of their very best albums, Freaky Styley, comes through strongly on this fun funky b-side to ‘Knock Me Down’. It seems to take the piss out of Band Aid which was happening the same years as the release of this track.
