Nick Cave reflects on viral comment about the Red Hot Chili Peppers that’s ‘followed him for 25 years’ and admits there was ‘no malice intended
Approximately 25 years ago, Nick Cave made a remark about the Red Hot Chili Peppers that has since become infamous among music enthusiasts. The comment, often quoted as, “I’m forever near a stereo saying, ‘What the f*** is this garbage?’ And the answer is always, ‘The Red Hot Chili Peppers’,” has trailed Cave throughout his career.
In a recent entry on his Red Hand Files website, Cave addressed this longstanding comment. Responding to a fan’s inquiry about the authenticity of the quote, he acknowledged, “About twenty-five years ago, I made an offhand and somewhat uncharitable remark about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. There was no malice intended; it was just the sort of obnoxious thing I would say back then to piss people off.” He further reflected on his past demeanor, stating, “I was a troublemaker, a s***-stirrer, feeling most at ease in the role of a societal irritant.”
The ripple effect of Cave’s comment reached the Red Hot Chili Peppers, particularly bassist Flea. In 2006, Flea responded, expressing his initial hurt but also his enduring admiration for Cave. He remarked, “I don’t care if Nick Cave hates my band because his music means everything to me. He is one of my favorite songwriters and singers and musicians of all time.”
Cave was moved by Flea’s graciousness, recalling, “He wrote a profoundly generous and open-hearted love letter to Nick Cave. I remember being genuinely moved by his words and thinking what a classy guy Flea was.” This exchange marked the beginning of a respectful relationship between the two artists.
Over the years, their paths crossed multiple times. Notably, during the Push The Sky Away tour, Cave’s band invited Flea to assemble a children’s choir from the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, which Flea founded, to perform at the Coachella Festival. Additionally, during Cave and Warren Ellis’s Carnage tour, Flea joined them on stage for a performance of “We No Who U R.” Cave fondly recalled, “Watching Warren and Flea perform together with such heart and mutual regard was a glorious sight.”
Their collaboration deepened recently when Flea invited Cave to contribute vocals to a track on his upcoming trumpet-focused album. Cave described the experience as transformative, noting, “The track emerged as a beautiful conversation between Flea’s trumpet and my voice, filled with yearning and love, the song transcending its individual parts and becoming a slowly evolving cosmic dance, in the form of a reconciliation and an apology.”
Reflecting on this journey, Cave’s initial offhand comment evolved into a meaningful connection, highlighting the power of humility, forgiveness, and the unifying force of music.
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