Chad Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chad Smith |
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Smith drumming for RHCP in 2016
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| Background information | |
| Born | October 25, 1961 St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer |
| Years active | 1977–present |
Chad Smith (born October 25, 1961) is a famous American musician. He is best known as the drummer for the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. He joined the band in 1988 and has been their drummer the longest. The band was even added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012!
Chad Smith is also the drummer for other bands. These include the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot, which started in 2008. He also plays in an instrumental band called Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats, formed in 2007.
He has worked with many other famous artists too. These include Johnny Cash, John Fogerty, Post Malone, and Ozzy Osbourne. In 2010, he even released a children's album called Rhythm Train. On this album, he sang and played different instruments. He worked with the legendary Dick Van Dyke on it!
Spin magazine once listed Chad Smith as one of the "100 Greatest Drummers of Alternative Music." Readers of Rhythm magazine also voted him and Red Hot Chili Pepper bassist Flea as the fourth-greatest rhythm section ever. Chad Smith is also known for helping young musicians and supporting music education. He even hosts a TV show called Landmarks Live in Concert on PBS.
Contents
Growing Up
Chad Smith was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He started playing drums when he was just seven years old. He loved listening to bands like Rush, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin.
Chad didn't take formal drum lessons. He learned by playing in school bands. When he was 15, he ran away from home for a summer. But he came back later.
He played in many rock bands when he was young. One of his first bands, Paradise, won a "battle of the bands" in 1977. Later, a percussionist named Larry Fratangelo taught Chad about R&B and funk music. Chad said that after learning from Larry, he felt he became a true musician. He was inspired by funk drummers like David Garibaldi. Eventually, Chad moved to California to follow his dream of being a musician.
Music Career
Red Hot Chili Peppers (1988–Present)
In 1988, the Red Hot Chili Peppers needed a new drummer. They were working on their fourth album. Chad Smith was the last drummer to audition. The band thought he looked more like a "hair metal" musician than a "punk" one. But they were very impressed by his drumming!
Chad joined the Chili Peppers in December 1988. A few months later, he recorded his first album with them, Mother's Milk. It came out in 1989. Chad has recorded ten albums with the band. Their most recent one, Return of the Dream Canteen, was released in 2022.
Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats (2007–Present)
In 2007, Chad Smith formed an all-instrumental band. He started it with guitarist Jeff Kollman and keyboardist Ed Roth. They loved 1970s funk and fusion music. The band is called Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats. They have released two studio albums and a live album.
Chickenfoot (2008–Present)
After a long tour in 2008, the Red Hot Chili Peppers took a break. During this time, Chad joined a hard rock supergroup called Chickenfoot. A supergroup is a band made of famous musicians from other bands. The other members are Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony.
Chickenfoot has released two studio albums. Chad sometimes has to miss their tours because of his commitments with the Chili Peppers. But he loves playing with them whenever he can.
Other Cool Projects
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In 2010, Chad released Rhythm Train, a children's album. He recorded it with Dick Van Dyke and Leslie Bixler.
He also launched a free mobile app in 2012. It has a "Drummer GPS" section. This part of the app shows drummers who have influenced Chad. It also highlights drummers he thinks are the best today. In 2013, he started his own podcast called In Conversation with Chad Smith. On the show, he interviews other musicians.
Chad played drums on the music for The Lego Batman Movie in 2017. He also started hosting a concert series on PBS called Landmarks Live in Concert. In this show, he talks about music with different artists.
In 2018, Chad started a music radio talk show on SiriusXM. It's called VOLUME West. He co-hosts it with Lyndsey Parker. They talk about music with artists and friends.
Chad played drums on the Post Malone song "Take What You Want" in 2019. This song also features Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott. This led to Chad working with Ozzy Osbourne on his 2020 album, Ordinary Man. Chad co-wrote and played drums on every song! He also played on Ozzy's 2022 album, Patient Number 9.
In 2021, Chad joined Post Malone, Slash, and others for a special New Year's Eve show. They played songs by Black Sabbath and Alice In Chains. Chad also played drums on Miley Cyrus's cover of the Metallica song "Nothing Else Matters" for a charity album.
He played on Iggy Pop's 2022 album, Every Loser. Chad will also be part of Iggy Pop's backing band, The Losers, for live shows. In 2024, it was announced that Chad will appear as himself in Spinal Tap II, a movie sequel.
How He Plays
Chad Smith's drumming style is known for its special techniques. He uses "ghost notes" (lightly played notes) and has a very fast right foot.
He has been influenced by many great drummers. Some of them include Buddy Rich, John Bonham (from Led Zeppelin), and Keith Moon (from The Who).
Helping Others
Chad Smith actively supports many non-profit groups. These groups include Surfer's Healing, MusiCares, and Little Kids Rock. He cares a lot about helping young musicians.
In 2013, Chad went to Washington, D.C. He spoke to leaders in government. He wanted to support music education in public schools. He shared his own story of learning music in school. He has been invited back to lobby for music education again.
In 2014, Chad joined Bystander Revolution. This group speaks out against bullying in schools. Chad shared videos talking about his own experiences with bullying. He also talked about his son's experiences.
Chad also appeared at a White House talent show in 2014. Michelle Obama hosted it. The show helped raise awareness for Turnaround Arts. This program uses arts education to help struggling schools. Chad adopted a school in Greenfield, California. He also talked to government leaders about getting more money for arts education. He believes that art can truly enrich kids' lives.
Chad often performs at charity concerts. In 2015, he played at Sammy Hagar and James Hetfield's Acoustic-4-A-Cure concert. It raised money for a children's hospital. The next day, he received the "Livin' The Dream Award" from Little Kids Rock. This was for his work to help music education in schools.
In 2016, Chad and his bandmates supported Bernie Sanders in his presidential campaign. They performed at a fundraiser for him.
Chad and actor Will Ferrell have hosted charity events together. They look very much alike! In 2016, they hosted the Red Hot Benefit Comedy + Music Show & Quinceanera. It raised money for Ferrell's Cancer for College and Smith's Silverlake Conservatory of Music. They also teamed up in 2018 and 2019 for other charity events. These events raised money for college scholarships for cancer survivors.
In 2019, Chad and the Chili Peppers played at a benefit concert. It helped victims of the terrible Woolsey Fire in California. Chad said the fires even stopped the band from recording their new album.
Artistic Side
In January 2020, Chad Smith opened his first art exhibit. He said he wanted to show his feelings about playing music in a different way. He likes to try new things and take chances as an artist.
Personal Life
Family and Hobbies
Chad Smith has been married twice. He has a daughter from his first marriage. In 2004, he married his second wife, Nancy Mack. They have three sons together. The family lives in Malibu, California. He also has two other children from other relationships.
Chad is a big fan of sports teams from his hometown in Michigan. He especially loves the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. He also loves the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. He often shows their logo on his drum kit.
Looking Like Will Ferrell
Chad Smith is famous for looking a lot like actor and comedian Will Ferrell. He has even worn shirts that say "I Am Not Will Ferrell" during shows! Chad and Will have used their similar looks for fun. They have appeared together for charity events and on TV shows.
In 2014, they had a drum battle on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. It was very funny! The drum battle led to the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing a song. It was a funny reference to a famous Saturday Night Live skit called "More Cowbell", which Will Ferrell was in.
In a 2025 documentary about Saturday Night Live, Chad Smith even played the role of Will Ferrell's character, Gene Frenkle, in new scenes!
Shark Attack Story
In 1992, Chad Smith was on vacation in Fiji. He was scuba diving near Wakaya Island. A three-meter hammerhead shark started circling him! Chad tried to stay still. When the shark tried to bite him, he pushed it away. The shark swam off, but it took a small piece of skin from his arm.
Music He's Played On
Studio Albums with Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Mother's Milk (1989)
- Blood Sugar ... Magik (1991)
- One Hot Minute (1995)
- Californication (1999)
- By the Way (2002)
- Stadium Arcadium (2006)
- I'm with You (2011)
- The Getaway (2016)
- Unlimited Love (2022)
- Return of the Dream Canteen (2022)
Albums with Chickenfoot
- Chickenfoot (2009)
- Chickenfoot III (2011)
Albums with Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats
- Meet the Meatbats (2009)
- More Meat (2010)
- Live Meat And Potatoes (2012)
Other Albums He's Played On (Selected)
- Rhythm Train (children's album) (2010)
- The Process, with Jon Batiste and Bill Laswell (2014)
- What Happens Next (2018)
- Ordinary Man (2020)
- Patient Number 9 (2022)
- Earthling – Eddie Vedder (2021–2022)
- Every Loser – Iggy Pop (2023)
Images for kids
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