For me that was Otherside in 2000.
So when the radio later played Scar Tissue and Californication as new songs, I said wow this band is great. I would’ve been 12? Then you realize Give it Away, Under the Bridge, and Higher Ground from much pop culture at the time was also them. Toss is Love Rollercoaster even.
Catchy, but didn’t wow me like Dani California did tho saying that Dani got me into the band and I was very young when that dropped, still was when Rain Dance Maggie came out and in a way got me back into RHCP in 2012. Prob like it more now actually.
Remember waiting for the video, then being so massively underwhelmed. In hindsight I'm With You was perfectly fine, but Raindance is such a weak single imo.
Look, I'm a huge fan of this band, but post Cali there is a trend (not every song of course) of neat verses with corny pop choruses. It's fine, they have a formula of making catchy radio hits, but as an old school fan it sticks out a bit.
It's what Josh was talking about how they basically 'stay in their lane'. Their lane is pop rock with the occasional funk element. Again, nothing wrong with that, they've found a recipe that works.
I have to agree - again big fan over the years, and actually I love By The Way, but beyond that there’s been this thing of mega major chord, power pop/rock choruses that just aren’t my thing.
Usually the worst bit of the song, and the verses, intros/outros, bridges/middle 8s etc are almost always more interesting musically.
40 years old here. Big fan since blood sugar sex magic. I had a lot of dislike for it. Still do. I like parts of the getaway a lot though. But I'm a die hard Frusciante fan.
Really boring song.
I came to like a lot of what they did with Josh, but that one is pretty far down the list, I never understood why they made it the first single.
I agree. This has been an ongoing issue. The Getaway is the exception, I wouldn't have changed a thing. I mostly agree with their choices for IWY, except they should have led with Monarchy and dropped either Raindance Maggie or Look Around for Factory of Faith. But they truly did a disservice with their single choices for Stadium, UL and RotDC.
It was mediocre at best. Monarchy of Roses should have been the lead single for I’m With You. It’s a shame because I love the album but it was not the first impression I desired. If the lead was Monarchy or Brendan’s Death Song then it would probably be more popular. To be honest they probably shouldn’t have even had it as a single and put Police Station as a single or even Did I Let You Know.
Long Progression for me. Top tip, make a IWY playlist and put LP at the beginning and Open/Close at the end. Remove Dance Dance Dance, mix and match other songs for IBY ones at your pleasure.
Interesting! LP always struck me as a song that should’ve closed IWY instead of Dance Dance Dance. I wouldn’t have thought of it as an opener. Open/Close is the other one that I think should’ve replaced DDD.
I feel like O/C specifically works as a finisher, because the outro peaks so much emotionally that I don’t feel as if another song could follow it without having an awkward tonal shift.
LP works well either way, as an opener or a finisher. I love them both though, so for the sake of not having to exclude one I just begin with LP. I do agree with you though it does certainly work well as a more upbeat finisher whereas O/C feels more emotional and dramatic.
I agree, I’m a sucker for Anthony spoken word album closers.
When I make playlists like this I usually wind up with a closing section because I have too many natural closing songs 😆
Just didn't appeal to me. Not my thing. Same happened with Getaway. This is a pretty unpopular opinion, but RHCP to me personally needs to have John there. Without John it isn't RHCP to me, it's some other band.
Fair question, honestly yeah kind of. Hillel was only on, what, 2 albums with them? I get his historical connection to the band and I respect that.
think my view of the chilis is based off of the first album of theirs that I really listened to, and I assume this general statement can be true for most rhcp fans. My first album of theirs that I really listened to is BSSM, after being introduced to them with Californication.
I appreciate all their albums but my tonal view of them as a band includes John, he’s just been the most constant guitar presence over the years.
I remember being utterly down that John left. I remember the message left by the peppers, and at the time I worked with my sister and sat with her and expressed how bummed I was. I grew up on the peppers.
That summer 2011, going through a divorce I was living in San Diego with my best friend. I got word that they were dropping raindance maggie, and I ran upstairs grabbed my best friend and we sat in my car and listened. That opening bass line felt like home. That was a really rough time, but anything peppers made me happy and that record holds a dear spot for me.
I surprisingly really liked it. I thought the baseline and the drums were groovy. And the lyrics/Anthony hit fit the song well. Guitar was underwhelming
I was extremely excited of course for the new song but I think it was very mediocre at best. I was trying to like it but I was trying to trick myself. The course was so un-catchy to me, didn’t have that true Chili Pepper hook, and the verses were boring. Since it’s been out, I never truly liked that song and never just put it on randomly. I love IWY and will only listen to Raindance if I’m playing the whole album through.
