The Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles by Kiedis, Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Due to commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band's 1984 self-titled debut album, which instead featured guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez. Slovak rejoined for their second album, Freaky Styley (1985), and Irons for their third, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987). Irons left after Slovak died of a drug overdose in June 1988.
With new recruits Frusciante and Smith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded Mother's Milk (1989) and their first major commercial success, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991). Frusciante was uncomfortable with their newfound popularity and left abruptly on tour in 1992. After a series of temporary guitarists, he was replaced by Dave Navarro, who appeared on the group's sixth album, One Hot Minute (1995). Although successful, the album failed to match the critical or popular acclaim of Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Frusciante and Kiedis struggled with drug addiction throughout the 1990s.
In 1998, following Navarro's departure, Frusciante rejoined the band. Their seventh album, Californication (1999), became their biggest commercial success, with 16 million copies sold worldwide. By the Way (2002) and Stadium Arcadium (2006) were also successful; Stadium Arcadium was their first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Frusciante left again in 2009 to focus on his solo career; he was replaced by Josh Klinghoffer, who appeared on I'm with You (2011) and The Getaway (2016), before Frusciante rejoined in 2019. They released their 12th album, Unlimited Love, in 2022.
The Chili Peppers' mix of hard rock, funk and hip hop has influenced genres such as funk metal, rap metal, rap rock and nu metal. Kiedis said the band were early to combine "hardcore funk and hip-hop-style vocals", and suggested they had influenced Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, and Linkin Park. Smith said, "Certainly Anthony's singing style and voice lends itself to being unique, and nobody sounds like him. The cool thing about it is we can play any style of music whether it's hard and fast, or loud or quiet, slow or medium, whatever it is; rock or funk, and it still sounds like us. I'm proud of that because sometimes bands don't have that strong personality where you go, 'Oh, that's boom, right away.'"
The Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame In April 2012. The induction lineup was Kiedis, Flea, Smith, Klinghoffer, Frusciante, Slovak (represented by his brother James), Irons and Martinez; Frusciante was invited, but did not attend. Navarro and Sherman were not inducted; Sherman said he felt "dishonored". The band performed "By the Way", "Give It Away" and "Higher Ground", which included Irons and Martinez on drums. It was the first time Kiedis and Flea had performed with Irons in more than 20 years.
In 2003, Rolling Stone released their first list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time", with Blood Sugar Sex Magik at 310 and Californication at 399. In 2012, a revised list was released, with Californication at 401. In 2020, Rolling Stone released another version of the list, with Blood Sugar Sex Magik at 186 and Californication at 286.
The band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on March 31, 2022. George Clinton, Woody Harrelson and Bob Forrest unveiled the star at the ceremony.
Leverage of Space
Red Hot Chili Peppers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shade, stay, know all
but they communicate
try, fade,
the leverage of space
Star, jay,
the fall dawn aim to place
with shades on,
the leverage of...
Chorus:
Shade, shade, shade,
the leverage of, the leverage of
Space, shade, shade,
the leverage of, the leverage of
Verse 2:
Hate breaks down
mountains that we
make so tame
oh, the leverage of...
Chorus:
Shade, shade, shade,
the leverage of, the leverage of
Space, shade, shade,
the leverage of, the leverage of
Bridge:
When I was down upon myself
I walked a road thats always there
you and I were everywhere
and I'm alone
She would never know the reason
that I loved to come and see her
where she sits I'll never go
you know it's always there
Outro:
the leverage of, the leverage of
The lyrics to Red Hot Chili Peppers’ song Leverage of Space seem to explore the concept of control and power dynamics in relationships. The opening lines of the first verse, “Shade, stay, know all, but they communicate, try, fade, the leverage of space,” suggest that there may be a manipulative element at play where one partner tries to assert dominance by withholding information or being elusive. The mention of shades could refer to a mask or façade that one partner puts up to create distance and maintain their sense of control. The repetition of “the leverage of space” throughout the song reinforces the idea that space (both physical and emotional) can be a tool of power and manipulation in relationships.
