"I played a blues scale as fast as I could and he said, 'That's not fast, you're not a good guitarist'" – John Frusciante on his depressing encounter with a guitar teacher, and his teenage heroes Steve Vai and Adrian Belew

John Frusciante

Flea's latest guest on his podcast is none other than his Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmate John Frusciante. And he digs deeper into the guitarist's formative pre-RHCP years as a player than any interview we've seen before. 

At one point Frusciante explains that he had one goal after moving to California as a teenager; to become the best guitar he could be by the age of 18. This leads Flea to ask what players were inspiring the young 13-year-old Frusciante and why. His answers explain a lot about his mature mindset as a player back then…