By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: (Kenneth Collins/CBC)
Chad Smith has played for the Red Hot Chili Peppers since the 1980s. The band is one of the most successful rock bands in history.
Everyone loves hearing stories of humble beginnings from an artist. Smith, 64, started playing the drums when he was seven years old, outside his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. Smith loved music from an early age. Sometimes when a kid starts living something, that’s what they end up pursuing in the future. The drums chose Smith, not the other way around.
Smith worked several jobs to raise enough money to buy his first set of drums. His story is interesting. Smith also had his parents’ support. Smith took lessons when he was in school.
“I learned to read rhythmic music because I wanted to play in the school bands,” Smith said. “I got in a band with my brother in junior high. I’m eight years old. I loved being in a band. I loved playing music, but I also loved being in the school bands as well.”
Smith went to a variety of high schools. Although he played sports when he was young, his passion for music outweighed his plans to play sports. Music is where he had talent and total commitment. Smith decided that he wanted to be a professional musician.
“I was playing with older guys and seniors, which was pretty cool,” Smith said. “My high school had concert band, and the next step was the symphonic band, and then there was the marching band, jazz band, and also music theory. Five different opportunities to learn to play music. This was in the late 1970s.
Smith found his tribe and friends. At that age, building those relationships was important to him. Smith would play in different venues, such as bars in Detroit. He felt accomplished at the time, but more was on the horizon. Smith played six nights a week and made $165. Smith paid his dues. It’s about getting the reps.
With the rapid rise of technology and easy access to smartphones, young musicians today may not want the reps and tenacious hard work Smith went through when he was young.
“Now for young people, unfortunately, everything they want is quick, and the phone, and there’s something about having a passion for something and really working hard at it to get really good at it,” Smith said.
Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchell, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath are some of Smith’s major influences.
Smith and the Red Hot Chili Peppers were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Smith also won multiple Grammy Awards, including for his work on the Chicks’ album Taking the Long Way, which won five Grammy Awards in 2007.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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