Henrik Lewandowski, 40 Berlin (84 RHCP Shows)
A GIRL ASKED ME TO DANCE IN A NIGHT CLUB. “UNDER THE BRIDGE” WAS PLAYING. IMMEDIATELY I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SOUND AND LYRICS. I ASKED HER WHAT THE BAND’S NAME WAS. THAT WAS JUNE 20, 1992.
THE PEPPERS WERE ON A TV SHOW IN COLOGNE, GERMANY ON APRIL 26, 2006. THEY WERE BEING INTERVIEWED AND THEY POINTED AT ME AND CHAD SAID “HE FOLLOWS US EVERYWHERE! EVERYWHERE!”
I LOVE SHARING WITH THE RHCP FAN COMMUNITY. I UPLOAD LIVE UPDATES FROM SHOWS ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK AND ALWAYS UPLOAD ANTHONY’S HANDWRITTEN SET LIST RIGHT AT THE END OF THE CONCERT. MY FAVORITE RECORD IS BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK. I WOULD SAY MY DREAM IS TO GO TO RHCP SHOWS ALL AROUND THE WORLD. I JUST WANT TO JOIN THE SHOW AND MEET ALL THE LOVELY FANS!
Vojtech Coufel, 28 Alena Rakova, 28 Tereza Tersova, 24 Martin Rak, 24 Prague
Ofek Gilboa, 25 Israel
WHEN I LISTEN TO MUSIC I LIKE TO IMAGINE IT VISUALLY. I THINK I LIKE THE CHILI PEPPERS SO MUCH BECAUSE THE MUSIC IS SO VISUAL. I CAN’T EXPLAIN IT. I LISTEN TO MUSIC AND CLOSE MY EYES AND LET MY IMAGINATION GO. IT HAPPENS TO ME A LOT WITH THE CHILI PEPPERS. IT MAKES MY CREATIVITY FLOW. IN SOME WAY, I THINK THAT THE MUSIC SHOWS ME THE WAY. I THINK THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS IS THE SOUNDTRACK TO MY LIFE—ESPECIALLY MY TEENAGE YEARS. IN ISRAEL YOU MUST GO INTO THE ARMY FOR THREE YEARS AT THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN. JUST BEFORE I WENT I GOT MY FIRST AND ONLY TATTOO. I HAVE A RHCP SIGN ON MY BACK. EVERYBODY ASKS ME, “AND WHAT IF YOU STOP LOVING THE BAND?” THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT IF IT DID HAPPEN, IT WOULD REMAIN A MARK ON ME REPRESENTING MY YOUTH. IT’S A SCAR I WANT TO CARRY THE REST OF MY LIFE.
MY RHCP COLLECTION IS THE BIGGEST PROJECT OF MY LIFE. I THINK I HAVE THE BIGGEST COLLECTION IN ISRAEL AND I AM SURE ONE OF THE GREATEST IN THE WORLD.
WHEN IT STARTED I JUST WANTED TO OWN ALL THE ALBUMS BUT NOW IT’S LIKE, “I MUST GET THAT SINGLE BECAUSE IT HAS A DIFFERENT NUMBER ON THE BACK!” I KNOW ALL THE B-SIDE ALBUMS AND RARE STUFF—ONLY ME AND A FEW CRAZY CHILI PEPPERS PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE GOT THEM.
MY FAVORITE SONG IS “SIR PSYCHO SEXY.” FOR ME, THIS SONG DEFINES THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. IT’S GOT THE PUNK, THE MELODY, THE FUNKIEST BASS LINE EVER, AND THE CRAZIEST GUITAR. IT HAS THE SWEETEST SINGING VOICE BUT THEN IT GOES UP AND DOWN FROM NASTY TO SWEET, LEADING UP TO AN EPIC ENDING. THE SONG IS SO FULL. IF SOMEONE TOLD ME THEY WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS THROUGH ONE SONG, THIS WOULD BE IT.
