Anthony Kiedis: Red Hot Chili Peppers Producer Claims Frontman Battles Tone-Deafness

We don’t exactly listen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers for operatic vocal performances. We listen for Flea’s bass lines that make you want to slap something, John Frusciante’s guitar wizardry that melts your face, Chad Smith’s funky drumbeats, and the sheer chaotic energy of a frontman who raps about California with the enthusiasm of a golden retriever. But is Anthony Kiedis actually a “bad” singer? According to one former producer, the answer isn’t just yes—it’s scientifically yes.

Michael Beinhorn’s Stunning Admission

In a recent Reddit AMA that felt more like a therapy session for ’80s studio trauma, RHCP producer Michael Beinhorn didn’t pull a single punch. He worked with the band on The Uplift Mofo Party Plan and the breakthrough album Mother’s Milk, and he had some milk to spill about Kiedis’ vocal abilities (or lack thereof).

John Frusciante Outsings Anthony Kiedis

Here is the situation: Beinhorn hopped on the r/grunge subreddit to answer fan questions. Things took a turn for the brutal when a fan asked about the mixing on the classic track “Knock Me Down.” If you’ve listened to that song through headphones, you’ve probably noticed something weird—Frusciante’s backing vocals are incredibly loud. In fact, they practically drown out the lead singer.

When asked why the guitarist took such a prominent vocal role on a song meant to be a tribute to their deceased guitarist and friend Hillel Slovak, Beinhorn didn’t mince his words. Beinhorn wrote:

“John sang the song (or rather, his voice was louder in the mix) because the song was melodic and Anthony was/is tone-deaf,”

He didn’t say Kiedis was “off-key” or “having a bad day.” He dropped the “tone-deaf” hammer. He clarified that Kiedis literally “can’t hear pitch.” That is a wild accusation to level against a man with a shelf full of Grammys and a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It’s like saying Gordon Ramsay can’t taste salt.

Why Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Guitarist Took Over Vocal Duties

The context here makes the burn even hotter. “Knock Me Down” wasn’t just some throwaway B-side; it was an emotional requiem for RHCP original guitarist Hillel Slovak, who died of a heroin overdose in 1988. Kiedis was Slovak’s best friend. You would think the frontman would want to lead the charge on that tribute.

However, according to Beinhorn, the song’s structure just didn’t work for Kiedis’ limitations. “John essentially wrote the song, including the melody, so it wasn’t entirely inappropriate for him to sing it,” the producer explained. Basically, the track required carrying a tune in a bucket, and Beinhorn seemingly felt Kiedis’ bucket had a hole in it.

It’s a practical studio decision, sure. If the singer can’t hit the notes, you get the guy who wrote the notes to sing them. But imagine being the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and getting sidelined on your own tribute track? That has to sting.

How The Red Hot Chili Peppers Reacted To The Mix

If you think Kiedis took this lying down, you clearly don’t know the ego required to front a stadium rock band. Beinhorn admitted that while he never got a formal review from the band on the final product, the initial listening session was… tense. Beinhorn recalled: 

“When I finally played Anthony the tracks with the finished guitars on them for the first time… he freaked out—not in a good way,”

He noted that Kiedis hadn’t been present for many of the sessions leading up to that reveal. The result of this “surprise” vocal mixing? Beinhorn believes the band “kind of disowned the record because of this.”

It makes sense. Kiedis has always been the face of the band. To have his vocals buried in the mix on their breakout record likely felt like a betrayal, regardless of whether he was hitting the notes or not.

So Does It Actually Matter If Anthony Kiedis Can Sing?

Here is the reality check: Does anyone care? The Red Hot Chili Peppers have sold over 120 million records. They sell out global tours in minutes. Kiedis might not have the vocal range of Freddie Mercury, but he has a distinct style that defined a generation of alternative rock.

Beinhorn’s comments, while technically fascinating, feel a bit like complaining that a punk rocker doesn’t know music theory. It misses the point. Kiedis brings a rhythmic, percussive vocal style that locks in with Flea and Smith in a way a “perfect” singer never could.

Is he tone-deaf? —Maybe. —Probably. Does he sound great shouting “Give it away, give it away, give it away now”? —Absolutely. In the world of sock-wearing rock and roll, attitude will beat pitch-perfect accuracy every day of the week.