I'm with You Sessions
Seventeen songs from the I'm with You sessions released as singles.
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I'm with You Sessions, also referred to as the I'm with You Singles Collection or I'm Beside You, is a set of nine singles by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. These 17 tracks were recorded during the making of their tenth studio album, *I'm with You* (2011). Rick Rubin produced the project, with each single offering an A-side and a B-side on 7" vinyl and as digital downloads worldwide. In November 2013, the songs were compiled into a double LP called *I'm Beside You*, sold exclusively for Record Store Day.
The unreleased material was first hinted at by drummer Chad Smith in a May 2012 Twitter Q&A, where he said the leftover songs would eventually come out. He later added that the band would release ten of them on 7-inch and digital formats within six months. Bassist Flea then clarified that 18 songs from the sessions would appear over that period, also noting the band was writing new music while touring. Guitarist Josh Klinghoffer described selecting the tracks as a special task, saying some songs "seemed to want to pair up and take a later train." Smith explained they wanted the songs out because they genuinely liked them and didn't want them lost, preferring to release them for fans rather than waiting for a future box set. He called "Long Progression" a "midtempo funk" piece and mentioned the band was working on new material, unsure if they'd revisit these tracks later.
All 17 songs came from the *I'm with You* sessions. "Long Progression," the B-side to "Strange Man," nearly made the album but was dropped for "Goodbye Hooray." "In Love Dying" is an eight-minute track recorded in one take, spanning both sides of a single, with Klinghoffer telling *Rolling Stone* they'd use a fade-out and fade-in trick. He described "Victorian Machinery" as sounding like "a big three-headed monster playing drums" and called "Never Is a Long Time" a "pop-tastic" number with Greg Kurstin on piano, capturing "absolute magic." Producer Rubin said the band used a democratic voting process for the album, noting that some of his personal favorites didn't make the cut. Klinghoffer added that the band did post-session work on some B-sides in 2012 and 2013, and that they recorded 48 songs total, with a few likely staying on their iPods.
- Field
- Music
- Nationality
- American
- Known for
- Collection of 17 unreleased songs from the I'm with You album sessions
- Producer
- Rick Rubin
- Release format
- Nine 7" singles and double LP vinyl set
Lore & Background
During a Q&A on May 5, 2012, Chad Smith announced through his Twitter page that the album's unreleased songs would eventually see the light of day. On May 27, 2012, Smith said that, at some point in the next six months, the band would be releasing 10 unreleased songs on 7-inch and as digital downloads. Flea followed up on May 29, 2012, by stating that 18 unreleased songs from the I'm with You sessions would be released over the next six months. He also confirmed that the band has been writing new music while touring.
Josh Klinghoffer commented on the unreleased songs by saying 'Finding songs that seem to want to join hands with others is a special task that require the right people...and the right songs! Some songs seem to have a lot more of an agenda than others. Some songs play well with others and some songs need more attention and a little extra care. Here are some songs that seemed to want to pair up and take a later train. Keep your eye on them, they're up to something...' Smith said in July 2012 that 'We just wanted them to come out because we just really like them. We didn't want them to get lost, so we're gonna put them out, mainly for our fans.'
Reader's Guide
The I'm with You Sessions represent a significant body of work from the Red Hot Chili Peppers during a prolific creative period. The 17 songs, recorded during the sessions for I'm with You, were deemed strong enough to warrant their own release rather than being shelved. Producer Rick Rubin noted that 'some of my personal favorites don't make the cut,' highlighting the depth of material. The collection showcases the band's democratic song selection process and includes diverse tracks such as the eight-minute rocker 'In Love Dying' captured in a single take, and 'Victorian Machinery' which Klinghoffer described as sounding 'like a big three-headed monster playing drums.' The release strategy—nine consecutive singles over several months—allowed fans to experience the songs gradually, and the artwork by Kelsey Brookes, when combined, forms one larger piece titled 'Iris.' The collection's legacy lies in preserving songs that might otherwise have been lost, as Smith noted, rather than waiting for a future box set.
Did You Know?
- The collection includes 17 songs recorded during the sessions for I'm with You, with 48 songs total recorded during those sessions.
- One song, 'In Love Dying,' is an eight-minute rocker captured in a single studio take that occupies both sides of a single.
- Each of the nine seven-inches features cover artwork by Kelsey Brookes that, when combined, form one larger piece of artwork titled 'Iris.'
- The back cover of each release features handwritten lyrics by vocalist Anthony Kiedis.
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