Chad Smith says the Red Hot Chili Peppers are trying to “break new ground” in their approach to their 11th album.
They’ve been working on the follow-up to 2011’s_ I’m With You_ for for some time, working with a producer he won’t name, who’s been helping them operate differently from the way they’ve been used to.
Smith tells Rolling Stone: “We’ve done the ‘guys get in the room, jam songs, everybody playing at once,’ thing. We wrote a bunch of songs that way – we’re now going to try another method that’ll be really challenging for us and will bring new, exciting results for the band.
“We all have high hopes that it’s going to take off, and we’re going to do something different and unique for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.”
But he adds light-heartedly: “I’m just playing my same old beat that I’ve been doing for 25 years, faster and slower.”
Asked whether they’d consider performing one of their albums in full on tour. Smith says: “I wouldn’t say ‘never’ to anything – but we don’t look back too much. That seems to me that you’re really going back. We have so much other material, so much music we want to play. It’s not something that’s ever come up; it’s not going to happen any time in the near future.”
Another idea on the back-burner is a third Chickenfoot album, although Smith says he’d love to find time to work with the supergroup again. He reflects: “It takes four people to be in the same place at the same time. Sammy Hagar does other things; I’m busy with my band; Joe Satriani has his solo career. Mike Anthony, I think, is pretty open.
“It was a really fun thing to do. I wouldn’t be able to do any extensive touring with them, but I’d love to make another record – I love the creative process.” He confirms: “Right now there’s no plans for any new Chickenfoot stuff.”
His comments follow those of Satriani, who recently admitted it would be difficult to schedule studio time but added: “I really want it to fly.”
