How Chad Smith Joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers

In this clip, producer Michael Beinhorn discusses John Frusciante and Chad Smith auditioning for the Red Hot Chili Peppers Before making the hit album Mother's Milk.

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[kingsecho]

An interview with Chad Smith has got to be next Rick

[johnpickk]

Imagine a Frusciante + Beato interview 🤯🤯

[jaywilldoit]

Before the audition, the Chili peppers had heard that Chad “ate drums for breakfast”. When he showed up with his drums sticks, Flea went: so, is that your breakfast?

[Reno_Slim]

I was lucky enough see the very first show with this lineup.

[richardcranium]

Saw Chad play long before RHCP at the Sidestreet Lounge, a bar in Allen Park, MI. I was 19 with a fake ID. His band was Toby Redd, I believe. Good times. Met him very briefly when RHCP were doing an interview for a PBS program in downtown Detroit but it was fleetingly quick. They gave us free passes to the show that night. One of my favorite concerts ever with RHCP headlining with the warmup bands being The Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam. What a night.

[WhaddupImTopher]

Love Chad for his pure love of the music. Just kills it live. Glad i could see them.

[jpilzner]

A long time ago (late 80's?), I used to play in a band with Duffy King in Detroit. We would occasionally open for a band called Toby Red. After we were done playing, Duffy and I would stay and watch them just to see their drummer. He was SO GOOD! Yes, you probably figured it out by now, it was Chad. His energy and groove was on a different level even then.

[SexFunkMonk]

I love how much everyone in RHCP loves telling the story about Chad joining

[jonjuan]

Chad didn't actually reply to the "drummer wanted" ad. He was recommended to Flea by Frusciante's ex-girlfriend. Flea was told that Chad "ate drums for breakfast" 😀

[treystone]

Chad's a boss. Boss from day one. Beast on a leash.

[AnthonyWilliams-otyk]

Around the time Mothers Milk came out in 1989, RHCP were a well oiled machine! Chad’s drumming made their sound tighter and polished. You could tell they were about to be huge!!!

[SexFunkMonk]

You should try getting John or Flea on here Rick!

[rohankshetrimayum]

Rick, if you interview Johnny the mf frusciante....I can die in peace

[ricobowen]

I actually knew DH Peligro very well. I played in his solo band Peligro for a short stint when I lived in Los Feliz (Atwater Village). My roommate was Angelo Moore from Fishbone. His girlfriend threw him out their apartment because he wouldn’t clean the bed or do the house chores when she was away at work 😅! Anyway another story. I also met Chad Smith around two weeks after he got the Chili Pepper gig. DH told me that he got kicked out of the band because of his heroine use and that it was affecting and rubbing off of Anthony Kiedis work performance. Landy?… I think was the name of the manager of the Chili Peppers? DH heard that he told Flea, that they didn’t want him because he was being a bad influence to Anthony and since he was black, the look of the band didn’t coincide with the management image of a "all white funk rock band". DH told me that Flea cried to him on the phone that they had to let him go from the band. Flea considered DH one of his best friends. This is true. Flea and John stopped by a few times when we rehearsed at my place. Former 24-7 Spyz drummer Tobias Ralph was our drummer in Peligro. Those were good times! I miss DH, he was so funny and such a cool guy to hang out with, as well as John Frusciante!

[mrguru]

The best thing about Rick Beato is that he can just sit and listen and let person develop and finish their thought without jumping in and interrupting. Probably because the most important skill for a musician is to know how to listen….

[climberguy]

I know this would be a miracle to have happen, but any chance to have Mr. John Fruscante… would be an amazing and truly a god send…. HES my dream guest!

[thelynngentry]

Hey Rick take a listen to Broken Record with Rick Rubin. He did interviews with every member of the Red Hot Chili Pepper and they talked about how Chad's audition came to be. Everything here for the most part is true except there is a friend of the band who recommended Chad Smith. With that said, they did know that he was coming because their friend told them, "he eats drums for breakfast." It is this reason that when he comes into the room to audition Flea says, "is that your breakfast, " referring to the drums.

[octavio]

💥Fun Fact - Tim Leitch (Spit Stix), the drummer for the punk band *FEAR*, produced the first Red Hot Chili Peppers demo tape. He is an amazing, high-caliber drummer 🥁in punk as well as a variety of other genres.

[karmajarrule]

Apparently Anthony or Flea said to him, yo you’re in but ditch the bandana
Chad turns up the next rehearsal with the bandana on and that’s when they knew they had the guy

[markhaus]

LOVED CHAD IN CHICKENFOOT. Was never really a Chili Peppers fan.