Since departing from Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2009, John Frusciante has deliberately remained out of the public eye. His musical output has been limited to a series of abstract electronic and instrumental releases, and he sat out of the Chili Peppers’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
This past weekend, however, Frusciante attended a boxing match in Los Angeles alongside former Chili Peppers bandmate Flea. According to Ultimate Guitar, it’s the first time the two musicians have been photographed together in 11 years.
In related news, former Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro recently relayed a story about how he once lent Frusicante a guitar as part of his recovery (via Loudwire).
“So I brought the Les Paul to the facility, we hung out, we talked a little bit, and I never saw it again. I think [Frusciante] left the facility, who knows what happened. So life goes on, I end up leaving the Chili Peppers, I don’t know where John is,” he recounted.
A decade later, “[Frusciante] comes up, knocks on the door, and has a guitar case. It’s not unusual that a guitar player would bring a guitar to a guitar player’s house. He opens it up, and it’s a black Les Paul. He goes, ’I just wanted to give this to you because years ago you gave me a Les Paul and I sold it and bought drugs with it and I just want to make it right.’ I was like, ‘Wow man.’
“I love that he tried to make amends with that,” Navarro added. “In a weird roundabout way, the black Les Paul that he replaced it with is more special than the original one was.”