Red Hot Chili Peppers are five years removed from their last album, I’m With You. However, according to frontman Anthony Kiedis, the band is “in the home stretch” of finishing their next record.

As previously reported, Chili Peppers have teamed up with super producer Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse. Kiedis spoke of their collaboration during a recent appearance on Joney’s Jukebox, a radio program hosted by Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones (via Alternative Nation).



“We had written two dozen songs before we got with him,” Kiedis explained. “[Danger Mouse] is like, ‘Let’s keep a few of those, but let’s go write all new songs in the studio.’ We’re looking at each other like, ‘Dude, we kind of already wrote the songs, bro.’ He’s like, ‘No, I like to write new ones in the studio.’ So, in honor of accommodating this new process, we wrote all new songs, and it’s a good thing we did.”

Kiedis added that the band is due back in the studio this month to finish the album. “We’re going to back and listen to the songs, and see if we can beat them.”

(Read: Ranking: Red Hot Chili Peppers From Worst to Best)

The as-yet-untitled LP will mark Red Hot Chili Peppers’ first release not produced by Rick Rubin since 1989’s Mother’s Milk. In support, the band has already lined up a number of high-profile festival gigs both in the US and Europe.

What’s more, they’re set to headline a Bernie Sanders benefit concert in Los Angeles on February 5th. “This cat Bernie Sanders stood out as being honest and likable, and actually human, a human being who cared about other human beings,” Kiedis told Jones. “So right away, we said if we ever get a chance to play a benefit for this guy, we’ll do it. If he’s real, and he makes it that far, we’ll play a show for him. Low and behold, nine months go by, he needs us to play, so we’re there for him.”

“We offered to pay for the rent of the hotel, and Bernie would not accept, he said, ‘No, I can’t take your money. That’s not how I work, I’m not taking those size contributions from any groups or organizations. If I get the nomination, you are able to donate up to $2,700.’ [That is] very unpolitical like of him.”

Check out Chili Peppers’ upcoming tour schedule below.

Red Hot Chili Peppers 2016 Tour Dates:

02/05 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel (Feel the Bern)

04/24 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz Festival

05/21-23 – Columbus, OH @ Rock on the Range

05/27-29 – Napa Valley, CA @ BottleRock Napa Valley Festival

06/03-05 – Mendig, DE @ Rock am Ring Music Festival

06/03-05 – Nuremburg, DE @ Rock im Park Festival

06/08 – Interlaken, CH @ Greenfield Festival

06/10-12 – Landgraaf, NL @ Pinkpop Festival

06/10-12 – Nickelsdorf, AT @ Nova Rock Festival

06/29-07/02 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival

06/30-07/03 – Gdynia, PL @ Open’er Festival

07/02 – Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter

07/06 – Kiev, UA @ U-Park Festival

07/09 – Moscow, RU @ Park Live

08/26-27 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival

08/26-27 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival