Sick Drummer Magazine January 2009 Issue

I would like to start by informing you of the passing of Modern Drummer Magazine editor in chief, William F. Miller. Bill left us on December 12, after a long and noble bout with cancer. Our hearts and thoughts are with Bill’s entire family this Holiday Season. Donations can be made in his memory to: The Frost School of Music University of Miami P.O. Box 248165 Coral Gables, Fla., 33124 or The Melanoma Research Foundation, 170 Township Line Rd. Hillsborough, N.J. 08844, www.melanoma.org. Rest In Peace... As I think of all the advancements I have experienced in only 6 months, it’s humbling to think of all he must have experienced during his extensive career at MD. Looking back at this year... I am both excited and proud of what we have achieved at SDM, and the steps this drumming style has been taking. We are starting to see guys like John Longstreth get endorsed by major companies like Pearl & Regal Tip. We are now seeing interviews in Drum! Magazine with guys like Adam Jarvis, and we couldn’t be happier. We launched our magazine this year, started the Blast Off Drum Competition, were given a column in Terrorizer Magazine and much more. 2009 is looking very promising, so keep your eye on what we come up with next... I hope you all had a great holiday season... Stay True, Ian Macdonald - SDM

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Sean Reinert Derek Roddy Bobby Jarzombek Dave Culross Tim Yeung George Kollias Steve Asheim Franck Camus Chris Pennie Mike Smith Charlie Zeleny Adam Jarvis John Merryman Elliot Hoffman Darren Cesca Duane Timlin Jeff Willet Gus Rios Eric Park Tom Ales Justin DiPinto Paule Seidel Mike Heller Bruce Moore: Engineer 3

Cover Photo By: Taija Lynn Sick Drummer Magazine / Grind Percussion P.O Box 204 Brockport, NY 14420 585.261.3986 Editorial: Ian Macdonald Billy Kenealy Editor: Julian Squires Art direction/Programming: Andon Guenther Artist Relations: Randy Eichner Field Staff: Jason Franks - Video recording and production Craig Sternberg - Site Interviews, Video, Relations Noel Smart - Interview research and preparation John Paradiso - Site Interviews, Video, Relations Bill Durrant - Photography US (East Coast) Agnieszka G - Photography UK Taija Lynn - Photography US (West Coast) For Advertising Inquiries: Ian Macdonald email: [email protected]

a short interview with brian.���������������� 6 kevin talley revealed������������������������������ 8 Terrorizer Column / John Biscomb���������� 9 ali richardson����������������������������������������10 max blunos����������������������������������������������14 ray luzier interview & clinic footage����16 cover feature: Brann dailor.����������������� 18 gus rios / evans heads interview�����������21 tony v���������������������������������������������������� 22 blast-off winners��������������������������������� 25 james murphy special interview����������� 26 eyal levi column����������������������������������� 30 drum tech from hell - mike b��������������� 32 next issue preview�������������������������������� 34

SDM is published Bi-Monthly

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w e n A Short look inside The Brain of Bryan ""Brain"" Mantia

I thought Guns would actually be the easiest gig to do... but I realized it’s harder to play and write drum parts to a well-written song... SDM: You have played with many groups in a wide variety of styles... which has been the most challenging as a drummer? Brain: Definitely Guns N’ Roses. I thought Guns would actually be the easiest gig to do... but I realized it’s harder to play and write drum parts to a well-written song than it is to beat off and improvise. SDM: Bernie Worrell, TM Stevens, and Blackbyrd McKnight. How did you hook up with these guys? Do you ever get nervous when playing with guys like these? Brain: No, I don’t get nervous. I am really looking forward to playing with these guys. The only thing I’m nervous about is how many notes are going to get played. SDM: What was it like playing with Les Claypool? As another drummer, I would like to think he would bring out some off-the-wall grooves that you would only create while playing with someone like him.

