#redd kross

At least one in 10 people who use marijuana develops an addiction, a similar share as with alcohol. Even some who do not develop an addiction can still use it too much. People who are frequently stoned can struggle to hold a job or take care of their families.

—The New York Times

This editorial board has long supported marijuana legalization. — also The New York Times

Of course the learned hands over at the Times have a solution. Higher taxes. Just say no.

It's not too often I get to interview someone who intertwines with so many of my favorite bands and is a noted solo artist in his own right. Josh Klinghoffer is like a six-degrees-of in music over the last thirty years. Most notably he was the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2009 to 2019 (that's him on I'm With You and The Getaway!). Before joining RHCP, he did some solo albums with RHCP guitarist John Fusciante, who was the band's guitarist before he joined and who returned to the band in 2019. In 2023, he played with Jane's Addiction filling in for guitarist Dave Navarro, who was in RHCP from 1993 to 1998. Mr. Klinghoffer has also collaborated a ton with RHCP drummer Chad Smith on a number of projects outside of the band. In our chat, Mr. Klinghoffer also mentioned he recorded on Morrissey's upcoming album with guitarist Jesse Tobias, who was RHCP's guitarist in 1993 for (pardon the pun) one hot minute. That's a lot of connections with RHCP!

Klinghoffer

In addition to RHCP, who he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with in 2012, Klinghoffer has been a touring member with Pearl Jam since 2021. Talk about landing on his feet after parting ways with one band! He has also worked with P.J. Harvey, Gnarls Barkley, Iggy Pop, and Elton John and Brandi Carlile. As if that weren't enough, he has done a number of solo albums under the name Pluralone (Mr. Klinghoffer noted that he pronounces it "Plural One"), whose newest album A Drop in the Ocean drops June 12. It is worth checking out - believe me! I recently caught up with Mr. Klinghoffer via phone.

Me: Your new Pluralone album drops on June 12. How did this album come about?

JK: This album came about from a desire to be a little more direct and a little more smaller sounding, more guitar driven after the previous three albums I had done which sounded more like a band even though it was predominantly just me. Occasionally I'll have friends play on a song here and there. But yeah - just wanted to shrink it down and make something smaller sounding. I began recording this in 2022 mostly. I tracked while touring with Pearl Jam and little things here and there, while I was working on an album with Redd Kross and an album I did with Elton John and Brandi Carlile. It just seemed like finishing my recordings became harder and harder as the months went by. So I was finally able to finish in 2025 and wrap these songs up.

album cover

Me: It's funny you mention all of the other artists you have worked with because my next question was going to be: how did you find the time to do this one with all of the albums you had worked on?

JK: Yeah, if I have the song together and it's to my taste or standard and can feel good about it, I can record it pretty quickly. I was using the studio as a way to write an instrumental demo and sort of writing along to those recordings. Every time I felt like a song was finished, I'd lay it down. But it hadn't been feeling right, so I think that was part of the work, so that was part of the reason why finishing it was delayed. And then obviously all of those other amazing projects that I was a part of. So, whenever I can find time I'm in there working.

Me: Could there be a Pluralone tour at some point this year?

JK: I don't know about this year, but there definitely could be. I did a little stint opening for Pearl Jam back in 2022, where I played by myself and that was a lot of fun. But the idea of playing by myself doesn't excite me, so if I can figure out a small group of friends or whoever to play live I'd love to do it. I just haven't put that band together yet.

Klinghoffer (far right) with Red Hot Chili Peppers

Me: You were a member of Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2009 to 2019. I have to say, your departure from the band from what I saw in the press was one of the most graceful and respectful I've seen in recent memory. You were just highly respectful of the band. I did want to ask do you have any contact with them today?

JK: Not so much. But Chad [Smith] though, we have arguably played together more in the last few years since I was in the band. Because we were still touring those last few years and then we were writing a record. He and I have made a couple records together, many of which have involved producer Andrew Watt. We've made an Eddie Vedder solo record together, a Morrissey record, done various other recording things, we've toured with Eddie Vedder. We've done the Elton John record together - so Chad and I have still played together quite a bit. The others, Anthony [Kiedis] and Flea, I haven't spoken to that much recently. I was texting with Flea recently congratulating him on the release of his solo record [Honora]. And John [Fusciante] and I haven't really spoken in years, though we were close at one point.

