View source for Freaky Styley

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Freaky Styley
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]
| cover        = Freakystyleyalbumcover.jpg
| border       = yes
| alt          =
| released     = {{start date|1985|8|16}}
| recorded     = May 1985
| studio       = United (Detroit)
| genre        = {{hlist|[[Funk rock]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bravenuworld00tomm|url-access=registration|quote=Freaky Styley funk rock.|title=Brave Nu World|author=Tommy Udo|year=2002 |publisher=Sanctuary|isbn=9781860744150 |access-date=November 21, 2015}}</ref>|[[funk]]<ref name="Allmusicrev"/>|[[psychedelic funk]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.classicrockhistory.com/red-hot-chili-peppers-uplift-mofo-party-plan-album-review/|publisher=Classic Rock History|last=Gunnoe|first=Cameron|access-date=July 16, 2024|title=Red Hot Chili Peppers – Uplift Mofo Party Plan Album Review}}</ref>|[[dance-rock]]<ref name="Trouser Press" />}}
| length       = 39:50
| label        = [[EMI America Records|EMI America]]
| producer     = [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]]
| prev_title   = [[The Red Hot Chili Peppers (album)|The Red Hot Chili Peppers]]
| prev_year    = 1984
| next_title   = [[The Uplift Mofo Party Plan]]
| next_year    = 1987
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = Freaky Styley
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Jungle Man (song)|Jungle Man]]
 | single1date = 1985
 | single2     = Hollywood (Africa)
 | single2date = 1985
}}
}}

'''''Freaky Styley''''' is the second studio album by American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], released on August 16, 1985, through [[EMI America Records]]. ''Freaky Styley'' marks founding guitarist [[Hillel Slovak]]'s studio album debut, following his return to the band earlier in the year. The album is the last to feature drummer [[Cliff Martinez]]. ''Freaky Styley'' was produced by [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], of [[Parliament-Funkadelic]], and the sessions benefitted from Clinton's chemistry during recording.

The music on the record draws influence from [[funk]], [[punk rock]], and [[psychedelic rock]], while the lyrical content was inspired by the band members' lives in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]]. "[[Jungle Man (song)|Jungle Man]]" and "Hollywood (Africa)" were released as promotional singles while "Catholic School Girls Rule" and "Jungle Man" had music videos made for them. Critics viewed the album as an improvement upon the band's [[The Red Hot Chili Peppers (album)|debut album]], praising ''Freaky Styley'''s musical experimentation and production. However, it did not achieve mainstream success and failed to enter the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. The band embarked on the Infinity Tour to promote the album.

==Background==
Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in 1982  in [[Los Angeles]] by [[Fairfax High School (Los Angeles)|Fairfax High School]] alumni, vocalist [[Anthony Kiedis]], guitarist [[Hillel Slovak]], bassist [[Flea (musician)|Flea]], and drummer [[Jack Irons]].<ref name="amgbio">{{cite web | url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5241|pure_url=yes}} | title=Red Hot Chili Peppers > Biography | access-date=June 5, 2007 | author=Prato, Greg | publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> Originally named Tony Flow & the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem, the group was originally meant as a one-off band for playing only one show. However, after a positive crowd reception, the band changed its name to Red Hot Chili Peppers. The group was noticed by [[EMI Records|EMI]], and the band signed with the record label. Slovak and Irons still considered the Peppers a side project, so they quit to focus on their band [[What Is This?]]; that group had signed a record contract two weeks earlier. Kiedis and Flea subsequently recruited guitarist [[Jack Sherman]] and drummer [[Cliff Martinez]] to complete the band's lineup for its [[The Red Hot Chili Peppers (album)|self-titled debut album]].<ref>{{harvnb|Kiedis|Sloman|2004|p=127}}</ref> The band was disappointed in the album's overall sound, thinking it was overly polished, as if it had "gone through a sterilizing Goody Two-shoes machine".<ref>Kiedis, Sloman, 145</ref>

