<P> Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles by singer Anthony Kiedis, guitarist Hillel Slovak, bassist Flea, and drummer Jack Irons, all of whom were classmates from Fairfax High School . Originally going under the band name of Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem, their first performance was at the Rhythm Lounge club to a crowd of approximately 30 people, opening for Gary and Neighbor's Voices . Inspired by punk funk acts like The Contortions and Defunkt, they "wrote" for the occasion, which involved the band improvising music while Kiedis rapped a poem he had written called "Out in L.A.". At the time, Slovak and Irons were already committed to another group, What Is This? however, the performance was so lively, that the band was asked to return the following week . Due to this unexpected success, the band changed its name to Red Hot Chili Peppers, playing several more shows at various LA clubs and musical venues . Six songs from these initial shows were on the band's first demo tape . </P> <P> In November 1983, manager Lindy Goetz struck a seven - album deal with EMI America and Enigma Records . Two weeks earlier however, What Is This? had also obtained a record deal with MCA . Slovak and Irons still considered the Red Hot Chili Peppers as only a side project and so in December 1983 they quit to focus on What Is This? . Instead of dissolving the band, Kiedis and Flea recruited new members . Cliff Martinez, a friend of Flea's and member from the punk band, The Weirdos, was the new replacement for Irons . The band held auditions for a new guitarist but decided after a few practices that Weirdos guitarist Dix Denney did not fit . Kiedis described the two final candidates, Mark Nine and Jack Sherman, respectively as a "hip avant - garde art school refugee" and a nerd looking guy with a combed - back Jewfro with an unknown background . Musically Sherman clicked right away with Flea and Martinez and was hired as Slovak's replacement . </P> <P> The band released their eponymous debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers on August 10, 1984 . Though the album did not set sales records, airplay on college radio and MTV helped to build a fan base, and the album ultimately sold 300,000 copies . Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill, who produced the album "didn't embrace (the band's) musical aesthetic or ideology, argued constantly with the band over the record's sound ." Kiedis recalled, that "Andy's thing was having a hit at all costs, but it was such a mistake to have an agenda ." Despite the misgivings of Kiedis and Flea, Gill pushed the band to play with a cleaner, crisper, more radio - friendly sound . The band was disappointed in the record's overall sound, feeling it was overly polished and as if it had "gone through a sterilizing Goody Two - shoes machine". The album included backing vocals by Gwen Dickey, the singer for the successful 1970s disco funk group Rose Royce . The band embarked on a grueling tour during which they performed sixty shows in sixty - four days . During the tour, continuing musical and lifestyle tension between Kiedis and Sherman complicated the transition between concert and daily band life . When the tour ended in October 1984, Sherman was fired . Hillel Slovak, who had just quit What Is This?, would re-join the band in early 1985 . </P> <P> George Clinton produced the next album, Freaky Styley (1985). Clinton combined various elements of punk and funk into the band's repertoire, allowing their music to incorporate a variety of distinct styles . The album featured Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley on many of the album's tracks . The band often indulged in heavy heroin use while recording the album, which influenced the lyrics and musical direction of the album . The band had a much better relationship with Clinton than with Gill, but Freaky Styley, released on August 16, 1985, also achieved little success, failing to make an impression on any chart . The subsequent tour was also considered unproductive by the band . Despite the lack of success, the band was satisfied with Freaky Styley; Kiedis reflected, that "it so surpassed anything we thought we could have done that we were thinking we were on the road to enormity ." The band appeared in the 1986 movie Thrashin' (directed by David Winters and starring Josh Brolin) playing the song "Blackeyed Blonde" from Freaky Styley . During this time the band also appeared in the movie Tough Guys starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas performing the song "Set It Straight" at a Los Angeles nightclub . </P>

What was red hot chili peppers first album