THE RHCP OPENED MY MIND TO MUSIC. BECAUSE OF THEM I LEARNED ABOUT JIMI HENDRIX, THE RAMONES, FUNKADELIC, AND NIRVANA. I GOT TO KNOW NEW MUSIC AND OLD MUSIC, ALL BECAUSE OF THE CHILI PEPPERS. THANK YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE THERE IS NO HAPPY LIFE WITHOUT MUSIC.
Simona Morisi, 44 Italy (Center Right)
SOME CALL IT THE PEPPERS FAMILY AND SO IT IS. FOR ME YOUR MUSIC HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE, IT’S THE SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE, IT HAS MADE POSSIBLE MANY THINGS, INCLUDING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH MY HUSBAND, BUT ALSO I FOUND FRIENDS. I SHARED AND I SHARE A LOT WITH THEM, AND THROUGH THE MUSIC I HAVE LEARNED TO LOVE MYSELF AND THEREFORE LOVE OTHERS.
Heidi Tallulah Wilson, 22 United Kingdom (Right)
RHCP WERE THE FIRST OF ALL MY MUSIC EXPERIENCES: MY FIRST GIG, MY FIRST BAND T-SHIRT, MY FIRST TIME REALLY APPRECIATING MUSIC. I WAS VERY LITTLE THE FIRST TIME I SAW THEM AND COULDN’T THANK MY PARENTS ENOUGH FOR GIVING ME THE BEST START IN MY MUSICAL CHILDHOOD.
Danielle Colburn, 20 Massachusetts (Left)
IT WAS UNREAL TO GO TO MY FIRST CONCERT EVER, AND HAVE IT BE MY FAVORITE BAND! I GOT AWESOME SEATS AND GOT MY PICTURE TAKEN FOR THE FAN BOOK IN A SHIRT I’D MADE FOR THE SHOW. I’M A STUDENT, A PHILOSOPHER, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A NOBODY.
MY FAVORITE LYRICS ARE “SHE’S ONLY EIGHTEEN, DON’T LIKE THE ROLLING STONES. SHE TOOK A SHORTCUT, TO BEING FULLY GROWN.” MY DREAM IS TO BECOME A NEUROSCIENTIST AND TO GET MY PHD IN PHILOSOPHY.
Freja, 11; Niels, 9; Magnus, 7 Rebecca, 13; Agnes, 11; Carl, 9; Emil, 6 Denmark
WE ARE CHILDREN GOING TO SCHOOL AND TRYING TO LEARN TO PLAY THE GUITAR, DRUMS, AND BASS. WE LEARNED ABOUT THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS THROUGH OUR PARENTS. IT’S REALLY GOOD “CAR MUSIC.” FREJA MADE ALL SEVEN T-SHIRTS. WE ALL LIKED VERY MUCH FLEA’S ENTRANCE ON STAGE, WALKING ON HIS HANDS! WE HOPE TO SEE RHCP IN DENMARK AGAIN SOON!
Sammy Jane, 16 Oregon (Center Right)
NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE A UNIQUE SOUND WITH A FUNKY BASS AND HYPNOTIC GUITAR, THEIR LYRICS SPEAK SO MUCH TRUTH IN SUCH A METAPHORICAL, HONEST, AND DEEP WAY. THEIR SOUND IS SO EUPHORIC.
I AM AN ARTIST. I HAVE HIP DYSPLASIA AND SEVERE RETROVERSION, WHICH STOPS ME FROM DOING LOTS OF THINGS, SO I DEDICATE MY TIME TO ART. SOMEDAY I WANT TO GET NOTICED FOR MY ART. NOT BECAUSE I WANT FAME, BUT I WANT PEOPLE TO DISCOVER THE TRUTHS HIDDEN IN MY ART, JUST LIKE RHCP DOES WITH THEIR MUSIC.