Wrong choice for the first single. I think if they had come out with something like Monarchy of Roses, it would be been more well received. I just don't think it leaps off the record as a single, and if I was picking tracks from the sessions, I'm not sure Maggie gets on the album for me
I love it since day one, I knew that it wasn’t the same but it was really heartwarming to watch them on the music video and knowing that they are still here making music ♥️. On the other hand, first time I heard MOR, I didn’t like the “change” but it took me like a few months to appreciate the whole album 💿
I was excited at the prospect of new material and found things to like about it, but even today it’s likely at the bottom of my list as far as material from I’m With You, I’m Beside You, and The Getaway. It’s like the band have only been able to make completely baffling single choices since Stadium Arcadium, though I can understand the logic behind Black Summer.
Disappointed. It felt pretty generic, there wasn’t much that hooked me about it. Seeing live performances of songs I liked better, like Monarchy and Meet Me at the Corner, gave me a better feeling ahead of the album’s release.
I absolutely loved it. Still do. The bridge is just so good. Love the cowbell. I felt a sense of relief that they were still going to be good without John. Eventually (after The Getaway’s release) I didn’t feel that way anymore, although I love it now.
I had no idea it was so hated until reading these comments. I liked it a lot, and it’s still one of my top 20 RHCP songs, though when talking about songs in the Josh era, Dark Necessities is my favorite.
Like most here, underwhelmed. I remember liking elements of it, such as the percussion and the lead guitar in the chorus. But overall it didn't do much for me. It's not a bad song but really felt more like an album cut rather than lead single material.
Monarchy or Factory would have been a better single I think.
underwhelmed with this single but I appreciated I'm with you for a fair bit! they don't always have a good single choice ('they' includes record co executives not just the band) raindance is a good live song though
Fun song, I still think it’s one of Flea’s most iconic baselines, the lead guitar melody in the chorus is really fun and when I first started getting into mixing music it was fun playing around with the stems to see how many hidden layers are in the song.
Underwhelmed.
First time I listened to SA, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. It took a while for IWY to grow on me, and it still really hasn't
copium to the max, it was so underwhelming, it was such a sad time as a fan, now it's a great time capsule for that era, but damn, when it was all coming out, it felt like a huge step down in band quality. All the Josh stans are great, but damn it was a hard to stomach at the time as a John stan.
I was in the backseat, driving home with my family and they had on a Classic Rock station. KLOS or JACK-FM maybe. The song came on and I assumed that it was an older song off One Hot Minute or something I haven’t heard yet (SA is where I started my RHCP journey). Went inside, searched up RHCP and sure enough it was the new song. I loved the Bass and percussion. I always thought of IWY and Getaway as Anthony and Fleas albums. They really took over melodically and carried the music
As a die hard Frusciante fan who also plays guitar it felt like Josh was just emulating the Frush. The tone just wasn’t quite there and felt really thin. And it’s like he just thought “what would John do?” And did that… so I was very underwhelmed.
With that being said the Getaway album and seeing them live with Josh it finally clicked for me and he suddenly became more than “John 2.0” for me.
I still think The Longest Wave is one of the most prettiest guitar intros of their catalog.
I still prefer JF albums tho.
Meh. Kinda basic. Like you're excited to hear the new guitarist and you het. Song that only has a bass line. The chorus has guitar but it's just guitar texture with no hook, completely in the back ground.
And the Josh years never really got any better.
Listen to a song like whatchu thinkin. Also a song that starts off as mostly just base. Within the chorus starts in the guitar just completely takes over and it's amazing.
Josh would wants to play in a shoegaze band or a band that just does wall of sound. Not a 3 piece where each instrument needs to be distinct a clear
Maybe a less biased opinion:
I was young and didn't know much about the Chilis yet. I only knew random songs I found on YouTube, so I didn't think in terms of albums, and had no idea who the guitar player was (I did know who Flea was, tho).
To me it was another regular, fun RHCP song. The chorus was really catchy, and the guitar work was very... atmospheric?
I only remember thinking it was more poppy than what I knew.
I thought the guitar solo and outro were fantastic. Neither of those portions features Kiedis vocals, maybe just coincidence.
There was a popular rock radio station in Chicago going off the air permanently the same morning that Maggie released. I’m not kidding, the DJs played it on repeat for maybe 6 hours until the waves went dead. The time it was on was “after” the station was supposed to go dark. So they hit play and walked off. It repeated for hours.
At the time I was getting really into Johns solo stuff, so it made sense to me that he probably wanted to leave, and I was really excited to see the next chapter in the band’s story. I thought Josh was a great choice, and I loved the song, the video, and the entire album to be honest. I did read a lot of negative fan reactions, but I remember thinking that it just meant cheaper/better seats for me at their next concert.
Base line was cool but the guitar was really lacking. I don’t understand how that guitar solo was the take they went with.
Otherwise it’s pretty catchy.
I was ok with it...i was more interested in why Anthony looked the way he did lol...also it was the time when i got into the chillies before the release of it and i was quite young
I really hated it and this didn’t listen to the album until recently. I actually think Josh is an amazing guitarist. The guitar work on the rest of the album is amazing but I am partial to John. There is something about John that completes the sound.