RHCP's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction plaque featuring Josh Klinghoffer on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland

Me: You mentioned Eddie Vedder's album Earthling. In my review of that album, I actually said it was "his best solo album yet". You played on that, co-wrote the majority of that album and you toured with him with Chad Smith so shortly after your time in the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

JK: Yeah, well my departure from the band [RHCP] was late 2019, so not long after that in 2020 we all kind of took a bit of a break, forced time off. As soon as human beings were sharing space again, Chad and I were working together again. Andrew, Chad and I worked on this yet-to-be-released Morrissey album, starting on January 3, 2021. So we were working together right away.

Klinghoffer and Eddie Vedder in 2021

Me: In addition to Eddie Vedder's solo work, you have been recording and touring with Pearl Jam. I got to review the Dark Matter album and you not only played on it, you co-wrote a song "Something Special" on that album too. I also got to cover the band's Sept. 2024 show at Fenway Park in Boston. What was it like for you getting the chance to jump into this existing band thirty-plus years into their career and you're getting the chance to shine onstage and in recordings with them?

JK: I mean words can't really describe it. There was an aspect of comfort in how close that band was to my heart when I was younger. They were my favorite band when I was eleven or twelve years old up until the age of sixteen I followed them incredibly closely. So there was a part of me that felt like I was there with them from the beginning - obviously I wasn't and didn't have the experience. But once I got over my initial shock and awe of being around them, watching them work and seeing them in their space in Seattle there was something that felt kind of familiar and that's completely to do with how welcoming and gracious, and loving they are as people and as a band. I'm sure you've heard how great their whole organization is, their crew and everyone that sort of orbits the band they all share the same family-oriented mentality. What it was like was shocking but also very comfortable in a strange way.

Me: Outside of your own solo work, do you have a favorite album that you played on?

JK: It would be hard for me to pick a favorite because each one has its own memories, partly because each record I'm doing something slightly different, whether its doing all the keyboard and synthesizers on the Elton John / Brandi Carlile album, or playing the majority guitar on this record or whatever. I don't know if I could pick a favorite but I will say, maybe just because it's a little mysterious, the Morrissey album that we did (Chad, Andrew and I) is a real special one to me. It was sort of out of the blue I didn't know it would be happening until right before it happened. Every day we worked on a new song and we had it completed by the end of the day. And like I said it was right after COVID so it had a real magical energy to it.

Me: So this new Pluralone album is coming out June 12. What's next for you this year and beyond in terms of recordings or collaborations?

JK: I'm sort of maybe half-way through another album. As I said this was started in 2022, when I revisited it in the Summer of 2023, there were a couple songs that I added to the pile and a leftover from the This is a Show album, the last Pluralone album I put out in 2022. So the songs on this new album have their own identity around acoustic guitar and a softer approach. Then I had this other group of songs I always considered to be an album taking shape. Those are what I'm finishing now. At one point I had hoped I'd be able to get it released this year, but I'm not sure it'll be finished in time. If it doesn't come out this year, I'll fight for its release in early 2027. By that point, I'll try to do some live shows. The ones on this new one I'm recording are more band-sounding, more complete recordings. I'm not sure I'm going to get a chance to do too much promotion for this new June release, that's why I appreciate talking to you.

Me: Absolutely! Happy to talk!

JK: And, of course, I'm playing at the Ohana Festival with Pearl Jam [Sept. 25-27 in Dana Point, CA] and anything they do coming up. Where and when - I don't know.

Klinghoffer (wearing hat) onstage with Pearl Jam at Fenway Park in Boston on 9/17/24

Me: The show I saw of Pearl Jam at Fenway Park in 2024 was one of their best shows I've seen and it was extra special that the following year drummer Matt Cameron parted ways with the band and to know I saw one of his last shows with the band made it that much more special. I don't know if you can say anything, but I do want to ask: you have sat in on drums with Pearl Jam and is there any news about who is going to be playing drums with the band in Ohana?

JK: No!

Me: [laughs] Had to ask!

JK: There's not much to say, but Pearl Jam is playing!

For info on A Drop in the Ocean

3:57 AM EDT June 10, 2026:

Redd Kross - "Pseudo-Intellectual" From the album Born Innocent (1982)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

Cover to the 1986 Frontier reissue, which is the one I first bought.