Frusciante joined the Chili Peppers at the age of 18 after the death of guitarist Hillel Slovak, and first appeared on their album Mother's Milk (1989). His second album with the band, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991), was their breakthrough success. Overwhelmed by the band's newfound popularity, he quit in 1992. He became a recluse and entered a period of heroin addiction, during which he released his first solo recordings: Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt (1994) and Smile from the Streets You Hold (1997). In 1998, he completed drug rehabilitation and rejoined the Chili Peppers, taking them to major success with their albums Californication (1999), By the Way (2002) and Stadium Arcadium (2006). He left the Red Hot Chili Peppers again in 2009 to focus on solo work, and rejoined in 2019.
Frusciante's solo work encompasses genres including experimental rock, ambient music and electronica. He released six albums in 2004, each exploring different genres and recording techniques. In 2009, Frusciante released The Empyrean, which features Chili Peppers bassist Flea and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. Frusciante also releases acid house under the alias Trickfinger. With Klinghoffer and Joe Lally, he has released two albums as Ataxia.
Frusciante was named one of the greatest guitarists by Rolling Stone and Gibson, and in a BBC poll. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2012.
Frusciante's musical style has evolved over the course of his career. Although he received moderate recognition for his early guitar work, it was not until later in his career that music critics and guitarists alike began to fully recognize it: in October 2003, he was ranked eighteenth in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Frusciante attributes this recent recognition to his shift in focus, stating that he chose an approach based on rhythmic patterns inspired by the complexity of material Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen produced. On earlier records, however, much of his output was influenced by various underground punk and new wave musicians.
In general, his sound is also defined by an affinity for vintage guitars. All the guitars that he owns, records, and tours with were made before 1970. Frusciante uses the specific guitar that he finds appropriate for a certain song. All of the guitars he owned before quitting the band were destroyed when his house burned down in 1996. The first guitar he bought after rejoining the Chili Peppers was a 1962 red Fender Jaguar. His most-often used guitar, however, is a 1961 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster that was given to him as a gift from Anthony Kiedis after Frusciante rejoined the Chili Peppers in 1998. He has played this guitar on every album since rejoining the Chili Peppers, and their ensuing tours. He also owns a 1955 Fender Stratocaster, his only Strat with a maple fretboard. Frusciante's most highly appraised instrument is a 1955 Gretsch White Falcon, which he used twice per show for the songs Californication and Otherside. Since 2006, he only uses it for the latter song, saying there was "no room for it", preferring multiple Stratocasters for the Stadium Arcadium tour. Virtually all of Frusciante's acoustic work is played with a 1950s Martin 0–15.
After leaving the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he switched to using a Yamaha SG as his primary guitar for his solo work. "With the Yamaha SG, I could play along with guitar players who were playing, say, Les Pauls, and feel like the sound matched what I was hearing on the record. ... People like Robert Fripp, Mick Ronson, Tony Iommi, and particularly John McGeoch from Siouxsie and the Banshees, who played a Yamaha SG, which is why I bought one in the first place". Frusciante has also noted his increased use of the Roland MC-202 for his electronic music, saying that he was at the point "where I thought as much like a 202ist as I did a guitarist ..." The MC-202 has been his primary melodic instrument in his electronic music.
With the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Frusciante provided backing vocals in a falsetto tenor, a style he started on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. He thoroughly enjoyed his role in the Chili Peppers as backing vocalist, and said that backing vocals are a "real art form". Despite his commitment to the Chili Peppers, he felt that his work with the band should remain separate from his solo projects. When he returned to the Chili Peppers in 1998, Kiedis wanted the band to record "Living in Hell", a song Frusciante had written several years before. Frusciante refused, feeling that the creative freedom he needed for his solo projects would have conflicted with his role in the band.
Mistakes
John Frusciante Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That you make your own surroundings
Life is a dream and is made by
Inwardly seeing what you want it to be
Success has it's trappings
You judge yourself based on how you think you're seen
And you may guess how you're spoken about
And try to fit into a box ‘till you can’t get out or move freely about
Respect who you are inside, let your heart be your guide
What other think says nothing about you
Just how you relate to what they're going through
And that's not much, does not say much
Unless it’s a friend when it’s everything
Those who don’t want you to be anything but what you are
Do you feel this, my sad emotion? Do you feel it inside my baby?
Forever is here in receptive motion, earth with a river inside my baby
Do you feel it inside your body? Earth with a river inside my baby
The lyrics to John Frusciante's song Mistakes are about the idea that our mistakes can help shape our personal growth and perspective in life. The opening line, "Mistakes help one see," suggests that making mistakes can actually be a positive thing. The lyrics go on to explain that our life experiences are created by how we see the world internally. The line "Life is a dream and is made by inwardly seeing what you want it to be" reinforces this idea.
