Chad Smith on RHCP hiatus, reunion in October and where they all have been

OK. I saw this interview posted by justin7894 on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ official BBS; and since it generated quite a lot of unnecessary hype due to a mention of a single date, it made me so sick that I didn’t even give it a listen. Not to mention countless emails I got just because of that date. But then I took a big sip of Pepsi Max, gave it a listen and wow, there’s some cool stuff in it and it lacks the moodyness of the yesterday’s article.

So, what is it? It’s another, this time radio, interview with Chad Smith, done for Elliot In The Morning on 15th September. Smith first talks about Meatbats and Chickenfoot. Then he mentions Red Hot Chili Peppers getting together in October and the host asks him how come, given that some Meatbats dates are scheduled for Japan at the end of that month. Smith says that won’t be playing with Meatbats in Japan, due to the start of the recording sessions with RHCP, and that he got someone to replace him. And then, the story goes on and on and on, it’s all about the Red Hots, where they have been, what they have been doing, who’s talking to kids, going to basketball games and who’s gone underground (and no, it’s not Bugs Bunny looking for Albuquerque…). In other words, the interview’s fun.

To download the file, right-click here and pick save link as/save target as. It was downloaded times and it’s 3.07 Mb mp3. To listen to the interview without downloading, use the player below

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I have transcribed the most of the RHCP-related bits for you, but the quality of this recording is RATHER VILE, so I stopped at some point, because I have work to do. If any of you is willing to make out something out of these question marks and actually finish the bit where Chad Smith’s talking about the Red Hots, please, be my guest, send an email or leave your corrections in comments. Thanks in advance.

Host: Hey, let me ask you this. Are you looking forward to the hiatus coming to an end and the writing and the recording process to start back up?

Chad Smith: With the Chili Peppers?

Host: Yeah, yeah.

Chad Smith: Yes, oh very much so. We’ve been off for two years. That’s the longest we’d been maybe ever off, for sure, in ten years. Because we used to… ‘Write – record – tour – record – tour – record. You know, we just go, go, go. So, yeah, it’s gonna be great. We’re gonna have…I mean…I don’t know what’s it gonna be…we didn’t plan anything else, before we get together,let’s get together, start playing. What do you got? What do you got? Straight up. You know how it is, very fresh, whatever’s happening at the moment…that…process to be, we get on tour, then do shows and stuff…it’s great. But, um, the creative process and writing music, to me, it’s really where I’d want to be right now, I just love it and I’m really looking forward to.

Host: Is there any kind of, like a, I don’t know, I mean, I would imagine you’re at the point where you’re really nervous about stuff, but maybe almost like a, like a, anxiousness? Because there was an announced hiatus, and kinda everybody’s waiting to go on…okay, they’re gonna get back, and now let’s see what they got. Is there any insider info about that?

Chad Smith: No, no…

Host: Alright!

Chad Smith: ???? We just…you know, ??? make the best music we can. You can’t worry about that.

Female host: Hey, when you…when you guys take a long break like that, do you constantly keep in touch or is there going to be something where you go for months without talking to each other?

Chad Smith: Uuuuh…it’s tense, you know? Like, on this break, it took me so much to ummm ????. Anthony and I live in the same neighbourhod. I see him and we have small children and then our paths cross in that way sometimes, they actually go to the same pre-school. And so I see him there, you know? We talk to kids, huhuhuhuhuh. And eee…you know, we socialise, you know, Flea and I go, we stock Laker tickets, so, we caught up a bit, you know, this year, so we are the world CHAMPS. And you know…John is the one I don’t see as much. He lives in Hollywood, and he kinda just goes underground, and he’s really into his music and he plays a lot, with a lot of different artists. And oh he’s making music and he does well like doing music, he does his own records. Yeah, he’s probably busier than I am as far as playing with the other people, and doing music and so. He’s uh…you know, we all have families and are married, girlfriends…and he doesn’t. You know, so he’s the one I don’t see as much. You know, every once in a while ????, you’re good, you know? We’ve really known each other for so long…

Host: Right!

Chad Smith: You know, over twenty years, and it’s like, you don’t have to, you know, hang out with the guy once in a week, you know? To be connected, so to say…(the next part is impossible to make out)

Host: You watch: you guys will get together, it will be October 3rd or 4th and you’re gonna go: ‘You know what? Take another year on this thing! Naaah…not ready yet?

Chad Smith: You know, we did that once, already. We’d met, we actually had a meeting, we sat down and, you know, ??? year. And our manager’s all ??? “C’mon you go.”

(Help finish this – thanks!)