During the tour in support of the band's first album, continuing musical and lifestyle tension between Kiedis and Sherman complicated the transition between concert and daily band life.<ref>{{harvnb|Kiedis|Sloman|2004|pp=133–134}}</ref> Sherman was fired soon after, with Slovak returning to the Chili Peppers after growing tired of What is This?. Because the Peppers did not have a positive experience working with [[Andy Gill]] on their previous record, they began searching for a new producer for their next album.<ref name="Kiedis169">Kiedis, Sloman, 2004. p. 169</ref> The first potential producer the band worked with was [[Malcolm McLaren]], who had worked with the [[Sex Pistols]] and [[Bow Wow Wow]]. However, McLaren suggested they changed their style to play more simplified, 1950s-style rock and roll and make Kiedis the central character, a change the group vehemently opposed.<ref name="Kiedis169"/>  After receiving comparisons from fans to [[Parliament-Funkadelic]], the band indicated to [[EMI Records]] its desire to work with frontman [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]].<ref name="Kiedis169"/> The band contacted Clinton and sent him their debut album and demo tapes, and Flea and the band's manager, Lindy, traveled to Detroit to meet him.<ref name="Kiedis169"/>  Clinton agreed to work with the band, and EMI paid him $25,000 to produce the album.<ref name="Kiedis170">Kiedis, Sloman, 2004. p. 170</ref> The song "Blackeyed Blonde" was performed by the band in the 1985 skateboarding movie ''[[Thrashin']]'' starring [[Josh Brolin]].

==Recording==
[[File:GeorgeClinton.jpg|thumb|upright|The band felt a strong chemistry with producer [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] (pictured in 2007).]]
The band had already written approximately 70 percent of the album (mostly with Sherman, not Slovak) by the time the group traveled to [[Michigan]] to record the album.<ref name="Kiedis170"/>  Clinton decided that the band would spend a month with him before recording to bond and create ideas for new songs.<ref name="Kiedis170"/>  Before renting a house of their own, the group members stayed in Clinton's house in the village of [[Brooklyn, Michigan|Brooklyn]], about an hour away from [[Detroit]], for a week.<ref>Kiedis, Sloman, pp. 170–171</ref>  The band was excited to live with Clinton, but as soon as Kiedis moved in, he began experiencing severe [[heroin]] [[Drug withdrawal|withdrawal]], and became very ill.  He attempted to offset his desire for heroin by using [[cocaine]] instead, but his relief was short-lived.<ref name="Kiedis171">Kiedis, Sloman, 2004. p. 171</ref>  After a few days, however, his symptoms subsided and he was able to join the group in playing music and connecting with Clinton.<ref name="Kiedis171"/>  The Red Hot Chili Peppers felt a strong chemistry with Clinton and enjoyed his quirky personality and storytelling abilities.<ref name="Kiedis171"/>  After a week of living with him, the band moved into a house on a nearby golf course.<ref name="Kiedis172">Kiedis, Sloman, 2004. p. 172</ref>

''Freaky Styley'' was recorded at United Sound Studios in Detroit.  Martinez recalled that "George had a party atmosphere in the studio all the time, but a productive party atmosphere.  You took care of business, but he made sure you had a lot of fun doing it."<ref name="Mullen157">Mullen, 2010. p. 157</ref>  The band and Clinton began using copious amounts of cocaine together, which had a negative effect on the band's overall health.<ref name="Kiedis172"/>  When the time came for Kiedis to record his vocals, he decided to abstain from cocaine use for two weeks, an experience he likened to "deciding to be celibate when you're living in a brothel."<ref name="Kiedis175">Kiedis, Sloman, 2004. p. 175</ref> The track "Yertle the Turtle" incorporates several verses directly from [[Dr. Seuss]]' poem also named "[[Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories|Yertle the Turtle]]." As stated by Kiedis in his autobiography, ''[[Scar Tissue (autobiography)|Scar Tissue]]'', the spoken lyrics at the beginning and throughout the song saying "Look at that turtle go bro," were by George Clinton's drug dealer who demanded debts be paid by Clinton. Unable to repay the dealer, Clinton offered him a part in the album.<ref>Kiedis, Sloman, pp. 174–175</ref>