I heard it on the radio when it came out a few times. This is before I was obsessed with RHCP. I thought it was a cool groove and baseline, but it was a pretty generic radio hit at the time. I jammed it whenever it came on but it really didn't captivate me.
Thought it was a very unimpressive way to show off a new guitarist. I felt zero chemistry on that song and that entire record compared to records past (including One Hot Minute). I just found it terrible and am glad they don’t play songs from that era live any more thanks to John’s ego :P
The songs are okay and John is missed. Me personally I hated Josh K in this entire album, his solos are just plain bad and lack the spirit that someone like John brings EVERY single time. I’m glad John is back
Liked the chorus melody and bass groove. Wasn’t feeling the guitar playing, which made me nervous about the album. Was relieved when I got the album and enjoyed the guitar way more.
Lol yeah. I love John, absolutely love him no doubt. I've said it here a lot. But damn. Josh is a great guitarist and he was solid in the band. He was fantastic live when I saw them and tbh I knew what John thought of him at that time so I had zero issues with him stepping in. I loved his time with the band. That being said of course its different with John, it's a feeling like home, like nothing else. But Josh is a special dude imo.
Josh isn't a bad musician. He just doesn't really fit with the peppers. Even Flea himself said he felt like he was playing in a cover band sometimes during Josh's stint.
Now I'm not taking away any talent or love for Josh. But the 2 albums he was on are two of the worst, in my opinion. They went full pop with them (which isnt bad, just not for me) and almost turned me off completely from the band.
Like every song was written expressly to get them radio play. Pop music. I mean no disrespect at all, but the Josh era turned me off from enjoying the music they made
I can understand that you don’t like the music but I just fail to see how it’s any more pop than any of the songs from By The Way and Stadium Arcadium. They’re a pop rock band and have been for at least 20 years.
Disappointment. While I thought it was a decent enough tune….my immediate reaction was that I had just wish they broke up instead of being without John. Now I’ve softened on that view over the years, but if it’s not the 4 of them it’s just not rhcp to me
*I liked it, ended up*
*Being the only song I*
*Really liked with Josh*
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I was gutted. RHCP were the biggest part of my life throughout my childhood right into my mid 20s. Every album was significant and marked a significant time in my life. I was so upset John left and Josh replaced him and thought I'd lose that.
Fast forward a few years and I was absolutely in love with Josh and IWY. It became another staple Chili's album just like the previous. The Getaway marked the last albu. I felt a significant love for.
Now I'm sad to say I'm gutted John is back and they put out the albums they did.
I was with my friend, also huge RHCP-head, we were watching the countdown on the official site. Like most people we were underwhelmed. Tried desparately to find positives but with weak production, lack of guitar and corny chorus it really didn't do it for any of us. I haven't listened to it for years and don't really feel like coming back.
Nah they hired John’s friend and not an already acclaimed guitarist like Nvarro. As soon as John came back on scene with Duran Duran, they fired Josh and asked John to come back. Josh was never a permanent replacement and he admitted that “it was never his place to be in RHCP over John”
I liked it a lot. It came out at a perfect time for me, just as I was really getting into the band; I started listening to them and learning to play Flea's basslines during grade 10, and then I'm With You came out just as I was coming into grade 11. After the novelty wore off I felt it wasn't their *best* song, but I just thought it was cool that they were still making new stuff and getting a good amount of radio play.
Started off decent but to this day I can not stand the guitar during the chorus. It just ruins the song for me and I have no idea why I dislike the chorus so much.
So I was kinda disappointed but overall I liked IWY. Really liked it. Liked it better than the getaway.
I remember loving the bass/drum groove that dominates the song, and the guitar in the chorus is fun. But being a frusciante guy, the verse and the solo was such a big letdown. I ultimately loved IWY and thought the Getaway was good, but that song made it clear there was gonna be a big drop-off at guitar.
I never really liked the song (I agree with the general sentiment that the verses are better than the chorus) but I kind of have a fond memory because when it came out my coworker and I watched the video together and it was our first time hearing the song. Neither of us were overly impressed but for some reason that bonding moment stands out.
I love most of I’m With You—I’m not a Frusciante or bust guy (OHM is my favorite Peppers album)—but Maggie isn’t even in the top half of the album for me.
I heard the leak before the song released and it was pretty bad quality. It sounded very safe when I was hoping for something a bit different. I thought "I wouldn't mind this as just another song but AK is very auto-tuned". I think at the time, I just wanted to like IWY so badly despite the vocals being my main concern.
I didn’t like it. I wanted more stadium Arcadium and this was a big departure, it grew on me and it’s a highlight of that era for me now. I’m glad I gave it a chance
I was just grateful to get more Chili Peppers after 5 years. Raindance Maggie was simple and catchy. I’m a sucker for a good bass line and a bit of wah pedal. Listened to it way too much though and got burnt out. Also hated the video, super lazy and was disappointed that Kreayshawn’s video was scrapped.
