Josh Klinghoffer has remained extremely busy since he was dismissed from the Red Hot Chili Peppers last December. He’s hunkered down in his Los Angeles area home and threw himself into creating new music, which is something he told us he would do, but certainly didn’t expect to happen before the coronavirus pandemic struck.
In the guise of Pluralone, his solo project, Klinghoffer was slated to open for Pearl Jam on the first leg of their Gigaton tour before that got pushed (though he did recently perform with them on “Dance of the Clairvoyants” on the All in WA special). He’s shared a few covers from quarantine, but now, he’s ready to unveil some new original music.
Enlisting former Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmate Flea and ex-Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons, Klinghoffer has shared his plans for a new seven-inch single. Both feature on “Nowhere I Am,” a song that Klinghoffer says were originally leftover from the previous session. The single also features “Directrix,” another song that was a B-side from the Pluralone sessions from last year.
“‘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. 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, I rely on the chords and melody to carry songs sometimes when the lyrics don’t offer an easy in,” Klinghoffer tells SPIN. “‘Directrix’ is a song (and a word) I made up really fast. 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 more 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.”
“These songs were 15 and 16 (out of 17) on the list of importance (I guess) from the To Be One With You sessions, but I’m very glad they’re coming out. Flea plays great bass on ‘Nowhere I Am.’”
The songs won’t be featured on his upcoming album, which he just started recording last week in Los Angeles.
“Nowhere I Am”/”Directrix” single will be released on July 3 on Bandcamp and will be on vinyl coming July 17 and you can preorder it here.
Listen below.