The song also touches on the concept of success and how it can create its own set of problems. Frusciante reminds us that we shouldn't judge ourselves based on how we think others perceive us. He suggests that we should let our hearts guide us and not worry about fitting into a specific image or mold. The line "Respect who you are inside, let your heart be your guide" emphasizes this message.
The song ends with Frusciante questioning whether his emotions are being felt by someone else. He mentions "earth with a river inside my baby," which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the interconnectedness of all things.
Overall, Mistakes is a song that encourages the listener to embrace authenticity and personal growth. It suggests that our mistakes and emotions are important factors in shaping our perspective and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Mistakes help one see
Mistakes have value as they allow for personal growth and insight.
That you make your own surroundings
One's environment is a reflection of their own choices and actions.
Life is a dream and is made by
One's perception shapes their reality, life is subjective.
Inwardly seeing what you want it to be
One has the power to manifest their desires through visualization and affirmation.
Success has it's trappings
Achieving success can come with its own set of challenges and drawbacks.
You judge yourself based on how you think you're seen
Self-worth can be based on external validation and perception.
And you may guess how you're spoken about
One may assume how others talk about them behind their back.
And try to fit into a box ‘till you can’t get out or move freely about
Conforming to societal norms can limit personal expression and freedom.
Respect who you are inside, let your heart be your guide
Honor your true self and listen to your intuition.
What other think says nothing about you
Other people's opinions do not define or determine one's worth or identity.
Just how you relate to what they're going through
Empathy and compassion are important in how we connect with others.
And that's not much, does not say much
Other people's experiences and perceptions do not lessen one's own struggles or experiences.
Unless it’s a friend when it’s everything
The support and understanding of a close friend can greatly impact one's well-being.
Those who don’t want you to be anything but what you are
True friends accept and value one's authentic self.
Do you feel this, my sad emotion? Do you feel it inside my baby?
Expressing vulnerability and emotion can create deeper connections with others.
Forever is here in receptive motion, earth with a river inside my baby
The eternal present moment is full of potential and growth, symbolized by the earth and river.
Do you feel it inside your body? Earth with a river inside my baby
Encouragement to connect with one's own inner power and potential.
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Foukez
Mistakes help one see
That you make your own surroundings
Life is a dream
And is made by inwardly seeing what you want it to be
Success has it's trappings
You judge yourself based on how you think you're seen
And you may guess how you're spoken about
And try to fit into a box 'till you can't get out
Or move freely about
Respect who you are inside
Let your heart be your guide
What other think says nothing about you
Just how you relate to what they're going through
And that's not much
Does not say much
Unless it's a friend when it's everything
Those who don't want you to be anything but what you are
Do you feel this, my sad emotion
Do you feel it inside my baby
Forever is here in receptive motion
Earth with a river inside my baby
Do you feel it inside your body
Earth with a river inside my baby
@mertcangenc273
Mistakes help one see
That you make your own surroundings
Life is a dream
And is made by inwardly seeing what you want it to be
Success has it’s trappings
You judge yourself based on how you think you’re seen
And you may guess how you’re spoken about
And try to fit into a box ‘till you can’t get out or move freely about
Respect who you are inside
Let your heart be your guide
What other think says nothing about you
Just how you relate to what they’re going through
And that’s not much
Does not say much
Unless it’s a friend when it’s everything
Those who don’t want you to be anything but what you are
Do you feel this, my sad emotion
Do you feel it inside my baby
Forever is here in receptive motion
Earth with a river inside my baby
Do you feel it inside your body
Earth with a river inside my baby
Perfect lyrics
@timmbrockmann959
A song to blast on high volume while jumping and dancing through the flat like crazy
@lr_9392
such an underrated song
@timmbrockmann959
I feel like his whole output since 2009 is underrated.. so many people want him to play his old style again, but I honestly think this is even few steps above, which is insane.. he just keeps better and better, yet you can´t really compare any of his different output either.
@marvinvieth7853
fuku
@GB-333
@Timm Brockmann no
@isuckatguitar6252
I loved this period when he was fusing guitar & electronic music.It was the best!
@feliperodrigues4830
https://youtu.be/EMlvr9IXtsY
@TheALyon8
I dug some of it for sure.
@graagraes
This song is like having a peptalk from John Frusciante. Such wholesome and helpful lyrics
@kelpiekarolina4650
Gracias mil gracias por componer esta cancion eres lo mas hermoso que existe en el planeta,ojala algun dia pueda conocerte pues te admiroo demasiado no hay dia que no oiga tu musica te quiero!