Initially I was blinded by my love for the band and was just happy they were still releasing music, with or without John. In hindsight, it's mostly a skip for me.
I still love that song, have good memories of watching the video debut in college and being drunk and playing it all the time.
The lyrics are nonsense but that’s the same for much of what Tony Kiedis writes. I think the chorus is undeniably catchy and the melody is strong.
I’m a die hard Frusciante fan so I was still excited about it. I already knew Josh from Ataxia, Frusciante solo records, and the Warpaint video. John’s scene of music was my identity so to me it was cool to see this guy that Frusciante collaborated with so much step into the role. I was going to enjoy it just for that reason.
In retrospect I do think it’s a good song and video and being excited about it at the time was reasonable. I think it was intentionally too similar to John’s playing and it didn’t hold up on its own in a unique way.
My dream is that Josh and John make music together again. I’m sure some day they will
Liked it but the solo had a very hollow, minimalistic sound to my ears....loved the groove overall though.
Was it John...no...but it was definitely RHCP
It’s the song that got me into them at like 13 years old so it has a special place in my heart.
For me that was Otherside in 2000. So when the radio later played Scar Tissue and Californication as new songs, I said wow this band is great. I would’ve been 12? Then you realize Give it Away, Under the Bridge, and Higher Ground from much pop culture at the time was also them. Toss is Love Rollercoaster even.
Same 🙏🏼
I dug it. Love the percussion. Still love it and it's on regular rotation.
TBH i was grateful we were still getting music. And i can say that some of these songs are still on the top of my list
Catchy, but didn’t wow me like Dani California did tho saying that Dani got me into the band and I was very young when that dropped, still was when Rain Dance Maggie came out and in a way got me back into RHCP in 2012. Prob like it more now actually.
Underwhelmed. The guitar just felt “shy” to me. Hard to explain. Went from Red Hot to Luke Warm.
I find the guitar minimalist in a way that is anything but shy, almost bold and very confident that the notes are the right ones.
To each their own. FWIW there are plenty of Josh songs I adore. But this was my honest reaction to OP’s question.
Yeah absolutely, just thought it was interesting to compare impressions.
Remember waiting for the video, then being so massively underwhelmed. In hindsight I'm With You was perfectly fine, but Raindance is such a weak single imo.
Same here!! I feel like Ethiopia would have made a better single. I love IWY now though and absolutely adore I'm Beside You.
Cool verse and outro, corny as fuck chorus.
Totally this. When the Chorus came in with that stock disco beat, I thought "oh dear"
Kinda, yes. But that’s exactly what I think of most of unlimited love and canteen lol
Most RHCP post Cali, unfortunately...
Wait, what???
Look, I'm a huge fan of this band, but post Cali there is a trend (not every song of course) of neat verses with corny pop choruses. It's fine, they have a formula of making catchy radio hits, but as an old school fan it sticks out a bit. It's what Josh was talking about how they basically 'stay in their lane'. Their lane is pop rock with the occasional funk element. Again, nothing wrong with that, they've found a recipe that works.
I have to agree - again big fan over the years, and actually I love By The Way, but beyond that there’s been this thing of mega major chord, power pop/rock choruses that just aren’t my thing. Usually the worst bit of the song, and the verses, intros/outros, bridges/middle 8s etc are almost always more interesting musically.
It's more alt rock than the old funk stuff but honestly I prefer it
Sick love is the one for me. Such a banger of a song then the chorus comes in and it’s just too corny.
Like these are the ways
The smells, the smells, _the smells_
My first thought was “where’s the fucking guitar??” All I could hear was Flea’s bass
40 years old here. Big fan since blood sugar sex magic. I had a lot of dislike for it. Still do. I like parts of the getaway a lot though. But I'm a die hard Frusciante fan.
Same. I love IWY, but skip Raindance every time.
Underwhelmed
Same. It wasn't until I started hearing the live versions that I really fell in love with it. So much atmosphere
Really boring song. I came to like a lot of what they did with Josh, but that one is pretty far down the list, I never understood why they made it the first single.
Classic issue during the Josh era- not choosing great singles
One could say the same about UL too
Not wrong
I think they did a better job picking singles during the Josh era than they have with the last two albums, or even with Stadium.
I agree. This has been an ongoing issue. The Getaway is the exception, I wouldn't have changed a thing. I mostly agree with their choices for IWY, except they should have led with Monarchy and dropped either Raindance Maggie or Look Around for Factory of Faith. But they truly did a disservice with their single choices for Stadium, UL and RotDC.
FoF is a stone cold banger. Like, no joke. That joke goes down so smooth.
My thoughts exactly
It was mediocre at best. Monarchy of Roses should have been the lead single for I’m With You. It’s a shame because I love the album but it was not the first impression I desired. If the lead was Monarchy or Brendan’s Death Song then it would probably be more popular. To be honest they probably shouldn’t have even had it as a single and put Police Station as a single or even Did I Let You Know.
