Josh Klinghoffer Talks Red Hot Chili Peppers Departure: 'I'm Not Surprised'

Ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer says "there's no animosity" between himself and the band following news of his departure last month.

The iconic rock group announced in December that Kinghoffer's ten-year run with the group had come to an end as they welcomed back former guitarist John Frusciante.

Appearing on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Klinghoffer revealed he was told the news at the house of bassist Flea, which he said was "a complete shock but not a surprise".

“They just said, ‘We’ll get right to it. We’ve decided to ask John to come back to the band.’ And I just sat there quiet for a second and I said, ‘I’m not surprised,'" Klinghoffer said.

“The only thing I could think to say was, ‘I wish I could have done something with you guys, musically or creatively, that would have made this an absolute impossibility.'"

The 40-year-old musician went on to say that “it’s absolutely John’s place to be in that band".

"So that’s why I’m happy for him, I’m happy that he’s back with them," he said.'

"If John coming back had happened five years ago, it would have been hard for me... now after ten years, two tours, and almost three albums of writing, I’m really proud of what I did with them.

"I feel like we did create something.”

Klinghoffer added that he does not expect to be on a new Red Hot Chili Peppers album, which drummer Chad Smith teased recently.

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