Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was released on August 16, 1989. Mother's Milk peaked at number 52 on Billboard Top 200 album chart. It has sold one million copies and has been certified platinum.

Background

Before the album was recorded, guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a speedball overdose on June 25, 1988 and drummer Jack Irons left soon after. After temporarily employing former P-Funk guitarist DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight and Dead Kennedys drummer D. H. Peligro, guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith were chosen to replace them. Originally the album was planned as The Rockin' Freakapotamus, but after Slovak's death the recordings were stopped. Now "The Rockin' Freakapotamus" is the name of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' fan club.

Recording and production

Frontman Anthony Kiedis noted in his autobiography that Frusciante and producer Michael Beinhorn often fought over the former's guitar work. Frusciante preferred a more dry sound as he would employ on later records. Beinhorn, however, preferred the standard practice of layering guitar tracks. Frusciante went with Beinhorn's suggestions, and because of this, much of the album's guitar work sounds notably different from the other albums that feature Frusciante. "Pretty Little Ditty" is a notable exception.

Track listing

All songs written by Red Hot Chili Peppers, except where noted.

1. "Good Time Boys" – 5:02
2. "Higher Ground" (Stevie Wonder) – 3:23
3. "Subway to Venus" – 4:25
4. "Magic Johnson" – 2:57
5. "Nobody Weird Like Me" – 3:50
6. "Knock Me Down" – 3:45
7. "Taste the Pain" – 4:32
8. "Stone Cold Bush" – 3:06 (Frusciante, Kiedis, Flea, Smith, D. H. Peligro)
9. "Fire" (Jimi Hendrix) – 2:03
10. "Pretty Little Ditty" – 1:37
11. "Punk Rock Classic" – 1:47
12. "Sexy Mexican Maid" (Frusciante, Kiedis, Flea, Smith, Peligro) – 3:23
13. "Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky" – 5:12

Bonus tracks on 2003 remastered version

14. "Song That Made Us What We Are Today" (demo) – 12:56
15. "Knock Me Down" (original long version) – 4:44
16. "Sexy Mexican Maid" (original long version) – 3:59 (D. H. Peligro, Flea, Frusciante, Kiedis, Smith)
17. "Salute to Kareem" (demo) – 3:24
18. "Castles Made of Sand" (live) ( Hendrix) – 3:19
19. "Crosstown Traffic" (live) (Hendrix) – 2:53

Charting singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	"Higher Ground"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	26
1989	"Higher Ground"	Modern Rock Tracks	11
1989	"Knock Me Down"	Modern Rock Tracks	6

Personnel

• Anthony Kiedis - lead vocals, art concept
• John Frusciante – guitar, backing vocals
• Michael "Flea" Balzary - bass, backing vocals, trumpet (on "Taste the Pain", "Subway to Venus" and "Pretty Little Ditty")
• Chad Smith – drums
• Fish (Philip Fisher) – drums (on "Taste the Pain")
• Hillel Slovak - guitar (on "Fire")
• Jack Irons – drums (on "Fire")
• Michael Beinhorn – producer, engineer
• Dave Coleman – cello (on "Taste the Pain")
• Nels Israelson – photography
• Patrick English – trumpet (on "Subway to Venus")
• Keith "Tree" Barry- tenor sax (on "Subway to Venus" and "Sexy Mexican Maid")
• Lon- trombone (on "Subway to Venus)
• Eddie DeLena – engineer
• Garth Richardson – engineer
• Dave Jerden – mixing

References

• Kiedis, Anthony; Sloman, Larry Scar Tissue. Hyperion.