What Is This?
American rock band that formed the nucleus of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Dar4765 · via Wikipedia: What Is This? · CC BY-SA 3.0
What Is This, originally called Anthym before 1980, was an American rock band that got its start at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. The founding members were guitarist Hillel Slovak, drummer Jack Irons, vocalist Alain Johannes, and bassist Todd Strassman. The group acted as the core from which the Red Hot Chili Peppers later emerged. After the band dissolved, its members played with acts like Eleven, Chris Cornell, Pearl Jam, Mark Lanegan, Them Crooked Vultures, Alain Johannes Trio, and Queens of the Stone Age.
The band first called itself Chain Reaction, then Anthem, then Anthym (because another band already had the name Anthem), and finally What Is This—a joke about the puzzled reaction they often got from people hearing them for the first time. While still known as Anthym, Slovak met Anthony Kiedis, who was in the audience at one of their shows; Kiedis soon became a roadie and hype-man for the group. Eventually, the band grew unhappy with bassist Todd Strassman’s playing and looked for a replacement. Johannes taught a Fairfax friend, trumpet player Michael “Flea” Balzary, how to play bass, and Flea took over for Strassman. After high school, the band played gigs around Los Angeles. Flea later left to join the punk band Fear, and Chris Hutchinson replaced him.
Around that time, Slovak and Irons played a one-off show with Kiedis and Flea under the name Tony Flow and the Majestic Masters of Mayhem at the Rhythm Lounge. They improvised a punk-funk jam while Kiedis rapped a poem called “Out in L.A.” The show was so well received that they were asked back the next week. The group renamed themselves the Red Hot Chili Peppers, played more shows, and recorded a demo—all while Slovak and Irons remained in What Is This. A few months later, What Is This signed with MCA Records, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers got a joint deal with EMI America and Enigma Records. Slovak and Irons chose to stay with What Is This, seeing it as their main project and the Chili Peppers as a side venture.
What Is This released their debut EP, *Squeezed*, in 1984. Around that time, Slovak grew unsure of his role in the band and decided to rejoin the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He left What Is This in 1985, halfway through recording their only full-length album, *What Is This?*. For their final EP, *3 Out of 5 Live*, the band became a trio. Soon after, they broke up.
- Origin
- Fairfax High School, Los Angeles, California
- Field
- Rock music
- Nationality
- American
- Known for
- Nucleus for the Red Hot Chili Peppers; members later played in Eleven, Pearl Jam, Queens of the Stone Age
- Years active
- Formed prior to 1980; broke up after final EP 3 Out of 5 Live
Lore & Background
Originally named Chain Reaction, the band changed its name to Anthem, then to Anthym (due to another band using the former name), and finally to What Is This—a tongue-in-cheek reference to the reaction they usually received from first-time listeners. During their tenure as Anthym, guitarist Hillel Slovak met audience member Anthony Kiedis, who became a roadie and hype-man. The band eventually replaced bassist Todd Strassman with Flea, whom Alain Johannes taught to play bass. Flea later left to play in the punk band Fear and was replaced by Chris Hutchinson. Slovak and Jack Irons played a one-time show with Anthony Kiedis and Flea as Tony Flow and the Majestic Masters of Mayhem, improvising a punk funk jam while Kiedis rapped a poem titled 'Out in L.A.' The show was so well received that the group changed its name to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and played more shows, all while Slovak and Irons remained in What Is This. What Is This received a record deal with MCA Records, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers received a joint deal with EMI America and Enigma Records. Slovak and Irons left the Chili Peppers to stay with What Is This, their primary project. Hillel Slovak, uncertain of his role, left What Is This in 1985 midway through recording their only full-length album, What Is This?. The band continued as a trio for their final EP, 3 Out of 5 Live, then broke up. Alain Johannes later formed Walk The Moon with Natasha Shneider; Jack Irons rejoined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1986 but left in 1988 after Hillel Slovak's death. Johannes, Shneider, and Irons later formed Eleven.
Reader's Guide
What Is This holds significance as the direct precursor to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with its members forming the core of that iconic band. The group's evolution from Chain Reaction to What Is This illustrates the fluid early-1980s Los Angeles music scene, where high school friendships and improvisational jams led to major record deals. Their only full-length album, produced by Todd Rundgren, featured a cover of The Spinners' 'I'll Be Around' that reached #62 on the Billboard Hot 100, demonstrating their commercial potential. More importantly, the band served as a training ground for musicians who would shape alternative rock: Jack Irons later drummed for Pearl Jam, Alain Johannes collaborated with Chris Cornell and Queens of the Stone Age, and Flea became a legendary bassist. The band's legacy lies not in their own discography but in the network of influential projects that emerged from their ranks, making them a crucial footnote in rock history.
Did You Know?
- Their song 'Mind My Have Still I' from the EP Squeezed was featured on the soundtrack to the movie The Wild Life.
- Their only full-length album, What Is This?, was produced by Todd Rundgren, who also played Fairlight Synthesizer on the record.
- The single 'I'll Be Around' peaked at #62 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #69 on the Cashbox Top 100.
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