Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has opened up about his departure from the band and the erasure of his contributions from their active catalog, in an interview published by Guitar World.
Klinghoffer was asked whether it bothers him that the albums he and Dave Navarro made with the band — records some fans prefer over those made with John Frusciante — are largely ignored by the group. He offered a candid and measured response.
“Not really. But I appreciate you saying that. It’s a funny thing,” Klinghoffer said. “I guess it’s particular to the way John views the band when he’s not in it, and it makes sense to me. They have enough music that they don’t need to look to some of the other records.”
He went on to acknowledge the impact this may have on fans who connected with those albums, including One Hot Minute, I’m With You, and The Getaway.
“But for anyone who connected with those albums, like One Hot Minute, or the two I made with them… I imagine it’s a little weird for me to be banished from the catalog and the live performance,” he continued. “I guess it’s just something unique to that band, you know? Having such a revolving door there, and such a strong presence in John. He’s kind of the preeminent guitar player, you know? He’s the one who made the work with them where they experienced their global fame.”
Klinghoffer’s comments offer a rare glimpse into the emotional reality of being written out of a band’s legacy — one that stretches back over a decade of work and two full studio albums.
Klinghoffer joined Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2009, stepping in after Frusciante had quietly exited the band earlier that year, as noted on Wikipedia. He went on to record I’m With You (2011) and The Getaway (2016) with the group. The recordings were followed by a combined world tour cycle that spanned several years.
The band’s final show with Klinghoffer took place on November 2, 2019, at a charity performance. On December 15, 2019, Red Hot Chili Peppers officially announced Klinghoffer’s departure and Frusciante’s simultaneous return, as reported by Ultimate Guitar. The move left little room for a gradual transition or public farewell.
During his tenure, Klinghoffer’s era setlists regularly featured material from both I’m With You and The Getaway alongside the band’s classic catalog. Following Frusciante’s return, however, the band’s live direction shifted noticeably away from Klinghoffer-era material. The new lineup leaned heavily into the Frusciante-era discography that defined the band’s commercial peak in the 1990s and early 2000s, as documented on Wikipedia.
Since his exit, Klinghoffer has remained active in the music world. He has pursued his solo project Pluralone and has gone on to serve as a touring and session member for both Pearl Jam and Jane’s Addiction, as detailed on Wikipedia. The current interview was made in promotion of his latest Pluralone release.
