 According to the 2010 book , The Red Hot Chili Peppers : An Oral / Visual History , Frusciante had originally intended for the album to be very different from how it was eventually completed . Frusciante wanted an album of two different types of songs : songs that were more " English @-@ sounding " and melodic , and songs that were more punk rock sounding . Frusciante 's punk inspiration came from listening to music by The Damned and Discharge , among others . Rick Rubin was not familiar with the latter bands and sound and thought that the melodic songs were original and more exciting , causing the band to focus mostly on the melodic material . However , one punk rock influenced song was recorded during these sessions , " Body of Water " but did not make the final cut and was instead included on " The Zephyr Song " single . Many of the more melodic inspired songs came from Frusciante being heavily into music by The Beach Boys and The Beatles along with doo @-@ wop groups and their harmonies . These new styles as well as Frusciante being especially prolific during this era came to alienate Flea , who had wanted the band to return to its earlier funk @-@ influenced sound . Frusciante felt the band had already thoroughly explored funk and was more interested in creating something new for the band . According to Kiedis , Flea felt his voice wasn 't being heard , and there was a point where he considered leaving the band . While speaking to Swedish paper Aftonbladet , Frusciante mentioned that he listened to guitarists such as John McGeoch for his work on the Magazine 's albums and Siouxsie and the Banshees ' Juju , Ron Mael of Sparks for Kimono My House , Johnny Marr of the Smiths , Vini Reilly of The Durutti Column and Keith Levine of PiL . He also credits XTC singer / guitarist Andy Partridge in the 2002 issue of Total Guitar magazine for being an influence on his guitar work for the album . 