The second verse seems to touch upon the idea of insecurity and how it can lead to destructive behavior in a relationship. The line “hate breaks down mountains that we make so tame” suggests that we can destroy something even when it seems solid and unbreakable due to negative emotions. The chorus repeats the phrase “the leverage of” followed by “shade” or “space” which emphasizes the idea of control and manipulation through distance and withholding.
The bridge and outro offer a brief moment of introspection where the singer reflects on his own actions and emotions. The lines “when I was down upon myself, I walked a road that's always there, you and I were everywhere, and I'm alone” suggest that the singer may have been struggling with feelings of isolation and self-doubt. The final line “the leverage of, the leverage of” serves as a reminder that these power struggles are a recurring theme in relationships and can lead to immense pain and suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
Shade, stay, know all
In the midst of darkness and shadows, everything stays put in its place even though we know it all.
but they communicate
However, the shades communicate with each other and relay that message to us, allowing us to see beyond the darkness.
try, fade,
Attempt to disappear or blend in with the shades.
the leverage of space
Space gives us the opportunity to hide or stand out amongst everything else.
Star, jay,
All kinds of symbols and creatures are vying for our attention and recognition.
the fall dawn aim to place
They all aim to occupy a spot in our consciousness as the sun rises and sets.
with shades on,
While still blending in with the surroundings.
the leverage of...
The power of space and shade to give us more control over our perceived visibility.
Hate breaks down
Hate can destroy even the biggest obstacles we've built up for ourselves.
mountains that we
The mountains represent any challenge or perceived limitation we've created for ourselves.
make so tame
We try to make these obstacles manageable and unthreatening to us.
oh, the leverage of...
The power of space and shade again comes into play, allowing us to either be seen among the obstacles or to disappear from them.
When I was down upon myself
During times of self-doubt or insecurity,
I walked a road thats always there
We can always find a path to follow where we can gain some sense of direction and purpose.
you and I were everywhere
We always have someone willing to stand by and support us during our struggles.
and I'm alone
Despite the support we have, we may still feel alone at times.
She would never know the reason
The person we care about the most may not fully understand our reasons for loving and caring about them.
that I loved to come and see her
We may have our own reasons for wanting to spend time with someone, whether they understand them or not.
where she sits I'll never go
Even though we care about this person, we may not always be available to be with them at all times.
you know it's always there
Yet, there will always be something there, whether it's our love for them or something else entirely.
the leverage of, the leverage of
The power of space and shade to give us more control over our perceived visibility.
Contributed by Daniel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Max Klot
"Leverage Of Space"
Shade, stay, know all
But they communicate
Try, fade
The leverage of space
Star, jay
The fall dawn aim to place
With shades on
The leverage of
Shade, shade, shade
The leverage of, the leverage of
Space, shade, shade
The leverage of, the leverage of
Hate breaks down
Mountains that we
Make so tame
Oh, the leverage of
Shade, shade, shade
The leverage of, the leverage of
Space, shade, shade
The leverage of, the leverage of
When I was down upon myself
I walked a road that's always there
You and I were everywhere
And I'm alone
She would never know the reason
That I loved to come and see her
Where she sits, I'll never go
You know it's always there
The leverage of, the leverage of
Cosmo Gamer
the fact that we cant hear a studio version of this is a crime against humanity
Bridgetta Winchester
Agreed, but maybe that’s why it’s so special
Alan Woods
Live will always be better
Gonzalo Díaz Gallardo
Chad said they recorded this Song on studio. Lets. just. wait a couple of years
Anthony D’Alessandro
Indeed my fellow rocker, indeed..🤘🎸
devin C
@Gonzalo Díaz Gallardo source?
horak delpuerto
such a deep emotional song.. looks like fleas bass is crying and johns guitar is comforting it.
Materialista Dialéctico
Dude, the song spoke to you. Beautiful.
Toni Štulić
I always heard it the other way around in this ones. Funny how music can do this to you. And we're both right
giannis tsiligkiridis
Great interpretation