Chad Smith’s Busy Schedule Includes New Chickenfoot and Red Hot Chili Peppers Albums

Chad Smith knows a thing or two about burning the drumstick at both ends. The skinsman is gearing up for an insanely packed couple of months, with new albums from both his long-time band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and his recent supergroup side project Chickenfoot arriving in stories within 28 days of each other.

With RHCP's 'The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie' single just released, Chickenfoot's new song 'Big Foot' due out on Aug. 2. the Red Hot Chili Peppers' latest album 'I'm With You' set to drop on Aug. 30, and the album 'Chickenfoot III' landing on Sept. 27, Smith will barely have a moment to breathe. Sadly, since he can't be in two places at once, he will tour with the Chili Peppers as opposed to Chickenfoot this time around.

Bassist Michael Anthony, Smith's partner in the Chickenfoot rhythm section, told VH1 Radio Networks, "Chad won't be able to tour with us because he's going to be on tour himself with his other band, and we're not looking for anybody to replace Chad but we will find someone to fill in."

The bassist also clarified the band's non-Smith touring plans, saying the band will be doing some "road test" shows: "We'll do maybe some theaters and stuff like that in certain areas on the West Coast, Midwest and maybe the East Coast for press and stuff like that, and then probably a full-blown tour [will be] happening early next year."

Anthony did acknowledge that Smith will be committed to the RHCP for the foreseeable future, and while Chickenfoot will make do, Smith's seat behind the kit will be kept warm for him.

"It looks like he's going to be tied up for a while but the door is always open," he said. " You know, if Chad's got a day off and his wife's not begging him to come home, we'll grab him and we'll pull him out and say, 'Hey, come on, play a few shows.' So, I have a feeling that he will do some stuff with us but I want people to know that he's not being replaced in the band and we've just got someone filling in for him because, you know, nobody can replace someone like that guy." We're sure his wife agrees.

You can also read our exclusive chat with Anthony, where he talks, among other things, about what kind of person Chickenfoot is looking for to temporarily fill in for Smith.

Watch Chickenfoot's 'Soap on a Rope' Video.