SDM: Is Tom Waits as strange in person, as the music he creates? Has his approach to music taught you anything in particular about drumming? Brain: Yeah, Tom is a crazy MF. He taught me that anything can be used for making music. We have played carburetors, garbage can lids, tire irons hitting wagon wheels... he definitely makes you think outside the box. SDM: When listening to the varied styles you have recorded with different projects, I wonder your influences are, past and present. Brain: My favorite drummer is Animal from Sesame Street. SDM: What do you think about the extreme levels that modern death metal drumming has reached? As far as technicality, speed, and endurance...

SDM: With the advancement of software and technology in general, what approach do you take when tracking new songs? Analog, digital, triggers, no triggers, et cetera...

Brain: I think it’s totally ridiculous, but maybe that’s because I can’t keep up.

Brain: I don’t use triggers. I might add samples to the existing analog drum tracks that are laid down (for example, double the kick drum with an 808, or interchange the snare sound on every four). 6

Brain: I’m about to get paid whether it’s truthfully or untruthfully.

SDM: What does 2009 have in store for you and your different projects?

The formidible sound and look of Rock at its absolute best. Pitch BlackTM cymbals were specifically designed to be coated and played loud! We started with our high performance Bronze 12 Alloy with its enhanced tin content and added weights, sizes and profiles guaranteed to deliver the brightness and presence required for Rock applications. We then developed a proprietary coating process which allows the cymbal to be durable and strikingly beautiful yet still open up like a cymbal should. Eight new models unlike anything you or your fans have ever heard or seen before. The only way we could make these any more Rock would be to put leather pants on them. Don’t miss your chance to win great gear, visit www.zildjian.com/pitchblacksweetstakes.

©2008 Avedis Zildjian Company

Brain: Yes, that’s true... Les really taught me the importance of being yourself and not copying other people when you play.

change how you see cymbals

zildjian.com/pitchblack

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CONTEST Prizes INCLUDE: (everything autographed) kevin talley challenges s! you to sharpen your skill photo: alex morgan

Many people often wonder about writing techniques and how artists go about creating songs. In my experience, the best way to write is to find someone you click with and jam in a room with them. Yes, there can be some preliminary riff writing to a drum machine, but don’t let that initial recording restrict your desire to change it later. Get in the room and jam it out. Speed it up; slow it down; change the time signatures. Don’t get caught up in the rules of writing -– just do what feels and sounds good.

VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS: The only rule is that you must play the song with no headphones or click track and be sure I can see and hear you playing.

The Daath song “Sharpen the Blades” was created in several different writing sessions. Emil was messing around with the opening riff for a while, and I suggested that we start the song with that riff and I would come in with a blast... no fill –- just straight to the blast. The verse riff is a variation of the opening riff, but notice the interesting kick drum pattern (turn the music off and try to sing the drums to yourself). Then we go back to the blast for the pre-chorus chugga riff. After that, we were originally “breaking it down” for the chorus, but it was too typical, so we kept it upbeat and wrote a chorus riff making sure it was simple and effective. After the chorus I threw in a killer beat which has the snare on 1 and 3, the hat on “1 te 2, 3 te 4”, opening the hat with the left foot on 2 and 4. Listen to the song to figure out where the bass drums belong.

Next, go to Youtube and search “DAATH Sharpen the blades” to find the new song we posted.

EVERYONE who posts a video of themselves playing the

beat described above will get a free copy of my drum DVD. The person who best plays this beat gets the Pearl piccolo snare I used to record “Destroy the Opposition”, autographed by Dying Fetus circa 2000. The beat is not hard, and it is only 8 seconds long. Download the song “Sharpen The Blades” at the Daath MySpace and figure it out from 0:48 to 0:56. 8

Post YOUR video as a Video RESPONSE.