I LOVE ALL THE BAND’S SONGS. EACH SONG IS A PIECE OF MAGIC. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY MY FAVORITE LYRICS COME FROM “STADIUM ARCADIUM”: “TEDIOUS WEEDS THAT THE MEDIA BREEDS BUT THE ANIMAL GETS WHAT THE ANIMAL NEEDS AND I’M SORRY.” TRUEST LYRIC OF TODAY’S WORLD I’VE EVER HEARD.
SOMEDAY I WANT TO BE ABLE TO RUN WITH NO PAIN. I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE IN SOME WAY. I ALSO WANT TO SHOW PEOPLE THE REAL BEAUTY OF ANIMALS THROUGH MY ART. OH, AND I WANT TO MEET FLEA!
WHAT I’VE LEARNED FROM RHCP, ART, AND MANY OTHER THINGS IS WHERE TRUE HAPPINESS COMES FROM. HAPPINESS COMES FROM LOVE, EXPERIENCES, AND ALL OTHER PURE AND TRUTHFUL THINGS.
Claire Helen Popple, 40 United Kingdom
MY MOST MEMORABLE RHCP EXPERIENCE WAS WHEN I WENT TO PRIDE PARK DERBY IN 2006. LOOKING FOR THE TOILETS, MY FRIEND AND I WENT DOWN A LONG CORRIDOR AND FOUND OURSELVES LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A DOOR AND SUDDENLY ANTHONY CAME RUNNING UP,,,, IT HAD BEEN MY DREAM TO ASK ANTHONY TO AUTOGRAPH MY ARM NEXT TO MY CHILI ASTERISK.
WE HID BEHIND A TOUR BUS AND WAITED FOR A WHILE. THEN WE GOT CHATTING TO SOME ROADIES AND SAID HOW MUCH WE WANTED TO MEET THE BAND. THEN ONE OF THEM POINTED OVER TO A BIG BLACK CAR AND THERE WAS ANTHONY. I TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND WENT OVER TO HIM. I INTRODUCED MYSELF AND SAID HOW MUCH I HAD ENJOYED THE SHOW AND EXPLAINED THAT I WANTED HIS AUTOGRAPH TATTOOED ON MY ARM. HE ASKED ME IF I WAS SURE ABOUT THIS AND I SAID IT WAS MY DREAM, SO HE DID! I WAS SHAKING, DISBELIEVING THIS WAS REALLY HAPPENING. HE WAS SO LOVELY AND HE REALLY SPENT TIME DOING IT CAREFULLY. HE COULD HAVE JUST SCRIBBLED IT, BUT IT WAS SO BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN. THEN I ASKED HIM FOR A HUG, WHICH HE OBLIGED. I SKIPPED OFF SO MERRILY, LIKE A CHILD, THE NEXT DAY I DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE TATTOO PARLOR TO COMPLETE THE MISSION. TO THIS DAY, I CANNOT BELIEVE IT HAPPENED. I AM SO THRILLED TO HAVE THIS MEMORY ON ME FOREVER. NOW MY DREAM IS TO HAVE THE REST OF THE BAND’S AUTOGRAPHS TATTOOED AROUND MY ASTERISK!
I LOVE THE EXCITEMENT OF ORGANIZING A TRIP TO SEE THE CHILI PEPPERS. THE FUN WE HAVE, THE PLACES WE VISIT, THE LAUGHTER AND THE NEW EXPERIENCES WE SHARE TOGETHER. THE MUSIC HAS HELPED ME SO MUCH AND COMFORTED ME THROUGH SOME BAD TIMES. I HONESTLY CAN’T IMAGINE MY LIFE WITHOUT THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.
Daniel David, 22 Brazil
I TRAVELED TO SÃO PAULO TO SEE THEM PERFORM. I IMMEDIATELY GOT ON A BUS AND WENT TO THE HOTEL WHERE THE BAND WAS STAYING, HOPING SEE ANTHONY, FLEA, CHAD, AND JOSH. AT THE VERY MOMENT I ARRIVED I SAW ANTHONY WALKING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET. I REMEMBER WHEN I SAW HIM, I FELT AS IF I’D LOST MY VISION COMPLETELY AND TEARS TOOK A HOLD OF ME. I ASKED MYSELF, “SO IS IT REAL? THESE GUYS REALLY EXIST AND ANTHONY IS RIGHT THERE?” I JUST LET THE TEARS FLOW. IT WAS A WONDERFUL SENSATION.
