Happy Halloween from If You Have To Ask

Anthony Kiedis speaks to Barack Obama voters

In the mad scramble of these final days of the presidential race, there's been no shortage of celebrity endorsements and appearances on the campaign trail. The University of Nevada at Las Vegas is no exception.

In an attempt to lure as many young voters to the polls as possible, each party has been doing its best to bring out the biggest names with the greatest star power. The Obama campaign brought out the arguably biggest celebrity yet Monday – Anthony Kiedis.

Kiedis, who is best known for being the lead singer of the legendary rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers, decided to take a more active roll in this year's election. He described his reasons for getting involved in the Obama campaign when he sat down for an interview with the Rebel Yell.

Kiedis doesn't like to call what he is doing getting involved in politics.

"I take in an interest in the world, my country, people, but I don't know if I'd call it politics," Kiedis said. "That word has a [negative] connotation because I'm not a politician but I'm a person that likes to participate in life in this country."

According to Kiedis, the country is at a crossroads in this year's presidential election. In his eyes, the country has been falling apart over the past eight years under President Bush. "When things are ok, when the status quo is working, people don't care that much, but now it's getting pretty bad, and so people are realizing that this is a moment when they have to get up… and go out and participate in one way or the other."

"Everyone can relate to the economy, [a] large portion of the country can relate to things like the environment or healthcare and I think everybody has an opinion on war," Kiedis said. "What's been shown to America over the last eight years is that some of the ideas that the Republicans have implemented are old and don't work for the world anymore or for our country anymore and really they've served a small percentage of people."

Kiedis made his stance on the war and those who benefit from it very clear.

"The war was a disaster," he said. "No good came out of that. In the middle of the last century there was a reason to go to war. This time around the war was a really bad idea and I think the only people that benefited from anyway were Halliburton and people that made money from it, but that's not an excuse to have a war. Killing American kids so Halliburton can make money is not a righteous reason to go to war."

"From the standpoint of a father, I don't believe that war is the solution to our problems anymore, I think that there are dozens of other solutions to our problems, and war isn't a good [solution], it just doesn't work. There's a lot of negative fallout, and I don't want my son growing up thinking that that's the solution to a problem."

Read the rest of the this article at politico.com

Warner Bros to release 50 year anniversary set featuring Chili Peppers

The 50th anniversary of the founding of Warner Bros. Records will be capped with the December 9th release of Revolutions In Sound, a 240-page hard cover book accompanied by a USB flash drive containing 320 recordings reflecting the company's stature one of the most consistently successful labels in history and home to some of the most influential and innovative artists in contemporary music.

With exclusive interviews, never-before-seen photographs and insider accounts of how the hits were born, Revolutions in Sound celebrates the first fifty years of a company where music and legends are made. It's the "ultimate" box set, highlighted by the book authored by music historian and educator Warren Zanes. The accompanying USB memory key, shaped like the WB logo, is loaded with iconic music that is the equivalent of a 20 CD set. The collection reflects the diversity of the music released by Warner Bros., Reprise, Sire and affiliated labels from 1958 to the present day. The tracks follow the evolution of Warner Bros. Records, from fledgling record label, started by a movie mogul in the middle of the last century to its status today as one of the preeminent music content companies in the world.

Ranging from Jimi Hendrix to My Chemical Romance, the Grateful Dead to Madonna, Fleetwood Mac to Frank Sinatra, Tab Hunter to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the who's who of the label's roster reflects an unequalled cross section of cultural history and some of today's most important artists. Other notable artists associated with the company's rise and continuing industry leadership are Green Day, Van Halen, Michael Bublé, Regina Spektor, The White Stripes, Cher, Curtis Mayfield, Ramones, REM, Faith Hill, Alanis Morrisette, Randy Newman, Funkadelic, Seal, Big & Rich, Alanis Morrisette, Linkin Park, Josh Groban, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton and hundreds of others, many of whom have come to be known as household names over the course of fifty years and whom have continued Warner Bros. success as the industry's No. 1 label in the U.S. for two of the last three years.

Courtesy of Invisible Movement

RHCP in this weeks Kerrang! Magazine

The British magazine Kerrang! are looking at the new release of 'Me and My Friends' in this weeks issue.

Click here for more info.

More Me & My Friends info

Chad Smith has been drummer for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers for 20 years, replacing original sticksman Jack Irons. In the forward to a new book about the band by photographer Tony Woolliscroft he discusses how the two became part of the Chilli Peppers family. This article also includes previously unseen pictures of the band on the road.

