''The Abbey Road E.P.'' is an EP by Red Hot Chili Peppers, released in the UK in May 1988 through

EMI America EMI America Records was started in 1978 by EMI as a second US label next to Capitol Records. It absorbed Liberty Records in 1984. In the late 1980s, EMI America was consolidated with Manhattan Records to form EMI Manhattan Records, which later ...

as a way of introducing UK fans to the band's back catalog as they were touring the UK that year. Out of the five tracks included on this EP, four had already been previously released on the band's first three albums while the other would end up on their fourth album ''

Mother's Milk Mother's milk is milk produced by mammary glands located in the breast of a human female to feed a young child. Mother's Milk may also refer to: Entertainment * ''Mother's Milk'' (album)'', an album by Red Hot Chili Peppers ** Mother's Milk Tou ...

'' in tribute to Hillel Slovak, the band's original guitarist who died of a

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...

overdose and plays guitar on the track. All songs on the EP were also featured on the band's hits compilation, ''

What Hits!? ''What Hits!?'' is a greatest hits album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers released on September 29, 1992 by EMI. The album contains tracks from the band's first four albums as well as "Under the Bridge" from their fifth album, 1991's ...

''. The only "new" track at the time of release was a cover of the song "

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...

" by

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

, which was recorded during the sessions for '' The Uplift Mofo Party Plan'' and included in a different mix as the B-side to "

Fight Like a Brave "Fight Like a Brave" is the first and only single from American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers' third album ''The Uplift Mofo Party Plan''. The single also included a cover of the Jimi Hendrix song "Fire" as a B-side, which would later app ...

Cover photo

The title and cover were a tribute to

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' famous album '' Abbey Road''. Like the Beatles, the cover depicts the four bandmembers walking across a zebra crossing in single file, the twist being that they are all naked except for white tube socks covering their genitals. Wearing only socks in this manner was something they regularly employed in their stage shows at the time. British photographer Chris Clunn took the cover photo in February 1988. He had to do the shoot twice over consecutive days, because the first time he realised he'd had no film in his camera. Clunn told

Kerrang ''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one-off ...

: "It was the first sleeve picture I'd ever taken and I was a bit nervous. I had two cameras – one black and white, one colour. I could finish a roll of film in about 40 seconds so it should have been very quick. It was only when I got back home that I realised I hadn't put any film in the cameras." Clunn told the band's UK record company EMI, which organised the shoot, that the films had fallen out of his pocket and been run over by a lorry. "I actually got two new films and rode over them on a scooter as 'evidence'. I got a phone call about half six the next morning asking me to do it again... Fortunately, both the band and EMI bought the story." Clunn said another idea for the shoot was to replicate the cover of ''

Please Please Me ''Please Please Me'' is the debut studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. Produced by George Martin, it was released on EMI's Parlophone label on 22 March 1963 in the United Kingdom, following the success of the band's first two sin ...

'', where the Beatles are looking down over the stairwell inside EMI's London headquarters in Manchester Square. "We decided against that because they he Chili Pepperscouldn't get their todgers out," Clunn said.Kerrang Legends, Issue 4, 2003, page 22-23

Track listing

Release history

*The Abbey Road E.P. (CD, EP, Comp) EMI-Manhattan Records CDP-7-90869-2 US 1988 *The Abbey Road E.P. (12", EP) EMI-Manhattan Records E1-90869 US 1988 *The Abbey Road E.P. (12", EP) EMI-Manhattan Records, 12MT 41, E1-90869 US 1988 *The Abbey Road E.P. (12", EP) EMI-Manhattan Records K 060 20 2633 6 Europe 1988 *The Abbey Road E.P. (7", EP) EMI-Manhattan Records MT 41 UK 1988 *The Abbey Road E.P. (CD, EP, Comp) EMI-Manhattan Records CDP-7-90869-2 UK 1988 ;Note Some versions of 12" do not include "Fire" while the 7" version does not include "Fire" and "Catholic School Girls Rule"

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbey Road E.P., The Red Hot Chili Peppers EPs 1988 debut EPs Capitol Records EPs EMI Records EPs