L.A. funk-rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers struggled for years to find commercial success, finally attaining it in the 1990s, despite frequent lineup changes and struggles with heroin addiction and indecency charges.

The nucleus of the band has always been vocalist Anthony Kiedis and bassist Michael "Flea" Balzary (born in Australia), who met at Fairfax High School in the late '70s. Flea performed with several L.A. bands, including the vulgar punk outfit Fear, before forming the Chili Peppers with Kiedis in 1983. Along with guitarist Hillel Slovak (born in Israel) and drummer Jack Irons, originally of the band What Is This, the Chili Peppers gigged around the Los Angeles area looking to make it big. Kiedis and Slovak became addicted to heroin, and Slovak quit the band in 1984, replaced by local guitarist Jack Sherman. The Peppers landed a record contract with EMI and released their self-titled debut album late that year to little public attention. Slovak returned to the band in 1985 for their follow-up effort, the more funk-oriented Freaky Styley, produced by George Clinton. This album did not sell well, though the group began to get an underground reputation for their wild stage antics, often performing naked or nearly so. Several times the band was arrested after exposing themselves off-stage and otherwise sexually harassing female fans.

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