10 Perfect Albums That Broke Up The Band
3. Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Some sort of magic was unlocked in the Red Hot Chili Peppers once John Frusciante joined the band. Though Hillel Slovak never really had the chance to show his stuff in the studio before passing away from a drug overdose, John became the perfect translator for Anthony Kiedis' strange ideas, forming melodies out of his spoken word poetry and moving into something closer to rock than funky hip hop. It all seemed to pay off when Blood Sugar Sex Magik came out, but it might have been a little too big for them to handle.
The Peppers were always intended to be a bit underground in the world of rock, and now they were quickly becoming stars on MTV, with songs like Under the Bridge and Give It Away becoming staples on the channel for the next few years. John didn't exactly sign on for this kind of attention, and when the paparazzi started to follow them everywhere, he started to quickly crack under the pressure.
Throughout the tour, John went from his usual wild self to being much more secluded, getting hooked on heroin and phoning in gigs, including an infamous SNL performance where he barely moved a muscle trying to start Under the Bridge. Looking to follow his own vices, John eventually figured enough was enough and quit the band right before they were about to go onstage in Tokyo, spending the next few years getting more messed up on drugs. The Peppers had already gone through losing a friend and guitarist, and now they had to watch while they saw their new star wither away.