Green Day performing at Wembley in 2010

FOO Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Green Day are all being touted as possible Sonisphere 2012 Festival headliners for Knebworth House.

Fireworks explode above the Apollo stage during Metallica's headline set at Sonisphere 2011 at Knebworth

Festival mastermind Stuart Galbraith confirmed on Sunday that Sonisphere bookers have already been in talks with bands to appear at Knebworth next summer.

After Sonisphere 2011 – headlined by Metallica, Biffy Clyro and Slipknot – sold out, the international touring rock festival will return to the Hertfordshire stately home from Friday, July 6 to Sunday, July 8.

And organisers revealed at a Sonisphere press conference that discussions have already taken place with the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters to play next year.

“They are two that we are talking to, among a whole list of others,” said Mr Galbraith, stressing no-one had been confirmed yet.

Sonisphere

Neither group has performed at the legendary venue before.

Foo Fighters headlined T in the Park in Scotland at the weekend, a week after also playing Milton Keynes Bowl, with Sonisphere 2011 Saturday night headliners Biffy Clyro supporting them.

Dave Grohl’s rock giants are now strongly rumoured for Knebworth themselves.

Meanwhile, Californian funk-rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers will be heading out on the festival circuit next year following the release of new album I’m With You, which comes out in August.

Sonisphere creator Stuart Galbraith promoted RHCP’s record-breaking Hyde Park gigs in 2004.

Knebworth House residents Henry and Martha Lytton Cobbold have previously gone on record in the Welwyn Hatfield Times as saying they’d love to see the Chilis and the Foos playing in their back garden one day.

“I personally would love to see the Foo Fighters here,” said Lytton Enterprises Ltd managing director Martha Lytton Cobbold to the Welwyn Hatfield Times before the first Sonisphere in 2009.

“I would also love to see Red Hot Chili Peppers here.”

Other groups Sonisphere promoters are looking at include American punk rockers Green Day and Blink 182, but no acts have been officially confirmed for 2012 yet.

Organisers tried booking Soundgarden for this year’s festival, but the reformed Seattle rock band are touring America instead this summer.