Josh Adam Klinghoffer (born October 3, 1979) is an American musician best known for being the guitarist for the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2007 to 2019, with whom he recorded two studio albums, I'm with You (2011) and The Getaway (2016), and the B-sides compilation I'm Beside You (2013). Klinghoffer took the place of his friend and frequent collaborator John Frusciante in 2009, after a period as the band's touring rhythm guitarist. At age 32, Klinghoffer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2012, making him the youngest inductee at the time.
Following his departure from Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2019, Klinghoffer became a touring and session member of both Pearl Jam (since 2021) and Jane's Addiction (2023). As a multi-instrumentalist, Klinghoffer fronts the alternative rock band Dot Hacker. He is also a former member of the bands Ataxia, Warpaint and the Bicycle Thief, and has both recorded and toured as a session musician with notable artists including PJ Harvey, Beck, Iggy Pop, Elton John, Butthole Surfers, Vincent Gallo, Sparks, Golden Shoulders, Cate Le Bon, the Armed and Redd Kross.
Additionally, Klinghoffer releases solo materials under the pseudonym of Pluralone, originally a working title for the group Dot Hacker. He has released four solo albums, To Be One with You (2019), I Don't Feel Well (2020), This Is the Show (2022) and A Drop in the Ocean (2026) plus multiple non-album singles and B-sides.
Early and personal life Josh Adam Klinghoffer was born on October 3, 1979 in Santa Monica, California.
Klinghoffer took drum lessons when he was nine, and taught himself guitar and keyboards. He is distantly related to Leon Klinghoffer, who was murdered during the Achille Lauro hijacking. He dropped out of high school at the age of 15 in 1995, focusing more on a career in music.
Career Early career and the Bicycle Thief (1995–2001) Klinghoffer became involved in performing and recording music in Los Angeles at an early age. Klinghoffer described himself at this time as "[the] little music dork who lived around the corner, dropped out of high school, and was just playing guitar all day long."Still a Beautiful Mess – Page 2 – Music – San Francisco . SF Weekly (December 15, 1999). Retrieved on 2011-11-24. In 1997, at the age of seventeen, Klinghoffer joined the Bicycle Thief, the then-current project from former Thelonious Monster frontman Bob Forrest. Red Hot Chili Peppers vocalist Anthony Kiedis noted that "Bob [Forrest] has always had a very keen sensibility about finding extremely talented and down-to-earth people who just want to get to a kitchen and write a song."Appleford, Steve. (August 7, 2011) Red Hot Chili Peppers' rebirth . latimes.com. Retrieved on 2011-11-24. The band's subsequent studio album, You Come and Go Like a Pop Song, marked Klinghoffer's first recording experience. Regarding bandmate Forrest's notorious drug addiction, which arguably stalled Thelonious Monster's commercial success, Klinghoffer stated at this time that he: "Pretty much had enough confidence in myself to know that I wasn't gonna be 'the next Bob Forrest'." It was during the recording of Bicycle Thief album that Josh, at age 17, first met John Frusciante, who came in to record a guitar solo. The two eventually began to hang out and listen to music together at Frusciante's home.
In late 1999, the Bicycle Thief opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers, as the latter toured in support of their seventh studio album, Californication.
John Frusciante and Ataxia (2002–2004)
Klinghoffer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante began writing together in 2002, with the hopes of recording and releasing an album under a band name. This album was eventually released as a John Frusciante solo release in 2004, entitled Shadows Collide with People.John Frusciante unofficial website – Invisible Movement › Revamp! . Invisible-movement.net. Retrieved on November 24, 2011. Regarding this decision, Frusciante stated:
During the first six months of 2004, Klinghoffer continued to assist Frusciante in the studio. Klinghoffer's drums, bass, vocals, keyboards, and/or guitar can be heard on the full-length albums The Will to Death, Inside of Emptiness, and in 2009's The Empyrean. 2004's A Sphere in the Heart of Silence is also credited to both musicians, and features several tracks with Klinghoffer on vocals, lead guitar, synthesizers and sequencing. He plays drums along with Frusciante and Fugazi bassist Joe Lally in Automatic Writing and AW II, under the name Ataxia.
Frusciante commented on his relationship with Klinghoffer in 2004 stating: "He's simply a very talented person and has been a very close friend for the past four years. He's one of the very few people who I really like to spend a lot of time with. In many respects he's the person who is closest to me, and with whom I can speak honestly about everything. His opinion is very important to me and I value it a lot."
In 2004, Klinghoffer also appeared on the Thelonious Monster album, California Clam Chowder.
Golden Shoulders (2002–present) In addition to infrequent live appearances with the band, Klinghoffer appeared on Golden Shoulders' first two albums, 2002's Let My Burden Be and 2004's Friendship Is Deep, playing bass guitar. He returned to play bass guitar, drums, electric guitar, mellotron, organ, and synthesizer on 2009's Get Reasonable, and electric guitar and piano on 2019's Could This Be the End.
Gnarls Barkley (2006–2008) Klinghoffer was a touring and session musician for Gnarls Barkley. Klinghoffer appeared on the band's second album, 2008's The Odd Couple and was part of the band's touring lineup to support their first two studio albums which also included an opening slot for the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their Stadium Arcadium tour, a tour Klinghoffer would eventually join as a backing musician in 2007.