1st place -My Destroy The Opposition Snare I used for the recording signed by me & possibly the other members of DYING FETUS from 2000. 2nd place My Zildjian K Hybrid splash I used on the DAATH “The Concealers” recording... almost new. 3rd place DYING FETUS Embroidered hat from year 2000 4th and 5th place signed Destroy The Opposition CD 6th placePair of 5b Ahead drum sticks used recording DAATH “The Concealers”. 7th place Pair of DB drum shoes. 8th place - 12th place DYING FETUS DVD - Live shows from year 2000. PLUS! - A Free Drum DVD to everyone who makes a decent attempt at the beat and uploads a video!

john biscomb of terrorizer Hello, sick drummers. It’s been a tough couple of weeks at Terrorizer; releases are slowing down and people are going away for Christmas, leaving us with the fun task of making a magazine regardless... the joy! Anyway, rather than talk to you about some shitty third rate demo CD (although a lot them are really good), I figured I would offer you all a selection of CDs worth keeping your mum’s present money for. Taken from the Terrorizer top 40 albums of 2008, these albums give you an idea what our scribes are most into, and being the world authority on extreme metal, you know you can trust it! Check out the January issue of Terrorizer for the definitive list, as well as our readers’ polls as well... Deicide’s “Till Death Do Us Part” was always gonna be in the list; Trap Them’s “Seizures In Barren Praise” will grind your head in; Aura Noir’s “Hades Rise” is pure evil; Viruses “The Black Flux” will make you sick; Origin’s “Antithesis” is a technical marvel; Enforcer’s “Into The Night” is for nu-old schoolers only; Krallice’s self-titled album is just that; Burst’s “Lazarus Bird” is well worth a listen; finally, Portrait’s self-titled album is more old school speed metal mayhem. If you haven’t got all these records, you bloody well should have! As a final thought, if you’re after something a bit more underground, try checking out Rosewest, a spazzy grind band from Croydon, South London, or Basement Torture Killings! Respect to you all, and happy new year! Keep an eye out for the 2 part Grind Special, beginning in our February Issue that will be released on January 29th!

TITLE your video “(Your Name) Drumming Daath Sharpen the blades”. The deadline is February, so get on it! > play video < 9

bleed from within"s drummer in the studio

SDM: How would you describe the sound of Bleed From Within? Ali: I think that when Bleed From Within started writing music as a band, many people would have categorized us into the “scene”. The early material was slower, and not as intense. Our new material, however, has a certain edge to it that sets it apart from other bands trying to make a name for themselves at the moment. Writing new songs has been very exciting, and has opened a lot of doors in terms of drumming. The release of our debut album “Humanity” should show that we have matured in our songwriting and developed in our playing. Trying to pinpoint our sound, I would simply say metal, but people could liken us to black, thrash, or death depending on their perception of the songs. SDM: Who are some of the band’s influences? Who are some your metal drumming influences, and do you think these come out in your recordings? Ali: The band as a whole take influence from a wide range of music and artists. I would consider our main inspirations to be bands such as Lamb Of God, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Necrophagist. There are many more, but that narrows it down. As a drummer, I take inspiration from many different styles. Whether it be metal, rock, ambient, or even house, I believe that there is groove in everything we hear. That’s what good drumming is all about. Drummers that inspire me the most are the ones who believe in creativity and pushing the boundaries of their specific genre, taking blast beats and thrash beats, then placing them over riffs that wouldn’t generally have such a pattern. Chris Adler (Lamb Of God), Dan Foord (Sikth), Tim Java (Dead To Fall), Danny Carey (Tool), Jose Pasillas (Incubus), Benny Greb (Solo, Jerobeam) all strive in finding groove and power in their performances. I have been lucky to see all these artists live, and I was blown away by the power in their playing. For other people to hear me and make comment on my playing, I would hope that they would see me as I see my influences, but it’s all down to opinion in the end, I suppose. 10