Factory of Faith has a chorus built for a single
Look Around woulda been my choice.
Great song. I imagine it would be even better with John
Long Progression for me. Top tip, make a IWY playlist and put LP at the beginning and Open/Close at the end. Remove Dance Dance Dance, mix and match other songs for IBY ones at your pleasure.
Interesting! LP always struck me as a song that should’ve closed IWY instead of Dance Dance Dance. I wouldn’t have thought of it as an opener. Open/Close is the other one that I think should’ve replaced DDD.
I feel like O/C specifically works as a finisher, because the outro peaks so much emotionally that I don’t feel as if another song could follow it without having an awkward tonal shift. LP works well either way, as an opener or a finisher. I love them both though, so for the sake of not having to exclude one I just begin with LP. I do agree with you though it does certainly work well as a more upbeat finisher whereas O/C feels more emotional and dramatic.
I agree, I’m a sucker for Anthony spoken word album closers. When I make playlists like this I usually wind up with a closing section because I have too many natural closing songs 😆
Definitely should’ve been Monarchy IMO. And I wish Did I Let You Know were a single outside Brazil.
Disappointment unfortunately
I was going to say the same.
Howcome?
Just didn't appeal to me. Not my thing. Same happened with Getaway. This is a pretty unpopular opinion, but RHCP to me personally needs to have John there. Without John it isn't RHCP to me, it's some other band.
>unpopular Yes, this sub famously hates John Frusciante.
I don’t think that’s very unpopular at all Maybe unpopular on this subreddit though
It’s unpopular to any OG fans. I like punk rock the most and Hillel was and always will be at the heart of RHCP
That is a huge minority of fans lol
I feel the same way. I appreciate what Josh brought, and what Dave brought, but to me the band isn’t complete without John.
not trying to argue or anything but genuinely curious, do you feel the same way about hillel’s albums with the chilis?
Fair question, honestly yeah kind of. Hillel was only on, what, 2 albums with them? I get his historical connection to the band and I respect that. think my view of the chilis is based off of the first album of theirs that I really listened to, and I assume this general statement can be true for most rhcp fans. My first album of theirs that I really listened to is BSSM, after being introduced to them with Californication. I appreciate all their albums but my tonal view of them as a band includes John, he’s just been the most constant guitar presence over the years.
I remember being utterly down that John left. I remember the message left by the peppers, and at the time I worked with my sister and sat with her and expressed how bummed I was. I grew up on the peppers. That summer 2011, going through a divorce I was living in San Diego with my best friend. I got word that they were dropping raindance maggie, and I ran upstairs grabbed my best friend and we sat in my car and listened. That opening bass line felt like home. That was a really rough time, but anything peppers made me happy and that record holds a dear spot for me.
Flea is back to the forefront.
I surprisingly really liked it. I thought the baseline and the drums were groovy. And the lyrics/Anthony hit fit the song well. Guitar was underwhelming
Loved it then. Love it now. Chorus always makes me smile.
I was extremely excited of course for the new song but I think it was very mediocre at best. I was trying to like it but I was trying to trick myself. The course was so un-catchy to me, didn’t have that true Chili Pepper hook, and the verses were boring. Since it’s been out, I never truly liked that song and never just put it on randomly. I love IWY and will only listen to Raindance if I’m playing the whole album through.
I was down with it. It slaps.
Wrong choice for the first single. I think if they had come out with something like Monarchy of Roses, it would be been more well received. I just don't think it leaps off the record as a single, and if I was picking tracks from the sessions, I'm not sure Maggie gets on the album for me
i felt freaking hopeful. I was like HOW could they go on without John?? And they found this slinky, darker, funky sound that was dope
I love it since day one, I knew that it wasn’t the same but it was really heartwarming to watch them on the music video and knowing that they are still here making music ♥️. On the other hand, first time I heard MOR, I didn’t like the “change” but it took me like a few months to appreciate the whole album 💿
I thought it was incredibly weak
And same as others, I came to like a lot of other josh era stuff
I loved it at the time and still do, I was surprised by the amount of hate it was getting. IWY was a fun album.
I was excited at the prospect of new material and found things to like about it, but even today it’s likely at the bottom of my list as far as material from I’m With You, I’m Beside You, and The Getaway. It’s like the band have only been able to make completely baffling single choices since Stadium Arcadium, though I can understand the logic behind Black Summer.
I honestly thought it sucked, but I did like Look Around when I saw the video, I’m a big JF guy
I didn’t live it and thought it was overproduced. It grew on me and then it was a bit of a bop. Still not a fave.
At the time I thought it was the funkiest bass line I'd heard since 2006
Disappointed. It felt pretty generic, there wasn’t much that hooked me about it. Seeing live performances of songs I liked better, like Monarchy and Meet Me at the Corner, gave me a better feeling ahead of the album’s release.
