The bassist of Red Hot Chili Peppers Flea tells Rolling Stone, 'We didn't want to play gigs with him until we'd made a new record. This time, it feels a lot better than the last one. “

„We've been writing and rehearsing, rolling up our sleeves, getting in the studio and doing it,' the bassist says. 'We're nearly finished writing. We'll go in the studio sometime in the next couple of months.'

Although Flea won't offer a timeline for the album – 'I don't want to say something and be off,' he says – he's optimistic for how it's coming along. 'I would hope that in a year from now, we have a record out and we're on a world tour,' he says.

So far, Flea estimates the group has written more than 30 songs, most of which will not make the final album.

As for the direction of the as-yet-untitled songs, he says, 'It's cool. It's super danceable, funky shit and some real introspective, pretty stuff. It feels good, man, and it's fun to play it.'