Though originally they’d hoped to tour this year, Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ virtuoso bassist, has just let slip that the funky monks are due back in Australia early 2013.

FasterLouder reports that the news came in a response to a fan during a Q&A session the bassist was hosting on his twitter account, Flea confirming that the group would be heading “to Australia early next year.

An appearance ‘early next year’ puts the Chilis straight to the top of the rumour mill for the Big Day Out 2013 line-up. They’ve headlined the national tour before, back in 2000 along with Foo Fighters and Blink 182, but another headlining slot at the BDO would mark the beginnings of a stellar festival bill.

Doubly encouraging is the fact that Big Day Out’s new partners, C3 Presents, are the same promoters who handle Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza, the latter in particular, will be headlined by the Red Hot Chili Peppers this August.

A 2013 tour from the Chilis would be their first in five years (since touring Stadium Arcadium 2007) and their first down under with new(ish) guitarist, Josh Klingoffer; who replaced Josh Frusciante as the band’s new axe man for last year’s tenth studio LP, I’m With You.

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