Josh Klinghoffer was let go by the Red Hot Chili Peppers last year in order to make room for the return of John Frusciante. Despite the sudden lineup change, Klinghoffer later described the situation as “pretty simple” and without any “animosity.” Proving that there’s indeed no bad blood between the two acts, he’s released a new single called “Nowhere I Am” featuring current RHCP bassist Flea and former founding drummer Jack Irons.
Officially credited to Pluralone, Klinghoffer’s solo project, the track is painted with swirling, almost psychedelic, strokes, making for a dreamy and blissed-out listening experience. “‘Nowhere I Am’ is one of those songs I feel has a universal message that everyone can understand, then I remember how abstruse I can write sometimes,” Klinghoffer told SPIN. “I swear at some point, it was about something we all feel. Maybe the last verse is a little pompous, writing about walking around Paris in May. As usual, rely on the chords and melody to carry songs sometimes when the lyrics don’t offer an easy in.”
“Nowhere I Am” was originally recorded during the same sessions that birthed his Pluralone debut album, To Be One with You, released last November. It comes paired with a more twangy B-side dubbed “Directrix”, also from those sessions but sans Flea and Irons.
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“‘Directrix’ is a song (and a word) I made up really fast,” Klinghoffer recounted to SPIN. “One of those times you’re just sitting on the floor strumming and the whole thing presents itself straight away. When a song just happens like that, you’d be a fool not to allow it, but then sometimes I can spend lots of time agonizing over it or trying to make it less this or mire that. This song always sounded too happy in the verses. I love the choruses, but the verses drove me nuts. At some point, you just have to let go.”
Stream the two tracks below. Both will be available for purchase tomorrow, July 3rd, to coincide with Bandcamp Day, while a physical 7-inch is due out July 24th.
Klinghoffer recently covered Big Thief, one of his favorite new bands, while in quarantine, and he’s just begun working on a new record in Los Angeles. As for Flea, he’s popped up on not one, but two of Bright Eyes’ comeback singles. RHCP, meanwhile, have reportedly been brainstorming a new album.