Dot Hacker (2008–present)
Klinghoffer founded his own band, Dot Hacker, in 2008, where he holds the position of primary songwriter, singer, rhythm guitarist and pianist. The group is made up of former touring musicians for Gnarls Barkley. In 2012, they released their first full-length album, Inhibition. The title track to Inhibition was first played in a Bob Forrest radio show.Dot Hacker . Dot Hacker. Retrieved on November 24, 2011. A previously unreleased track, "Rewire", was also included in their digital-only 4-song self-titled EP. . iTunes Music. Retrieved on March 6, 2012.
Dot Hacker released a two-album series in 2014, with How's Your Process? (Work) being released on July 1, 2014, and the second album, How's Your Process? (Play), being released on October 7, 2014. The band played at The Chapel, San Francisco, in July 2014 and Los Angeles in August 2014. The band announced plans to play Tokyo in February 2015 in support of the two albums. This was their first time performing outside of the United States. Dot Hacker released their third album, Nº3, on January 20, 2017.
Red Hot Chili Peppers (2007–2019) In 2007, Klinghoffer played with Red Hot Chili Peppers on the final few legs of their Stadium Arcadium tour, playing additional guitar, backing vocals, and keyboard parts alongside the band. His first show with the band took place on March 12, 2007, at the Cox Convention Center Arena in Oklahoma City. On May 8, 2009, amidst confusion as to whether Frusciante still remained within Red Hot Chili Peppers, Klinghoffer, Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, Ron Wood and Ivan Neville performed under the name the Insects at a MusiCares benefit in honor of Kiedis's commitment to helping those struggling with addiction and recovery.
In 2009, the Chili Peppers ended a two-year hiatus, and were joined by Klinghoffer in the studio to begin work on their tenth album, I'm with You. At the time, unbeknownst to the public, Frusciante had already quit the band earlier that year without announcing his departure. In January 2010, Klinghoffer performed with the band for the first time as their lead guitarist at a MusiCares tribute event to Neil Young for a performance of Young's "A Man Needs a Maid". It was later revealed he would permanently replace Frusciante as guitarist. Klinghoffer was officially named the replacement for John Frusciante in early 2010. Regarding his entry into the band, Klinghoffer notes, "I've always been attracted to the idea of a tight-knit unit, a band of family, a brotherhood. Since my earliest memory, they always seemed like a band with a lot of love for each other."Red Hot Chili Peppers' rebirth – Page 2 . latimes.com. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
In May 2010, Klinghoffer along with Flea performed the United States national anthem at a Lakers home playoff game during the NBA Western Conference finals series against the Phoenix Suns.
After eleven months of writing and rehearsing, the Chili Peppers began recording a new album, I'm with You, on September 13, 2010.Anthony Kiedis Interview Surfrider 11.09.10 Talks NEW Red Hot Chili Peppers Album & John Frusciante . YouTube. Retrieved on November 24, 2011. Klinghoffer also sang, wrote music, played the drums and keyboard on the album. Recording was completed on March 18, 2011, and the album was released on August 29, 2011. The album's first single was "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie".The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie | Song Reviews . Rolling Stone (July 18, 2011). Retrieved on 2011-11-24.
In 2011, Klinghoffer wrote and performed the original score for the documentary Bob and the Monster. Klinghoffer also appears in the documentary, which is based on the life and career of musician and drug counselor Bob Forrest.Trailer for SXSW's Bob and the Monster . Screencrave.com (February 18, 2011). Retrieved on 2011-11-24. Klinghoffer was said to have contributed to at least one track on former Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery's second solo album, LIFE.TIME. (2013), although the album did not include it. On July 10, 2011, Klinghoffer appeared at the 2011 School of Rock's Rock the House Tour which also featured Keith Morris and Page Hamilton. Klinghoffer joined the School of Rock kids on stage to perform Red Hot Chili Peppers songs "Dani California" and "Give It Away". This was the first time he performed any of the Chili Peppers' songs live since officially joining the band as their guitarist.Dani California . YouTube. Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
In April 2012, Klinghoffer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers at 32 years of age. This made him the youngest ever inductee until 2020, when he was surpassed by Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin.
In January 2015, Klinghoffer returned to the studio with the Chili Peppers to begin work on their eleventh studio album which would be produced by Gnarls Barkley's Danger Mouse. Recording was put on hold the following month when bassist Flea suffered an injury during a skiing trip. Production resumed in August 2015 and The Getaway was released on June 17, 2016, which was followed by an extensive world tour that concluded in October 2017.
Work on Klinghoffer's album To Be One with You was announced in September 2018, with plans to release it sometime in 2019. However, the recording was delayed due to the Woolsey Fire.
On November 2, 2019, the band performed a charity event at the Silverlake Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles. This would be the band's final show with Klinghoffer.
On December 15, 2019, the Chili Peppers announced via an Instagram post that Klinghoffer was parting ways with the band after ten years on good terms, and that former guitarist John Frusciante would be rejoining the band. "Josh is a beautiful musician who we respect and love. We are deeply grateful for our time with him, and the countless gifts he shared with us. We also announce, with great excitement and full hearts, that John Frusciante is rejoining our group. Thank you." the band's statement read.