Chad Smith

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For other uses, see Chad Smith (Disambiguation).

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Chad Smith (born on October 25, 1961 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA) is a drummer in the rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He joined the band after Jack Irons quit because of the distress and chaos over Hillel Slovak's death. In 1993, he released "Red Hot Rhythm Method", an educational video for aspiring drummers.

Chad grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and attended Lahser High School for some time, although he did not graduate. He then worked a series of odd jobs while playing in local bands. Later, he moved to Los Angeles where he joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers. According to Anthony Kiedis' autobiography 'Scar Tissue', following Smith's first audition for the band, Kiedis told him he was allowed to join the band if he shaved his head. Chad came back the next day with his hair still in a bandana, yet was allowed to stay as Kiedis found his obstinancy impressive.

Chad was married in 1994 to Maria St. John and together had one child: Manon St. John (1997). He has three other children: Justin (1998), Ava (2000) and Cole (2005). The two divorced but he has recently remarried to an architect named Nancy on May 8, 2004 in Hopetown, Abacos, Bahamas.

When not onstage or in the studio Chad enjoys scuba diving, baseball, basketball, and riding his Harleys (he owns a black Road King that he has personally done modifications on, and in a 2006 interview with Modern Drummer magazine, said that his 2003 100th Anniversary issue Soft Tail was his "main mode of transportation"). He also lives in a 1929 Spanish house that Cary Grant and Randolph Scott lived in together from 1932 to 1936. Ex-Deep Purple singer Glenn Hughes recorded an album in Chad's "home studio" in late 2005 - early 2006.

A Pearl Drums endorser, Chad has played Pearl Masters Series drums: however the drum kit he currently plays in the band is the new Pearl Reference series kit, which, according to Pearl, was developed with his assistance. Chad's signature snare drum is also manufactured by Pearl. Although this snare drum is considered to be extremely versatile, Chad (like many drummers) uses a variety of snares while recording, including a Ludwig Black Beauty used on Blood Sugar Sex Magik. In addition to his endorsement deal with Pearl, Chad also has his own signature "Funk Blaster" sticks manufactured by Vater Percussion, and has had a line of signature cymbals manufactured by Sabian which were notable for their "odd" sizes (an 18.5" and 20.5" crash).

Although he is mainly known as the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chad's drumming is featured on over a hundred albums, not including those recorded with Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has also toured the world extensively performing drum clinics, and recently did a series of clinics with one of his drumming heroes, Deep Purple's Ian Paice.

Chad is also the tallest member of the Chili Peppers, measuring 6ft 3" (191 cm) tall. He also bears a striking resemblance to Will Ferrell, who also stands six feet three inches tall.

Selected Discography

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Glenn Hughes-Music For The Divine (coming June 2006)
Dixie Chicks-Taking The Long Way Home (2006)
Red Hot Chili Peppers-Stadium Arcadium (2006)
Glenn Hughes-Soul Mover (2005)
Glenn Hughes-Soulfully Live..City of Angels (2004)
John Frusciante-Shadows Collide With People (2004)
Glenn Hughes-Songs in the Key of Rock (2003)
HTP2-Hughes/Turner Project (2003)
Johnny Cash-Unearthed (2003)
Red Hot Chili Peppers-By The Way (2002)
Loud Rocks-compilation (2000)
Fishbone-The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerk (2000)
Red Hot Chili Peppers-Californication (1999)
Leah Andreone-Alchemy (1998)
John Fogerty-Blue Moon Swamp (1997)
Lili Haydn-Lili (1997)
Howard Stern's Private Parts (1997)
Thermadore-Monkey on Rico (1996)
Wayne Kramer-Dangerous Madness (1996)
Grace of my Heart Soundtrack (1996)
Red Hot Chili Peppers-One Hot Minute (1995)
A Means to an End: The Music of Joy Division (1995)
Wild Colonials-Fruit of Life (1994)
Red Hot Chili Peppers-Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
Queen Remix (1991)
Second Self-Mood Ring (1990)
Red Hot Chili Peppers-Mother's Milk (1989)
Toby Redd-Into the Light (1986)
Twenty Mondays-Twist Inside (1986)
Pharaoh - Point Of Entry (1982)

Trivia

Many fans say that Smith looks like former Saturday Night Live cast member, Will Ferrell.
Smith's first drumset was made of ice cream cartons that his dad stole for him.
He was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the world's largest drum kit (308 pieces).
His favorite band is KISS
Smith almost always wears a hat, because he is rapidly going bald. This is why, after Kiedis told him if he cut his long hair he would be let in the band, he did not. It, in turn, caused Kiedis to let him in, anyway.

External links

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