Red Hot Chili Peppers - Mother's Milk (2003 EMI Remaster)

Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 29, 1989 on EMI. After the death of guitarist Hillel Slovak and subsequent departure of drummer Jack Irons, vocalist Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea regrouped with the addition of guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith. Frusciante significantly altered the band's sound by placing more emphasis on melody than rhythm, which had dominated the band's previous material. Returning producer Michael Beinhorn favored heavy metal guitar riffs as well as excessive overdubbing, and as a result Beinhorn and Frusciante constantly fought over the album's guitar sound.

The record was a greater commercial success than the Chili Peppers' past three studio albums combined. Mother's Milk peaked at number 52 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread recognition for singles "Knock Me Down" and the Stevie Wonder cover "Higher Ground". The album became their first gold record in early 1990, and was the first step for the band in achieving international success. Although the record was not met with the same positive critical reception that its predecessor The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987) had garnered, Mother's Milk, according to Amy Hanson of Allmusic, "turned the tide and transformed the band from underground funk-rocking rappers to mainstream bad boys with seemingly very little effort".

Tracks
01 Good Time Boys
02 Higher Ground
03 Subway To Venus
04 Magic Johnson
05 Nobody Weird Like Me
06 Knock Me Down
07 Taste The Pain
08 Stone Cold Bush
09 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 - (previously unreleased, demo)
15 Knock Me Down - (previously unreleased, original long version)
16 Sexy Mexican Maid - (previously unreleased, original long version)
17 Salute To Kareem - (previously unreleased, demo)
18 Castles Made Of Sand - (live, 11/21/89)
19 Crosstown Traffic - (previously unreleased, live, 11/21/89)

Credits
MOTHER'S MILK is dedicated to the memory of the Chili Peppers' original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died of a heroin overdose in 1988. Slovak (along with original drummer Jack Irons) appears for the last time here on the Jimi Hendrix cover "Fire."

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Anthony Kiedis (vocals); John Frusciante (guitar); Flea (trumpet, bass); Chad Smith (drums).

Additional personnel includes: Hillel Slovak (guitar); Jack Irons, Fish (drums); Julie Ritter, Gretchen Seager, Wag (background vocals).

Principally recorded at Ocean Way Studios and Image Studios, Hollywood, California. Includes liner notes by Flea.

All tracks have been digitally remastered using 24 Bit Technology.

MOTHER'S MILK is dedicated to the memory of the Chili Peppers' original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died of a heroin overdose in 1988. Slovak (along with original drummer Jack Irons) appears for the last time here on the Jimi Hendrix cover "Fire."

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Anthony Kiedis (vocals); John Frusciante (guitar); Flea (trumpet, bass); Chad Smith (drums).

Additional personnel includes: Hillel Slovak (guitar); Jack Irons, Fish (drums); Julie Ritter, Gretchen Seager, Wag (background vocals).

Engineers include: Garth Richardson.

Principally recorded at Ocean Way Studios and Image Studios, Hollywood, California.

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