Chad Smith stands as one of rock music’s most influential and versatile drummers, best known as the rhythmic powerhouse behind the Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988.
Born October 25, 1961, in St. Paul, Minnesota, Chad Smith spent most of his childhood in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he graduated from Lahser High School in 1980. The Michigan connection is significant as Chad Smith spent most of his childhood in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where he graduated high school from Lahser High School in 1980. Smith was born on October 25, 1961 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, but he grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He is the third child of Curtis and Joan Smith. His siblings were both into music and that’s where Chad followed in the same path.
Early Musical Beginnings
Not having a single drum lesson did not deter Chad from playing in local rock bands growing up. He started playing drums at the age of seven. One of his Lahser High School bands was Paradise and even won a battle of the bands contest in Birmingham, Michigan, in 1977. Other bands included Pharroh, then out with some success with Detroit band and club favorite Toby Redd including a record release LP, "In The Light." Chad Smith has played two wonderful reunion shows with still long-time friends in Toby Redd: Dennis Martz, Tony Cutino, Ron Dettloff, Denny Backos. Chad is currently working on a release of a lost Toby Redd album that was finished but never released.
Pharroh's percussionist Larry Fratangelo, who also worked with Parliament-Funkadelic, introduced Smith to R&B and funk music and taught him how to play funk. Smith said, "I think up until then, I was a drummer."
Joining the Red Hot Chili Peppers
John talks about Chad's audition for RHCP
Read also: Read about Chad Smith's Drums
In 1988, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were looking for a replacement for their drummer D.H. Peligro, who had recently been fired. Smith was one of the last drummers to audition for the band Red Hot Chili Peppers after they had fired their drummer D.H. Peligro in 1988. Already into the process of working on their fourth studio album and hiring new guitarist John Frusciante the band held open auditions for a new drummer. Smith was the last drummer to audition for the band and the band felt that on looks alone, Smith would be the wrong fit as he looked more hair-metal than punk. Nonetheless, the band were impressed by his audition. He completely blew John, Flea, and Anthony away with his aggressive drumming. Chad had a punk rock background, he rode motorcycles, had long hair and always wore a bandanna and and a hat. He didn’t mesh well with the rest of the members.
Smith joined the Chili Peppers in December 1988. Anthony hired Chad right on the spot and told him to get rid of the long hair and bandanna. The following day Chad showed up for another audition wearing the same bandanna and sporting the same long hair. Kiedis didn’t mind and found his persistence pretty impressive. Chad joined the RHCP in 1988 and within a few months they were recording their first album with him, “Mother’s Milk”. Within a few months, he was recording his first album with the band, Mother's Milk, which was released in 1989.
| Album | Year |
|---|---|
| Mother's Milk | 1989 |
| Blood Sugar Sex Magik | 1991 |
Smith reflected on joining the band in a 2012 interview by saying "I remember thinking, 'Oh, cool, they have a record deal. Great! I'd love to be in a band that has a record deal. We started playing, and right away we just hit it off musically. I was like, 'Man, this is a blast! These guys are great!' ... We were just doing what we do. We just jammed, which is what we still do today."
Side Projects and Collaborations
Following a lengthy world tour in support of Stadium Arcadium, the Chili Peppers decided to take a break in 2008. During this break, Smith joined the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot, whose other members are Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani and Michael Anthony. Smith, along with fellow Glenn Hughes alumni, guitarist Jeff Kollman and keyboardist Ed Roth, formed an all-instrumental band inspired by their shared love of 1970s funk and fusion. Still unnamed at the time, the group, rounded out by bassist Kevin Chown, debuted at the 2008 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.
In 2007, Smith, along with fellow Glenn Hughes alumni, guitarist Jeff Kollman and keyboardist Ed Roth, formed an all-instrumental band inspired by their shared love of 1970s funk and fusion. Still unnamed at the time, the group, rounded out by bassist Kevin Chown, debuted at the 2008 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.
Read also: Smith's Unexpected Career Change
Charity Work and Music Education Advocacy
In April 2013, Smith was asked by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), to represent the music community by going to Washington, D.C. as a lobbyist in support of music education in US public schools. While in DC, Smith had the opportunity to meet with congressional leaders and share his experience as a student who learned his craft entirely within the public school system. Smith adopted a school in Greenfield, California also lobbied Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner for increased funding for arts education and that it is a personal issue for him.
Smith said "I didn't give a shit about science, math or English when I was in school and music was the only reason I wanted to go. It got me interested in other subjects and I would've never graduated without it. If kids can connect with some sort of art in some way, it will enrich their lives in ways they probably can't fully comprehend at the time."
Read also: The Chad Smith Story at State Farm
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