Chad Smith, the soft-spoken drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers (how could he compete with the rest of the band in crazy?) has recorded a kid's music album called Rhythm Train. He cut the album with vocalist Leslie Bixler and Dick Van Dyke, who's rumored to have rapped on a track or two... yes rapped.
Being at the age where pretty much everyone has kids, including Smith and the rest of the Chili Peppers, sans ex-guitarist John Frusciante, Smith felt it was natural to want to appeal to this younger generation through music.
Smith produced the 13-track album, and his crazy voice is all over the album, playing characters like a pirate and train conductor. Says Smith, "I may not be playing as hard but I still am trying to be creative," (as compared to the Chili Peppers and his other band Chickenfoot). "It's just trying to make the songs as good as I can. That doesn't change."
Bixler, who actually wrote Rhythm Train, won a Parent's Choice Award in 2005 her album Moon Food. For this album Bixler recruited Smith because she knew him through teaching music at Smith's kids' preschool. Van Dyke actually appeared on Bixler's last album and is an old friend.
You can check out a couple tracks or order on the album's
website. They've even got testimonials from Julia Roberts and Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard. What are you waiting for? Honestly, I dig the song on the site, but I'm a sucker for Dick Van Dyke.
I would rock out to this any day with my niece and nephew! thanks for the post.