Watch a 17-year-old John Frusciante shred like a hair-metal guitar hero in newly unearthed footage

17 year old John Frusciante and his band IKE live at Missing Persons, Sam Fernando valley, 1987 - YouTube 17 year old John Frusciante and his band IKE live at Missing Persons, Sam Fernando valley, 1987 - YouTube
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John Frusciante is regarded as one of the pre-eminent guitar heroes of the past three decades – a position he attained thanks to his melodic, tasteful playing style, which always bears the rest of his Red Hot Chili Peppers bandmates in mind. Yet, as he’s attested in interviews, his style had far flashier origins – and now we finally have evidence of his shred roots.

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Michael Astley-Brown
Editor-in-Chief, GuitarWorld.com

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.