10 Classic Albums That Artists Hated Recording

After years being an underground band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers finally got their time in the spotlight around the early ‘90s. Even though the band might not have been looking to get famous by any stretch, hooking up with production guru Rick Rubin helped refine their sound on Blood Sugar Sex Magik, turning their songs into grand epics like Under the Bridge and the funky single Give It Away. With success also comes fame, and John Frusciante was not all that comfortable with being the center of attention.

After one too many massive shows, John quit the band just before they were set to go into the studio again, with Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction filling in behind the fretboard for this record. Towards the start of the sessions though, the rest of the guys also started to get into some bad habits, as Anthony Kiedis got back on hard drugs after being prescribed Valium by his dentist.

While this stands as probably the most troubled Peppers record in their catalog, it’s also one of their most ferocious as well, almost sounding like they’re trying to make a weird blend of funk and metal on songs like Warped and Transcending. Although the fans pretty much dropped this album like a bad habit once Frusciante signed back on for Californication, it’s still intriguing to think about what the band would have sounded like had they stuck to this road.