By Helen Dalley

It’s the most anticipated rock records of 2002, but - as John Frusciante reveals - the Chili Peppers’ By The Way was inspired by a lost generation of 80s guitar heroes...

Nearly 20 years since Anthony Kiedis and Flea first formed the Red Hot Chili Peppers, things are looking rosier than ever for the Californian funk rockers. 1999’s Californication was their biggest-selling album to date and something of a relief to fans who thought the band had gone off the boil with its predecessor, 1995’s One Hot Minute.

And the new album? Well, if you haven’t heard it yet, rest assured you won’t be disappointed; By The Way will do little to dent the band’s reputation as a serious creative force and everything to enhance it. From the hot funk-rock stylings of the title track to the mellower, more spiritual moments captured on Don’t Forget Me or Venice Queen, By The Way looks like another triumph. Who knows, it may even catapult the Peppers into that ‘elder statesmen of rock’ territory, thanks to its maturity and depth. Yes, they might still play stripped down to the waist, tattoos and trackmarks displayed for all the world to see, but since the Chilis swapped drugs for the natural high that comes with making good music, there’s no stopping them. And they can’t help but translate all this positive energy onto their new record. From the sounds of it, the Chili Peppers is a good place to be at the moment...

"Like Californiation, writing By The Way has been one of the happiest times in my life", begins a relaxed John Frusciante. Once again long haired and bearded , he looks slightly out of place sitting on a plump sofa in the plush surroundings of the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge. "It’s been a chance to just keep on writing better songs and improving my guitar playing."

Since John re-joined the band for Califonication, th rest of the group have greatly benefited from his dedication to - not to mention enthusiasm for - making music. As singer Anthony Kiedis says, "John is always deeply disciplined and committed to living and breathing his music at all hours of the day and night. That’s pretty infectious." But typically, he’s anxious not to single himself out. And on By The Way the Chili Peppers remain dedicated to their one-for-all-and-all-for-one jamming ideal, he claims. "I know what Anthony and Chad and Flea have said but I think of it more as a band effort. I do put a lot of energy into everything, sure, but I don’t underestimate that the real energy comes from the four of us. That’s umber one over any of our individual efforts."

Thanks partly to the group-driven work ethic, the Chilis continue to be a prolific band. As with Californication, they just came up with too much material for this album. "We recorded 28 songs in the end, some of which will be B-sides [14 made the final cut]. There was definitely a lot of good stuff, but we didn’t have time to work on everything we wrote."

Four years since the return of Frusciante, the Chili Peppers seem closer and stronger than ever. Is it something that’s getting easier, being in this band?
"Yeah... but I guess the difference between now and 10 years ago is that we’re all in the same headspace. Around the time of BloodSugar..., Flea and I were smoking a lot of pot, especially me, Anthony wasn’t and it disconnected. I thought it was having a good effect on my music, which in a way it was. But it’s the energy f the four of us that makes the music, not smoking pot of any other drug."

'I overestimated its influences. Writing has always come really naturally to me but my recommendation to musicians is you all smoke pot or none of you do: it’s good for a band to be together, be on the same plane. That’s why for Californication and By The Way I had a lot of a happier experience than when I’d worked on Mother’ Milk or BloodSugar... There’s a lot less bad energies around now we’re all coming from the same place."

Asked how he approached the writing of By The Way, John instantly namechecks a handful of different guitarists... but not the usual suspects. His heroes aren’t Clapton or ENH, but guys who pushed the instrument in obscure and challenging ways. Like Chili alumni Dave Navarro, Frusciante looks back to the 80s and what is effectively a lost generation of guitar players.

"I did have a few guitarists who I was intent of emulating and who were big influences on my sound on By The Way," he says. "Like Vini Reilly from the Durutti Column." Signed to Factory records, the Durutti Column created atmospheric, texture-laden songs. Reilly is also known for his flamenco guitar work, which, John says, partly inspired his Spanish-sounding guitar on the song Cabron. "The main thing about his guitar playing is that it’s really textural. There’s lots of really interesting chords and shapes and you can’t really tell what’s going on. It’s a combination of his Les Paul plus some echo, flanger, chorus and phaser and not using distortion.