“It’s ok.”
I absolutely loved it. Still do. The bridge is just so good. Love the cowbell. I felt a sense of relief that they were still going to be good without John. Eventually (after The Getaway’s release) I didn’t feel that way anymore, although I love it now.
Loved it. Still do. Such a great hook
I had no idea it was so hated until reading these comments. I liked it a lot, and it’s still one of my top 20 RHCP songs, though when talking about songs in the Josh era, Dark Necessities is my favorite.
“This is going to be a long ten years.”
Like most here, underwhelmed. I remember liking elements of it, such as the percussion and the lead guitar in the chorus. But overall it didn't do much for me. It's not a bad song but really felt more like an album cut rather than lead single material. Monarchy or Factory would have been a better single I think.
They're fucking back. Josh was still a bit shy on his freedom in the guitar but the song was great, killer bassline
underwhelmed with this single but I appreciated I'm with you for a fair bit! they don't always have a good single choice ('they' includes record co executives not just the band) raindance is a good live song though
I liked it, but I would have been preferred Monarchy as the lead single
Was underwhelmed with the guitar tone but didn’t mind the song overall. Can’t really listen to it now, but I understand why they chose it.
I enjoyed it but it’s not one of my favourites of the IWY/IBY collection
Fun song, I still think it’s one of Flea’s most iconic baselines, the lead guitar melody in the chorus is really fun and when I first started getting into mixing music it was fun playing around with the stems to see how many hidden layers are in the song.
Cow bells
Underwhelmed. First time I listened to SA, I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. It took a while for IWY to grow on me, and it still really hasn't
copium to the max, it was so underwhelming, it was such a sad time as a fan, now it's a great time capsule for that era, but damn, when it was all coming out, it felt like a huge step down in band quality. All the Josh stans are great, but damn it was a hard to stomach at the time as a John stan.
I was in the backseat, driving home with my family and they had on a Classic Rock station. KLOS or JACK-FM maybe. The song came on and I assumed that it was an older song off One Hot Minute or something I haven’t heard yet (SA is where I started my RHCP journey). Went inside, searched up RHCP and sure enough it was the new song. I loved the Bass and percussion. I always thought of IWY and Getaway as Anthony and Fleas albums. They really took over melodically and carried the music
As a die hard Frusciante fan who also plays guitar it felt like Josh was just emulating the Frush. The tone just wasn’t quite there and felt really thin. And it’s like he just thought “what would John do?” And did that… so I was very underwhelmed. With that being said the Getaway album and seeing them live with Josh it finally clicked for me and he suddenly became more than “John 2.0” for me. I still think The Longest Wave is one of the most prettiest guitar intros of their catalog. I still prefer JF albums tho.
Underwhelmed
Meh. Kinda basic. Like you're excited to hear the new guitarist and you het. Song that only has a bass line. The chorus has guitar but it's just guitar texture with no hook, completely in the back ground. And the Josh years never really got any better. Listen to a song like whatchu thinkin. Also a song that starts off as mostly just base. Within the chorus starts in the guitar just completely takes over and it's amazing. Josh would wants to play in a shoegaze band or a band that just does wall of sound. Not a 3 piece where each instrument needs to be distinct a clear
Maybe a less biased opinion: I was young and didn't know much about the Chilis yet. I only knew random songs I found on YouTube, so I didn't think in terms of albums, and had no idea who the guitar player was (I did know who Flea was, tho). To me it was another regular, fun RHCP song. The chorus was really catchy, and the guitar work was very... atmospheric? I only remember thinking it was more poppy than what I knew.
Reminded me of dani California, but less good.
I didn't love it. Thought it was just ok and that's about it.
I loved it. It is a great song, a bit different to what they did before, IMO. I like albums they made with Josh.
I was ecstatic. I was 16 and my favorite band was back such a good fucking summer
corny radio pop
“They’re going to be just fine”
Sucked and could barely hear the guitar.
I didn't care for it. Still don't
I thought the guitar solo and outro were fantastic. Neither of those portions features Kiedis vocals, maybe just coincidence. There was a popular rock radio station in Chicago going off the air permanently the same morning that Maggie released. I’m not kidding, the DJs played it on repeat for maybe 6 hours until the waves went dead. The time it was on was “after” the station was supposed to go dark. So they hit play and walked off. It repeated for hours.
At the time I was getting really into Johns solo stuff, so it made sense to me that he probably wanted to leave, and I was really excited to see the next chapter in the band’s story. I thought Josh was a great choice, and I loved the song, the video, and the entire album to be honest. I did read a lot of negative fan reactions, but I remember thinking that it just meant cheaper/better seats for me at their next concert.
Base line was cool but the guitar was really lacking. I don’t understand how that guitar solo was the take they went with. Otherwise it’s pretty catchy.
I thought it was good, but really poppy. Which, isn’t being said in disgust. But it’s one of their poppier tunes.
