Red Hot Chili Peppers have recorded a video to the ballad "Brendan's Death Song" from "I'm With You," the tribute to their late friend Brendan Mullen.
Brendan was the founder of the late 1970's Hollywood club The Masque. After it shut down in 1978, Mullen went on to book band for the Sunset Strip's Club Lingere, where he later met fresh-faced musicians Anthoney Kiedis and Flea in 1983.
As the story goes, the pair had a boom box and played him their demo. Mullen liked it, and offered them an opening slot for hardcore punk legends Bad Brains.
"It was a huge step for us to get that gig," Flea said in 2009. "But in a much more important way, I felt profoundly validated to be accepted and acknowledged by Brendan Mullen, who was a crucial part – a hub – of a scene that for me had mythological status."
Mullen stayed friends with the band until his death in 2009, while he was halfway through co-authoring a book with the band.
US readers can see the premiere for the jazz-funeral-themed video at Rolling Stone. Otherwise, you can hear the original song here:
I love the Chilis alot, this is just another reason to why they are one of the greatest bands around! Paying homage to someone who has helped them earlier on. Most bands would just shrug it off these days.
The full, proper build up in the full version of the song is ridiculously good and the best lyric; "The nights are long but the years are short when you're alive." has been cut out! I love this video a lot, it's a beautiful tribute, but I'm not too fond on this edit of the song. Maybe I'm alone on this. Maybe I'm not. Maybe, boobs.
I liked the premise for this song, but I honestly hated the track placement on I'm With You. I'd be all pumped up and happy after Factory of Faith and then this super sad song comes on. Skip. Should have been near the end of the album in my opinion.
