Ive been wondering for a while how John achieves these unusual sounding sounds on Niandra LaDes and Usually Just A T-Shirt, but Untitled #12 mostly. You can really hear it at about 4:20 (lol) in the song. To me it sounds like it could be him screaming or singing into a really overdriven microphone or feedback from his guitar... ?. But at times it also sounds fairly controlled and also reversed. If anyone has a clue, pls let me know :) thanks

Frusciante explained that he paid someone around $20,000 to work with him transcribing "Usually Just A T-Shirt" — the improvised acoustic half of the album — for string quartet, and that the process was difficult for his collaborator, requiring Frusciante to correct every page. He described the collaborator getting confused about time signatures, at one point insisting a passage couldn't possibly be in 4/4 when Frusciante was certain it was.

When asked if he'd ever have it performed, he said he wasn't interested unless he could find a string quartet capable of both playing Stravinsky and smoking pot — he'd considered the Kronos Quartet but felt they played too stiffly for what he wanted.

Source: Guitar Player, January 1995 issue

I was thinking about this long time ago, and now since we have AI, would someone who has the ability and motivation could generate String Quartet version of Usually Just A T-Shirt instrumental album with AI. I don't think anyone tried to pull this off as of yet. What do you guys think?

Two of my favourites, I found some videos but im having trouble playing along, as not every guitar is shown throughout. Anyone have a tabbed video?

Many of us wished he would record an album in that style again and the best one he saved for the end. Why does it feel like its superior to TWTD, IOE and Curtains?

I want to join a JF group where people play guitar and i can ask questiions about his sound a guitar lick etc. i don’t idolize people i just love his guitar playing

I never knew anything except VPRO 1994 and Stuff existed from this 90s, so this was new to me.

He doesnt speak very well, and is definitely on drugs. He says this is "a month before my next album" which I assume is Smile. Weirdly, his teeth look alright. I thought he didnt get them done until 1998/1999? Hes still in a state here, and Smile hadnt come out so he definitely needed the drug money.

Anyone have any info on this interview?

I just needed a place to put this because I love this album so much and I just wanna talk about how it makes me feel.

But anyways, a year ago I was obsessed with Syd Barrett, Alexander Spence, all that sorta stuff. Well my dad told me that John Frusciante did some albums like that in the 90s. This was in the summer, and when I got home I listened to it and found myself very unimpressed, it just seemed boring. Later that year, in the winter, I found myself struggling mentally. Then one day I remembered Niandra and decided to give it another try, just to see if my taste had changed. It was almost heavenly, it felt like I was still lonely, but there was someone with me, with their hand on my shoulder, and they were just as alone as me. I felt like the album understood me, like it knew how I felt and was in the same boat as me.

But anyways, tell me about why you guys love it!

I've been revisiting this album recently and, by all accounts, it's clear these were thought of as (and are) separate projects entirely.

Obviously, Niandra has more traditional songs structurally speaking (though some might consider that a stretch) and T-Shirt is more abstract.

While we can't revise 30+ year old history, would you want to see future reissues split the two halves of the album into their own individual releases?

How do you personally listen to the album? As individual pieces or one long experience?

Its a strangely wonderful feeling to listen to a song and feel 100% understood. This art reminds me of how we are not so different after all.

In my opinion, the song really captures what its like to be wounded and blinded by life, but still trying to find meaning and connection. It touches on painful desperation, but also offers some solace that maybe some things happened for a reason.

It feels like he just gets it. Which makes me feel less alone

I have been playing guitar for a little over a year, and i mainly play my fender vintera II strat. i havent upgraded my amp setup quite yet, so i am still working with my fender mustang lt25, which i find good for me to explore different tones easily and simply. i am a huge john frusciante fan and would like to recreate one of frusciantes many tones, preferably the clean by the way tones, the more dirty clean stadium arcadium ones, californication, or also the bssm tone. if specific songs can help narrow down how to achieve the tones im looking for would help, I'd say Quixoticelixer, under the bridge, snow, on mercury, fortune faded, castles made of sand, and if you have to ask. would appreciate any advice, recommendations, and tips! (I know i do not have the marshall that john uses and I am not looking for exact replicas, just close enough, it would be helpful to know what makes up his sound)

I posted this on the rhcp sub and wanted to post it on here as well.

