Big Drum Thump

Music Radar is taking questions for Chad Smith. Just leave your query in the comments section here (though you do, alas, have to register first on Music Radar). One of our favorites so far:

Do you sometimes cringe when you read Anthony’s lyrics and WTF is a rockapotamus ferchristsakes LOL

…But not with the Chili Peppers. Instead, he’ll be hitting the road with supergroup Chickenfoot…except that the name of the band featuring Smith, Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Joe Satriani probably won’t be fowl related at all. Satriani recently told Billboard that “Chickenfoot” was only a working title Hagar came up with. What’s definitely not in question, though, is Smith’s ability to rock the shit out of their tunes:

“The material is really slamming, and anybody who has ever been around Chad knows that he is a very huge personality, a very high-energy guy, and his drumming in person is explosive,” Satriani said. “This band really gives him carte blanche to go crazy. I think it’s the best of what you’d expect, that’s the best way to put it. No one is acting out of character.”

We’ve known since late February that Chad Smith and the Chili Peppers are on hiatus and that he started jamming with super group Chickenfoot—Sammy Hagar on vocals and guitar, Joe Satriani also on guitar, Michael Anthony on bass, and Smith himself on drums. The jams must have gone well because it appears the foursome are going into the studio to track a real-deal debut album. Hagar says:

We’ve written eight, nine songs….When people hear the music, it’s Led Zeppelin. It’s as good as that. I know that’s a mighty bold statement….We could rival Zep.

Hmm. We’re hoping Sammy’s playfully sardonic tone was just lost in translation when he said that, but anything with Chad Smith playing drums will no doubt be worth at least a listen or three. Stay tuned.

Game haters, prepare to get that stick out of your bum. Three genuine drum heroes—Chad Smith, Stewart Copeland, and Travis Barker—think GH’s new kit is pretty slick shit, and there’s even a video to prove it. We experienced some server hang trying to watch it (every 14-year-old drummer on at least four continents is clicking that link right now), but be patient: it’s worth the wait.

Drumming quote of the day: Commenting on the kit’s durability, Chad says in the video, “If it holds up to me beatin’ on it, it should do pretty good.”

[via Engadget]

Remember how we said Chad Smith was keeping busy during the Peppers’ hiatus? Well, here’s some proof—his new 2-DVD set, Eastern Rim, which is apparently chock-full of performance, clinic, and interview footage. I had the good fortune to see Smith in clinic once, and he was one hellaciously funny fucker (never mind a powerful performer). Here’s to hoping that an uncensored version will be made available. In the meantime, you can order a regular-old copy now from Music Dispatch for $39.95.

[via Drummerszone.com]

But only from the Chili Peppers. After getting a fistful of Grammy nominations for Stadium Arcadium and touring over 18 months to support the album, the Pepper guys decided to take a well-deserved year off. Smith, though, is keeping busy by jamming with Chickenfoot, recording with Glenn Hughes, and hanging with Dick Van Dyke.