TONY AND I JOINED THE PEPPERS AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME...
On my first tour of Europe in the cold ass winter of 1990, we headed off to England. I was so excited to be in a country that spawned so many of my musical idols: Sabbath, Zeppelin, The Who, Deep Purple, Queen, etc. This is the music I grew up on and I couldn’t believe I was over here in their backyards. Needless to say I was a little green and, being the ‘new guy’, I was on my own a lot. I remember meeting Tony, this big cuddly bear, and he came up to me at his first photo shoot with us for Kerrang, I think, and asked me where the “loo” was and I couldn’t understand a word he said, except for maybe that one. And I didn’t know anybody named Lou. Mind you I hadn’t been in England too long and his accent, being a northern one, was as thick as a brick. “Funniest guy yet,” I thought. Anyway, from that day forward, he has shot us on every one of our tours all over the world. Every one. All of them... Jesus, stay home once in a while!
Most photographers are only allowed to shoot the first three songs of a show. We love Tony and his work so much that he is the only guy we give complete access to for an entire show. That’s how much we trust him.

But you’ll be able to see that trust going through the book. His images make you feel like you’re there. Like any true artist, and much like our band, he keeps searching and trying to learn more about his craft. He has grown with us.

I think you will see that growth here as well. He has captured the essence of our band on film.

Chad Smith
Tony has been closer to the band than any other photographer. He’s braved a typhoon with them in Japan, captured Anthony Kiedes walking off the edge of a sky-scraper hotel roof in Venezuela, witnessed John Frusciante’s remarkable private comeback show in Washington and had drumsticks affectionately thrown at him by Chad during a live performance for taking pictures of Flea’s naked girlfriend. He’s had the fortune of enjoying Anthony singing ‘Venice Queen’ for him in the Chateau Marmont and the misfortune of almost wrecking a gig by accidentally knocking John’s backline equipment (speakers and amps on a trolley) across the stage as the band were playing.

The book in Tony’s own words:
I’m sitting in the back room of my home and every inch of the floor is covered with Red Hot Chili Peppers pictures. I’m going slightly insane looking at them all. It’s then I realise just how many pictures I have actually taken of the band over the years and all the places I’ve seen them. What I’ve tried to do in this book is share some very memorable times I’ve had photographing them. I called it ‘Me and My Friends’ simply because it was one of my favourite songs by the band. I do class them as friends, and I don’t think I would have been allowed as near to them if they didn’t class me as one. They are very private people. Photographically, I got as close to them as you could.

I first heard the band in one of my best friend’s flat in Bradford. His name was Rob Heaton and he was the drummer in New Model Army, who happened to be on the same UK label as the Peppers, EMI. Rob had got hold of the new Peppers cd ‘Uplift Mofo Party Plan’. I was taken aback at how good it was and how different it sounded to what I was listening to at that time. I wanted to see this band. Rob’s wife, Robin, was from Orange County, California, the band’s home state.

She raved about them, saying how good they were live. The first RHCP hooks had landed in my skin. I missed them on the ‘Uplift’ tour, something I still regret to this day. So when Mother’s Milk came out I made damn sure I saw them.

With the book, I’ve tried to give you an insight into my little world shooting the Peppers through the years. I could easily have filled it 20 times over just with pictures of Anthony, Flea, Chad and John. But that’s not the whole story and that’s what makes their story so special, so, you will find pictures of Dave Navarro and Arik Marshall as they are part of my story with the band.
Hopefully you will see through the pages in this book how my photography grew with the band. I learnt a lot shooting these guys. From the very small venues to the massive stadiums they ended up in, I’ve met some amazing people along the way, but best of all I got to work with the best band on the planet, bar none.

Hope you enjoy the ride...

To view exclusive pictures from the book log onto: http://www.reshotchilipeppers-book.com/

Or visit the facebook or myspace pages

Hotel Sax Offers Celebrity Rider Inspired Rooms

Who hasn't wanted to hang out with a rock band to see what they eat and what they do when they're not on stage?

Well unless you're extremely well-connected, you're not likely to snag some one-on-one time with Coldplay anytime soon, but you can live like a rock star right in Chicago.

Hotel Sax Chicago is offering a Celebrity Rider Package -- two nights in a one-bedroom suite specially themed in a way that only your favorite entertainer would appreciate.

There's four unique packages covering a wide range of entertainers and eras.

The "Rock Like the Red Hot Chili Peppers" suite package includes items like the group's signature tube socks Heineken, a juice bar with a smoothie-tender and an acoustic guitar. They'll also throw in VIP access to the Foundation Room at the neighboring House of Blues concert venue.

