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You’re a drummer, Do you play any other instruments?
Well, drums are my forte. I practice a lot but drums are obviously what I have mastered and I spend all of my time working with drums and recording. Who would you most like to Jam with? Dead or Alive. If I had the chance to Jam with anyone? I know this is pretty stereotypical but I always liked John Bonham. He was the drummer from Led Zeppelin. Of course he’s dead now. But he was always a pretty big influence on me and my playing style and even the set-up of my drums to the type of cymbals I play. I really like just working with drummers one on one, not just artists, so that would be pretty cool. If you could take the drumming job in any band, what would it be? I like anything from Three Days Grace to Foo Fighters…Foo Fighters would be big one for me, I really like those guys. So is your music style prominently rock or are you eclectic? Everything, In High School I played in a Jazz band. I played the rock and roll hall of fame in Ohio with the school band and we did a lot of different styles there. Anything from Santana to Tower of Power from Christmas carols to just …anything. We would play anything. That’s just the way I was taught and the way I was brought up. My drum teacher taught me to be a chameleon and to just be very diverse because it’s not good to limit yourself to one thing. That’s the way my mind works. How did you get started in Music? I’ve always been a really hyperactive kid. When I was young…jeeze— like 12 years ago—I was always tapping on things. I would tap on my desk and get in trouble for it [laughs]. And from there I was like, “hey I see drummers on TV on like Much Music at the time”. I was really young and I always just looked up to people in the music industry. My drum teacher lived up the street, two doors down, and my dad and him were chatting one day when he offered to teach me free of charge., just good will. I took lessons every week and one week I would practice musical theory and the next week a variety of music and it was back and forth. And from there it just escalated and in High School I started playing in a band and met artists and then I found some more people and networked and it just keeps getting better. Wow, sounds awesome! Did you always want to be a drummer? I always really concentrated on the music thing, and the cool thing is I would watch live performances from anyone. I always wanted to be like a lighting technician and I always loved the moods that set for different situations or scenarios. That was something that really appealed to me. So then I was thinking about plan A and plan B. In high school I wanted to get into being an electrician or something for lighting. It’s something I always liked. It worked well for me because it was creative and a creative setting. What do you love most about what you do? Experience. It’s extremely fun. I get to network and work with a ton of people. I mean, it keeps me really focused and you know I just love doing it and I was built to play drums. It’s just in me to do. I’ve always followed that ever since I started this. What do you hate? Money and politics that come with it. I’ve been told “you’re crazy for getting into the music industry” ‘cause there is a lot of things to overcome and understand, business wise. You mention your dad was a big influence. Who is your biggest supporter? Supporter? Myself. I do it, whether I have a girlfriend, a band, or nobody beside me. I support myself, and I push myself, and I motivate myself. At the end of the day it’s kinda a selfish thing. It’s almost about number one. Would you say your Dad is proud of you? Absolutely. My dad is very proud of me…and that I’m working. I mean, he played in a band for 20 plus years. He was a keyboard player. But we can connect and relate in that way. But yeah, he’s very proud of me. Him and my drum teacher. Do you stay in touch with your drum teacher? Yeah, he plays in a band with my dad now so its kind of how it all stays together. Do you ever jam with your Dad’s band? Yeah, absolutely! Like if they play at a bar or something I’m the first one to be like “hey, I’m getting up to play, I’m doing this now”. I know their material, so its fun to come up and play one out from time to time. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? The best advice was from…I know this is short, but its from my girlfriend Nicole and she just says “Do Work”. I mean, that’s kinda the bottom line to everything. Do work, do the work, and it will pay off. It will come back to you ten fold. What’s the best advice you’ve given? Fans come up to me after a show sometimes and will be like “Hey, how do you do this?” or “How do you do that?” When people try to interact with me, that’s when my best advice comes out. Because I like helping people, and I like learning from people and I like people learning from me. It’s just kinda how it pushes down from generation to generation. So I guess the best advice I’ve given is any answer to what people have asked me after a show. Have you ever considered teaching or have you taught? Yeah, I’ve taught privately for a year or two through one of my rehearsal spaces. I would work with a few guys who had a lot of potential and they just wanted to learn theory and the basics. I’ve taught drum seminars before at Durham College and a few places around Ontario. And that was fun too because, I mean, it’s nice when someone comes to your seminar and they just want to learn and look up to you for what you do. What’s the worst Job you’ve ever worked? Ohh! (laughs) I’ve had a few. I was a butcher. That wasn’t too nice. I did that for a while just ‘cause I had to. But working in a lumber mill was probably the worst job I’ve had. It was fun because I got to drive a fork lift but it sucked because the pay was lousy and the hours were lousy . We worked in a factory where there were big doors open all winter and it was like minus 20. You just have to push yourself. I did that for three years too so, that really sucked. But, you know, times have changed. So this is your day Job? Oh yeah, I love working with artists specifications, and all the production that goes into a show its really fun doing that. I’ve made music my job some way or another, I made sure I have a day job that keeps me working in my field, that’s important to me So you aren’t in a band now? Not currently. I’ve tried a few times doing the band thing and while I think my mindset is still there I just think that working by yourself and having the variety of working with anyone is awesome. It’s nice never being tied down to one project or one style. . You don’t know if it’s going to be right or not but I think it makes you a better player trying and challenging yourself. What’s your greatest accomplishment to date? I’m more proud of how far I came in a short period of time in drumming. I worked really hard. The amount that I learned from people and that I’ve taught myself and that could go a lot of ways from meeting people like social skills that I’ve developed What do you think is the hardest thing you ‘ve had to give up on to focus on music? I’ve always really done what I want and I’ve never let anyone stop me so I don’t think I can give a negative answer to that question. I’ve never really given anything up. I’ve just worked hard. I’ve never moved backwards, just forwards. Why do you choose to stay in Canada when you might have more opportunity in places like New York or LA? I’m about two seconds from moving. I’m going to be in the states. If I may say, I’ve found personally that the music industry in Canada is very small and the market, even in Ontario, is completely flooded with bands. I just want to work with more professional people, not to undermine Canada—I’m proudly Canadian—however. I actually asked for some professional advice the other day from a famous drummer named Randy Cook and he told me “Get out, go somewhere else, try something new”. He said, “First thing you need to do is move”. There’s more networking and professional opportunity outside of here, Are you going to miss Canada? Yeah, I’m going to miss it and I’ll come back for family and friends Can you describe your life in 10 years? I’m always changing all the time, but I’ve never really been set back. Everything just keeps getting better and that the only thing I can really say, is that it keeps getting better. So I think that I’ll be more stable, as in, I’ve found my path and I’ll know who I am more. Experiencing and growing up. I hope that I’ve worked hard and it’s reflected in the life I live. So what would you say is the meaning of life? I guess you can ask me when I’m wise like Confucius . (laughs) That’s all I can really say. I mean, I don’t know the meaning of life right now. Just…when I wake up, I just try to do what’s happy. Try to stay positive. |
