RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS Vinyl Records and CDs

Toiling in L.A.'s club circuit for years, the Red Hot Chili Peppers finally pounded their Funk/rap/rock into the mainstream with the 1989 LP Mother's Milk. Making bedfellows of their native L.A. Punk roots and a love for Parliament Funkadelic, the Chili Peppers earned respect from all walks andcrossed over into virtually every late-1980s subgenre: rap, Funk, rock, or Punk. They even made covers of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" and Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" all their own, with Anthony Kiedis' revved-up, attitude-fueled sing-and-rap, Flea's rapid-fire slapped bass, and John Frusciante's whirling Funk fretwork. With old guitarist Frusciante back in the fold of late, RHCP may branch out from the Twee Pop-for-tough-guys era forever, as immortalized by such offerings as "Under the Bridge.