Smile From the Streets You Hold is a solo album by John Frusciante, my personal favourite. It was released in 1997 on Birdman Records, while Frusciante was severely addicted to drugs, primarily heroin.
Frusciante had Smile From the Streets You Hold and his first solo album, Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt, removed from record stores in 1998 after rejoining the Chili Peppers because he felt uncomfortable with them being available to the public. Although Niandra Lades was eventually re-issued, the guitarist has maintained his opposition to the re-issuing of Smile from the Streets You Hold, and is quoted as saying that he "only released it for drug money".
The late actor River Phoenix, a good friend of Frusciante and the rest of the Peppers, is featured on two tracks, Height Down (originally titled Soul Removal), and Well I've Been (originally titled Bought Her Soul). Both songs, along with the title track, were supposed to be released on Niandra LaDes, but were pulled for lack of space and the inclusion of Usually Just A T-shirt.
There is also a second print of Smile From the Streets You Hold available. Including an extended version of Life's a Bath and there are 18 tracks, because Smile From the Streets You Hold is recorded in two parts. Another difference between the 17-tracks version and the 18-track version is that on the first one at the song For Air we can hear John taking a hit on a water bong.
Track listing:
1. "Enter a Uh" – 8:06
2. "The Other" – 1:34
3. "Life's a Bath" – 1:18
4. "A Fall Thru the Ground" – 2:24
5. "Poppy Man" – 1:21
6. "I May Again Know John" – 8:48
7. "I'm Always" – 2:33
8. "Nigger Song" – 4:19
9. "Femininity" – 2:35
10. "Breathe" – 6:21
11. "More" – 2:07
12. "For Air" – 3:55
13. "Height Down" – 4:00
14. "Well, I've Been" – 3:06
15. "Smile From the Streets You Hold" – 5:09
16. "I Can't See Until I See Your Eyes" – 1:30
17. "Estress" – 2:17
Film Clip: LIFE'S A BATH
Warning: Graphic content, explicit drug use.
Filmed in early 1997 by M. Polish and edited by J. F. Kinyon under the direction of John Frusciante himself.
This footage was shot specifically for this music video (as hard as that may be for some to believe) but was never released to the public.
Shot on 16mm b/w film
Discography
Solo Albums:
* Niandra LaDes And Usually Just A T-shirt (1994)
the experimental debut in 2 parts
* Smile From The Streets You Hold (1997)
the rare, withdrawn dark diary of an addict
* To Record Only Water For Ten Days (2001)
the beautiful electronic emotional rebirth
* Shadows Collide With People (2004)
a mainstream masterpiece, a mix of genres
* The Will To Death (2004)
the raw opener of the 6-album series
* DC EP (2004)
the 4-song successor of the previous one
* Inside Of Emptiness (2004)
the rock madness in all its beauty
* A Sphere In The Heart Of Silence (2004)
the electronic collaboration with Josh Klinghoffer
* Curtains (2005)
an accoustic, intimate window to a songwriter`s soul
Collaborations:
* Automatic Writing (2004)
[with Josh Klinghoffer and Joe Lally, as Ataxia]
* Brown Bunny OST (2003)
five songs on the movie soundtrack
* Appearances on others` albums
from Kristin Vigard to Macy Gray and Tricky
* Upcoming collaborations
With Red Hot Chili Peppers:
* Mother`s Milk (1989)
a new guitar virtuoso is born
* BloodSugarSexMagik (1991)
funk rock power, the legendary album
* Californication (1999)
an unexpected, boombastic comeback
* By The Way (2002)
experiments of a mature musician
* Live In Hyde Park (2004)
a guide on how to perform live, perhaps?
* Stadium Arcadium (2006)
the triumph of one of the youngest guitar gods
* On DVDs/VHS`/compilations
everything else…
These paintings were produced between 1992 and 1997 when John was not really creating music and going through a dificult period in his life. He chose to create via art and these are some of the results. There is not really much information out there about these so you will just have to make of them what you will... Some of his paintings appear in a book about musicians and their art..and in one or two of the paintings John had some help from Clara Balzary (Fleas daughter and his god daughter). Photos by Ralph Paredes.
From the Q&A with fans a few years back: “is there anywhere I can see more of your paintings?†Um, most of my paintings burned, um, during um, during the fire at my house in 1994 I guess. And um, and that was most of em, that was most of the good ones. There was um, there was a stack of paintings that, that a girl who was a friend of mine named um, Andrea um, she took em and she was gonna sell a couple to a friend of mine and she did sell a couple and then she never gave me back the rest and um, and so hopefully she still has em. I’m always thinking maybe one day I’ll run into her and will have those but um, really, God knows what she did with em. Um, cause I don’t speak to her anymore."
* * *
*Please Note: This profile is completely unofficial and in no way is it linked to John Frusciante himself. I am just a crazed fan of this album who wanted to shair SFTSYH love around as I know it is hard to find.