FLEA CAME OUT OF THE HOTEL AND MET THE FANS. FOR ME, EVERYTHING WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL DREAM AND I COULD WAKE UP AT ANYTIME. SUDDENLY I EXTENDED MY LEFT ARM TOWARDS FLEA AND I ASK HIM TO AUTOGRAPH MY BICEPS. IT WAS LIKE AN INJECTION OF HAPPINESS APPLIED DIRECTLY INTO MY VEINS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE AUTOGRAPHED MY ARM, I GOT INTO A TAXI AND WENT LOOKING FOR A TATTOO PARLOR. I DIDN’T THINK TWICE. LATER THAT NIGHT I WENT TO THE SHOW WITH MY TWO AUTOGRAPHED CDS AND MY NEW TATTOO.
IF I COULD SAY IN ONE SENTENCE WHAT THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS MEAN IN MY LIFE, I’D SAY IT’S SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD. IT SIMPLY MAKES ME
FEEL GOOD. IT’S PURE, TRUE, AND SINCERE LOVE.
TO THE BAND: I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE MUSIC YOU DO REACHES PEOPLE’S HEARTS. NEVER STOP DOING WHAT YOU DO.
Allesandro Cunia, 31 Italy
I HAVE SEEN THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS LIVE FIFTEEN TIMES SO I HAVE MANY MEMORIES: AT THE HEINEKEN JAMMIN’ FESTIVAL I GOT A DRUMSTICK FROM CHAD SMITH. I GOT JOHN FRUSCIANTE’S GUITAR PIC IN BOLOGNA. IN MILAN IN 2006 I TOOK HOME A SET LIST FROM THE CONCERT AND GOT TO MEET JOHN FRUSCIANTE. HE SIGNED MY T-SHIRT AND TOOK A PICTURE WITH ME. I SHOWED HIM MY RHCP TATTOOS AND WHEN I SHOWED HIM THE ONE ON MY BACK LIKE ANTHONY’S HE SCREAMED “OH MY GOD!” AND WE LAUGHED TOGETHER! IT WAS FANTASTIC. IF I COULD STOP TIME I WOULD HAVE FOREVER REMAINED WITH JOHN IN THAT MOMENT.
THEN IN 2007, WHEN THE RHCP PLAYED AT UDINE, ITALY, I WON A CONTEST FROM THE BAND’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE AND GOT TO GO ON STAGE! THAT NIGHT I MET TRACY ROBAR, THE BASS TECHNICIAN. I SHOWED HIM MY TATTOOS AND SHARED SOME OF MY RHCP EXPERIENCES, AND AT THE END OF THE CONCERT TRACY GAVE ME THE MOST AMAZING GIFT: THE BASS STRINGS USED BY FLEA DURING THE CONCERT! EVERY TIME I SEE THE BASS STRINGS, IT STILL SEEMS UNBELIEVABLE.
I WOULDN’T SELL THEM FOR ALL THE GOLD IN THE WORLD! IN NOVEMBER 2011, WHEN THE RHCP CAME TO LONDON, I MET CHAD SMITH AND LATER ANTHONY KIEDIS! I NOW HAVE A PICTURE WITH ALL OF THE BAND MEMBERS. MY LAST EXPERIENCE SEEING THE RHCP LIVE WAS IN BERN, SWITZERLAND IN 2012. I WAS JUST WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND RAN INTO CHAD. I GOT HIM TO GIVE ME HIS CIGARETTE AND I MADE A VIDEO OF IT! IT WAS AMAZING! I CAN’T WAIT TO HAVE MORE EXPERIENCES AND GOOD TIMES WITH THE RHCP!
