141: Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot, Bombastic Meatbats)

Chad Smith's unabashed hard rock style could have easily clashed
with the funk-punk roots of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but
instead he proved to be the catalyst that launched the band to
international superstardom. His muscular, yet articulate drumming
evokes a cross between P-Funk and Deep Purple and acts as the
perfect anchor for the bestial rowdiness of his band mates.

Chad grew up in suburban Detroit, feeling like a square peg
in a round hole. This unease led to misadventures in car theft,
burglary, and even a stint in jail. Musically, he cut his teeth
playing in countless Detroit clubs before moving to Los Angeles
in 1988, during the Sunset Strip's heyday. He describes the
immediate, explosive musical chemistry that has allowed the
multi-decade success of the Chili Peppers. Chad also candidly
discusses his evolution from living a “spiritually bankrupt”
lifestyle to becoming a grounded, healthy family man.