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One of the bands I’m always asked to give updates on are Red Hot Chili Peppers. Between John Frusciante leaving, recruiting Josh Klinghoffer as their new guitarist and heading into the studio to begin work on their new album, RHCP fans always clamoring for any kind of news on the funky rockers. So I bring you an update courtesy of drummer Chad Smith.

In an interview with MusicRadar.com, Smith says that the band are “probably halfway through the record” and that they’ve “racked about 20 songs already, and there’s a few more left to do.” He added that the new LP “won’t be a double album like Stadium Arcadium.”

As to when Smith would like the album to be released, he’s hoping to “deliver the album in March. We’re definitely hoping to have it out by next summer.” But leading up to that release date are quite a few tasks including “three to four more weeks left for cutting basic tracks. Then we’ll start doing overdubs – guitars, vocals, all the other things that go on a record. After that, there might be a couple of things to do in January. Or we could start mixing – and as you know, that can take some time.”

Meanwhile, Smith has a couple other projects going on including getting ready to record a second Chickenfoot album along with his solo project, the Bombastic Meatbats. Hopefully those projects don’t distract him from the day job.

Tags: Chad Smith, red hot chili peppers