Red Hot Chili Peppers: Members Who Have Died and Who’s Still in the Band
At the upcoming 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are set to perform and will be honored with the Global Icon Award. The band has been making music since 1983, and not all of Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ current members were with the band at the beginning.
Who are the current members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers?
There are four current members in Red Hot Chili Peppers: Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante, and Chad Smith.
Of these four members, two are founding members of the band. Both Kiedis and Flea helped found the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1983.
In the band, Kiedis is the lead vocalist. Meanwhile, Flea, whose real name is Michael Balzary, primarily plays the bass and provides backing vocals. He is also known to play the trumpet and piano for the band when needed.
Frusciante joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1988 and has had multiple stints in the band. He primarily plays guitar and like Flea provides backing vocals. Frusciante also plays the keyboard in the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Like Frusciante, Smith joined the group in 1988. He has been a consistent member since then and plays the drums.
Members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers have died
Over the years, multiple musicians have been part of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Some artists were only temporary replacements while others remained in the group for longer tenures.
Hillel Slovak was another founding member of the band and played guitar. He died in 1988. Following his death, Jack Iron, the band’s founding drummer, left the band.
In between Slovak’s stints in the band, Jack Sherman played guitar in the Red Hot Chili Peppers from 1983 to 1984.
Sherman died in 2020. According to BBC, “he died at the age of 64.”
Following his death, the Red Hot Chili Peppers tweeted, “We of the RHCP family would like to wish Jack Sherman smooth sailing into the worlds beyond, for he has passed. Jack played on our debut album as well as our first tour of the USA.”
In a follow-up tweet, the band wrote, “He was a unique dude and we thank him for all times good, bad and in between. Peace on the boogie platform.”
The band will perform at the 2022 MTV VMAs
The 2022 MTV VMAs will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Aug. 28. At the upcoming award show, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are nominated for Best Rock and Group of the Year.
While fans will have to wait and see if the band wins Best Rock or Group of the Year, it has already been announced that the Red Hot Chili Peppers will receive the Global Icon Award.
The band is also part of the award show’s performance lineup along with Nicki Minaj, Jack Harlow, Lizzo, Måneskin, Kane Brown, Anitta, BLACKPINK, J Balvin, Marshmello and Khalid, and Panic! At The Disco.
