John Frusciante : biography

That same year, Frusciante functioned as executive producer for Omar Rodríguez-López’s directorial film debut, The Sentimental Engine Slayer. The film debuted at the Rotterdam Film Festival in February 2010. Along with work on the film, Frusciante and Rodríguez-López have released two collaborative records in May 2010. The first is the album Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John Frusciante, an album with just the two of them, the other a quartet record, Sepulcros de Miel, consisting of Omar Rodríguez-López, Juan Alderete, Marcel Rodríguez-López, and Frusciante. Frusciante also contributed music to the documentary film, Little Joe, based upon Joe Dallesandro.

In 2009, Frusciante appeared in the documentary, "The Heart is a Drum Machine." His full-length, forty-five minute interview is available in the special features of the DVD release.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1198130/

On December 7, 2011, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were named 2012 inductees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. In an interview that same day, Anthony Kiedis talked about Frusciante and if he would attend the ceremony. Kiedis stated, "It would be a guess on my behalf on whether or not he’ll come. I can’t imagine that he would, but it’s a ‘you never know’ kind of thing. I haven’t talked to him in quite a while. I don’t know where he’s at these days. He’ll obviously be more than welcome, and embraced if he does. If he doesn’t, that’s cool too." Flea also spoke about Frusciante by saying "He left us so many great gifts. He’s a phenomenal musician and songwriter who gave so much to our band. All the feelings I have for him not being in the band any more… He really took us to a higher level." Frusciante eventually declined to be present for the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April.

2012–present: Letur-Lefr and PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone

In an interview with Blare Magazine Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, when asked about possible future collaborations with John, stated: "Maybe in the future, but John’s in a different place right now. He’s in a place where he couldn’t care less about putting things out or about something being a product. He’s living by different standards right now with a different philosophy, so he doesn’t want to be a part of anything that he knows is going to end up being a product. A Mars Volta record definitely ends up being a product".

Frusciante released a new EP on July 17, 2012, entitled Letur-Lefr. As with his previous solo releases, it was released through Record Collection Music. Letur-Lefr marks a change in the genre of his solo instrumentation away from guitar-driven rock and towards synthesizers and drum machines. It is also Frusciante’s first album to incorporate Hip Hop. He explains on his blog, "In 2007 I started to learn how to program all the instruments we associate with Acid House music and some other hardware."

Frusciante released, PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone, his eleventh studio album on September 25, 2012. He plays all of the instruments and sings on the album although it includes guest appearances by Kinetic 9 on vocals and a violin solo by Laena Geronimo. On the 16th of August, he also released a free download of the non-album song ‘Walls and Doors’ to demonstrate his musical approach. On October 1, 2012 (Week 39/2012) PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone came out 99 on the German LongPlay-Charts of Media Control.

On April 7, 2013, Frusciante released through his web site a tribute song named "Wayne" in memory of his friend Wayne Forman.

Musical style

Frusciante’s musical style has evolved over the course of his career. Although he received moderate recognition for his early guitar work, it was not until later in his career that music critics and guitarists alike began to fully recognize it: in October 2003, he was ranked eighteenth in Rolling Stone’s list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".Fricke, David. (February 2007) Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2007-06-12 Frusciante attributes this recent recognition to his shift in focus, stating that he chose an approach based on rhythmic patterns inspired by the complexity of material Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen produced. On earlier records, however, much of his output was influenced by various underground punk and New Wave musicians. In general, his sound is also defined by an affinity for vintage guitars. All the guitars that he owns, records, and tours with were made before 1970.Making of "Can’t Stop" music video. Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest Hits. Frusciante will use the specific guitar that he finds appropriate for a certain song. All of the guitars he owned before quitting the band were destroyed when his house burned down in 1996.Ascott, Phil (June, 2003). "Universally Speaking". Guitarist. The first guitar he bought after rejoining the Chili Peppers was a 1962 red Fender Jaguar. His most-often used guitar, however, is a 1962 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster that was given to him as a gift from Anthony Kiedis after Frusciante rejoined the Chili Peppers in 1998. He has played this guitar on every album since rejoining the Chili Peppers, and their ensuing tours."Interview with John Frusciante". Guitar Xtreme, June 2006. He also owns a 1955 Fender Stratocaster, his only Strat with the maple neck. Frusciante’s most prized instrument is a 1955 Gretsch White Falcon, which he used twice per show during the By the Way tour. He has since stopped using it, saying there was "no room for it". Virtually all of Frusciante’s acoustic work is played with a 1950s Martin 0–15.