<Ul> <Li> Anthony Kiedis </Li> <Li> Flea </Li> <Li> Chad Smith </Li> <Li> Josh Klinghoffer </Li> </Ul> <Tr> <Th> Past members </Th> <Td> See below </Td> </Tr> <P> Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 . The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk rock and psychedelic rock . When played live, their music incorporates elements of jam band due to the improvised nature of many of their performances . Currently, the band consists of founding members vocalist Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea, longtime drummer Chad Smith, and former touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer . Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the best - selling bands of all time with over 80 million records sold worldwide, have been nominated for sixteen Grammy Awards, of which they have won six, and are the most successful band in alternative rock radio history, currently holding the records for most number - one singles (13), most cumulative weeks at number one (85) and most top - ten songs (25) on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart . In 2012, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . </P> <P> The band's original lineup, originally named Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem, featured guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons, alongside Kiedis and Flea . Because of commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band's self - titled debut album (1984). Slovak performed on the second and third albums, Freaky Styley (1985) and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987), but he died from a heroin overdose in 1988 . As a result of his friend's death, Irons chose to leave the group . After short - lived replacements on guitar and drums, John Frusciante and Chad Smith joined in 1988 . The lineup of Flea, Kiedis, Frusciante, and Smith was the longest - lasting and recorded five studio albums beginning with Mother's Milk (1989). In 1990, the group signed with Warner Bros. Records and recorded the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) under producer Rick Rubin . This album became the band's first major commercial success, but Frusciante grew uncomfortable with the band's popularity and left abruptly in 1992 in the middle of the Blood Sugar Sex Magik Tour . </P>

When were the red hot chili peppers formed