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.
Zone
John Frusciante Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I washed my face
Me being prone to reverse and split in my ways
They're enclosed offside see you
You missed my fate
They're off sides, oh if I could be you
Wouldn't miss a day
Up and collide with the plan
What makes the one feel the essential sum of what is
I see through the lens
Don't go outside or within
The vision extends to what I am given
No more, no less
I'm in the last part
I'm in the first start
You end me, we get down
When you go up
I'm within you
My opposite is then round you
Life's lines go down
I'm around you
And he is inside you
When you go up
I'm within you, baby
My opposite is then round you
Life's lines go down
I'm around you
And he is inside you
The lyrics of John Frusciante's song "Zone" suggest a sense of detachment from the outside world and a deeper focus on one's internal state. The phrase "I'm in the zone" likely refers to a state of intense concentration or inspiration, perhaps related to creative endeavors or personal growth. The following line "I washed my face" could represent a symbolic cleansing of any external distractions or negative influences. Frusciante then admits that he can be prone to reversing and splitting in his ways, indicating some inner conflict or struggle to maintain a consistent path.
The next few lines are a bit more cryptic, but seem to allude to missed opportunities or regrets. Frusciante sings "They're enclosed offside see you, You missed my fate, They're off sides, oh if I could be you, Wouldn't miss a day." These lines could be interpreted in a few different ways, but it seems like Frusciante is expressing a desire to switch places with someone who has had better luck or made better choices. However, he also seems to acknowledge that this is impossible, and that the only option is to continue with the current path.
The rest of the song continues to delve into Frusciante's introspective thoughts and feelings. He discusses the relationship between the self and others, as well as the cyclical nature of life and the interconnectedness of all things. Overall, "Zone" appears to be a contemplative and somewhat abstract exploration of the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in the zone, nigga
I'm fully focused and in the groove of whatever I'm doing right now.
I washed my face
I cleansed myself of any external impurities that might distract me from being in the zone.
Me being prone to reverse and split in my ways
I have a tendency to fall back into old habits and ways of thinking, but I'm aware of this and actively working on changing it.
They're enclosed offside see you
Other people can't always appreciate or understand my perspective, which can feel isolating at times.
You missed my fate
You failed to grasp the significance of what I was trying to tell you or express.
They're off sides, oh if I could be you
Others may be out of sync with me, but I still try to understand their point of view.
Wouldn't miss a day
If I were in someone else's shoes, I would be more consistent in meeting expectations or getting things done.
Up and collide with the plan
I'm actively pursuing my goals and making progress toward them, even if it means facing obstacles and challenges.
One season don't understand
Some experiences or challenges may seem insurmountable or confusing in the moment, but they can be overcome with time and perspective.
What makes the one feel the essential sum of what is
What gives something or someone their core essence or identity, and what allows them to fully express that uniqueness.
I see through the lens
I view the world or my experiences from a specific perspective or framework.
Don't go outside or within
I'm staying centered and focused on my current task or objective.
The vision extends to what I am given
My understanding or perception of things is limited by my current experiences and knowledge.
No more, no less
There is no need for me to embellish or exaggerate my experiences or accomplishments; they are what they are.
I'm in the last part
I'm at the end of something or on the downward slope of a project or goal.
I'm in the first start
I'm at the beginning stages of something new or exciting.
You end me, we get down
If you bring me to my breaking point or challenge me, we will engage in a heated debate or conflict.
When you go up
When you succeed or experience a positive outcome.
I'm within you
I'm a part of you or your experiences in some way.
My opposite is then round you
There is an opposing force or factor present that balances or contradicts what you're experiencing or feeling.
Life's lines go down
There will be ups and downs in life, but these are necessary for growth and development.
I'm around you
I'm there for you, in good times and bad.
And he is inside you
There is a deeper inner voice or intuition guiding you through life's challenges and opportunities.
Writer(s): John Frusciante Copyright: Niandra La Des Music
Contributed by Katherine H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@marcinjaskolski6262
Masterpiece
@mauroalizzi7108
IMO the outro is similar to something from the Stadium Arcadium era, just beautiful
@giuseppealizzi2490
Mauro Alizzi no
@pagapollo5601
yes
@renatmelamed6140
It sounds like it was inspired by the Smiths' song Meat is Murder. It's a typical Johnny Marr kind of thing.
@jjwp-ql5rv
@@renatmelamed6140
Marr has played on John's records, and he's friends with him. So, I'm not surprised.
@Apjooz
In some ways reminds me of Detroit by the Chilis.
@davidgolfgti1
"I'm in the zone nigga"
@fedeelcapoo
i mean nigga!
@JacobClark93
damnit you beat us to it lol