As a one-time major RHCP fan such as myself (which has since died down considerably), this curiosity of an album is one of the 2 or 3 I still go back and listen to when the mood strikes. As a matter of fact, it's probably the one I listen to the most. I really like and admire the risks they took and the darkness they tapped into once Dave Navarro was recruited to join after that primadonna seemingly unstable John Frusciante quit for the first time.

.

The album's reputation precedes itself. It also carries a mystique as "The Bastard Album" which probably only attracts more listeners to it. Is it an easily accessible album like BSSM was? Certainly not, and I think the public's expectations of another album along the lines of a carbon copy of BSSM unjustly held One Hot Minute up on a pedestal it had no intentions of being on. But please believe when I tell you: This album is a real grower. Give it time to show it's strengths to you should it fly over your head the first couple times. Navarro took these guys to places I don't think the other 3 in the band were ready to explore, Kiedis especially. That also goes for the fans, as well. Flea and Chad Smith have never sounded so unhinged but yet so air tight on record before or since, Chad especially. The grooves constantly sound like they're going to fall apart any second, and that urgency is this album's strength. I mean, just listen to "Deep Kick" as a great example. Thats probably the most in-the-pocket and difficult groove RHCP's rhythm section have put to tape, second to maybe only "Magic Johnson". Also, for a guy who's admitted to not being a funk fan but joined the goddamn Chili Peppers, Navarro found his niche with these guys, and the album almost plays out like a compromise among musicians from different backgrounds. It's the sound of conflicting sounds, and when it works, it births some of the Peppers' very best music (Aeroplane, Deep Kick, Coffee Shop, Shallow Be Thy Game to name a few).

.

I also feel that since only one album was released with this line-up, it can get swept under the rug at times. Sure, it's the product of some guys playing together and figuring each other out, and that's not a bad thing. However, if this line-up had a crack at one more album before dissolving, this line-up amongst the endless other lineups from the past could have really created something even more remarkable and refined than what's found on OHM. I believe that in my heart, sincerely.

.

I think it's fair to say that since Frusciante's second departure and the subsequent arrival of Josh Klinghoffer, Josh has been a good influence on the guys exploring some of their way older material. And after acting like OHM didnt exist during John's second tenure to seemingly appease the guy, Klinghoffer has made the other guys in the band finally come around to dusting off and acknowledging that YES One Hot Minute is an album not to be ashamed of and YES there's some outstanding material on it and YES there are fans out there in the huge audiences they command that have been dying to hear some of it played. Soon enough, this album will get the credit it really deserves. I've read countless posts online from people that hated OHM with a passion for quite a while, but then it finally clicked with the listener and now it's held in such a high regard.

.

Here's some of the better stuff from this era.

Deep Kick (skip to about 1:10 if Kiedis' monotone intro annoys you, and see for yourself how bad this groove is)

https://youtu.be/QwlwJFcNf3Q

.

Falling Into Grace

https://youtu.be/5531o-YeGtk

.

Shallow Be Thy Game (Probably in my top 5 RHCP songs ever)

https://youtu.be/FfbKrphheQk

.

Transcending

https://youtu.be/3f88BFdy-EE

.

Here's a B-Side that should have made the album, but makes the song that much cooler since it's so obscure: Let's Make Evil

https://youtu.be/8kFavNl07SE

.

Another awesome B-Side: Stretch

https://youtu.be/S0wtM8PdaBQ

.

And finally, a song they gave away to the soundtrack to Twister: Melancholy Mechanics

https://youtu.be/56PWNtiIV3o

[Edited 12/12/17 10:52am]

[Edited 12/12/17 11:08am]

kygermo said:

As a one-time major RHCP fan such as myself (which has since died down considerably), this curiosity of an album is one of the 2 or 3 I still go back and listen to when the mood strikes. As a matter of fact, it's probably the one I listen to the most. I really like and admire the risks they took and the darkness they tapped into once Dave Navarro was recruited to join after that primadonna seemingly unstable John Frusciante quit for the first time.

