MusicRadar

Superstar drummer Kenny Aronoff will fill in for Chad Smith in Chickenfoot on their world tour. © Sayre Berman/Corbis

Is Kenny Aronoff the hardest-working man in show business? Could be. Between touring with John Fogerty, the ace sticksman is constantly in demand for sessions, drum clinics and TV appearances. Now you can add to his bursting schedule playing with the all-star lineup of Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani and Michael Anthony, otherwise known as Chickenfoot.

With the group's de facto drummer, Chad Smith, committed to his 'day job,' the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Aronoff has been tapped to keep Smith's throne warm when the Foot hits the road later this year.

MusicRadar caught up with Aronoff in Las Vegas the other day to talk about how he came to join the Chickenfoot fold and the preparations he's making before their world tour.

You and Chickenfoot - how did this come about?

"It started during their first tour, really. I got a phone call from one of the band's managers, Carter, who unfortunately passed away this year, asking if I might be available to play a show with Chickenfoot. It was kind of urgent, because Chad injured his bicep and it was looking like he might miss a show. They needed somebody who could do the gig and who could be ready fast.

"Usually, when I do a show, I write out the songs and really prepare – that's just how I am. I told Carter I'd have to cancel some gigs, but yeah, I could do it if they needed me. As it turned, out, Chad was fine and played the show. But that's how my involvement with Chickenfoot started."

So you got another call this year to fill in for Chad, then?

"Well, now we get to this year. It was in May, and I was playing a couple of shows in the wine country. I ran into Mick Brigden, who now manages Chickenfoot on his own, and he told me that the band had just finished a new record. The only problem was that Chad was going to be touring with the Chili Peppers right at the same time that Chickenfoot would be going out.

"Mick asked me if I'd be interested in doing something in Chad's absence. 'Absolutely!' I told him. He mentioned it to the guys, and they said, 'Sure, let's bring Kenny up.'

"I learned the first album, wrote out the parts – and let me tell you, Chad played brilliantly on that stuff; he's so great. So I started doing my Kenny Aronoff stuff to it, getting inside the music, all that. There's a lot going on in Chickenfoot's music, accents here and there, choruses changing up – the songs are very exciting for a musician to play. I'm writing these parts out and learning the tunes while I'm on tour in Europe with John Fogerty.

"Then Sammy called me up, and you know, he's all about vibe. We talked about how great Chad is, and then I told him that I could totally relate to the music. To play with Chickenfoot, I told him, would be like being John Bonham and Kenny Aronoff and Mitch Mitchell all rolled into one. See, I grew up playing rock 'n' roll, R&B, jazz – I understand improvising but still keeping the form. I was into it."

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