Classic Albums: To Record Only Water For Ten Days by John Frusciante

OK, here’s part two of my fave 2001 albums and it’s just got to be John Frusciante next, we go from NY yesterday to LA for today’s Sunday post. Now I did express my love for this man just the other day blogging about the band he once was in, if you can’t place him? The Red Hot Chili Peppers guitar player, joining just in time for 1989’s Mother Milks album, then leaving in 1992 while on Japanese tour for Blood Sugar Sex Magik album. Then rejoining from 1999 to 2009 including three more albums with them. I do love them as a band but I don’t know about picking an album by them, they’re a big hit single band really and maybe just too biggie for my taste now. I don’t think they will make it into my own list here, sorry guys. I do love John solo stuff way more so now that’s out of the way can get into this album but off course I’m going to have talk more about the band more today here.

This is his third solo at this point and introducing the year 2001 in the last post but really this album should be before that one because it was released in February of that year. So in the context of all that crap that happened later in the year, To Record Only Water For Ten Days album was a great start to a bad year by the end.

It was his major label debut after indie label doing the others, Warner Bros. put it out in the middle of his second time with the band. Unlike his previous two solo albums Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt and Smile from the Streets You Hold, almost all the lo-fi recording are gone. It was still recorded at his home studio so some still call it just for that fact but it’s so much more clear and whatever word would best to describe that sound. It was following a month in rehab for his heroin addiction and then his rejoining the Red Hot Chili Peppers and releasing Californication in June of 1999. He started recording in November 1999 to April 2000 and the real big difference here is someone who’s in one of the biggest rock band in the world he did his own version of electronica, synthpop and new wave. I remember him naming dropping acts like Depeche Mode and New Order.

Now my own highlight also when seeing the Chili Peppers live around this time was when John got the spot light shinned on him and he did one of these song live. Kind-of wished he played solo gigs somehow in-between the big stadiums. When saying this after to my younger sister who I when along to the show with, she looked me like I was mad but she loved the funky rock and the big ballads better than me and off course she was watching Anthony jumping around all night with shirt on, wishing he had no on pants too!

Weirdo actor and director Vincent Gallo made video clips for all the song embedded far above but warning it’s just a lot of jump-cuts, is that the right word? For that? The Aussie late night TV show Rage played them all like once and I was wasted or drunk and it was one of the greatest nights ever in the early-2000’s, just above is the opening track Going Inside which I remember got played a little bit more than once. John also when on to do some songs for the soundtrack to Vincent infamous Brown Bunny movie a couple years later.

Both John’s Chili Peppers’ albums 1999’s Californication and 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik are the two RHCP’s one in that 1001 albums book that I’m listening to before I die, which I guess are the best albums but I’ve heard them so much at this point I really don’t need to listen them again if you know what I mean?

Anyway anyone else out there who loves John F and maybe this album over one of the biggest, highest selling bands of all-time?

To Record Only Water for Ten Days track listing and times:

1. Going Inside – 3:36
2. Someone’s – 1:52
3. The First Season – 4:13
4. Wind Up Space – 1:59
5. Away & Anywhere – 4:07
6. Remain – 3:57
7. Fallout – 2:10
8. Ramparts – 1:11
9. With No One – 3:32
10. Murderers – 2:41
11. Invisible Movement – 2:21
12. Representing -1:46
13. In Rime – 2:13
14. Saturation – 3:03
15. Moments Have You – 3:29

All my Classic Albums posts are in that link or they’re all linked below too!

Basically the idea is write a little about each of my fave albums but I don’t know why really I titled/tagged them all as classic albums? Please feel free to leave a reply about this one or any of them or all of them all, Thank you!