.

The album's reputation precedes itself. It also carries a mystique as "The Bastard Album" which probably only attracts more listeners to it. Is it an easily accessable album like BSSM was? Certainly not, and I think the public's expectations of another album along the lines of a carbon copy of BSSM unjustly held One Hot Minute up on a pedestel it had no intentions of being on. But please believe when I tell you: This album is a real grower. Give it time to show it's strengths to you should it fly over your head the first couple times. Navarro took these guys to places I don't think the other 3 in the band were ready to explore, Kiedis especially. That also goes for the fans, as well. Flea and Chad Smith have never sounded so unhinged but yet so air tight on record before or since, Chad especially. The grooves constantly sound like they're going to fall apart any second, and that urgency is this album's strength. I mean, just listen to "Deep Kick" as a great example. Thats probably the most in-the-pocket and difficult groove RHCP's rhythm section have put to tape, second to maybe only "Magic Johnson". Also, for a guy who's admitted to not being a funk fan but joined the goddamn Chili Peppers, Navarro found his niche with these guys, and the album almost plays out like a compromise among musicians from different backgrounds. It's the sound of conflicting sounds, and when it works, it births some of the Peppers' very best music (Aeroplane, Deep Kick, Coffee Shop, Shallow Be Thy Game to name a few).

.

I also feel that since only one album was released with this line-up, it can get swept under the rug at times. Sure, it's the product of some guys playing together and figuring each other out, and that's not a bad thing. However, if this line-up had a crack at one more album before dissolving, this line-up amongst the endless other lineups from the past could have really created something even more remarkable and refined than what's found on OHM. I believe that in my heart, sincerely.

.

I think it's fair to say that since Frusciante's second departure and with the arrival of Josh Klinghoffer, Josh has been a good influence on the guys exploring some of their way older material. And after acting like OHM didnt exist during John's second tenure to seemingly appease the guy, Klinghoffer has made the other guys in the band finally come around to dusting off and acknowledging that YES One Hot Minute is an album not to be ashamed of and YES there's some outstanding material on it and YES there are fans out there in the huge audiences they command that have been dying to hear some of it played. Soon enough, this album will get the credit it really deserves. I've read countless posts online from people that hated OHM with a passion for quite a while, but then it finally clicked with the listener and now it's held in such a high regard.

.

Here's some of the better stuff from this era.

Deep Kick (skip to about 1:10 if Kiedis' monotone intro annoys you, and see for yourself how bad this groove is)

https://youtu.be/QwlwJFcNf3Q

.

Falling Into Grace

https://youtu.be/5531o-YeGtk

.

Shallow Be Thy Game (Probably in my top 5 RHCP songs ever)

https://youtu.be/FfbKrphheQk

.

Transcending

https://youtu.be/3f88BFdy-EE

.

Here's a B-Side that should have made the album, but makes the song that much cooler since it's so obscure: Let's Make Evil

https://youtu.be/8kFavNl07SE

.

Another awesome B-Side: Stretch

https://youtu.be/S0wtM8PdaBQ

.

And finally, a song they gave away to the soundtrack to Twister: Melancholy Mechanics

https://youtu.be/56PWNtiIV3o

Wow. Not one typo! Frusciante' ears are burning right now btw!

What can I say really? I fine combed it before I posted it. I'm the kind of person that will type my entire complete thought out first just to get it out there and then I do the editing. If you edit as you go along, you stand to lose whats brewing in your brain.

It is my personal fave and I have checked in with most of their albums. Probably nostalgia just because I was in junior high at the time.

Cinny said:

It is my personal fave and I have checked in with most of their albums. Probably nostalgia just because I was in junior high at the time.

Now this is what I like to see! Have you checked out the Unmastered/Unsequenced version of it floating around on YouTube? You REALLY should if you havent already. There's a lot of extended jams and other things that got cut during the mastering phase. Its almost like listening again for the first time. Really amazing stuff.