Chad Smith Confirms New Red Hot Chili Peppers Album For 2015

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer and celebrated Will Ferrell doppelgänger, Chad Smith, has confirmed the Chili Peppers will be delivering a new album in 2015, saying they are in the studio writing and recording “in a way that we’ve never done before”.

Answering questions tweeted by fans via Rolling Stone, Smith said the band are working with “an unnamed producer” who is challenging them to find new ways to come up with new music. The RHCP have worked with bearded super-producer Rick Rubin on every album since 1991′s Blood Sugar Sex Magik but have yet to name who is helming the studio session for their next album.

“We’ve done the ‘guys get in the room and jam out songs, everybody playing together all at once’ thing. And we wrote a bunch of songs that way. And we’re now going to try another method that will be really challenging for us and will bring new, exciting results for the band,” said Smith.

“We all have high hopes that it’s going to take off and we’re going to do something very different and unique for the Red Hot Chili Peppers,” he continued, before confirming that although he doesn’t know how long that process will take, “We’ll have a record out next year.”

Smith’s comments complement those made by bassist Flea earlier this year about the new album’s direction. “It’s super danceable, funky shit and some real introspective, pretty stuff. It feels good, man, and it’s fun to play it,” he said.

In his Rolling Stone conversation with fans, Smith also talked about the band’s formative years on the stage, including the years where they forwent all items of clothing save a single sock, not worn on their feet. “I had one female fan jump up onstage that was gung ho on trying to get my sock off,” recounts the drummer. “The other guys can run around a bit or put their guitars in front of them. For me, it was a battle for about two minutes, but I won. I stayed intact. It was very funny. She had balls…she almost had my balls.”

Smith also spoke about the time he recorded with Johnny Cash – “one of the highlights of my career” – and addressed the possibility of future drum battles with arch nemesis Will Ferrell. “I can’t really expound upon details, but we have been talking about doing something next year that will combine music and comedy ­– a show,” he revealed.

“It will benefit the charities that we’re into. Plus, I think I need to redeem myself from how I was robbed of the Golden Cowbell. I don’t want to burst any bubbles, but he wasn’t even playing the drums, people! Shenanigans! Call the cops, I’ve been robbed! Yeah, so, it’s not over.”

Also, for those who were wondering, Smith says that despite the fact he doesn’t know much about it, should he and Ferrell find themselves in a Hunger Games-stye battle, he would definitely win. “He’s a pampered movie star, and I do have an edge. Rock & roll wins out over acting. I’m physical and I would survive. He’s going down.” Read the full piece over at Rolling Stone.

Watch: The Will Ferrell-Chad Smith Drum-Off

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