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A song about the deterioration of society, this reflects how the world is becoming very superficial and plastic, much like California. The Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in Hollywood and are quite familiar with the quirky nature of life in Los Angeles. (thanks, spunky-jethro - southampton, England)
As written in the dictionary, "Fornication" refers disapprovingly to any sexual activity outside the confines of marriage. (thanks, ronartl - Laguna Niguel, CA)
The lyrics, "Cobain can you hear the spheres singing songs off station to station and Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication" get in a few pop-culture references - Kurt Cobain, David Bowie's album Station To Station, and Alderaan - the planet princess Leia was from in Star Wars. Alderaan was destroyed by The Empire, implying that the world is being destroyed. (thanks, Joseph - Wise, VA)
A 30-minute instrumental song by The Cure called "Carnage Visors" was a big influence on this. The Cure song is from 1981 and was written as a score for a movie.
Flea: "Californication is the best record the Chili Peppers have ever made."
The lyrics, "Celebrity skin is this your chin, or is that war your waging" get in a reference to Celebrity Skin, the third and final album from the band Hole. Hole was formed by Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain's wife. (thanks, Colton - Puyallup, WA)
Many of the lyrics tell a story about the plastic unrealistic image that Hollywood sells to the world and yet how obsessed people are with attaining that fame and that forever young image. For example:
"Little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotations." - Becoming famous.
"Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging" - The obsession with being forever young, the image that Hollywood sells.
"And buy me a star on the boulevard, It's Californication." - The dream of becoming famous.
"Space may be the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement." - The image that Hollywood sells is manufactured. (thanks, Mark - Fresno, CA)
Amazingly it appeared that writers for the Showtime comedy drama
Californication did not negotiate with the Red Hot Chili Peppers before borrowing this song's title for their show. Consequently the rock group filed a lawsuit against Showtime on November 19, 2007 seeking damages and restitution and asking the court to issue a permanent injunction barring further use of the title. In addition, one of the characters in the program played by Rachel Miner was given the nickname
Dani California, the title of a 2006 Chili Peppers song, and one episode featured a character describing California as "the edge of the world and all of western civilization," a line from "Californication." (thanks, Bert - Pueblo, NM)
Comments (171):
Brad Smith of Blind Melon
The Blind Melon bassist/songwriter tells the story of "No Rain," which he wrote before the band was formed.
Charlie Benante of Anthrax
The drummer for Anthrax is also a key songwriter. He explains how the group puts their songs together and tells the stories behind some of their classics.
Get the Ringtone
Get Song @ Amazon
Get the Sheet Music
Or is that war you're waging?" is a reference to the cleft chin of strong male actors such as Kirk Douglas (Spartacus). This cleft chin could be compared to a war trench, hence the "is that war you're waging?". It seems like this is criticizing (making fun of) people going too far with surgery and ending up with enormous cleft chins that don't even look natural anymore, but more like a huge chasm on their jaw line!! Oh well I might be wrong, but that's my take on this line =)
But it also breeds creation
And earthquakes are to a girl's guitar
They're just another good vibration
And tidal waves couldn't save the world
From Californication." I think this whole verse is about Kurt and Courtney; how the destructive lifestyle they led was the very thing that made him great and that nothing could save him from himself.
anthony is not talking about just california, but about how the whole hollywood industry has become such a brainwasher and influencer on the rest of the world
i've lived in LA my whole life and it amazes me how much popular culture from my area has spread to other people's areas
and to scott from bismarck, the reason chris farley is mentioned is because he overdosed on speedballs the same deadly combination of coke and heroin that killed former bnd member and friend Hillel Slovak
The lyrics are so mysterious and make me wonder how and what is the meaning of such beautiful words.
The music have a very strong character, it's simple but have notes that really come from the heart and blends well with the strong and sharp meaning of the lyrics..
RHCP really are genius. 4 thumbs up; other two come from my friend :=)
you have given me a mild migraine!
1- the word "californication" IS NOT "california" + "fornication". Anthony explained it very explicitely many times in interwiews. It's simply a neologism that came up in his mind and it's exact meaning is that one who has been already explained in this place: the spreading of California's/Hollywood's life-style and "ideals".
The link with the word "fornication" is only vague; at most, it's very secondary. Kiedis has been very categoric about this.
