In 1990, the group switched labels to Warner Bros. Records. Rick Rubin was hired to produce their fifth album, which was, at the time, still untitled. The writing process was far more productive than what was  written during Mother's Milk. Kiedis said that: "(every day) now, there was new music for me to lyricize".
Throughout the entire 6 month process, the long periods of rehearsal, songwriting, and the incubating of ideas led the band to record the album. Rubin, however, was discontented with an everyday recording studio, implying the Chili Peppers would bear fruit in a more unorthodox setting. He came across an "amazing, huge, empty historically landmarked Mediterranean haunted mansion a stone's throw from where we all lived." For the next approximate month, Frusciante, Kiedis and Flea remained in seclusion, never once leaving the house during the entire recording process. Smith, however, decided not to stay, as, according to many, the mansion was haunted; he had no intention of remaining, and would leave on his Harley Davidson each night.
The title of the album was still uncertain to the band, however, one particular song title stuck out: "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Although it was not a featured song, Rick believed it to be "Clearly the best title we have now....."
Finally, on September 24, 1991, Blood Sugar Sex Magik was released. "Give It Away" was released as the first single; it would eventually go on to win a Grammy award in 1992 for "Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal" and became the band's first number one single on the Modern Rock chart. The ballad "Under the Bridge" was released as the follow up single, it went on to reach #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the highest the band has reached on that chart, and would become one of the band's most recognizable songs. Other singles such as "Breaking the Girl" and "Suck My Kiss" also fared well on the charts. The album itself was an international sensation, selling over 10 million copies and broadening the Chili Peppers audience. Blood Sugar Sex Magik was listed at number 310 on the Rolling Stone magazine list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and in 1992 it climbed all the way to # 3 on the U.S. album charts almost a year after its release.
Both success and drug addiction were taking their toll on Frusciante, who abruptly quit the band during the Blood Sugar Japanese tour in May of 1992. The band headlined the Lollapalooza festival in 1992 with replacement guitarist Arik Marshall (who appeared with them in The Simpsons episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled", and the videos for "Breaking the Girl" and "If You Have to Ask"), and briefly with Jesse Tobias of the California based band Mother Tongue. Neither lasted very long, for the rest of the band said "The chemistry wasn't right." In 1993, former Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro was brought in as a member.
Dave Navarro first appeared with the group at Woodstock '94 in which they wore enormous light-bulb costumes attached precariously to chrome metallic suits, making it near-impossible to play their instruments. To outsiders all seemed to be settling with the band internally, however, an inelastic relationship began to form between the three established members and Navarro; he was having a  difficult time creating bonds with his new band mates. His differing musical background made performing difficult as they began playing together, and further continued to be an issue over the next year as his first and only effort with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, One Hot Minute, was recorded and released on September 12, 1995. The band described One Hot Minute as a darker, sadder record compared to their previous material. Despite mixed reviews, the album was a commercial success. It sold five million copies internationally, spawned the band's third #1 single, the ballad "My Friends," and enjoyed chart success with the songs "Warped" and "Aeroplane".
This iteration of the band was also featured on several soundtracks. "I Found Out", a John Lennon cover, was featured on Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon. "I Make My Own Rules," featuring LL Cool J on vocals, was featured on the Private Parts soundtrack. The Ohio Players cover, "Love Rollercoaster", was featured on the Beavis and Butthead Do America soundtrack, and was released as a single.
Music sample:
"Aeroplane" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
Sample of ""Aeroplane" from One Hot Minute (1995), the only Chili Peppers album with Dave Navarro
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Kiedis had, by this point, resumed his heroin dependence, and had, predictably, lost his focus on the band's success. In April 1998 it was announced that Navarro had left the band due to creative differences; Kiedis stated that the decision for Navarro to leave was "mutual." Reports at the time however indicated Navarro's firing came after he attended a band practice, blatantly under the influence of drugs, which at one point involved him falling backwards over his own amp. Kiedis himself has since said that although the event should have been comical, it was instead pitiful and was the impetus for Navarro's departure.
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