The new Netflix documentary on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' founding member, Hillel Slovak is to feature a new AI voiceover of the late guitarist.
Slovak, who served as the band's first guitarist, played on their first three studio albums, before passing away from a drug overdose in 1988. He was 26 years old.
The Rise Of The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel, which is directed by Ben Feldman, will explore the early years of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, focusing on Slovak.
It will be released on Friday (March 20), featuring a range of interviews from surviving bandmembers, Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante, as well as early drummer, Jack Irons, Slovak's brother James, and girlfriend, Addie Brik. Slovak was eventually replaced by Frusciante.
Now, it has been confirmed that Slovak's voice will be generated by AI, as his journals are brought to life. The film also makes it clear from the start that they have availed of the technology to reproduce his voice.
The documentary received a world premiere at SWSW in Austin, Texas on March 13. Check out the trailer below.
Back in February, Red Hot Chili Peppers stated that they "had nothing to do" with this Netflix documentary on Slovak.
"Dear people of the universe, about a year ago, we were asked to be interviewed for a documentary about Hillel Slovak. He was a founding member of the group, a great guitarist, and friend", the band said in a statement at the time. "We agreed to be interviewed out of love and respect for Hillel and his memory".
"However, this documentary is now being advertised as a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary, which it is not", they added. "We had nothing to do with it creatively. We have yet to make a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary".
Despite this, the band did say that they hoped the documentary would "spark interest" in their late band member, Hillel Slovak.
They said: "The central subject of this current Netflix special is Hillel Slovak and we hope it sparks interest in him and his work". More on this from Nova here.
That same month, RHCP bassist, Flea paid tribute to Hillel Slovak, saying that he was "so shocked that I just fell to the floor, gasping for air".
"It was devastating, just unbelievable. When it happened I was so shocked I just fell on the floor, gasping for air", Flea said in an interview when he heard of Slovak's death.
"When Anthony and I met him, we were young, we were out hitch-hiking the street and we saw him and he had a car. He was f*cking 16 and he had a car! A Datsun 510," Flea recalled. "I looked up to him, I was in love with him. He was a beautiful boy and troubled like all of us were, difficulties at home, difficulties everywhere," he added.
"His guitar playing was beautiful, his hair, the way he dressed… everything. A beautiful friend. And really sadly a drug addict, heroin, and he didn’t make it through".
In other news, Chili Peppers hinted that a first new album in four years was in the works. More on this story from Nova here.
