John Frusciante Stone Free

From: Guitar World

Date: 01.01.1995
Written by Alan DiPerna

"When I was making this music, I had no idea it would ever become a record. I was so located in the
spiritual dimension where the music comes from that I literally wasn't aware of the fact that people
were going to buy it and play it in their houses." John Frusciante is talking about his new solo album,
Niandra Lades And Usually Just A T-Shirt (American), his first release since he's traumatic 1992
departure from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Niandra Lades is a bizarre and challenging recording.
Deeply Frusciante recorded most of the album at his home, using a four-track recorder to capture his
rambling guitar work and haunted vocals. He started recording Niandra while working on the Chili
Peppers' BloodSuageSexMagik and finished about six months afte "No song took more than three
hours," says Frusciante. "Everything was done in one take. This was a chance to trip my head out and
be as free as I wanted. What I expressed in the Chili Peppers was just a small part of what I'm all
about." The word that best describes these intensely private recordings is, perhaps, "chilling." Adding
to the eerie vibe is the presence of the late actor River Phoenix, who contributes a backwards
monologue to one track, and sings and plays acoustic guitar on It was Frusciante's Hollywood cronies
who persuaded him to release his home recordings: "All my friends - Perry Farrell, Johnny Depp, Flea,
Gibby Haynes and River - begged me to put it out. They told me that, what with all the shitty music
that's out nowadays, this record needs to be put out. I eventually gave in."