Red Hot Chili Peppers - Recognition

Recognition

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14, 2012 by actor/comedian, Chris Rock, who is a longtime friend and fan of the band. The induction line-up was Kiedis, Flea, Smith, Klinghoffer, Frusciante, Slovak, Irons and Martinez. Despite recording one album with the band, Dave Navarro and Jack Sherman were the only two former recording band members not inducted for reasons unknown. At 32, Klinghoffer was the youngest artist ever to be inducted into the hall of fame passing Stevie Wonder, who was 38 at the time of his induction. Frusciante did not attend the ceremony. Smith said "We asked him, he said, 'I'm just not really comfortable with that, but good luck and thanks for inviting me.' He's the kind of guy, I think, that once he's finished with something he's just on to the next phase of his life. The Chili Peppers are not really on his radar right now." They performed four songs, including "By the Way", "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" and "Give it Away", which included Irons and Martinez on drums. It was the first time Kiedis and Flea had performed with Irons in 24 years and Martinez in 26 years. To end the ceremony, the band was joined by George Clinton, Slash, Billie Joe Armstrong, Tre Cool, Ronnie Wood and Kenney Jones for a performance of "Higher Ground". On April 15, the date following their Hall of Fame induction, the band performed a free concert in downtown Cleveland, Ohio in support of President Barack Obama's re-election campaign. The requirement for getting into the concert was agreeing to volunteer for the Obama 2012 phone bank. The event quickly met its capacity limit after being announced. To commemorate the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Red Hot Chili Peppers released an iTunes digital-only EP, entitled Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Covers EP, on May 1, 2012. The EP features live and studio cover versions of six songs from previous Hall of Fame inductees, all of whom have influenced the band musically: The Ramones, The Stooges, Neil Young, David Bowie, The Beach Boys, and Dion and the Belmonts. Three of the bands albums Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Californication, and By the Way are ranked among Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ranked at 310, 399, and 304 respectively.