Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith has stated that the band will return in October to start on a new album.

Smith told Billboard that they were planning to return after a two year break, but had yet to decide on a producer for their new album.

"It'll be two years in September, so now we're ready," he said.

"You can't force people to play when they don't want to play or aren't ready to play or whatever – not in our band, anyway."

Smith went on to say that the sessions for the album would probably involve “a lot of improvising and jamming”, from which songs will emerge.

“That's what we usually do. I don't know why it would be different", he added.

If the album sees the light of day then it will be the band's first release since the double album 'Stadium Arcadium' which was released in 2006.

(by Andrew Almond)