From Kerrang! but actual magazine date/number unknown

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

GREATEST VIDEOS
LOWDOWN: There’s something strange about the concept of a greatest video hits compilation It always seems a little pointless, a collection of a band’s hits that would be more useful to everyone if they were on an album. And at first that would seem to be the case here. There is little from before ‘BloodSugarSexMagik’ – indeed nothing at all from the band’s first two albums and a scattered selection of videos from all the albums since, including the sort of commentary that portrays the band as, really nice guys, a real joy to work with” – as if you, expect anything else from an official DVD.

There are some nice touches, though -Anthony Kiedis claiming the Chilis wanted the video to ‘Aeroplane “to go hardcore on the tits and ass_-not in a disrespectful way”, is unintentionally hilarious, while anything featuring Dave Sheridan (the actor in both the
‘By The Way’ and ‘Universally Speaking’ videos) is as bizarre as it is funny.

What makes the DVD though, is the backstage and on tour footage. There’s a refreshing honesty about it- the cameras are allowed into the Chilis’ pre-stage routines, their warm-ups, their backstage boredom and the ways four men try to entertain themselves when there’s nothing much to do.The footage of Frusciante in particular is fascinating, not least because he’s remarkable candid about his drug use. The same sadly, cannot be said for Kiedis who seems to only want to harp on about ginseng tea. You almost wish for a return to the days of drug abuse, bust ups and willing models.
TOM BRYANT
KERRANG!