Interview By noel smart

SDM: How was Bleed From Within’s “In The Eyes Of The Forgotten” taken by the masses of fans out there? Ali: Being the first release, “In The Eyes Of The Forgotten” had only 100 original copies made and were sold for next to nothing at our local shows. It was something that we funded ourselves and we looked to make little or no profit. Its sole purpose was to put on us on the map in terms of music and gain us some recognition around the country, and with no label it was hard to get any real distribution. We had never imagined that people would take to it the way they did. I mean, on YouTube there is a video of a young girl from America playing the opening riff to the first track on her guitar!? We were all blown away when we realized that anything from the EP had made its way across the waters. It was a starting point for us in terms of writing and recording, and gave us a good idea of where we wanted to be. SDM: What did you do to change, if anything, the drumming on your latest release “Welcome to the Plague Year”? Ali: The development between “In The Eyes” and “Plague Year” was a big one in terms of my playing. In the early days, I was always skeptical about pushing myself in the studio. I felt that everything had to be played in a way that made me feel comfortable. Working with Ross McGowan (Chime Studio’s Producer/Engineer for both recordings) was great. He is a good friend, and he knows my playing very well. On entering the studio, preparing to record, I let him know that the barrier was there to be raised. Playing on the record was great fun, and really changed my perception on studio work. Being such a long time since the recording, however, I think that my standards have increased. It’s a lot of factors, such as different influences, continuous practicing, and obviously having to gear down for our debut album. The days of playing lackluster beats, just putting whatever pops into my head over the next riff that one of the guys may bring in, are definitely over. At that time I may have considered everything to be perfect, but with hindsight I realized that some fills were off, and some drums just didn’t fit the riffs. Having the opportunity to work with professional producers has opened my eyes and ears to what should be played, and how it should be played. I am currently recording the new BFW album “Humanity” with our producer, Mark Daghorn, and it has been a very tough process. Despite the blisters, the many bottles of Lucozade, I feel as though I’m going to leave the studio with my best recorded performance to date.

styles, getting involved with lots of projects to increase my session skills. Bodicea’s Grave (formerly known as Paradox) was my first metal project, or band in general for that matter, that I joined at the age of 14. This was long before Bleed and Cities. It was here where I got to grips with the whole concept of playing metal drums. I had just begun drumming and was right into artists such as Chris Adler, Vinnie Paul, Danny Carey, and Mike Portnoy. At first I felt the need for technicality, and speed. But I soon matured my sound, and concentrated on groove. It was this sound that I developed in Bodicea’s Grave, and I had some great musicians working with me, and some amazing music was made. It was a real shame that nothing ever happened with the band. Cities And Skylines was simply a favor to begin with, but I clicked really well with all the members, and put together some amazing songs. Playing seriously in a band that wasn’t metal was a great experience. It seemed to make metal more exciting, and really tightened up my small game. Things like song structure, drags and accents, click playing. Everything becomes more apparent when you’re playing 4/4 grooves at 160 bpm, as opposed to playing 16th note double bass at 210 bpm. Whilst playing in Cities, I had the opportunity to work with renowned producer, Romesh Dodangoda at Longwave Studios in Cardiff, UK. The final result was incredible. My drum sound was perfect. Like I’ve said, working with people that can pinpoint your every flaw, and notice your every sloppy fill, is the best way to improve your playing. Parts that may sound okay to yourself as a drummer, are instantly noticed, and after 7 takes on a groove, or fill, you truly begin to realize what they are getting at and just how capable you are of playing the required beat. Each band had their advantages. I think that after the six years I’ve spent between them, I have learnt a lot about drums; the different ways they can be used. SDM: You qualified for “Young Drummer Of The Year” in 2006, making the Top 40, then being the only candidate from Scotland. How did all that come about?

SDM: Tell us about your other bands: Bodicea’s Grave and Cities And Skylines? Which is your favorite to play in, and why?

Ali: Not really being a solo player, I wasn’t too sure about entering myself for the competition. Some of the talent entering was ridiculous. Twelve year-old players, that had been playing drums for eight years!? Some of the other entrants videos were enough to put me off. I soon realized that I had nothing to lose, so I thought I might as well go for it. The Young Drummer Of The Year competition is set up every year for drummers sixteen or under. It has about eight hundred entrants, and that is narrowed down to forty, then the final forty narrowed down to twelve finalists, who perform live in London to a panel of judges. My solo routine was by no means conventional, I just stuck to what I knew best. Groove, and power. Basically held a strong groove part, some funk beats, then the occasional burst of double kick. I was ecstatic to find my name in there with the thirty nine other semi-finalists, then discovered I was the only one there from Scotland. In a way it meant I was the Scottish Young Drummer Of The Year, but I doubt that. Nevertheless, great inspiration to keep going at the instrument.

