Chad Smith

Chad Gaylord Smith was born in St Paul, Minnesota on October 25th 1961. He later moved to Michigan, where, whilst he was still at school, ran away from home for a period of time. When he returned with a dog called Bong, his mother sent him to a boarding school, kept the dog and shortened his name to Bo. He worked at various jobs, including Gap, but having played the drums since a very young age, he played in various bands in Michigan, one being called Toby Redd. In his twenties, he moved to California, where his brother Brad lived, and ended up in Los Angeles, where he auditioned for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, following the departure of DH Peligro. He got the job, and is still there today. He married his first wife, Maria, an artist, in 1996, and they divorced the following year, after the birth of their daughter, Manon St John Smith. In 1998, his son Justin was born, and two years later, his daughter Ava was born. In May 2004, he married an architect, Nancy Mack, with whom he has a baby son, Cole. He has worked with numerous musicians away from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, including Dave Navarro, Glenn Hughes, Wu Tang Clan and John Frusciante. He has recorded five albums with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and is currently working on his sixth (the band's ninth) studio album with the band. He is currently on tour for Stadium Arcadium, and will be playing the Carling Festival with the Red Hot Chili Peppers this August.