Chad Smith has played drums with the Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988. He’s now in his 60s, but even after decades of drumming, Smith continues to tirelessly hit the kit.
“I’ve talked to some other players as they get older and they stop playing in between tours or whatever, and they try to crank it back up again,” Smith told NJ Arts in 2021. “I think that’s difficult, so I play all the time. Not for hours and hours, but I think it’s important to keep the grease in your joints. And I love playing anyway. It doesn’t feel like a job.”
Drumming feels so little like a job to Smith that when he’s not doing it with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, you’ll likely find him doing it for someone else. In recent years, he’s appeared on Ozzy Osbourne‘s Grammy-winning Patient Number 9 (and its predecessor, 2020’s Ordinary Man), the soundtrack to Top Gun: Maverick and releases by Iggy Pop, Glenn Hughes and more. This is to say nothing of the six Grammys to his name and his extensive collection of canvas paintings.
In other words, Smith is busy — and below, in no particular order, we’ve listed 15 of his studio collaborations outside the Red Hot Chili Peppers that you should know.
1. “Dead Movie Stars” With Wayne Kramer (1996)
2. Born Free, With Kid Rock (2010)
3. “Right the Wrong,” With Steve Lukather (2013)
4. That Girl, With Jennifer Nettles
5. Taking the Long Way, With the Chicks (Dixie Chicks) (2006)
6. What Happens Next, With Joe Satriani (2018)
7. “Shakey Ground,” With Fishbone (2000)
8. Give Up the Ghost, With Brandi Carlile (Multiple Tracks) (2009)
9. “F*** It I Love You,” With Lana Del Rey (2019)
10. Earthling, With Eddie Vedder (Both Cowriter and Drummer on Multiple Tracks) (2022)
11. “Bird on a Wire,” With Johnny Cash (1994)
12. “White Mercedes,” With Charli XCX (2019)
13. “Personal Jesus,” With Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Neal Schon (2013)
14. “Killah,” With Lady Gaga (2025)
15. “Walking in a Hurricane,” With John Fogerty (1997)
Red Hot Chili Peppers Albums Ranked
Funk rockers have delivered some timeless classics … and a couple of forgettable releases, too.
Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin
