MusicRadar.com presents In Conversation, a new podcast interview series in which Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith sits down for wide-ranging, one-on-one chats with some of the most inspirational musicians of all time.
Multiple award winning and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, Smith hasn't lost sight of what it's like to be a fan and last month, a few days before the legendary Canadian trio Rush were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, he indulged his inner prog rocker and joined iconic guitarist Alex Lifeson for a laugh-filled, leisurely dinner at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood, California.
"The invisible interview – that's what I call it," says Smith. "Friends, thoughts, information – why do you do what you do? Admiration, respect, insight and maybe a surprise."
In Conversation is not a traditional interview; it's an insight into the personal and professional lives of two great musicians. Smith and Lifeson enthusiastically hold forth on a variety of topics. Although their histories and bands couldn't be more different, their commitment to unconventional self-expression shows a deep, mutual bond.
"I've been a Rush fan since high school," says Smith. " Neil [Peart] gets a lot of attention, as he should, but Al is under appreciated, I think. He is as great a musician as he is to be around. I'm honored for him to be my first. He was gentle with me!"
"On his own, Chad Smith has always been a brilliant raconteur, but when paired with a fellow musician, he proves to be an incisive interviewer, one who is both fan and peer," said Joe Bosso, U.S. Editor, Musicradar.com. "We are thrilled to be working with him on In Conversation, where he brings our readers and listeners inside the personal and professional lives of music stars in his own disarmingly casual, friendly and funny way."
MusicRadar.com will publish the first part of In Conversation: Chad Smith With Alex Lifeson on Monday, May 13, available at http://www.musicradar.com/chadsmith and will roll out additional installments once a week for three consecutive weeks. Later this year, Smith will talk with other artists – legends, peers and up-and-comers.