Ali: Ever since I started playing the drums, I have always been interested in experimenting with my sound. Like trying new

SDM: Tell us about your future plans to study at Drumtech, the world-renowned drum university in London, England. 11

Ali: All too often I see the same old thing. Metal drummer walks on stage. Blast beat. Thrash beat. Breakdown. Then walks off. I am so disappointed when that drummer doesn’t attack the kit with feel or power. It feels as though they started playing a month ago and have just been listening to the fastest, most extreme music, and taken no time to appreciate the actual concept of drums. Drums are the backbone of a band. They carry the band, and dictate the rhythm. It’s the drums that make you bang your head, it’s the drums make you tap your feet. I don’t think I would ever have been able to write an album by sticking to one genre. You have to think outside the box. Listening to other drummers, that don’t play the same style as you and taking great notice as to how they move about the kit, and what beats they put over what riffs. Getting yourself into other bands, projects, et cetera, will open the mind to new rhythms and methods of songwriting. It will make you, as a drummer, a lot more aware of just how much can be done with the simplest of riffs. So when you next hit the studio with your metal band, they could play a simple breakdown pattern and you’re instantly compelled to shift it into a 7/8 shuffle. Keeping a strong backbeat or whatever!? You know? It’s things like that. I generally think that most metal drummers will have a firm understanding of this, but for the ones that don’t? They need to open their fucking ears to the world around them. So frustrating. If no one takes notice of that, then metal bands will slowly become more alike than some already are, the will lose the power they once had, and it will all end in beers, or tears. SDM: Why do you stand by Sabian cymbals? Is there anything they do for you as an artist that other cymbal companies don’t?

Ali: My plans for Drumtech had to be changed due to the record deal that Bleed acquired at the start of the year. We are now too busy with writing and touring for me to even consider going to study there. It was frustrating as I’ve always wanted to be in the company of drummers who have had that educational background, to see what they make of my playing, and how I hit my drums. I myself have never had any tuition or lessons, and I always held that in high regard. I found that a lot more drummers these days weren’t selftaught anymore. More and more people were coming up to me asking, “Oh man, how long have you had lessons for?”, or “Who teaches you drums dude?”. Whilst feeling some sense of pride that I was all self-taught, I began wondering what the benefits would be of getting a professional over my shoulder giving me advice and also learning more about drum notation. Whether I will have the opportunity to go to the university at all, I’ll just have to wait and see. SDM: You believe in keeping your options open, understanding different genres, and being a versatile player. Do you recommend that all drummers in extreme music do the same? Why or why not? 12

Ali: Trying to get the right set of cymbals was a right pain in the arse. I’ve spent years beating my way through other brands, and trying to find my perfect sound was hard. My first Sabian cymbal was a 19” AAXplosion Crash. I’ll never forget walking into the studio, setting up, then the look on everyones face, including my own, when I went into a pattern with the crash. It was massive. After this, I ditched my other cymbals straight away and began going about my new cymbal set up. I’ve spent thousands on them, just going for that same bright sound that the AAX and HHX can get. I have a 14” HH Mini China that literally punches you in ears when I hit it. I still use two Zildjian cymbals, though, to give some accents to my playing. The Mega Bell and the Zil-Bell work great with each other. Flicks between them are ideal for bringing a riff to life. Same with my two splashes. The 12” AAX and the 10” HHX are powerful enough to cut through the dirtiest of riffs. I would consider my set up to be ideal for what I’m playing. Everything is there. Nothing moves. It all works together brilliantly. The companies I have chosen are the ones that give me the products I need to make my playing come to life. I can only hope that other drummers hear my kit, and notice the effort I’ve put into getting everything perfect for this recording, all my live performances, and anything I’ve done in the past. If they don’t? I’ll fight them...

Some words with recording engineer

Mark Daghorn > play video < of Red House Farm Studios SDM: Can you tell us about the process for preparing to record Ali?

SDM: What is the biggest common mistake you see drummers make in the studio?

