Chad Smith

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Smith entered the fold during a turbulent time for the band, following the death of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak and the departure of previous drummers. After Peligro was let go in November 1988, Kiedis and Flea held open auditions before hiring Smith in December. His immediate musical chemistry with the group helped launch their fourth album, Mother's Milk (1989), which became their first to ship over 500,000 units. Smith's tenure has seen the band achieve massive commercial success, including three Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. He is one of three members who have been part of every lineup change since 1988, standing as a constant presence while others, like Frusciante, came and went.

In Their Own Story

In December 1988, the Red Hot Chili Peppers needed a new drummer to replace D. H. Peligro. They held open auditions and found Chad Smith. Upon meeting him, Kiedis and Flea discovered an instant musical connection; Smith recalled, "We started playing, and right away we just hit it off musically." This union proved pivotal as they began writing for what would become Mother's Milk (1989). Unlike the difficult sessions for their previous album under producer Michael Beinhorn, preproduction with the new lineup went smoothly. Smith remained through the band's ascent to fame, recording landmark albums like Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991) and Californication (1999), which sold 16 million copies worldwide. He stayed even as guitarist John Frusciante left in 2009, continuing with Josh Klinghoffer until Frusciante's return in 2019.

Reader's Guide

Chad Smith joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers in December 1988 following open auditions that replaced drummer D. H. Peligro. His immediate musical chemistry with Anthony Kiedis and Flea is noted by Smith himself: "We started playing, and right away we just hit it off musically." This stability allowed the band to record Mother's Milk (1989), their first gold-certified album. Smith has been the constant rhythmic force through every major era of the band's history, from the funk-heavy Freaky Styley sessions he missed as a member to the 12th and 13th albums, Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen (both released in 2022). He played on Stadium Arcadium (2006), the group's first number-one album on the Billboard 200. Despite lineup changes involving guitarists John Frusciante and Josh Klinghoffer, Smith has never left the band since his hiring.

Did You Know?

• Chad Smith replaced D. H. Peligro, who was fired in November 1988 due to drug and alcohol problems.
• Smith stated that when he first played with Kiedis and Flea during the audition, they "just hit it off musically" right away.
• He has been a member of the band since December 1988, making him one of the longest-serving members alongside Anthony Kiedis and Flea.
• Smith played on Stadium Arcadium (2006), which was the band's third album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart, following Californication (1999) and By the Way (2002).
• He remained with the band when guitarist John Frusciante left in 2009, playing alongside Josh Klinghoffer until Frusciante rejoined in 2019.