CITAZIONE
Origins:
When and why did you start playing drums?
I was 15 the first time I sat at a set but I banged around on a tambourine and some frame drums on a recording for music class much earlier. I actually just found a photo of myself marching around in my one-piece pjs with a toy drum (a la wild rumpus). i couldn’t have been more than 5. It’s a beautiful reminder of the carefree nature of youth. The first time I sat at the set I came joyously unhinged and several things happened immediately – I recognized instantly that playing presented me a safe haven in the confusion and inherent frustration of the embryonic life of a teenager and an outlet for the overflowing passion and longing that came with it . Suddenly I was no longer awkward. I no longer sought acceptance in superficial ways from people because their opinions and judgments had nothing to do with my enjoyment of this new world. Suddenly there were no more questions that needed answering; only answers revealing themselves in the form of destroying any parameters and frameworks that could potentially limit the possibilities for consciousness expansion. This awakening meant that in the process of hacking my way through the most rudimentary applications of the drum set I was cultivating a much more limitless capacity of mind and spirit to carry my consciousness to a breadth and scope that was previously unavailable to me. Thankfully, I was surrounded by people with enough compassion and patience to allow the seeds to grow because I literally only stopped playing to eat or go to school and it would have been one hell of an annoying racket. Like the touch of a blacksmith.
What, if anything, transpired to keep you playing all these years?
It was my favorite thing to do. It was the most inspiring and fulfilling thing I could do and it was the most fun. Also, I had some success almost immediately in the school band and in a band with my friends. That sense of accomplishment felt great and finding that the more I played the better I got helped me to really focus all of my energy and brain space on playing.
What was your first kit and how did you pay for it?
The first thing I got was a snare and some sticks but once it became clear I was not going to get any less infatuated with getting my own set of drums my mother broke down and got me a set of Malibu drums for my 16th birthday. It was one of the best days of my life.
Spec out the kit(s) you are currently playing on – if there is significance to the set-up, in terms of sound or the genre of music you are currently making, please note it as well.
I’m currently playing on a set of stainless steel shelled drums. They’re big and wide open sounding and I’ve rarely played anything else over the last several years. I grew up playing wood drums, which have a warm character and are very tonal. Then I moved on to acrylic drums, which are much louder and great for the volume levels of full tilt boogie, but lack the warmth and tone of wood. The metal shells are a nice middle ground. They are very loud and project well with volume but they are very thin and have similar resonance to wood in terms of tone and warmth. They work really well for the music we’re making in one day as a lion since they have the space to really ring out and do their thing.
Myths:
What are your thoughts (philosophies or opinions) on the “natural ability” vs. “practiced player” discourse surrounding percussion?
Well there are definitely some people who can just sit down at the drums and gutbucket out some beats without any practice. They are musical people who listen carefully and can hear and feel rhythm. But I’ve never heard someone who doesn’t practice regularly sit down and drop a dazzling flurry of technically complex, practiced drumming. I don’t really think about the differences because usually players tend to be situated somewhere in the middle. I don’t think one type of player or angle is better than any other because I don’t think music is a competition or that there could be a best. There are as many ways to play and listen, as there are possibilities in the universe. What I find crucial and compelling is uniqueness, which is not something you can access through simply practicing technique. In fact, focusing or relying too heavily on technique can smother creativity. Take Elvin Jones and Billy Cobham as examples – instantly recognizable and utterly unique. Technique never overshadows their voice. Their power comes from heart, soul, and the ability to hear and play as individuals. They have the ability (which only comes from practice!) to play fearlessly in the interaction with the group in a series of moments. So for me it’s less about practice – everyone needs to practice – as a way to learn a set of specific things to play and more about practice as a means to develop a vocabulary and a unique personal relationship with the instrument so that the freedom to create becomes available and better accessed. Of course, style is everything in this model. Some people have an innate sense of style and some do not. It’s easy to see and it’s in everyone – athletes, artists, politicians, etc. It’s like the difference between the Harlem globetrotters and the other team. Nature Boy Ric Flair and the other guy. Kennedy and Nixon. How you play it is as important to me as what you play…
I’ve heard many stories from musicians who have said they were “spiritually called” to play their instrument. Playing along with this idea, do you believe you were called to play drums? If so, was this something that happened early in your career or later?
I’m deeply and spiritually connected to the drums. it’s a nebulous connection though. Mercurial and magical. It’s not so much about feeling “called” but more like the gravity that connects two planets in space. It’s a part of my nature at this point and I wouldn’t be who I am without drums so I try to honor it as a muse, a compass, and devotion. Also, there are certain situations in which things take on a greater significance then simply making good music. Organizing, activism, awareness and consciousness building as functions of music take things to a whole other level of the game in terms of meaning, spirituality, and Dharma. Those are situations where there is a true spiritual calling to inspire, heal, and help..