Mark: It was pretty straightforward -- the room was ready, as we use it all of the time. Ali’s kit was well tuned, so it was really just a case of micing up and going. The mics were as follows:

Mark: Where do you want me to start? [laughing] Well, a few months before a session, I always send the band an email with a list of things they need to do to prepare. One of these is that they get all of their tempo maps sorted out and practice to the click until it is second nature to them, so that when they get into the studio we can focus on performance rather than the drummer having to get used to the click. I am amazed by how many times this gets completely ignored -out of the fifteen albums I’ve worked on this year, there were probably three drummers that came in properly prepared with accurate tempo maps -- Ali, Max from Trigger The Bloodshed, and Tim from Many Things Untold (who unfortunately got arrested during tracking, but that’s another story altogether!). Pretty much every other drummer came in with an excuse as to why they hadn’t practiced to the click, usually along the lines of “the guitarist was supposed to do the clicks for me but he didn’t”, or “I was supposed to be using my mate’s rehearsal room but he let me down at the last minute”. It simply isn’t good enough and the whole session suffers as a result. I recently had a drummer tell the rest of his band that I didn’t know what I was talking about when I asked for them to sort out tempo maps and clicks, so he didn’t do it, and we wasted an entire day sorting the maps out and then he couldn’t play to a click to save his life. The band fired him after the session.

Kick - Shure Beta 52, Snare top - Audix D3, Snare bottom AKG C414, Hats - AKG C414, Toms - Audix D3s, Ride - Groove Tubes GT1, Overheads - Groove Tubes GT57s (matched pair) Everything was tracked through Focusrite ISA pres into Pro Tools HD3 through HD192 converters. SDM: What specific things were you focusing on with his sound, and were there any special studio techniques used in the tracking? Mark: Again, it was really straightforward -- he had his parts down, so we were able to focus on performance rather than just getting it right. There was nothing unusual about any of the techniques. SDM: How long does it typically take the drummers you work with to track their songs? How long did it take Ali? Mark: Ali took around two days to track all of the drums, and this included the set up and getting some guide guitars down for him, so he was very quick, and it took five or six days to edit and trigger the drums. All of the triggers were samples from his kit, other than an extra kick drum sample that we used. This was very quick in both the tracking and editing process -- we’ve had albums in this year where the drums have taken a week to track and a week to edit, which is the worst it’s been, but somewhere between the two is probably a reasonable average.

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a lesson learned from the youing trigger man Interview By noel smart

SDM: Can you tell us more about signing to Metal Blade? How is the support from the label so far? Max: Being signed to Metal Blade is awesome; it’s the home of so many sick bands, and it’s amazing to be a part of it! The support is really good, we couldn’t ask for more. SDM: You are currently on tour with Cryptopsy and Beneath the Massacre? Have you learned anything from these monster drummers? Max: I’ve learnt that, fuck, I’ve got a long way to go. They are just absolutely amazing drummers, and awesome guys, too! SDM: On Trigger the Bloodshed’s “Purgation”, released by Rising Records: how well is the album doing in the UK? US? Max: The album seems to be doing quite well. We’ve received some really good reviews, and our fan base seems to be steadily growing. We’re just so eager to get the new album out. It’s a huge step up in both song writing and musicianship. SDM: Can you talk about the drum tracking process on “Purgation”? Do you have any studio advice to share with other young drummers? Max: The recording process was pretty simple; it took two days to get all the drums recorded. Any advice? Well, just make sure you’re 100% ready to record and that you’re 100% happy with all your parts -– the last thing you want is to be hearing the album back later down the line and wishing you added a certain fill or beat in certain places.

SDM: With songs like “Merciless Ignorance”, “Impregnable Miscreation”, “Wretched Betrayal”, “Retribution”, and “Whited Sepulcher” reaching speeds comparable to that of Origin and Brain Drill, how did you develop this level of extreme playing? Did this just come naturally for you? Or have you been practicing since birth? Max: I’ve been drumming for eight years, and been playing death metal drums for two years. It’s just practice, a shitload of practice. It’s taken me so many hours a day at home in the cellar behind the drums to develop my techniques, and I’ve still got a lot of work to do. SDM: What are your methods for practicing? Max: For death metal drumming I will just put a metronome on and play, then go through and focus on different limbs, just making sure I’m all up to speed. I’m learning jazz, and to read music as well, so I’ll also go through some sheets and various exercises. SDM: How would you describe the music of Trigger the Bloodshed? Who would you compare the sound to? Max: We’re a fast blasting aggressive death metal band; there are influences from bands like Necrophagist, Decapitated, Nile, et cetera. SDM: How do you keep things original when it comes to recording your parts? Max: I will just go over and over the drum parts, and try to make them as interesting and as suited to the song as I can. I also think listening to, and playing, a lot of different styles of music helps keep my drumming interesting. There are a few drum parts on the new album that I’m particularly proud of. SDM: Who are the main blast beat masters that you listen to for influence? Max: Elliot Sellers, George Kollias, Derek Roddy; these guys are probably my top death metal drummers.

