What Is This?

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What Is This
What is This in 1984, L-R: Alain Johannes, Hillel Slovak, Chris Hutchinson, Jack Irons
Background information
Also known as	Chain Reaction, Anthym
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Rock
Years active	1980–1986
Spinoffs	Eleven, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Them Crooked Vultures, Pearl Jam
Past members	Alain Johannes Hillel Slovak Jack Irons Todd Strassman Flea Chris Hutchinson Michael Bocreatis

What Is This (known prior to 1980 as Anthym) was an American rock band that originated in Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California. Formed by guitarist Hillel Slovak, drummer Jack Irons, vocalist Alain Johannes, and bassist Todd Strassman, the band served as the nucleus for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Members of the band would go on to perform with Eleven, Chris Cornell, Pearl Jam, Mark Lanegan, Them Crooked Vultures, Alain Johannes Trio and Queens of the Stone Age.

History

Originally named Chain Reaction,^[1] the band would later change its name to Anthem, then later to Anthym (as there was already a band using the former moniker), and then finally to What Is This, which was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the reaction they usually received from first-time listeners.

During their tenure as Anthym, guitarist

What Is This released their debut EP Squeezed in 1984. Around this time, Hillel Slovak had become uncertain of his role in the band and decided to rejoin the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He left What Is This in 1985, midway through the recording of their only full length album, called What Is This?. At this point, and for their final EP 3 Out of 5 Live, the band was a trio. After this, the band broke up.

Alain Johannes later met Natasha Shneider and the duo formed Walk The Moon, whose sole studio album featured Jack Irons and Chris Hutchinson on several tracks. Jack Irons later rejoined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1987, but would then leave the next year due to Hillel Slovak's death via a heroin overdose. Alain Johannes, Natasha Shneider, and Jack Irons later formed the band Eleven. Jack Irons would later leave Eleven midway through the recording of their third album to join Pearl Jam (with whom he recorded two albums) only to later rejoin Eleven in time for their fifth album. Eleven disbanded after the death of Natasha Shneider. Both Johannes and Irons were later part of Spinnerette.

What Is This is song "Mind My Have Still I" from Squeezed was also featured on the

• Alain Johannes: Lead Vocals, Guitar
• Hillel Slovak: Guitar, Backing Vocals
• Todd Strassman: Bass
• Jack Irons: Drums

Later members

• Flea: Bass, Backing Vocals (replaced Todd Strassman)
• Chris Hutchinson: Bass, Backing Vocals (replaced Flea)
• Michael Bocretis: Keyboards

Partial discography

References