2- I believe (and I'm quite sure about it) that the famous line "Cobain can your the spheres singing songs from station to station" refers to: 1- Kurt Cobain (who was just dead) (well, this one is obvious =P) 2- the "spheres" are exactly the "celestial spheres" of Aristotele (not Pitagora.. or, well: I don't remember that Pitagora talked about them. Just as note: I'm a student in Philosophy in University.); to many of you it may seem a weird theory.. but maybe because you don't know what the "celestial spheres" are: they were, in Aristotele astronomic theory, the "cogs" (literally) of wich the universe is made; concentric spheres, each moved up (and while they are moving, they SING A CELESTIAL MUSIC) by the First Motor (I don't know ho w is exactly named in English), i.e. GOD. In fact, this theory was later absorbed by the cattolic religion. So: the "spheres" are the Heavens, the Skies in wich God lives, and where Cobain's soul now lives. [ REMEMBER: Anthony Kiedis is VERY religious; I can't remember if is Catholic or not, but for sure is cristian. However it doesn't change: in all christian religions there are the "spheres"]
It may seem very complicated and unrealistic, but I assure you that it is so because maybe you don't know about Aristotele's theory and its link with Christian Heaven, and maybe also the role that Christian religion has for Anthony Kiedis. (look for Savior, in the same album "Californication"..) 3- "station to station" is obviously Bowie's album, which was one of the prefered one by Cobain.
So, the meaning of the sentence is like:
"Cobain [who was more than a friend to Kiedis], can you here [now that you are in the Heaven] the [heavenly] spheres [which always sing while they're moving according to the Aristotelic/Christian theory] singing songs from Station to Station [i.e.: singing songs taken from Bowie's album "Station to Station", the album which you used to love when you were alive on the earth]?"
Now, it remains only the connection between this sentence to the whole meaning of the song. I think that it's quite obvious the "blasfemic" image conained in this sentence: even the celestial spheres (in the Heaven) sings the songs from the Bowie's album Station to Station, like all the radios on the earth does. Thus, also the Heavens have been "californicated", i.e. "corrupted" by the California/Hollywood costums.
Thanks People, i just needed to vent my opinion.
vibration" means how so many of us pick up a guitar in hopes of being a rockstar, to us it is pure gold but to others it is just a sound.
No seriously. They had a section in their magazine for "50 Worst Lyricists" and Anthony Keidis' "Californication" was the song they chose.
The Lyrics:
"Psychic Spies from China try to steal your mind's elation, and little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotations, and if you want these kind of dreams, it's Californication."
Rediculous, no matter what they say, this song is one of my favorites.
superficial. We are a society that is more entertained than informed...and celebrity gossip gets more attention than serious social issues. He is saying the entire world is being consumed by ridiculousness.
Lol i really think he means something else by this.
at least it settles in a final loacation ofc it does mean california but also the sun doesnt really settle anywhere there is no west or east as a geographical place.Only some are trying to make you think the 2 places (close to eachother) are opposite.
''Psychic spies from China
Try to steal your mind's elation
Little girls from Sweden
Dream of silver screen quotations
And if you want these kind of dreams
It's Californication''
it migh mean both of them are dreams and californication. /implied fear and fake dream
''Born and raised by those who praise
Control of population everybody's been there
and I don't mean on vacation''
I Think he means abortion
(/a modest name for killing of unborn children)
...when it clicked in my mind what it meant, I laughed out loud and had an awkward moment where my 12 year old brother asked what I was laughing at...
...Damn good song though :)
This song is about life and how america(or the rest of the entire world)is becoming more and more stuck in the world of fantasy and hollywood itself.Nothing bad or good about it.And I think what Anthony was saying when he mentioned Kurt Cobain was maybe of how dissapointed he would've been from such behavior of the people of today and the yesterday before he commited suicide.I bet if Kurt were still alive he would write a song quite similar to "Californacation".
And the "teenage bride with a baby inside getting high on information" is the same girl that is named "Dani California"Do you see the comparisen between the two?And "dani" is a young girl that is dreaming of mentioned in song.And the "getting high on information",means shes listening to the pop-culture teaching of MTV(and or is still in school)."Pay your surgeon very well
To break the spell of aging.
Celebrity skin, is this your chin
Or is it war you're waging" refers to so many people trying to look like celebrity and paying big bucks to look fake.Put on some makeup like I do,it makes a world of difference and you don't even have to use that much."Space may be the final frontier
But it's made in a Hollywood basement."refers to how hollywood could even make real things seem like it's just something you would read in a comic book.
