30 Fascinating Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers, often abbreviated as RHCP, sometimes shortened as The Chili Peppers, is world renowned American funk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The band's present line-up include vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. Here are 30 interesting facts about the band:

1. Initially they were known by the name "Tony Flow," and "Majestic Masters of Mayhem."
2. On April 14, 2012, Red Hot Chili Peppers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Chris Rock, who is a longtime friend and fan of the band.
3. The rock band was awarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008.
4. Michael Peter Balzary, famous by his stage name Flea, is an avid runner, and completed the LA Marathon to raise money for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music.
5. Keidis was honored with the George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement at the UCLA Spring Sing on May 16, 2015. Following his acceptance speech, he performed "Otherside", "If You Want Me to Stay" and "By the Way" with Klinghoffer on stage.
6. Hillel Slovak, one of the founding member of the rock band, and the original guitarist, passed away in 1988 due to heroin overdose. The band wrote the tracks ‘Knock Me Down’, ‘My Lovely Man’ and ‘Dosed’ as a tribute to him.
7. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore perosnally invited Red Hot Chili Peppers to perform on behalf at the London version of his Live Earth concerts in July 2007 that were held to raise awareness towards global warming and solving the most critical environmental issues.
8. With the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Klinghoffer, at the age of 32, became the youngest artist ever to be inducted into the hall of fame, breaking Stevie Wonder's record, who was 38 at the time of his induction.
9. On December 31, 2011, the group was hired by Roman Abramovich for a reported £5 million to perform at his New Year's Eve celebration at his estate on the Caribbean island of St Bart's. The show is said to have included a special appearance from Toots Hibbert of Toots and the Maytals as they played a rendition of "Louie Louie" together.
10. The band in their very first show had Anthony Kiedis recite poetry called "Out in L.A.," to some improvised instrumentals. They played at the Rhythm Lounge club to a crowd of approximately 30 people, opening for Gary and Neighbor's Voices.
11. Chadwick Gaylord "Chad" Smith, the bands drummer since 1988, contributes to a number of charities, including Surfer’s Healing, MusiCares and the Children’s Hospitals in the United States. He is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot.
12. Their "Stadium Arcadium," a double record album, was actually supposed to be a triology of albums, as the band recorded those 38 songs to spread out over three albums to be released six months apart. Tha lbum debuted at #1 on US charts and UK charts and also peaked at #1 in 25 other countries.
13. "Tekken Force," a mini game within "Tekken 4," had four of the enemies in the final stage named after the band's lineup at that time - 'Anthony the Assassin', 'John the Assassin', 'Flea the Assassin' and 'Chad the Assassin.'
14. Red Hot Chili Peppers have been very outspoken about environment since their formation and has been creating awareness supporting various environmental causes. They have even included their views of the environment in some of their lyrics.
15. Flea was named the second best bass player ever, after The Who’s late bassist John Entwistle in a poll by Contact Music.
16. In the year 2001, Flea formed the non-profit organization "Silverlake Conservatory of Music," in Los Angeles. the organisation works with the focus to educate children in need with music lessons and instruments.
17. Kiedis has been a strict vegan since 2008. He is known to regularly practise Vipassana meditiation. He is also a follower of Kabbalah.
18. In spring 1986, EMI America gave a budget of $5,000 to record a demo tape, but Slovak put aside $2,000 for heroin and cocaine, leading to tension between band members. It was also reported that the band chose with producer Keith Levene, because of his interest in drugs.
19. On November 18, 2014, Red Hot Chili Peppers released a book "Fandemonium," dedicated to the band's fans throughout the world. The book features photographs and interviews conducted by photographer David Mushegain with fans of all ages during the band's 2011-13 "I'm with You tour."
20. Josh Klinghoffer has played with many other musicians, including everyone from P J Harvey to Tricky, Warpaint and Gnarls Barkley.
21. Keidis and Flea hosted the annual benefit for the Silverlake Conservatory of Music on October 17, 2015, in which John Legend headlined the event. The benefit which included a a special rare acoustic performance, a silent auction and dinner, had only 300 tickets available with each costing $2500.
22. The band's first self-titled album from 1984 was producer by Andy Gill, who was the guitarist of "Gang of Four," the post-punk pioneer. The Gang of Four's 1979 debut ‘Entertainment!’ is one of the all-time essentials.
23. In 2008, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) named Keidis as the Sexiest Male Vegetarian Alive. It was the same year he became a vegan.
24. Red Hot Chili Peppers raised $30 million with their live event "Under the Bridge" at the ReAct Now: Music & Relief benefit in September 2005, that was held to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
25. Kiedis released "Scar Tissue," his autobiography, in October 2004, which reveals his life story, starting from his birth in 1962, growing up in Los Angeles, to getting in contact with drugs, forming the band, his recovery from drug addiction, during his career.
26. Their 1991 hit album "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" was reportedly recording in a mansion that was once owned by magician Harry Houdini. It was also rumored that mansion was haunted. However, with the recording of the album, producer Rick Rubin had made it into his home studio.
27. Their ex-drummer Cliff Martinez is now a film composer, famous for his scores of "Traffic," "Drive," "Solaris," any many others movies. He was the once who played on the band's most popular "Freaky Styley."
28. Red Hot Chili Peppers' albums - "Blood Sugar Sex Magik," "Californication," and "By the Way," were ranked at #310, #399 and #304, respectively in the list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, by the Rolling Stone in the year 2012.
29. For his support for the MusiCares MAP Fund and his dedication in helping other addicts in the recovery process, Kiedis was honored with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award at the fifth annual MusiCares event, in May 2009.
30. Red Hot Chili Peppers holds the record for most number one singles with 12 singles, most cumulative weeks at number one with a total of 85 weeks and most top-ten songs with over 24 songs on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
31. Red Hot Chili Peppers Net Worth: RHCP, one of the best-selling bands of all time with over 80 million records sold worldwide, are ranked at #32 by the Forbes in the list of "Celebrity 100: World's Highest Paid Entertainers," with an estimated earning of $54 million.