The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel

What it’s about

This documentary examines the early years of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, an LA group that in the 1980s blended punk, funk and hip-hop into a fresh sound. The band's first albums carried an unusual energy and passion, much of it coming from guitarist Hillel Slovak. He died of a drug overdose just as the group was nearing worldwide recognition. Singer Anthony Kiedis, bassist Michael Balzary and drummer Jack Irons gave candid interviews, trying to make sense of their creative path before and after Slovak's death.

What hooks you

Director Ben Feldman assembles current and archival material, including interviews with Flea, Anthony Kiedis, Dave Navarro, Chad Smith and Alain Johannes. The film draws on archive footage of Hillel Slovak himself and on the recollections of those who played beside him.

Who it’s for

It is a good pick for those who like music documentaries that balance band history with personal loss, and for anyone drawn to the early days of a group that reshaped rock by mixing genres.