In a move that has surprised fans, the iconic rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers have publicly distanced themselves from an upcoming Netflix film centered on their formative years. The band asserts that while they participated in interviews, the project is not their official story.
A Statement of Clarification
On Monday, the core members of the Grammy-winning group—vocalist Anthony Kiedis (63), bassist Flea (63), drummer Chad Smith (64), and guitarist John Frusciante (55)—released a collective statement via their official Instagram channel. Their message was clear: they had “nothing to do with it creatively” regarding the documentary, titled The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The film, announced by Netflix last Friday, promises to delve into the band’s gritty origins in the Los Angeles music scene, with a particular focus on original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died of a heroin overdose in 1988.
Honoring a Friend, Not Authorizing a Biography
The band’s statement elaborated on their reason for participating, explaining it was done out of respect for their late friend. “Dear people of the universe, about a year ago, we were asked to be interviewed for a documentary about Hillel Slovak. He was a founding member of the group, a great guitarist, and friend,” the post began.
However, the group took issue with the documentary’s marketing, which frames it as a comprehensive band biography. “This documentary is now being advertised as a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary, which it is not,” the statement continued. “We have yet to make a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary. The central subject of this current Netflix special is Hillel Slovak and we hope it sparks interest in him and his work.”
The Vision Behind the Film
Directed by Ben Feldman, the documentary is described in trade publications like Variety as “a deeply relatable story — about the friendships that shape our identities and the lasting power of the bonds forged in adolescence.” The project holds a deeply personal connection, with Hillel Slovak’s older brother, James Slovak, serving as an executive producer.
The Rise Of The Red Hot Chili Peppers is scheduled to premiere globally on Netflix on March 20, following its debut at the Cannes Film Festival last year.
The Legacy of Hillel Slovak and the Early Days
The documentary’s focus on the band’s inception highlights a pivotal yet tragic chapter in their history. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were originally formed in 1983 by Kiedis, Flea, drummer Jack Irons, and guitarist Hillel Slovak. Their roots, however, stretch back even further to the late 1970s at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles.
It was there that Israeli-American guitarist Slovak first founded a band called Chain Reaction, which later evolved into Anthym and then What Is This?. This group included future RHCP members Flea, who was taught to play bass by vocalist Alain Johannes, and eventually, Anthony Kiedis.
By late 1982, the quartet of Slovak, Kiedis, Flea, and Irons performed a now-legendary show under the moniker Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem. Their explosive funk-punk energy quickly garnered attention, leading to a record deal and a new, permanent name: the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Slovak departed briefly before the recording of their self-titled 1984 debut album but returned for the follow-ups Freaky Styley and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan. His life was tragically cut short in June 1988 by an accidental heroin overdose, a loss that profoundly shook the band and led to Irons’ departure.
Despite this devastating blow, the Red Hot Chili Peppers persevered. Over a career spanning four decades, they have become one of the best-selling bands of all time, moving over 120 million records worldwide with era-defining hits like “Under the Bridge,” “Californication,” and “Scar Tissue.” While the new Netflix special explores their raw, early struggle, the band itself confirms that the definitive telling of their full story is yet to come.
