In a new interview with Rolling Stone magazine, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith has revealed that the band is “almost done” recording their first new album with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006’s Stadium Arcadium.
“All of our records are just real good snapshots of where we’re at that time,” he said. “You can’t really go, ‘Oh, gee, I hope it’s as good as…’ Then you’re starting to have preconceived notions about what you want to write.
“Look, John hasn’t been in our group in 10 years. That’s a long time. So of course it’s going to sound different, but it’s going to sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together. It sounds like RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, but it’s different and new, and to me that’s great.
“We really like it and we’re proud of it and it has to start there,” Chad added. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn’t sound like that, we have no control over that. But yeah, we’re all really happy with the record.”
On return of Frusciante, Smith said: “He is so dedicated. He’s so into it. He’s working so hard. We’re all working hard, but he’s in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings.”
Chad also said that the most of the album was written after the start of the pandemic: “We could just plow through and write, and that’s what we did,” he adds. “It was kind of a blessing, because we want to come out with new music and play some new songs. It’s going to be great when we finally go out next year and have a record to play, and a bunch of other stuff, obviously.”
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS‘ latest studio album, The Getaway, was released in 2016.
