The first time I’ve heard of RHCP was from the soundtrack from Pretty Woman (Show Me Your Soul was recorded during their Mother’s Milk period). What a way to learn about one of California’s finest alt-funk-rock acts in amongst tracks by the likes of Roy Orbison and Roxette. I didn’t pay much attention to them as I was still focussed on all things, err… hard rock/metal.

It wasn’t until the time I came to my senses musically during my third year in med school (some time after the “Pearl who?” episode, c.1993) that I started to listen to Blood Sugar Sex Magik, which in my opinion, still trumps any other RHCP record to date, thanks to my friends, Khairul and Eddie. Of course, this was the time that Give It Away was getting loadsa airtime on MTV. Unfortunately, they weren’t playing Europe much at that time (not that I was minted enough if they had played a UK venue). Even when Frusciante returned to the fold and the band finally played Sheffield for the Stadium Arcadium tour in the summer of ’06, I didn’t go see them (my usual excuse of not watching a band in too large a venue).

They returned to Sheffield to play the humble Motorpoint Arena this year in support of their current record, I’m With You. Just my luck, by this time Frusciante had left the band again. To be fair he had been back in the band for ten years. Siapa suruh tak pegi tengok in ’06 kan? The current guitarist is Josh Klinghoffer and my first impression of his playing on the record was the lack of zing! that I find in Frusciante’s playing.

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