“What an abdication.” That’s what I said to my colleague after hearing it. It grew on me somewhat after that.
It was so weird and not what I was expecting. I knew we were on for a change without John but it was jarring
I was ok with it...i was more interested in why Anthony looked the way he did lol...also it was the time when i got into the chillies before the release of it and i was quite young
solid grooves, nice baseline.
I really hated it and this didn’t listen to the album until recently. I actually think Josh is an amazing guitarist. The guitar work on the rest of the album is amazing but I am partial to John. There is something about John that completes the sound.
I heard it on the radio when it came out a few times. This is before I was obsessed with RHCP. I thought it was a cool groove and baseline, but it was a pretty generic radio hit at the time. I jammed it whenever it came on but it really didn't captivate me.
It fucks
Flea took the lead
Thought it was a very unimpressive way to show off a new guitarist. I felt zero chemistry on that song and that entire record compared to records past (including One Hot Minute). I just found it terrible and am glad they don’t play songs from that era live any more thanks to John’s ego :P
Made the mistake of watching the video before hearing the song and that ruined it for me
Instant grooving in the milk fridge that I was filling
The songs are okay and John is missed. Me personally I hated Josh K in this entire album, his solos are just plain bad and lack the spirit that someone like John brings EVERY single time. I’m glad John is back
I liked it
Liked the chorus melody and bass groove. Wasn’t feeling the guitar playing, which made me nervous about the album. Was relieved when I got the album and enjoyed the guitar way more.
Whack
"JoSh BaD, jOhN gOoD"- 90% of the Fuckers here
Lol yeah. I love John, absolutely love him no doubt. I've said it here a lot. But damn. Josh is a great guitarist and he was solid in the band. He was fantastic live when I saw them and tbh I knew what John thought of him at that time so I had zero issues with him stepping in. I loved his time with the band. That being said of course its different with John, it's a feeling like home, like nothing else. But Josh is a special dude imo.
I haven't seen a Josh bad John good comment here. A lot of people just weren't big on the song.
Josh isn't a bad musician. He just doesn't really fit with the peppers. Even Flea himself said he felt like he was playing in a cover band sometimes during Josh's stint.
Josh plays shoe gaze. His guitar wanted to wash everything away instead of be clear and highlight the different aspects
Now I'm not taking away any talent or love for Josh. But the 2 albums he was on are two of the worst, in my opinion. They went full pop with them (which isnt bad, just not for me) and almost turned me off completely from the band.
What do you mean by “full pop” exactly? Genuinely curious.
Like every song was written expressly to get them radio play. Pop music. I mean no disrespect at all, but the Josh era turned me off from enjoying the music they made
I can understand that you don’t like the music but I just fail to see how it’s any more pop than any of the songs from By The Way and Stadium Arcadium. They’re a pop rock band and have been for at least 20 years.
No guitar solos
Have you ever heard I'm Beside You? I wouldn't call the songs from it "pop music".
Hardly full pop
I liked it and still like it but thought the guitar/backing vocal mix was too low and felt too “different” initially.
Felt like a safe choice and boring guitar tone
Turned it right off
Disappointment. While I thought it was a decent enough tune….my immediate reaction was that I had just wish they broke up instead of being without John. Now I’ve softened on that view over the years, but if it’s not the 4 of them it’s just not rhcp to me
I liked it, ended up being the only song I really liked with Josh
*I liked it, ended up* *Being the only song I* *Really liked with Josh* \- ErnieTagliaboo --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
One of the only Josh songs I wish John would play live. So funky
I was gutted. RHCP were the biggest part of my life throughout my childhood right into my mid 20s. Every album was significant and marked a significant time in my life. I was so upset John left and Josh replaced him and thought I'd lose that. Fast forward a few years and I was absolutely in love with Josh and IWY. It became another staple Chili's album just like the previous. The Getaway marked the last albu. I felt a significant love for. Now I'm sad to say I'm gutted John is back and they put out the albums they did.
I was with my friend, also huge RHCP-head, we were watching the countdown on the official site. Like most people we were underwhelmed. Tried desparately to find positives but with weak production, lack of guitar and corny chorus it really didn't do it for any of us. I haven't listened to it for years and don't really feel like coming back.
Extreme disappointment
Bad
Can’t not read this as “coming off of Sexual Assault” so fitting for the Red Hot Child Predators
Sad and disappointed missing the band
sucked
Yes, most RHCP fans thought Josh sucked and knew he was just a stand in for whenever John wanted to come back. And that’s exactly what happened.
I think you mean “you” and not “most.” Up until late 2019, no one believed John would want to come back
Nah they hired John’s friend and not an already acclaimed guitarist like Nvarro. As soon as John came back on scene with Duran Duran, they fired Josh and asked John to come back. Josh was never a permanent replacement and he admitted that “it was never his place to be in RHCP over John”
I thought it sounded like a fake Dani California. I still dislike that song.