And you could also see the video,you might understand better.Youtube.com,it's that easy.
and its just that they mention california in alot of songs like dani CALIFORNIA and the song ''under the bridge''.
they must love california really much!
in the end he he is prasing california by saying that the culture is so strong and powerfull that this "californication" has spread to the world.
The song seems to be singing in a dual nature of the world and specifically Hollywood and celebrities. Like the line "Little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotations/And if you want those kind of dreams/It's Californication". Interpreting the word "Californication" to mean a general deteroriation of either humanity or society (to eventually become as "Fake" and "plastic" as hollywood is), it's saying "The only way dreams of fame will come true is to lie to yourself and become fake."
Then RHCP reinforces the interp. of decay with the line "It's the edge of the world/And all of Western civilization", which is blatant in its use of the modifier "Western", referring directly to the Western hemisphere. The song goes on to say "The sun may rise in the East/But at least it settles in a final location", which seems to me like saying that Californication will engulf the sun, maybe because the night is much more feared for possible dangers that may befall you.
Further down, he says the oft-interpreted line "Cobain can you hear the spheres/Sing songs from station to station?" If anyone who professes to know rock would know, Cobain hated the idea of his music contributing to a giant machine, and in his words, "Corporate rock still sucks." Cobain's philosophy is directly against what RHCP's "Californication" is about, so the line, to me, seems to be asking Cobain's spirit if he sees that he's lost the battle and that fake, plastic rock music is being broadcast all over the world and into space.
The other thing is, one person mentioned that they were a devout Nirvana fan, you're not the only one im sure, however, the mention of "Cobain" in the song is another California reference obviously in terms of the music business. ("Cobain, can you hear the spheres sing songs from station to station?")What is obvious to me is that, the band are simply pointing out that Kurt Cobain wrote original material, and is asking him to observe the the fact that the music industry is becoming more and more remade than ever (another band singing songs from david bowies album, station to station), just think about the number of david bowie songs that have been remade!
Hope that helps!
Thumbnail bio: http://imdb.com/name/nm0833617/bio
The definitive book on the whole sordid tale is 'The Killing of the Unicorn: Dorothy Stratten, 1960-1980' by Peter Bogdanovich... yes, THAT Peter Bogdanovich, the movie director... who was shagging her at the time... which is why her jealous pimp-husband blew her head off with a shotgun, then his own... Ewwwww, messy. (Apparently P.B. had good security--no harm came to him.)
The "hard core soft porn" is a catchy way to say that while she worked in soft porn, her life had become as hard core as it gets, sleeping her way to the top, etc. (Read the GRISLY DETAILS of her BONDAGE+ANAL RAPE murder, if you really want to know... =:O )
But no chillin's, it doesn't end there! The "first born" reference is to Dorothy, the oldest girl in her family. She had a younger sister, Louise Beatrix, or "LB", who 8 years later ended up in bed with--you guessed it--Peter Bogdanovich. Presumably she's the SECOND-BORN UNICORN. They were married for 13 years--pretty long by Hollyweird standards. But still, a bit pervy given PB's history with her sister.
Having laid out all that, let me say this song, or even just the chorus, is probably not an HOMAGE to Dorothy Stratten per se, but rather just an INFAMOUS pop reference to the widespread sordid sleep-around "career" options for young hotties in Hollywood. Same with "Little girls from Sweden Dream of silver screen quotations"
PS: I think "Alison, Melbourne, Australia" is dead on about the Spheres, and Station-to-Station
Also "Born and raised by those who praise control of population" could refer to the East, because I heard in China it's illegal to have more than two children, their population already being quite high. California could also be "born and raised by those who praise control of population" because California and that stereotype lifestyle was started by people who move there to maybe become famous, as in "Little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotation"
"with the birds i share this lonely view" referring to his lonliness during his troubled years. he was lonely and had no one to go to
Also, the line "The sun may rise in the East At least it settles in the finer location" could be referring to how civilization started in the East and is now settled in the West, a seemingly better place.
I don't really know what I'm talking about though, its just my interpretation. If only someone from the band would comment and clear things up.