==Composition==
According to Jason Birchmeier of [[AllMusic]], ''Freaky Styley'' is "the closest the Red Hot Chili Peppers ever came to straight funk."<ref name="Allmusicrev"/>  The album marks the return of guitarist [[Hillel Slovak]], and Kiedis observed that Slovak's playing evolved during his time away from the group in What Is This?, with the guitarist adopting a more fluid style featuring "sultry" elements as opposed to his original [[hard rock]] techniques.<ref>Kiedis, Sloman, p. 168</ref>  The band also experimented with a more diverse variety of musical genres on ''Freaky Styley''.  "Jungle Man" contains [[psychedelic rock]]-styled guitar, layered background vocals, and an "urgent, aggressive dance beat".<ref name="RS Review">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/freaky-styley-19851024|title=Review – Freaky Styley|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|last=Robbins|first=Ira|date=October 24, 1985|access-date=June 17, 2012|archive-date=June 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622055723/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/freaky-styley-19851024|url-status=live}}</ref>  "Catholic School Girls Rule" draws influence from [[punk rock]] music, while "Blackeyed Blonde" has been described as "[[Aerosmith]] meets [[Isaac Hayes]]".<ref name="RS Review"/>  The album features covers of "[[If You Want Me to Stay]]" by [[Sly and the Family Stone]], and "Africa" by [[The Meters]].  Clinton helped with the vocal arrangements and provided his own vocals for a portion of "Hollywood (Africa)".<ref name="Kiedis173"/>  ''[[Trouser Press]]'' opined that the album was "more outrageous" than the group's debut but "easier to swallow as utilitarian [[dance-rock]]".<ref name="Trouser Press">{{cite web |last1=Robbins |first1=Ira |title=Red Hot Chili Peppers |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/red-hot-chili-peppers/ |website=Trouser Press |access-date=February 2, 2025}}</ref>

"Catholic School Girls Rule" was inspired by a sexual encounter Kiedis had with a fourteen-year-old Catholic school student in [[New Orleans]] while on tour in 1984.<ref name="Kiedis159">Kiedis, Sloman, 2004. p. 159</ref>  "Jungle Man" was dedicated to Flea, whom Kiedis used to create a fictionalized persona of "this half-man, half-beast born in the belly of the volcano in [[Australia]] coming to the world and using his thumb as the conductor of thunder on the bass."<ref name="Kiedis170"/>  The lyrics of the band's cover of "Africa" by The Meters differ slightly from the original, intended to reflect the group's hometown of Hollywood.  At the time, Flea listened repeatedly to the Meters and wanted to cover one of the group's songs, and Clinton suggested that the group use the opportunity to dedicate a song to Hollywood, saying, "What if you did the song 'Africa' but had Anthony do a rewrite so it's no longer 'Africa', but it's your 'Africa', which is Hollywood?"<ref name="Kiedis173">Kiedis, Sloman, 2004. p. 173</ref>

==Artwork==
The cover artwork features the band jumping in front of [[Michelangelo|Michelangelo's]] ''[[The Last Judgment (Michelangelo)|The Last Judgment]]''.

==Critical reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]] 
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Allmusicrev">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/freaky-styley-mw0000652669|title=Freaky Styley – Review|last=Birchmeier|first=Jason|work=[[AllMusic]]|publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=June 17, 2012|archive-date=June 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622033950/http://www.allmusic.com/album/freaky-styley-mw0000652669|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev2score = {{rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book|title=[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|edition=5th|year=2011|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|isbn=978-0-85712-595-8|chapter=Red Hot Chili Peppers}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[MusicHound|MusicHound Rock]]''
| rev3score = 3/5<ref>{{cite book|editor-first=Gary|editor-last=Graff|editor-link=Gary Graff|title=[[MusicHound|MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide]]|publisher=[[Visible Ink Press]]|year=1996|isbn=0-7876-1037-2|chapter=Red Hot Chili Peppers}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="RSguide">{{cite book|last=Kot|first=Greg|author-link=Greg Kot|page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/681 681]|chapter=Red Hot Chili Peppers|year=2004|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|title=[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]|publisher=[[Simon and Schuster]]|isbn=0-7432-0169-8}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Select (magazine)|Select]]''
| rev5Score = {{rating|4|5|full=U+25A0.svg|empty=U+25A1.svg|rating=medal}}<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Perry |first=Andrew |date=September 1990 |title=Instant Korma |magazine=[[Select (magazine)|Select]] |issue=3 |page=105}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
| rev6score = 7/10<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Weisbard|editor1-first=Eric|editor2-last=Marks|editor2-first=Craig|year=1995|title=[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]|publisher=[[Vintage Books]]|location=New York|isbn=0-679-75574-8|chapter=Red Hot Chili Peppers}}</ref>
}}