Yury Grumov, 40 Russia
WHEN THE RHCP CAME TO MOSCOW IN 1999 I COULDN’T GO BECAUSE I WAS FIGHTING AGAINST MY BAD DRUG ADDICTION. I WAS ON THE BOTTOM. I DIDN’T SEE ANY ESCAPE. AFTER THREE YEARS OF ISOLATION, NOW EVERYTHING IS FINE. I LOVE MY WIFE. I WILL BE FORTY SOON. I DON’T REGRET ANYTHING. THIS IS MY LIFE. MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THAT 1999 SHOW.
I ATTENDED A RHCP SHOW IN BERLIN IN DECEMBER 2011 WITH A SPECIAL GIFT. I PAINTED MATRYOSHKA DOLLS OF THE BAND. SO THERE WE WERE: ME, MY WIFE, OUR DOG, AND MY DOLLS. WE SPOKE ONLY RUSSIAN BUT IN THIS FOREIGN COUNTRY I MET WONDERFUL PEOPLE, INCLUDING ONE PERSON WHO TOOK US AND THE DOLLS BACKSTAGE. FLEA, JOSH, CHAD, AND ANTHONY ALL WALKED IN, SHOOK OUR HANDS, AND TALKED WITH US FOR ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY OF RHCP FANS IN THE FORMER U.S.S.R. STATES AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DESERVE TO BE IN THE PAGES OF THIS BOOK.
Elif, 21; Seyma, 46; and Eren Kurklu, 16 Turkey
ELIF— WE WENT TO THE CONCERT IN ISTANBUL ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2012. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WAITING FOR US: ONE OF THE BEST DAYS IN MY LIFE. IT WAS WONDERFUL LISTENING TO THE CONCERT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BAND. WE WERE ASKED IF WE WANTED TO MEET THE BAND AND THEN TAKEN BACKSTAGE. WE MET THEM ALL AND TALKED TO THEM. IT WAS JUST LIKE A DREAM. ANTHONY GAVE ME HIS BADGE AND NOW IT IS ONE OF THE MOST SPECIAL THINGS IN MY LIFE AND I WILL KEEP IT FOREVER.
SEYMA— THE CONCERT IN ISTANBUL WAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER LIVED WITH MY DAUGHTERS. IT WAS A TOTAL DREAM COME TRUE. TAKING US BACKSTAGE AND GETTING THE CHANCE TO MEET THE BAND WAS INCREDIBLE.
WHEN YOU THINK OF A WORLD-FAMOUS ROCK BAND YOU WOULD ASSUME THINGS ARE DIFFERENT IN THEIR LIVES AND YOU JUST DON’T IMAGINE THEM TALKING TO YOU OR EVEN SEEING THEM. BUT THEY WERE SO INCREDIBLE AND SO MODEST AND SO KIND AND HUMBLE, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS MY DAUGHTER, ELIF. NOTHING ELSE WILL COMPARE TO THE SMILES ON MY DAUGHTER’S FACES DURING THE CONVERSATION WITH ANTHONY. THEY ARE VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO CREATED A VERY SPECIAL MOMENT IN OUR LIVES. THANK YOU.
EREN— OUR TICKETS WERE IN THE VERY BACK AND I THOUGHT, “DAMN, I WILL REALLY BE LET DOWN IF I DON’T GET TO SEE ANYTHING.” BUT STILL IT’S THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SO IT WAS 1,000 PERCENT WORTH IT. WHEN WE ARRIVED WE ASKED SECURITY IF THERE WAS ANY WAY TO GET INTO THE DISABLED AREA. MY SISTER SUFFERS FROM THE DISEASE EPIDERMOLOSYS BULLOSA, SO WE JUST WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO GET IN AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. THE WORKERS SURPRISED US—WHEN WE GOT IN WE SAW THE STAGE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US! WE WERE LEFT COMPLETELY SPEECHLESS AND DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. WE WERE THE FIRST ONES THERE SO WE JUST RUSHED TO THE FRONT ROW AND STAYED THERE DURING THE WHOLE CONCERT. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. BUT THAT WASN’T ALL. AT THE END OF THE CONCERT, DAVID CAME AND ASKED IF WE WANTED TO MEET THE BAND. SO THAT WAS BASICALLY A DREAM COME TRUE. THERE WE WERE, BACKSTAGE WITH ANTHONY, CHAD, FLEA, AND JOSH. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. WORDS CAN’T DESCRIBE THE EXPERIENCE.
