Chickenfoot’s Chad Smith Hands Drumsticks Over to Kenny Aronoff

Chad Smith of Chickenfoot has officially handed the band's drumsticks over to Kenny Aronoff - but only temporarily, as Smith returns to his "day job" with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The announcement hardly came as a surprise. With Chickenfoot and the Peppers both having new albums and tours planned for the coming months, and cloning technology not quite perfected yet, Smith had to choose one band to travel with, and naturally went with the group he's been in since 1989.

The sticks were literally transferred during a special YouTube message from "Dr. Smith," which found Chad speaking to fans in the same way a father would talk to his young children before leaving on a business trip:

"Listen, I'm living out back, things are rough, I got bills to pay, I gotta go to work... listen, but only for a little bit, I'll be back. In the meantime, a great buddy of mine, Kenny Aronoff, is gonna come play the drums. He is gonna tear it up, and he's awesome. So make sure you go out and see the 'Foot, alright?"

The two, pretty clearly taped in different locations, then comically struggle with the actual hand-off, with Aronoff ultimately getting control and declaring: "Chad, I'm gonna kick-ass for Chickenfoot, man. I'm gonna do a kick-ass job for you and the band!" We then get a brief, tantalizing clip of the (temporary) new lineup performing live while the studio version of current single 'Big Foot' plays in the background.

A message on Chickenfoot's website has also revealed that there will be a live show webcast on Sept. 27, to celebrate the release of 'Chickenfoot III.' No further details are available, so let's make a deal -- whoever hears first tells the other, OK?

Watch Chad Smith Hand the Chickenfoot Drumsticks Over to Kenny Aronoff