''Freaky Styley'' did not garner mainstream success and failed to enter the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref name="Bcharthist">{{cite magazine |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=red hot chili peppers|chart=all}} |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]  |title=Freaky Styley – Red Hot Chili Peppers |access-date=July 7, 2012}}</ref> In the liner notes to the 2003 remastered edition of the album, bassist [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] states:<ref>Liner notes to Freaky Styley remaster (2003)</ref> {{cquote|I know the music on this record was just way too obscure to ever be popular in a mainstream kind of way, but to me it really holds its own as a definitive and substantial musical statement. More than any other record we ever made it falls into the category of "too funky for white radio, too punk rockin' for black." Of course, the songs were very far away from any pop format; I realise it is/was not just the racial segregation at radio that precluded it from being a popular record.}}

However, the album was more positively received by critics than the band's debut album. Jason Birchmeier of [[AllMusic]] felt that Clinton's production helped to make ''Freaky Styley'' an improvement over ''The Red Hot Chili Peppers'', and enjoyed Slovak's return, noting that the guitarist "makes a major contribution to practically every song".<ref name="Allmusicrev"/> He further wrote that "the Peppers have a good clutch of songs to work with in addition to excellent production. And too, they seem relaxed and at ease here, playing quirky songs without any self-consciousness, a quality lacking on their debut."<ref name="Allmusicrev"/> Ira Robbins of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called the album "wilder, rougher, funnier and funkier" than ''The Red Hot Chili Peppers'', and opined that "the Chili Peppers are taking advantage of the current crossover free-for-all to universalize funk by expanding its limits and incorporating new ingredients without diluting the basic bump. Fed up with the empty calories of effete high-tech dance records? Freaky Styley is stick-to-the-ribs rock that puts meat back in the motion."<ref name="RS Review"/> [[Greg Kot]] was more critical in ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]'' (2004), believing that like the group's debut album, ''Freaky Styley'' had "not a single memorable song" while the band's "funk-monkey shtick camouflaged serious musical deficiencies".<ref name="RSguide"/>

==Tour and Jack Irons return==
The tour for ''Freaky Styley'' known as the Infinity Tour began in 1985. Both Kiedis and Slovak were beginning their long (and in Slovak's case soon to be fatal) battles with drugs on this tour. The band decided to begin recording their third album in the spring of 1986 but by this time drummer Cliff Martinez decided he just didn't have the heart to continue, though rather than quitting, Kiedis and Flea fired Martinez.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} To the band's amazement{{dubious|date=November 2017}}, founding drummer [[Jack Irons]] decided to return and for the first time since 1983 the original lineup was together. Together, the reunited lineup finished the remainder of the ''Freaky Styley'' tour. Following the end of the tour, Kiedis's drug problems were so bad that he was briefly fired from the band.

==Track listing==
All tracks written by [[Anthony Kiedis]], [[Flea (musician)|Flea]], [[Jack Sherman]], and [[Cliff Martinez]] unless otherwise noted. {{Track listing
| title1       = [[Jungle Man (song)|Jungle Man]]
| writer1      = 
| length1      = 4:08
| title2       = Hollywood (Africa)
| note2        = [[The Meters]] cover
| writer2      = {{hlist|[[Ziggy Modeliste]]|[[Art Neville]]|[[Leo Nocentelli]]|[[George Porter Jr.]]}}
| length2      = 5:03
| title3       = American Ghost Dance
| writer3      = 
| length3      = 3:51
| title4       = [[If You Want Me to Stay]]
| note4        = [[Sly & the Family Stone]] cover
| writer4      = [[Sly Stone|Sylvester Stewart]]
| length4      = 4:06
| title5       = Nevermind
| writer5      = {{hlist|Kiedis|Flea|[[Hillel Slovak]]|[[Jack Irons]]}}
| length5      = 2:47
| title6       = Freaky Styley
| writer6      = 
| length6      = 3:39
| title7       = Blackeyed Blonde
| writer7      = 
| length7      = 2:40
| title8       = The Brothers Cup
| writer8      = {{hlist|Kiedis|Flea|Slovak|Irons}}
| length8      = 3:26
| title9       = Battleship
| writer9      = 
| length9      = 1:53
| title10      = Lovin' and Touchin{{'-}}
| writer10     = 
| length10     = 0:36
| title11      = Catholic School Girls Rule
| writer11     = 
| length11     = 1:55
| title12      = Sex Rap
| writer12     = {{hlist|Kiedis|Flea|Slovak|Irons}}
| length12     = 1:54
| title13      = Thirty Dirty Birds
| writer13     = 
| length13     = 0:14
| title14      = Yertle the Turtle
| writer14     = [[Dr. Seuss|Theodor Geisel]] 
| length14     = 3:38
| total_length = 39:50
}}

