I discovered the Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik in Oct 1991. My friends were a great source of finding new music (no internet or smartphones back then).   One day I was told about Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and upon listening; I was blown away.

Not long before this time I started playing drums.  I was ‘belting out’ on a cheap drum set at my friends garage in the Sydney suburb of Dee Why.  I was soon evicted from that garage for being too noisy; but I soon located another practice space and got some lessons.  I was completely addicted to the funky style the Chilli Peppers had recorded, and the album got a severe work out on my Sony Walkman.  Local alternative-youth radio station Triple J, were giving it some airtime and not long after that, Sydney mainstream radio started to belt out “Give It Away”, with much talk about Anthony Kiedis vocal style.

Chad Smith‘s infectious Funk-Rock grooves were very inspiring to a young teenager.  Trying to nail down the slight swing, funky beats, and ghost notes on the snare drum were all welcome challengers.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik is still my favourite Chili Peppers album to date.   Chad Smith’s gear used on the recordings have always been a slight mystery to me, so in this post; I wanted to discover what he was using on these recordings.  He certainly wasn’t using Sabian Cymbals and Pearl, or DW Drums back in May-June 1991.  So what was he using?

The band’s video, FUNKY MONKS (a ‘behind-the-scenes’ video), give us some hints and clues as to what Chad was using back then.

So, what drums and cymbals did Chad Smith use on Blood Sugar Sex Magik ?

CYMBALS
PAISTE Signature & K ZILDJIAN
Introduced by Paiste 2 years earlier in 1989, the unique sound of the “Paiste Sound Alloy” is very evident on this record.

Left to Right
1 x splash (unknown)
1 x 14″ K Zildjian Hi-Hats
1 x 16″ Paiste Signature Full Crash
1 x splash (unknown)
1 x 18″ Paiste Signature Full Crash
1 x splash (unknown)
1 x 20″ K Zildjian Crash
1 x Paiste Signature 22″ Dry Heavy Ride
1 x 20″ Paiste Signature Heavy China

Paiste Signature logo can be (barely) seen in the following capture of a 18″ Signature Full Crash. (smaller crash on Chad’s far left: Paiste Signature 16″ Full Crash)

To Chad’s Left; Paiste Signature 18″ Crash – 20″ K Zildjian on the right.

20″ K Zildjian Crash

14″ K Zildjian Hi-Hats

 

DRUMS
GRETSCH Drums
The whole drum set (toms in particular) have that very distinct Gretsch sound to me.  The badges on the shells that I have captured indicate Gretsch Drums.  The ‘new square badge’ is evident in the images captured.

At least 2 different snare drums were used in the recordings.  One of them (I believe) is a 3½x14″ TAMA Bell-Brass Piccolo Snare Drum (PM423) with Bell Brass Hoops.

3½x14″ TAMA Bell-Brass Piccolo Snare Drum (PM423)

BASS DRUM PEDAL
DW 5000 Series

 

HEADS / SKINS
REMO

What do you think?  Leave a comment.