Red Hot Chili Peppers finishing first album with John Frusciante since 2006

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are reportedly "almost done" recording their first new album with guitarist John Frusciante since Stadium Arcadium in 2006.

“We’re getting along great,” says drummer Chad Smith, who’s one of the stars of Netflix’s new drummer-themed documentary, Count Me In. “John’s been back for a while now, so it feels completely natural. … We’re really listening to each other in a new way.”

Frusciante rejoined The Red Hot Chili Peppers in December 2019 after a decade-long absence, displacing Josh Klinghoffer, who was the guitarist in his absence.

Smith spoke on Frusciante's return, stating, “He’s so dedicated. He’s so into it. He’s working so hard. We’re all working hard, but he’s in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings.”

After taking two months off at the beginning of the pandemic, the Peppers formed a Covid bubble and began rehearsing, spending months writing songs, uninterrupted, before entering the studio earlier this year.

“We were gonna play some festivals that obviously got postponed,” explained Smith. “So we could just plow through and write, and that’s what we did. It was kind of a blessing, because we want to come out with new music and play some new songs.

It’s gonna be great when we finally go out next year and have a record to play, and a bunch of other stuff, obviously.”

Smith was careful not to reveal details of the album’s release date, but the band does plan to have it out before they go out on their world tour next year, swinging through Dublin's Marlay Park on June 29th, 2022.

Smith reflected on their future with Frusciante back in the band, stating, "Look, John hasn’t been in our group in 10 years. That’s a long time. So of course it’s going to sound different, but it’s gonna sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together.

It sounds like Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it’s different and new, and to me that’s great. … We really like it and we’re proud of it and it has to start there. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn’t sound like that, we have no control over that. But, yeah, we’re all really happy with the record.”