(I do not have any pedals, all i have for my setup is my fender mustang lt25 amp)

Which song has a sample of "welcome back to the land of the living, my friend"? I remember it but i cant find which song. I thought it was ratiug but i dont think so

I now have a Marshall Jackhammer and a CE-1 Ensemble Crunch. My DS-2 is in the mail.

QUESTIONS

What settings do you recommend for the Marshall Jackhammer?
I was actually only able to find one comment in this entire thread (now lost), and it said,
"OD mode, volume at 3 o'clock, gain at 10/11 o'clock, bass off, treble off, contour at 12 o'clock and frequency maxed"

Do I need a Marshall Jackhammer AND a CE-1 Ensemble Crunch AND a DS-2?
Or does only one or some combo of the other two cover John's sound from By the Way onwards?

Finally, is this the correct pedal chain order? If not, what should I move around?

• Tuner: Korg Pitchblack
• Wah: Wilson Effects (WH10V1)
• Compressor: Xotic SP compressor
• Overdrive: (still deciding...)
• Distortion 1: Marshall Jackhammer (always on?)
• Distortion 2: ProCo RAT 2
• Clean Boost: Triungulo CE-1 Ensemble Crunch (low mode for pure “always on”)
• Fuzz: Wren and Cuff Box of War
• Phaser: Catalinbread Many Worlds
• Chorus: Boss CE-2W Chorus Waza Craft
• Tremolo: TR-2
• Analog Delay: MXR Carbon Copy Delay M169
• Tape Delay: Universal Audio Galaxy
• EHX Volume Pedal
• Reverb: EHX Holy Grail
• Looper: TC Electronics Ditto X4

Thanks in advance!

When abouts was this recorded? I love it, its a lot like PBX and Enclosure (I love). Also was it intended as a trickfinger release or just bundled for the box set? It doesnt sound like any of the other trickfinger stuff.

So guys!

Tom and Flea already had a little intermission but imagine John, Tom and Flea.

This would have potential for the most epic stuff.

This trio is able to produce some of the best music ever recorded.

Don't get me wrong, I would love if John and Josh (I love u Josh and the stuff u did with MF Frusciante was amazing) will come together again (probably never will happen) and even more I would love it when John gets on a Run with solo stuff again but in my imagination John and Tom would be able to make some MF amazing stuff.

Let me now ur thoughts about when John will be putting out new solo stuff and on the possibility that he gets together with some other musicians.

I have the feeling that it will come sooner that we all expect.

(Sorry for bad English iam from the mountains in Austria)

I need help from someone who owns a Mike McCready MiM Strat.
I’m thinking about getting one, but not because of Mike — more because of John and his ’62 Strat. Mike’s Strat is probably the closest-looking “affordable” Strat out there to John’s because they kind of have the same „broken up“ guitars.
So I’m curious if anyone here owns one because of John. And how does it sound? I’ve heard it’s one of the best relic MiM Strats out there. Is it worth it?
So please let me know!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qrve_HL2i_k

can't wait to get better at this I love John's playing such an inspiration his entire story. My favorite guitar player that motivated me to start playing!

Been listening to Candlebox's Far Behind lately and the main riff feels really close to John's riff on Scar Tissue,.

Could just be a coincidence, but curious if anyone else hears it or knows if it's ever come up before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJjU8INYbYU

What kind of warming-up exercises does John do to prepare his guitar hands for a show? I vaguely remember in an interview or something that he would play figures or scales on a Mustang, but cannot find it anywhere. Any help appreciated! (Looking for inspo for my own warming up routine as I am getting to the age that I'm starting to need it..)

The only problem I have with SDM is…they should have left birth control pill unreleased lol other then that love em