I think the song, easily derived from the name, is about how California (or Hollywood for that matter) is fornicating the world with the ideal look of a human, how we "need" enhancement to make ourselves look younger, and how they make the decisions at what is cool and what's not, with complete disregard to all morals. In the first part of the song, he sings about racism and how America is full of itself and really could care less about other nations. "The sun may rise in the East but at least it sets in a finer location...", the finer location referring to California, because it is the heart of American culture (being the West of America, the sun sets in the West). "Little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotations" could be talking about how the media is so much more lively in North America than it is in foreign nations, and that it seems appealing from a view. "It's understood that Hollywood sells Californication", is quite literal in the fact that Hollywood sells all of it's media to become even richer. First born unicorn could suggest that, a unicorn being a rare, mystical, beautiful, and from the legend of the unicorn, vain, Hollywood is ideal in it's own views, and more special than the rest, especially because it is the first area or region of it's kind. Hard-core soft porn could be talking about how much Hollywood desensitizes us, to the point where what was once hard-core in our mind becomes soft. The second verse, regarding the girl, could be referring to how much we are pressured to love one another, to find that perfect match, and how much we think we have found someone, but it is actually just strong infatuation. Media also pressures young adults into sex before marriage, showing the "teenage bride with a baby inside" meaning the "couple" got pregnant before marriage. The "...baby inside gettin high on information" could refer to how much pressure is put on young people to learn, know the most, and the more you know the more successful you become. "Buy me a star on the boulevard" is, quite obviously, referring to Grohman's Chinese Theatre, which showcases different stars' handprints and name, and how all you need is a lot of money to get in there. "Space may be the final frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement," refers to the ever-popular theory that the "first landing" on the moon in 1969 was staged, because of various mixups. I agree with Teh's Cobain theory. "Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication" could be referring to the fact that Hollywood shows that paradise, which is Alderaan in the Star Wars series, is not far away, in fact, it's in your television, down your street, and on your radios, it's Californication itself. "Born and raised by those who praise control of population" is talking about how we are all raised up with the media closely around us like a parent, and the media controls us on our lifestyles everyday. "Everybody's been there and I don't mean on vacation," is saying everyone has been to, or experienced, Californication, not the actual going to Hollywood on a vacation. "Destruction leads to a very rough road but it also breeds creation", I think, is saying that destruction does in fact bring about bad things, but that it cleanses what was once there to create what the destroyers want. In this case, media destroying any opposers (ie., religion) and planting what they want (brainwashed humans) in their place. "Earthquakes are to a girl's guitar, it's just another good vibration", I think, is trying to say that any girl with good vocals and a guitar can cause earthquakes in the media, no matter how good at guitar she actually is, she's beautiful and supposedly has a good singing voice, so she's amazing. This could also be referring to the San Fransisco earthquake, although I can't make a connection. "Tidal waves couldn't save the world from Californication" is saying that even if a tsunami or something were to hit California, it wouldn't change the effect that Californication has absorbed and brainwashed the media, and that if such a natural disaster occurred, nothing would come of it's "attempts to save us" because it's past the stage of keeping a stable place, Californication is everywhere and taking out the home of it wouldn't do much. "Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging" is pretty self-explanatory. "Sicker than the rest, there is no test, but this is what you're craving" means that yes, Californication does have some of the most disturbing and sick things you will ever see or hear, without doubt, but it doesn't matter, you still want to see it, and it's what you're craving to have. Ha, long read, but, I think it gets the point across
his is a fascinating string, as I too was curious about the "spheres" reference along with the David Bowie album. For those who are interested, here http://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=943 is a link to a very insightful review of the Station to Station album (no, The Man Who Sold The World is not on it, nor is there a Sphere word in the title) It's a bit of a long read, so here's a quote from the reviewer: "[Station to Station] was recorded in Hollywood, for one thing, and rather than being part of Bowie's attempt to cleanse himself of drugs and madness it represents the very nadir of those destructive tendencies...It's the cry of despair that spurred Bowie to clean himself up." So read into that what you will. I also very much liked Alison from Melbourne's interpretation regarding the heavenly spheres... very nice imagery and as practical as any of the other suggestions.
