Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea recalled the emotions the group was dealing with when they fired the band's guitarist for a decade — Josh Klinghoffer — upon John Frusciante's return to the band. Klinghoffer, who started out as Frusciante's guitar tech, as now tours as Pearl Jam's supplemental live guitarist, was let go by the Chili Peppers in December 2019.
Flea told Classic Rock that it was decision he didn't take lightly: “I crashed my car into the garage, I was so freaked out about it. Look, Josh is an amazing person. He was helpful for me personally, as someone I could go to when I was hurting and crying on the road. He played great, he contributed, he’s an awesome person. But we had a language with John that we developed when we were all much younger.”
He went on to explain the allure of John Frusciante as a guitarist and bandmember: “John Frusciante is the best musician I’ve ever played with. It’s in everything from the little details to the big picture. His relationship to music is so pure and has so much integrity and knowledge and work and practice. Every note he plays is born of this immense heart. It’s so beautiful.”