Judging by his recent YouTube video, it seems like Justin Hawkins wanted to make amends with the Red Hot Chili Peppers as he listened to an RHCP song he liked and gave it an honest review. The Darkness frontman also shared the one AC/DC trait the rockers had in their track and noted how it helped him love the song.
Hawkins started the video by saying that he hadn’t been a fan of the band in the past, as he previously criticized John Frusciante, stating that the guitarist lacked expression in his playing. However, the singer had received criticism from RHCP fans, so he decided to react to a song he appreciated.
It was ‘Give It Away,’ from the band’s hit record, ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik,’ released in the early ’90s. The rocker wanted to review the song so that he could make much more positive remarks about RHCP’s music and possibly, reconcile with the audience, who enjoyed listening to the band.
The singer began his video with this disclaimer-wise intro:
“I know there had been occasions when I’ve made disparaging remarks about the expression or the lack thereof in John Frusciante’s guitar playing. I wanted to take today to react to a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. [It’s] ‘Give It Away,’ which came out in 1991.
So, I have angered a few people in the past on Justin Hawkins Rides Again for not appreciating the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ music in exactly the same way that a Red Hot Chili Peppers enthusiast might. So, today I’m gonna try and react to a song I think I like and find some positives in their music.”
The Darkness frontman continued by listening to the song, reviewing the music video, and appreciating Anthony Kiedis’ vocals and John Frusciante’s bluesy guitar riffs. It seemed to Justin that John had a unique expression in this particular track, and as the guitarist’s backward solo started, the singer stated it reminded him of an AC/DC move, so maybe that’s why he loved ‘Give It Away.’
Justin Hawkins compares the backward guitar solo to AC/DC’s riffs:
“A backward guitar solo… that’s why I always love this one. When those backward solos occur after the second and third choruses, it goes into like a similar riff to the A1, but in E. That’s a bit of an AC/DC movement. Maybe that’s why I always liked it; it’s just a bit more interesting.”
So, it looks like Hawkins made his amends with the band, at least with one particular song he believed he liked due to similar melodic expressions AC/DC had used in their music. Still, Hawkins knew to appreciate Kiedis and Frusciante’s guitar riffs and licks as he noted how impressive the track was.