Can someone who didn’t have the hand of god reach down and move them to play drums develop the skills of Tony Williams or Neil Peart? Or did these players posses something innate (pre-ordained by some god) that cannot be learned?
Is that a trick question?! Whose god? And this god created drums, drummers, and drumming? And good drumming is the result of the hand of god? Didn’t we separate church and state?
What makes a player a “legend” or “great”?
A timely and unique approach to the instrument and its applications. Typically, the innovation is informed by cultural and musical paradigm shifts among peer groups that create, distill, and ultimately celebrate new approaches to life and music.
Can a woman ever be as great a player as a man? Name one female player who is, or isn’t, destined for greatness (Please don’t say Meg White!).
Heck yeah. Sheila E. Moe Tucker. Karen Carpenter. Cindy Blackman…..
What kind of drummer do you aspire to be?
Unique, inspired. Dynamic. Natural. Egoless.
Pragmatism:
How often do you practice? If you don’t, why? If you do, what aspects of drumming do you practice the most often?
I don’t practice much these days unless it’s writing or rehearsing with the group. It’s a cyclical thing for me. I go through intense periods of playing alone regularly, playing with the group regularly, not playing much at all, playing guitar or working on recordings, etc. it’s a long arc and there isn’t always one formula for success. Music is a function of life and is subject to the same changes and configurations.
Do you rent rehearsal space or are you the neighborly nuisance?
Both. We have a One Day As a Lion rehearsal room where we can make as much noise as we want at all hours of the day and night, but I just moved into a place with a garage so I’ve been playing there a lot recently. Not sure the garage can handle a full tilt band rehearsal but I intend to find out shortly!
Even at this stage in your career, do you occasionally take lessons with a professional instructor? If you are an instructor yourself – describe your teaching style.
No, but I would love to. I tried to get Freddie Gruber to teach me a few years ago but when I spoke to him he was confusing and odd. I remember him talking about getting his laundry done before it rained and some other cryptic shit and I was at a point in my life where I wasn’t into trying that hard so I didn’t pursue it..
Have you had, or currently have, any physical difficulties from playing and what have you done to alleviate them?
Definitely. It’s an occupational hazard. I do know people who’ve never had an ache or pain from drums, but when I’m playing as hard as I can and touring non stop, it’s always something: an elbow, a wrist, a knuckle busting open on a rim, a stack of speakers toppling over on you, getting your ankle caught in the door of the van…….
I’ve done everything from self-medicating to seeing a doctor but I think the answer is a holistic one. Nowadays, I’m very focused on nutrition, exercise, and balancing the mind. I find that eating well, sleeping well, drinking enough water, and using your brains to the best of your ability all add up to create a strong foundation for good health. When it’s really coming together it gets pretty intense and ecstatic. I find myself with so much energy I don’t know how to handle it. It’s the fountain of youth. If you optimize your body and mind potential you can turbocharge your whole system. Some days I feel like Bruce Lee when he blurs the nun chucks in Enter the Dragon! Total concentration!
Given the instrument is physically taxing do you have a health regimen you employ to maintain stamina and strength?
See above.
Whimsy:
What was the first instance in which you managed to play a song in its entirety without missing a note? What song was it?
I don’t know that I ever have. There are so many more dimensions to sound than just making or missing a note. There are infinite subdivisions within and between any note and infinite possibilities for velocity, dynamics, space and texture, tone, and intention. I could say I didn’t miss a note but did I miss any spaces? I don’t know if Jackson Pollock only focused on the drips. (For the record, I am not comparing myself to Pollock – only using him to emphasize a point.)
Was there ever an instance onstage you knew you were going to be sick or were feeling extremely fatigued? What did you do about it? Did you leave the stage or keep playing?
I’ve never cancelled a show due to illness. I’ve played through fevers, chronic pain, viral infections, no sleep, jetlag…. you name it. I actually can’t remember the last time I played a show where I didn’t feel extremely fatigued. That’s kind of my thing at the moment – playing as hard as possible to get things really pumping. I’ve cut a song from the set before due to extreme fatigue but it’s usually a consensus. If everyone else is feeling great I’ll stay and hammer it home without a second thought.
Is it true drummers have superiority complexes specifically derived from being in much better shape than most people, especially fellow band members?
I’m not sure it’s a superiority complex but a drummer can make or break a band more so than any other instrumentalist and that’s a fact. You can sit through a mediocre or downright shitty performance if the drummer is unique or good because at the very least it’s fun to watch. Conversely, you could have a good band that’s really difficult to watch if the drummer isn’t doing it to it. Of course this is my own opinion formed from a lifetime of research but I’m not sure it represents the views of all drummers or, for that matter, anyone else.
How often do you glance in the mirror and say, “Damn I have great __________!”
I’ve never said that. I’m usually too busy critiquing myself.
After all these years: How’s your hearing?
What?
