Product Description

1989's MOTHER'S MILK is the album that broke the Red Hot Chili Peppers out of college rock cultdom and into the rock mainstream. Despite suffering the loss of drummer Jack Irons and guitarist Hillel Slovak a year earlier (Irons left after Slovak suffered a fatal drug overdose), founding members Anthony Kiedis and Flea found exceptional replacements in Chad Smith and John Frusciante. The new members' excitement is clearly evident throughout MOTHER'S MILK, arguably the Chili Peppers' best album. A cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" and a tribute to Slovak, "Knock Me Down", were both big MTV successes, as were such other highlights as "Taste the Pain" (featured prominently in the movie SAY ANYTHING), "Good Time Boys", "Subway to Venus", "Magic Johnson", and "Sexy Mexican Maid".

Track Listing

1. Good Time Boys
2. Higher Ground
3. Subway To Venus
4. Magic Johnson
5. Nobody Weird Like Me
6. Knock Me Down
7. Taste The Pain
8. Stone Cold Bush
9. Fire
10. Pretty Little Ditty
11. Punk Rock Classic
12. Sexy Mexican Maid
13. Johnny Kick A Hole In The Sky
14. Song That Made Us What We Are Today
15. Knock Me Down
16. Salute To Kareem
17. Castles Made Of Sand
18. Crosstown Traffic

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4550 in Music
• Released on: 2003-03-10
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The Chili Peppers finally hit their stride with Mother's Milk, for the first time making their breakneck mix of funk, rap, and metal smooth enough to attract the masses, while keeping it raw enough not to alienate old fans. They've straddled that edge ever since. It didn't hurt that they offered a pretty mainstream cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" to introduce the album. That single though, and the rest of Mother's Milk (including "Knock Me Down" and the randy "Sexy Mexican Maid") is pure Pepper--from Anthony Kiedis's in-your-face vocals to Flea's chattering bass. Milk was also guitarist John Frusciante's debut with the group. --Michael Ruby

Customer Reviews

the real magic
The album that introduced me to four guys who would soundtrack most of my adult life... together with Faith No More they've had a lasting impression on my musical tastes ever since ever. Although Blood Sugar... will always be the standout for it's Frusciante licks and mellower basslines and more experimental edge, this album rocks on a level they haven't gone back to since. And because of this I think this remains their most 'fun' album, filled with frat-school rocking and some monster riffing. 'Nobody weird like me' was played live when i saw them last year, and it remains the highlight of all their gigs I've seen (bar 'scar tissue').

Good Time Boys
This is the album that introduced me to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And I can tell you, it totally blew me away! From the album cover, to its mix of punk, funk, rap and rock, to four guys dancing around the stage in their underwear, it was like nothing I'd seen or ever heard before. Along with Blood Sugar Sex Magik, this was to define who I am today.I grew up listening to songs on this record, and today, 16 years later, they still mean as much to me as they did back then.
This was the bands first commercial success, and of course the introduction of John Frusciante and Chad Smith. Only John could have filled the void left behind by Hillel Slovack, and it is clear on this album Hillel was one of his biggest influences. I doubt the Red Hot Chili Peppers would have ever tasted the success they have, had it not been for John, as he brings something more to the band.
And then of course there's Chad, who hits the drums harder than anybody. Flea's bassline lays the foundation, you can feel all of his energy being poured into the making of this record, while Anthony has a couple of his best lyrical efforts on here. (Knock me down, Taste The Pain).
While this album may not be as good as the ones that followed, (with the exception of 'One Hot Minute', of course) it is certainly a good aquisition for anybody who jumped on the post 'blood sugar' bandwagon.
A couple of songs on here (Stone Cold Bush & Johnny,Kick A Hole In The Sky) will leave you breathless, while a couple (Magic Johnson & Nobody Weird Like Me) could have easily been left off the album and not missed.
Overall, a very good effort nonetheless...It definitely set the stage for what was to come.

Mothers Milk
This album is another quality hit from the chili peppers, although the first album to include guitarist john frusciante and drummer chad smith the chillis still manage to create the magic as in all the other albums. This album shows how they start to move from punk funk to more conventional rock, yet still keeping their own distinctive sound. Although often forgotten by today's fans, this album will stay in the favourites for many years to come. Fantastic.