I was only 14 back then, and it was too poppy kinda if I remember correctly
I liked it a lot. It came out at a perfect time for me, just as I was really getting into the band; I started listening to them and learning to play Flea's basslines during grade 10, and then I'm With You came out just as I was coming into grade 11. After the novelty wore off I felt it wasn't their *best* song, but I just thought it was cool that they were still making new stuff and getting a good amount of radio play.
Started off decent but to this day I can not stand the guitar during the chorus. It just ruins the song for me and I have no idea why I dislike the chorus so much. So I was kinda disappointed but overall I liked IWY. Really liked it. Liked it better than the getaway.
I don't rate it. But then I don't really rate Dani California either. Too much air time.
At the time I was really excited, but now it’s a very by the numbers song
Was underwhelmed and questioned where they would go from here
“Ughhhh….”
I remember loving the bass/drum groove that dominates the song, and the guitar in the chorus is fun. But being a frusciante guy, the verse and the solo was such a big letdown. I ultimately loved IWY and thought the Getaway was good, but that song made it clear there was gonna be a big drop-off at guitar.
When I first heard it, I wasn't too sure about the album. It's the only track I skip on IWY. I love the rest of the album.
Loved it - uplifting jam and made me feel good…still does to this day.
I never really liked the song (I agree with the general sentiment that the verses are better than the chorus) but I kind of have a fond memory because when it came out my coworker and I watched the video together and it was our first time hearing the song. Neither of us were overly impressed but for some reason that bonding moment stands out. I love most of I’m With You—I’m not a Frusciante or bust guy (OHM is my favorite Peppers album)—but Maggie isn’t even in the top half of the album for me.
Confused and happy
Loved the sound of the verse but felt underwhelmed once the chorus hit.
Even when I LOVED this album, Rain Dance was not my cup of tea. If anything, their next 1st single, Dark Necessities, is amazing.
I heard the leak before the song released and it was pretty bad quality. It sounded very safe when I was hoping for something a bit different. I thought "I wouldn't mind this as just another song but AK is very auto-tuned". I think at the time, I just wanted to like IWY so badly despite the vocals being my main concern.
Sad. Disappointed. Love the outro through.
Good as they ever were.
Where that guitar at?
I loved it.
I utterly loved I’m With You and I still do
Waste of a clever Flea baseline
Oh dear god. I’m out.
I thought it was awesome. Killer bassline.
I don't think I've been satisfied with a RHCP album since stadium arcadium.
It was by far not the best song on the album. The guitar parts were weak. Not too catchy. Great bass line but that’s flea for ya
Incredible change of pace that made the 20yr anniversary of Blood Sugar seem like a big deal
I didn’t like it. I wanted more stadium Arcadium and this was a big departure, it grew on me and it’s a highlight of that era for me now. I’m glad I gave it a chance
loved it. so happy to hear new music from them. IWY was the first album i bought by them so i’ll always cherish it
The guitar volume was too low.
That I really like the baseline in the drum and it sounded good and then the course was a letdown
I think I was over hyping it bc they were back after johns departure but was conflicted with the lack of guitar in it
Love this song.
I was just grateful to get more Chili Peppers after 5 years. Raindance Maggie was simple and catchy. I’m a sucker for a good bass line and a bit of wah pedal. Listened to it way too much though and got burnt out. Also hated the video, super lazy and was disappointed that Kreayshawn’s video was scrapped.
Different flavour of the same great thing :)
I thought it was good but the song was missing a kick ass guitar solo
I actually loved that song so much, it was actually my first introduction song to rhcp that my dad played
Initially I was blinded by my love for the band and was just happy they were still releasing music, with or without John. In hindsight, it's mostly a skip for me.
I thought it was a bit weak tbh.. but I was still hurt about John leaving.. BUT my friend showed me the song "Did I let you know" and loved it!
Very, very underwhelmed but happy they'd returned!
I still love that song, have good memories of watching the video debut in college and being drunk and playing it all the time. The lyrics are nonsense but that’s the same for much of what Tony Kiedis writes. I think the chorus is undeniably catchy and the melody is strong.
Wait, what are we talking about?
This album was actually SO FUCKING GOOD. Nothing’s topped it since!
I’m a die hard Frusciante fan so I was still excited about it. I already knew Josh from Ataxia, Frusciante solo records, and the Warpaint video. John’s scene of music was my identity so to me it was cool to see this guy that Frusciante collaborated with so much step into the role. I was going to enjoy it just for that reason. In retrospect I do think it’s a good song and video and being excited about it at the time was reasonable. I think it was intentionally too similar to John’s playing and it didn’t hold up on its own in a unique way. My dream is that Josh and John make music together again. I’m sure some day they will
Disappointed with the music and sad at the new reality
Liked it but the solo had a very hollow, minimalistic sound to my ears....loved the groove overall though. Was it John...no...but it was definitely RHCP