Red Hot Chilli Peppers: By the Way: The Biography

by Dave Thompson

The Chili Peppers' groundbreaking rock/funk/pop fusion has gained them a huge and loyal fan base over the years, but the worldwide success of their 2002 album By The Way has now pushed them into the top league of alternative rock crossover success. The product of several years of detailed research, Dave Thompson's in-depth, fully updated account of the band's private lives and public highs and lows is not just a must-read for any serious fan of the Chili Peppers, but a perfect way for their legions of fans to discover their remarkable story.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

296 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

English author Dave Thompson has spent his entire working life writing biographies of other people, but is notoriously reluctant to write one for himself. Unlike the subjects of some of his best known books, he was neither raised by ferrets nor stolen from gypsies. He has never appeared on reality TV (although he did reach the semi finals of a UK pop quiz when he was sixteen), plays no musical instruments and he can’t dance, either.

However, he has written well over one hundred books in a career that is almost as old as U2’s… whom he saw in a club when they first moved to London, and memorably described as “okay, but they’ll never get any place.” Similar pronouncements published on the future prospects of Simply Red, Pearl Jam and Wang Chung (oh, and Curiosity Killed The Cat as well) probably explain why he has never been anointed a Pop Culture Nostradamus. Although the fact that he was around to pronounce gloomily on them in the first place might determine why he was recently described as “a veteran music journalist.”

Raised on rock, powered by punk, and still convinced that “American Pie” was written by Fanny Farmer and is best played with Meatloaf, Thompson lists his five favorite artists as old and obscure; his favorite album is whispered quietly and he would like to see Richard and Linda Thompson’s “I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight” installed as the go-to song for the sad, sappy ending for every medical drama on TV.

Kurt Cobain, Phil Collins, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, David Bowie, John Travolta, Eric Clapton, Jackson Browne, Bob Marley, Roger Waters and the guy who sang that song in the jelly commercial are numbered among the myriad artists about whom Thompson has written books; he has contributed to the magazines Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, Mojo and Melody Maker; and he makes regular guest appearances on WXPN’s Highs in the Seventies show.

Reviews

[Patrick Quinn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book sucked. Seemed as though the author would rather write about anything else than the red hot chili peppers. He meticulously explains so cal punk only to say punk was originally from England not New York. Also it's asshole not areshole you wanted. Skip this book if you were born before 1995, or know anything about music and the punk scene.

[Matthew Lam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another biography that I have read during this summer holiday and I think this one is better than the one before ( the Green Day one ) .
The reason why I think this book is better is because this book features more stories about the band on tour , for example , this book talks about some rituals that all of them do before performing. This book also tells us some of their tips about writing a good song and that part certainly helped me .

[Mr James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough, but factually inaccurate in a number of areas and seemed more interested in talking about the roots of punk music than RHCP at times. Also very heavily focused on early years and barely anything of note from OHM onwards.

[Xan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regalo para los fans.

[I read (Sam) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot on everything around the chili peppers, not so much about them, worth the read I guess but not the best

[Jack Baldwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly well written the author is spectacular but honestly the chilli peppers themselves are kind of dicks.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not one that reads biographies all the time but seeing this in a charity shop, I just couldn't resist the chance to know about the origins of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and I am not disappointed by this book!
I'd call myself a huge fan of their 'By the Way' album and a few other songs here and there but this book is a great way for people to find out how they got to making such an influential album. No doubt their style changed throughout the years but this book explains why and it only should make other fans realising growing up and changing is part of life and if you're a musician it will show in what you do.

I thought Thompson did a fantastic job with the facts and information he included. I certainly recommend reading it, even if you're not their biggest fan, it's lovely to see what the music industry was like around that time, especially as so many other influential bands, were rising at the time.

[John Somers · Rating 2 out of 5]

7/20. Poor book. Struggled to get through it. Far too much discussion of the bands musical influences and too little info on their struggles with drug addiction and their personal lives. Reads like most of it could have been written by someone whos read a lot about the band but never actually met them.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The boys are so darn cute. I actually blushed while I was reading this book in the staff lounge during lunch. I had to pull the book up close so no one else could see the pictures. I finally got so embarrassed that I had to close the book and finish it later.

[Brett Tompkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in highschool. Very interesting story.

[Leigh Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly researched. Informative

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this Bio. I read it right after I read Nirvana and thought the same...WOWOWOW. Never judge a book by its cover.