Photo Credit: Clara Balzary

Red Hot Chili Peppers have delivered a preview off their impending 13th studio album, Return of the Dream Canteen, due out on Oct. 14 via Warner Records. In anticipation of the release, the California punk rockers shared a new song dubbed “Eddie” in honor of guitar legend Eddie Van Halen, who passed away on Oct. 6, 2020. 

To accompany the new track, which can be streamed below, Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman, Anthony Kiedis, shared the backstory and intent behind “Eddie.” He wrote, “Sometimes we don’t realize how deeply affected and connected we are to artists until the day they die. Eddie Van Halen was a one-of-a-kind. The day after his death Flea came into rehearsal with an emotional bassline. John, Chad and I started playing along and pretty soon with all our hearts, a song in his honor effortlessly unfolded.”

The comment, shared via the band’s official Instagram account, concluded, “It felt good to be sad and care so much about a person who had given so much to our lives. Although the song doesn’t speak to Eddie by name, it talks about his early days on the Sunset Strip and the rock n roll tapestry that Van Halen painted on our minds. In the end, our song asks that you not remember Eddie for dying but for living his wildest dream.”

Earlier this year, in April, the group dropped Unlimited Love, only to follow up a matter of months later with the imminent 17-track, Return of the Dream Canteen, produced by Rick Rubin and recorded out of the same studio sessions which birthed their previous studio album. The forthcoming collection of new music is the band’s first in 16 years to include guitarist John Frusciante.

Listen to “Eddie” below. 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Red Hot Chili Peppers (@chilipeppers)