When Red Hot Chili Peppers’ sophomore album ‘Freaky Styley’ was on tour, Anthony Kiedis and Hillel Slovak were suffering with substance problems. Slovak kept his struggle hidden until his bandmates realized his health was deteriorating by the day. By the time their third album, ‘The Uplift Mofo Party Plan,’ was released, Slovak had begun to distance himself from the band. Despite his efforts to become clean on his own, the guitarist was found dead at his house after a heroin overdose. Despite the fact that Hillel died many years ago, Anthony revealed his deepest regret about his late bandmate and friend in a 2005 interview with SPIN. He stated, ” “There are times when I listen to our early music and wish [original guitarist] Hillel Slovak had lived longer to see where life would have taken him, but I know that was just his course in life, to be a short-timer.
” Kiedis stated that in retrospect, everything transpired just as it should have. The rocker went on to say: “I accept the vast majority of what has occurred.” Even the heinous things, all the time I squandered and the years of inactivity. They all seemed to add up to something.” Although Anthony had accepted Slovak’s death, when it occurred in 1988, he not only skipped town but also was unable to attend the guitarist’s funeral. Instead, he went fishing in a Mexican village before a friend convinced him to check into rehab and get clean. Anthony Kiedis’ 2005 interview with SPIN may be found here.
