Flea: RHCP had "70 songs" for new album

According to Mr. Michael Balzary (otherwise known as 'Flea'), his band of funk rock brothers had no shortage of material fighting for a place on I'm With You's final tracklisting.

"We had, like 70 songs or something, a lot got cut."

Talking to Xfm, he also spoke about the new lyrical style the band have adopted for their first outing with new guitarist Josh Klinghoffer:

"Making music is a really dynamic thing. We wrote for about a year, and during those years, you have your melancholy moments and you have your joyous moments.

"I had grown in some ways as a musician and Anthony lyrically was taking a different tack on writing his words. He's still Anthony, but he was tackling a lot of issues about life and death and betrayal and serious things. It's an emotional and heartfelt record, but we still like to party our balls off rocking this shit. And you can feel it. I hope."

I'm With You is out Monday August 29. The full Hot Press verdict can be found in the latest issue, on sale now.