Liam Cowie (Center) Lasse Herdien (Right) South Africa
LASSE— BACK IN FOURTH GRADE WE’D HAVE A THIRTY-MINUTE MUSIC ENRICHMENT PERIOD ONCE A WEEK. THAT MEANT OUR TEACHER WOULD STICK US IN FRONT OF MTV. ONE TIME SHE DECIDED TO “EXPAND OUR MINDS” BY SHOWING US THE “GIVE IT AWAY” VIDEO. MY BEST FRIEND AND I WERE MESMERIZED. I JUST SAW SILVER GODS IN A DESERT. JOHN ROCKING HIS SILVER STRATOCASTER. FLEA JUST BEING FLEA. ANTHONY DANCING FRENZIEDLY. AFTER THEY RAN OFF INTO THE SUN, MY FRIEND AND I WENT CHILI PEPPERS CRAZY. THIS HASN’T CHANGED SINCE.
THE HEAVY GUITAR RIFFS, LUST AND SEXUAL INNUENDOS, DEATH, AND DRUG REFERENCES AND ENERGY MAKE BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK MY FAVORITE ALBUM OF ALL TIME. ITS RHYTHMICALLY RAW, IT’S LYRICALLY HONEST, IT’S THE PERFECT EMBODIMENT OF WHO THE CHILI PEPPERS ARE. IT’S THEIR MAGNUM OPUS (KUDOS TO RICK RUBEN) AND THE BEST THING TO LISTEN TO AND WATCH PERFORMED IN CONCERT. IT’S ALSO HOME TO THEIR BEST—AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE—SONG, “SIR PSYCHO SEXY.”
IN HIGH SCHOOL I DYED MY HAIR RED, HAD THE CHILI PEPPERS ASTERISK SHAVED INTO THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY HEAD, AND THE LETTERS RHCP SHAVED INTO THE LEFT SIDE. I WAS SENT TO THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE AND MY MOM WAS CALLED IN. (SHE LIKED THE HAIRCUT RIGHT UP UNTIL THAT PHONE CALL.) AS A CONSEQUENCE, I HAD TO GO BALD AND SIT OUTSIDE THE PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE EVERY LUNCH BREAK UNTIL MY HAIR GREW BACK.
My experience with being a fan of bands has changed over the course of my relatively short life. At one time, I had to know everything about the people who created the music that made the life I led worth it. They were responsible for the magic that I was using as a sort of oxygen. As I’ve become closer to and a part of the world of music as a profession, and maybe a bit with age, I’ve lost some of the passion for the people who do it, but the music, the magic, the thing that we can all share in, I guess that would still propel me to be rammed up against a steel barricade for hours waiting to witness it happen before my eyes. I appreciate everything in a person that drives them to be connected to that communal feeling, in any way. I love being a part of it. I love being a part of this. Life is hard, sometimes it takes magic to make someone smile…sorry, I mean…magik.