My take on the verse: "Cobain can you hear the spheres Singing songs off station to station" First off, background information: Kurt Cobain was considered a legendary rock star in his time in the band Nirvana; his career spanned from 1991-1994, the last year being the year when he killed himself. Before and after his death, he was all over the place, and was a very popular musician. He did a cover of a David Bowie song for his Unplugged rendition; the acoustic concert said to be his greatest performance. David Bowie released an album called "Station to Station." The verse is an attack on many of today's artists; since 1997-1998, a lot of artists with no real talent have been emerging, and being praised for making these 2-chord songs and have been ever since. Some of them are even trying to use Kurt's style of Grunge to get popular, which explains the second half; artists are doing what Kurt did to get popular. They didn't cover anything from David Bowie, but it's metaphorical to the other things they're imitating that Kurt Cobain did. "Station to station" was probably used to throw the listener off, or to make the song sound better. The reason these artists are referred to as "spheres" is because they're all the same. Spheres are the same bland thing; they don't have much depth, and there isn't much to them, much like the music of said artists. Another explanation of the "spheres" is that they are 3D, as opposed to circles. 3D is obviously for appealing to people when it comes to everything; movie special effects, video games, etc., but all it does is make it look better. It doesn't enhance the gameplay or reality of the effect, therefore, referring to them as only viewed by their looks, and people aren't listening closely. In a nutshell: Anthony Keidis is attacking the shallow music of artist's today for being an imitation of music considered to be legendary, or by a great artist that had a big impact on the industry. Also did a little research: apparently, Alderon could be referring to Alderon Biosciences Incorporated (www.alderonbiosciences.com), so the verse immediatly following the Cobain/Bowie verse is about how this technology could be a threat to mankind. The possibilites of the negative effects that Alderon could do are endless, but I'm completely lost at what he could be referring to by describing it in such a negative way. Tip: If you find a weird name, or a weird line, try searching it on Google. It really helps.
And yeah, it did meant also about Kert Cobain´s suicide, but that´s not the main part.
I interpet that as the guy asking the girl to marry him wants her as some kind of a prize to look good next to him, he wants to own her, and for other people to see that she belongs to him. Constellation is another reference to stars; i'm not sure whether that's people or space though, if Alison's theory's right it means that the song involves both. The fairy's like the unicorn, not actually real, but made real by Hollywood and other medias, portrayed as being magical and also beautiful, influencing people to want to be beautiful to an extent of becoming unreal, unhuman.
I also like the line 'Space may be the final frontier but it's made in a Hollywood basement' An obvious reference to Star Trek, it shows how even the most amazing effects and unbelievable stories are created in the basement of a studio somewhere- It's all fake!!
http://www.stylusmagazine.com/feature.php?ID=943
is a link to a very insightful review of the Station to Station album (no, The Man Who Sold The World is not on it, nor is there a Sphere word in the title)
It's a bit of a long read, so here's a quote from the reviewer:
"[Station to Station] was recorded in Hollywood, for one thing, and rather than being part of Bowie's attempt to cleanse himself of drugs and madness it represents the very nadir of those destructive tendencies...It's the cry of despair that spurred Bowie to clean himself up."
So read into that what you will. I also very much liked Alison from Melbourne's interpretation regarding the heavenly spheres... very nice imagery and as practical as any of the other suggestions.
In the first part of the song, he sings about racism and how America is full of itself and really could care less about other nations. "The sun may rise in the East but at least it sets in a finer location...", the finer location referring to California, because it is the heart of American culture (being the West of America, the sun sets in the West). "Little girls from Sweden dream of silver screen quotations" could be talking about how the media is so much more lively in North America than it is in foreign nations, and that it seems appealing from a view.
"It's understood that Hollywood sells Californication", is quite literal in the fact that Hollywood sells all of it's media to become even richer.
First born unicorn could suggest that, a unicorn being a rare, mystical, beautiful, and from the legend of the unicorn, vain, Hollywood is ideal in it's own views, and more special than the rest, especially because it is the first area or region of it's kind. Hard-core soft porn could be talking about how much Hollywood desensitizes us, to the point where what was once hard-core in our mind becomes soft.