{{Track listing
| headline      = Bonus tracks on 2003 remastered CD version
| title15       = Nevermind
| note15        = Demo
| length15      = 2:17
| title16       = Sex Rap
| note16        = Demo
| length16      = 1:37
| title17       = Freaky Styley
| note17        = Original long version
| length17      = 8:49
| title18       = Millionaires Against Hunger
| length18      = 3:26
| total_length  = 55:59
}}

==Personnel==
'''Red Hot Chili Peppers'''
* [[Anthony Kiedis]] – lead vocals
* [[Hillel Slovak]] – guitars, backing vocals, co-lead vocals (track 13)
* [[Flea (musician)|Flea]] – bass, backing vocals
* [[Cliff Martinez]] – drums

'''Additional musicians'''
* Benny Cowan – trumpet (tracks 2–5, 8, 14)
* [[Maceo Parker]] – saxophone (tracks 2–5, 8, 14)
* [[Fred Wesley]] – trombone (tracks 2–5, 8, 14)
* Larry Fratangelo – percussion
* Steve Boyd – backing vocals
* [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] – backing vocals
* Shirley Hayden – backing vocals
* Robert "Peanut" Johnson – backing vocals
* Lous "Bro" Kabbabie – backing vocals
* [[Pat Lewis]] – backing vocals
* Mike "Clip" Payne – backing vocals
* [[Garry Shider]] – backing vocals
* Joel Virgel – backing vocals
* Andre Foxxe – backing vocals
* Uncredited – backing spoken vocals (track 14)

'''Production'''
* George Clinton – producer
* Greg Ward – engineer, mixing
* John Bauer – second engineer
* Jim "JB" Baurlein – mixing ("Sex Rap")
* Red Hot Chili Peppers – mixing ("Sex Rap")
* [[Bruce Nazarian]] – mixing ("Yertle the Turtle")
* Jim Vitti – mixing ("The Brother's Cup" and "Blackeyed Blonde")
* Fred Wesley – horn arrangements
* Ron McMaster – remastering

'''Additional personnel'''
* Nels Israelson – photography
* Henry Marquex – art direction
* Peter Shea – design
* [[Muruga Booker]] – massages
* [[Jack Sherman]] – composer
* [[The Meters]] – composer ("Hollywood (Africa)")
* [[Sly Stone]] – composer ("If You Want Me to Stay")

==Certifications==
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Red Hot Chili Peppers|title=Freaky Styley|award=Silver|relyear=2003|certyear=2013|id=9600-982-2|access-date=August 3, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book | last = Apter | first = Jeff | title = Fornication: The Red Hot Chili Peppers Story | year = 2004 | publisher = [[Omnibus Press]] | isbn = 1-84449-381-4 }}
* {{cite book|last1=Kiedis|first1=Anthony|author-link=Anthony Kiedis|last2=Sloman|first2=Larry| title = [[Scar Tissue (autobiography)|Scar Tissue]]  | publisher = [[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]  | date= October 6, 2004  | isbn = 1-4013-0101-0 }}
* {{cite book  | last = Mullen  | first = Brendan  | title = An Oral/Visual History by the Red Hot Chili Peppers| publisher = It Books | date= October 19, 2010 | location = Los Angeles, California | page = 256 | isbn = 978-0-06-135191-4 }}

==External links==
* {{Discogs master|type=album|19629|name=Freaky Styley}}

{{Red Hot Chili Peppers}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1985 albums]]
[[Category:Red Hot Chili Peppers albums]]
[[Category:EMI America Records albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by George Clinton (funk musician)]]
[[Category:Funk albums by American artists]]
[[Category:Psychedelic funk albums]]
[[Category:Dance-rock albums]]