The "Glam Nights Like Jennifer Lopez" package offers a peaceful oasis including white lilies, apple pie, chocolate chip cookies, in-room spa services and bath turndown service of your choice.
The Rat Pack-inspired package includes a suite with a bar cart featuring Jack Daniels and Beefeaters, plus, a personal bartender. You also get a private steak dinner at Harry Caray’s restaurant for up to nine friends, 24-hour on call transportation, personal butler service, personal stylist service and a boat for the guest and friends to cruise the Chicago river.

The "Play like Ari Gold" package is inspired by Jeremy Piven's character on Entourage. The high rollers who book this package are treated to a helicopter ride, sports car service, in-room sushi, dinner at Smith & Wollensky, in-room spa services and their very own "Lloyd" personal assistant.

Packages range from $2,500 to $10,000 and are subject to availability.
Call (877) 569-3742 for reservations at least 14 days in advance.

Courtesy of NBC Chicago

Chad talks to MusicRadar

As drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chad Smith is in one of the biggest bands in the world that practically everybody has heard. But as drummer for the new 'supergroup' Chickenfoot, he's in one of the most talked-about bands in recent memory that practically no one has heard.

"It's so crazy," Smith marvels during a pre-interview chat. "I've never been in a situation where there was so much interest before a single note of music made it to the public. I would say it feels like pressure, but we're doing this for ourselves as much as anybody else, so we're hell-bent on keeping it fun."

The 'we' Smith speaks of, the group that goes by the code name Chickenfoot, consists of himself, singer-guitarist Sammy Hagar, guitarist Joe Satriani and bassist Michael Anthony. Already they've made waves earlier this year when Hagar, in a tequila-induced state of euphoria, said the band could "rival Led Zeppelin"- a boast he mostly denies, although he admits to saying something to that effect.

Smith, for his part, chuckles at Hagar's enthusiasm, but in his view, "Led Zeppelin is the last band we're trying to sound like. Influenced by? Who isn't? But we're doing our own thing, and it's coming out great. I can't wait for the world to hear this powerful stuff we're doing."
This from a hard-hitting drummer who, since he joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1988, has burned a hole through the musical community with seismic rock-funk performances on half a dozen Peppers albums and almost a hundred guest spots on records by artists ranging from The Dixie Chicks to John Fogerty.

A self-described 'entertainer,' he's not above performing at times nearly nude, and other times with distinctive headgear like giant light bulbs and flame flowers. Antics aside, Smith remains an obsessed, dedicated musician who relishes conducting clinics around the world, especially since these events afford him the occasional opportunity to jam with heroes such as Ian Paice from Deep Purple.

During a break from Chickenfoot sessions, Smith sat down and talked with MusicRadar. The expansive drummer held forth on a wide-range of topics and was delighted to answer questions from MusicRadar readers. More significantly, he addressed the topic on everyone's mind: Does he think he looks like actor Will Ferrell?

LINKS TO FULL ARTICLE AND AUDIO CLIPS HERE

NEW John Frusciante album NEWS. The Empyrean

The correct spelling for the new album’s name is The Empyrean rather than The Imperium. Many thanks to “Lil Z” for confirming this here and possibly on a third-party online forum as well. I have chosen to believe them and I hope all of you will choose to believe them, too.

Now what? Why believe it? Does this make any sense? To the person writing this, it does! It makes much more sense. It makes perfect sense for anyone who’s read Dante Alighieri’s work and to people who are familiar with religious philosophies all over the world’s major religions.

Courtesy of Invisible-Movement

More Kerrang Scans...

Here's a few more little scans for your enjoyment :

NASA album released 17/02/2009

Finally! N.A.S.A. debut album will be released on 17th February 2009, via Anti- and this was announced today on Billboard. The title of this compilation, featuring musicians known for genre-surfing and, of course, from North America and South America will be The Spirit of Apollo.

As it was revealed long ago, John is on the fifth song, Way Down, together with RZA and Barbie Hatch.

Courtesy of invisible-movement

Chad Smith Q & A

Chad is doing a Q & A session for Music Radar. Submit your questions here and the best will be asked in the interview.

Me & My Friends Photo-Book website

well I'm back from a week's holiday with some more news, and some more magazine scans coming over the next few days.

I've stumbled across a website for the new RHCP photo-book. It contains previews of some of the pictures and you also get a discount if you pre-order the book from the site :)

Heres the link http://www.redhotchilipeppers-book.com/index.php

Old Red Hot Chili Peppers Kerrang Scans. Part 2

These are a collection of scans from the british music magazine Kerrang. They are from the Hyde Park era. Click each image to enlarge.