The second verse, regarding the girl, could be referring to how much we are pressured to love one another, to find that perfect match, and how much we think we have found someone, but it is actually just strong infatuation. Media also pressures young adults into sex before marriage, showing the "teenage bride with a baby inside" meaning the "couple" got pregnant before marriage. The "...baby inside gettin high on information" could refer to how much pressure is put on young people to learn, know the most, and the more you know the more successful you become. "Buy me a star on the boulevard" is, quite obviously, referring to Grohman's Chinese Theatre, which showcases different stars' handprints and name, and how all you need is a lot of money to get in there. "Space may be the final frontier, but it's made in a Hollywood basement," refers to the ever-popular theory that the "first landing" on the moon in 1969 was staged, because of various mixups. I agree with Teh's Cobain theory. "Alderaan's not far away, it's Californication" could be referring to the fact that Hollywood shows that paradise, which is Alderaan in the Star Wars series, is not far away, in fact, it's in your television, down your street, and on your radios, it's Californication itself.
"Born and raised by those who praise control of population" is talking about how we are all raised up with the media closely around us like a parent, and the media controls us on our lifestyles everyday. "Everybody's been there and I don't mean on vacation," is saying everyone has been to, or experienced, Californication, not the actual going to Hollywood on a vacation.
"Destruction leads to a very rough road but it also breeds creation", I think, is saying that destruction does in fact bring about bad things, but that it cleanses what was once there to create what the destroyers want. In this case, media destroying any opposers (ie., religion) and planting what they want (brainwashed humans) in their place. "Earthquakes are to a girl's guitar, it's just another good vibration", I think, is trying to say that any girl with good vocals and a guitar can cause earthquakes in the media, no matter how good at guitar she actually is, she's beautiful and supposedly has a good singing voice, so she's amazing. This could also be referring to the San Fransisco earthquake, although I can't make a connection. "Tidal waves couldn't save the world from Californication" is saying that even if a tsunami or something were to hit California, it wouldn't change the effect that Californication has absorbed and brainwashed the media, and that if such a natural disaster occurred, nothing would come of it's "attempts to save us" because it's past the stage of keeping a stable place, Californication is everywhere and taking out the home of it wouldn't do much. "Pay your surgeon very well to break the spell of aging" is pretty self-explanatory. "Sicker than the rest, there is no test, but this is what you're craving" means that yes, Californication does have some of the most disturbing and sick things you will ever see or hear, without doubt, but it doesn't matter, you still want to see it, and it's what you're craving to have.
Ha, long read, but, I think it gets the point across.
I am curious about a first-born unicorn. Understand the significance of unicorns, but why first-born? They were always extraordinarily rare - I would have thought probably only one per family.
"Cobain can you hear the spheres
Singing songs off station to station"
First off, background information: Kurt Cobain was considered a legendary rock star in his time in the band Nirvana; his career spanned from 1991-1994, the last year being the year when he killed himself. Before and after his death, he was all over the place, and was a very popular musician. He did a cover of a David Bowie song for his Unplugged rendition; the acoustic concert said to be his greatest performance.
David Bowie released an album called "Station to Station."
The verse is an attack on many of today's artists; since 1997-1998, a lot of artists with no real talent have been emerging, and being praised for making these 2-chord songs and have been ever since. Some of them are even trying to use Kurt's style of Grunge to get popular, which explains the second half; artists are doing what Kurt did to get popular. They didn't cover anything from David Bowie, but it's metaphorical to the other things they're imitating that Kurt Cobain did. "Station to station" was probably used to throw the listener off, or to make the song sound better. The reason these artists are referred to as "spheres" is because they're all the same. Spheres are the same bland thing; they don't have much depth, and there isn't much to them, much like the music of said artists. Another explanation of the "spheres" is that they are 3D, as opposed to circles. 3D is obviously for appealing to people when it comes to everything; movie special effects, video games, etc., but all it does is make it look better. It doesn't enhance the gameplay or reality of the effect, therefore, referring to them as only viewed by their looks, and people aren't listening closely.
In a nutshell: Anthony Keidis is attacking the shallow music of artist's today for being an imitation of music considered to be legendary, or by a great artist that had a big impact on the industry.
Also did a little research: apparently, Alderon could be referring to Alderon Biosciences Incorporated (www.alderonbiosciences.com), so the verse immediatly following the Cobain/Bowie verse is about how this technology could be a threat to mankind. The possibilites of the negative effects that Alderon could do are endless, but I'm completely lost at what he could be referring to by describing it in such a negative way.
Tip: If you find a weird name, or a weird line, try searching it on Google. It really helps.
But, that's just what I got out of it.
RHCP and Nirvana toured together (wish I had been to that one!) so they probably had some sort of friendship.
I'm really digging that Dave Grohl connection, though...