Josh
Luiz Fernando Oliviera, 34 Brazil
ONE OF THE MOST SPECIAL EXPERIENCES FOR ME WAS MEETING ANTHONY IN SÃO PAULO IN 2011. I ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL AND IN LESS THAN TEN MINUTES OF BEING THERE ANTHONY CROSSED THE STREET AND TOOK SOME PICS WITH FANS. I WASN’T EXPECTING THAT. MY CELL PHONE AND CAMERA WAS BRAND NEW AND I DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE IT WORK. I ASKED FOR A GIRL TO TAKE A PICTURE. ANTHONY SMILED TO ME AND SAID “AHA!” AFTER SEEING ME—TRYING MY BEST TO LOOK LIKE HIM AND WITH THE SAME TATTOOS. I THOUGHT HE MIGHT BE PISSED OFF BUT I’M SURE HE GOT IT WAS BECAUSE I HAVE HUGE ADMIRATION FOR HIM. ANOTHER GREAT EXPERIENCE WAS MY FIRST CONTACT WITH CHAD IN 2011. HE WAS SO NICE TO MEET AND MADE ME SO HAPPY. I DIDN’T SLEEP ALL THAT NIGHT, CRYING TEARS OF JOY. ANTHONY IS A GENIUS SONGWRITER. HE IS SIMPLY THE BEST IN MY OPINION. I JUST WANT TO THANK ANTHONY, FLEA, AND CHAD FOR THEIR RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEIR ART. AND FOR ALL THE LOVE AND GOOD ENERGY THEY SEND BACK TO US FANS. BECAUSE OF THE LOVE I HAVE FOR THE BAND I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH. YOUR LOVE FOR MUSIC CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER.
Jenna MacFie, 22 (Left) Claire Shaug, 22 (Right) Calgary
JENNA— CLAIRE INTRODUCED ME TO RHCP. UP UNTIL A YEAR AGO I HAD KNOWN OF THEIR MUSIC BUT NOT BEEN COMPLETELY INTRIGUED BY IT. FOR HER, ANTHONY KIEDIS, WAS AN IDOL. WE GOT AHOLD OF SOME TICKETS FOR THEIR CONCERT, SO TO NOT STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB I BEGAN RELIGIOUSLY LISTENING TO THEIR MUSIC.
THAT CONCERT I HAD BEEN PREPA
RING FOR, WELL THANK GOODNESS I DID, BECAUSE CLAIRE AND I GOT TO MEET THE BAND. I THOUGHT THAT STUFF ONLY HAPPENED IN MOVIES! ANTHONY WAS EXTREMELY NICE AND MADE CONSTANT EYE CONTACT. EVERYONE ELSE MADE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE AND THE CONVERSATION JUST FLOWED. THEY MADE THIS CONCERT A LIFELONG MEMORY AND ME A LIFELONG FAN.
I AM A DENTAL ASSISTANT BUT THAT’S NOT ALL I AM ABOUT. I AM ABOUT SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE, STOLEN MOMENTS. I’M ABOUT TRYING TO BETTER MYSELF AS A PERSON AND TRYING TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND TO THE WORLD, CONSTANTLY TRYING NEW THINGS AND MEETING NEW, POSITIVE PEOPLE. I STRIVE TO LIVE THROUGH LOVE. MY STORY HAS YET TO UNFOLD.
MY FAVORITE ALBUM IS BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK. THERE ISN’T A SINGLE SONG ON THAT ALBUM I COULDN’T JAM OUT TO.
CLAIRE— I’D HAVE TO SAY WHAT CONNECTED ME TO THE RHCP WAS THEIR INCREDIBLE ENERGY. YOU CAN’T HELP BUT FEEL A LITTLE MORE ALIVE WHEN LISTENING TO THEIR MUSIC.
Naoko Shimizu, Japan
DEAR MR. ANTHONY KIEDIS,
I’D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PROVIDING A SONG FOR THE BENEFIT RECORD SONGS FOR JAPAN, AND FOR PLAYING AT THE SUMMER SONIC 2011 EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE TSUNAMI DISASTER. I WAS DEEPLY TOUCHED BY YOUR WORDS, “WE’RE ALWAYS WITH YOU,” AT THE SHOW. IT MEANT A LOT TO US. YOUR MUSIC MAKES US SO HAPPY AND KEEPS US ALIVE WHENEVER WE ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME. WE REALLY LOVE YOUR MUSIC. WE TALK ABOUT YOU EVERY DAY AND HOPE YOU COME BACK TO JAPAN AGAIN!
Red Hot Chili Peppers Page 8
