THE RISE OF THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS: OUR BROTHER, HILLEL -- Beautiful Tribute to a Legendary Artist

Review by Steve Barton II

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have been blowing out the speakers of every rock fan’s car since their formation in 1982. Over the years, they’ve become one of the biggest and most influential bands in rock history with their blending of funk, hip-hop and rock to create their own unique sound. Throughout their journey as a band, they’ve had over 10 other members besides the current lineup and each person brought their own flavor. In The Rise of The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel, we mainly focus on the early days of the band and the original core members of Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Jack Irons and the main focus, Hillel Slovak. Hillel was the original guitarist for the Chili Peppers and was instrumental in honing their sound. While he was a key to their success, he unfortunately never got to see them hit their biggest heights because he passed away in 1988. 

This documentary does a beautiful job at creating a tribute to their lost brother, Hillel and honoring his legacy by sharing their story. Hearing the stories first-hand from Flea and Anthony about all of the fun and shenanigans they got into with Hillel, but also how emotional and talented of an artist he was will brighten even the coldest heart. The inclusion of both George Clinton and Gary Allen were fantastic as well and gave more of an outside perspective to Hillel and his artistry. Their interviews will also tear your heart out when they reflect on losing their friend and the hardships of dealing with him and his addiction. Seeing Flea thinking back on trying to keep his band mates alive and on track to keep the band will have you sobbing on the floor. In a world where many documentaries with the band themselves use it as a “puff piece”, these guys are brutally honest about their addictions and faults and treat it more as a cautionary tale.

The editing of The Rise of The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel is one that I hope future documentarians reference when they make a music centered piece. The seamless cutting between the talking heads to archived, unreleased tracks and live tapes helps the pace and aids the overall story. The restoration of the footage from over 30+ years ago looked incredible and some could even pass as footage shot in this decade. One thing that may have made the interviews even stronger would have been to have the original band members come together in the end and have an in-person discussion and reminisce on Hillel. Seeing the three guys have a moment together would’ve been cathartic and emotional. It would’ve also been interesting to see the interviews outside the generic soundstage backdrop, but it works because the content of the interviews and the guys themselves are so dynamic in their delivery.

In the end, The Rise of The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel is a great documentary for fans of the band and learning about this vital piece of their history. Hillel Slovak was an incredibly talented musician who unfortunately lost his battle with addiction and his name fell into obscurity among some rock fans. With this documentary, his name and legacy can find a new life and new fans of the Red Hot Chili Peppers can go back and listen to the man who helped their favorite band become the phenomenon they are.

The Rise of The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel is on Netflix starting March 20th! 

Rating: 4/5