Josh Klinghoffer is sharing details of his recent exit from the Red Hot Chili Peppers lineup after a decade with the group.
Just days after being advised that the band were bringing John Frusciante back in the fold, Klinghoffer sat in on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast to explain the decision was a “complete shock but not a surprise,” and that there is no lingering animosity between himself and his former bandmates.
According to Rolling Stone, Klinghoffer revealed to Maron how the band informed him, in person at Flea’s home, about their decision to reunite with Frusciante.
“They just said, ‘We’ll get right to it. We’ve decided to ask John to come back to the band,’ ” explained Klinghoffer. “And I just sat there quiet for a second and I said, ‘I’m not surprised.’ And the only thing I could think to say was, ‘I wish I could have done something with you guys, musically or creatively, that would have made this an absolute impossibility.’ “
After joining the Peppers in 2009, Klinghoffer played on 2011’s “I’m With You” and 2016’s “The Getaway”” – both reached No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 and topped the charts in several countries – and appeared on a number of EPs issued in the past decade.
“It’s absolutely John’s place to be in that band. So that’s why I’m happy for him, I’m happy that he’s back with them,” Klinghoffer told Maron. “If John coming back had happened five years ago, it would have been hard for me, temporally, to weigh [my work] against what they had. Now, after 10 years, two tours, and almost three albums of writing, I’m really proud of what I did with them. I feel like we did create something.”
Listen to Klinghoffer on WTF with Marc Maron podcast here.
The Chili Peppers currently have a handful of festivals on their live schedule this year, including three US dates in May and four the following month in Europe.
Drummer Chad Smith recently confirmed that the band are working on new music with Frusciante.
See also:
Red Hot Chili Peppers working on new album with John Frusciante
Red Hot Chili Peppers announce return of guitarist John Frusciante
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea to release memoir this fall
VIDEO: Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at Egypt’s Pyramids Of Giza
Search Red Hot Chili Peppers at hennemusic