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with the DeLeos, but with Scott singing in front of 45,000 people! SDM: Can you talk about your fusion trio, The Hideous Sun Demons? Anything planned for ‘09? Ray: Nothing planned as of now. We’ve been writing a bit here and there. I go to Japan two or three times a year to do drum clinics and tour music schools. HSD only plays out live over there right now. Toshi Hiketa moved back to Osaka last year and James Lomenzo joined Megadeth, so it makes it a bit rough to do anything at the moment. You can hear some tunes on myspace.com/hideoussundemons. SDM: What is the most important thing you learned during your time with David Lee Roth? Ray: Dave’s still one of the best front men that ever lived. I learned so much being in his band for eight years, recording and touring. WAY too much to type! He took my drumming and musicianship to a whole other level. He also taught me how to be a singer and an entertainer. Being a huge Van Halen fan growing up, my time with DLR still remains one of the best time periods in my life. Words can’t possibly describe it. SDM: How much of your success can you credit to your degree from MI? Ray: Musician’s Institute is a great school. I don’t know how much of my success I owe to going there, but I do know that it opened me up to playing many different styles of music; I met

a ton of great musicians and made a lot of connections there. That’s what it’s all about in this wacky music biz... playin’ your ass off and meeting a ton of people. MI really helps you get your s#%t together fast! But like anything, it’s what you make it. If you have the right attitude to really want to get better and play professionally and make a living in the music biz, then this is the place for you. SDM: What was it like working on the Jeff Beck tribute album as opposed to working on the Jason Becker tribute? Ray: It doesn’t matter to me who or what the session is for. I just try to do the best job that I can in any situation. I’m a huge fan of both of those guitarists. SDM: Out of all you have experienced, what project has done the most for your personal advancement as a drummer, and how? Ray: I grow and learn from every situation. You never stop learning. If you do, you might want to move on and do something else! I still have a long way to go but I have a complete blast playing music for a living, and I feel lucky to be doing something that I absolutely love and live for.

www.rayluzier.com myspace.com/rayluzier www.korn.com www.jdsfa.com

> play video < Korn"s Ray Luzier Clinic Footage and interview Interview By noel smart Photography by Jeff Gerew SDM: Can you tell us about the current drumming situation with Korn? Is this now a full time thing? How has it been adapting to the style of David Silveria? Ray: I joined Korn in October of ‘07; it’s been amazing. Our tour was huge, and we went around the world to countries like Dubai, Russia, South Africa, Europe, Australia, and South America. Korn has a worldwide fan base like I’ve never seen; it’s insane! It’s a full time thing at the moment. You can hear my first recording with them on the “Nightmare Revisited” soundtrack. It’s been great playing their catalog of great tunes on the road. You can check out a bunch of live videos and pics on korn.com. I definitely put my own style and flavor into the tunes, but I respect the cool grooves that David played and the strength and 16 power that he gave the band. I’m really looking forward to

doing a new Korn CD in ‘09. SDM: How is the Jonathan Davis solo project coming along? What can we expect? Ray: The tunes are great, and it’s sounding really incredible right now. I finished my drum tracks... we used a TON of different drums on this record. It was a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to hear the finished mixes. There were live webcams on us the entire recording process, so fans could log on at anytime and watch; it was a trip. You can check them out on: jdsfa.com. SDM: Tell us about the DeLeo brothers and Army of Anyone. Is this your main focus, outside of Korn? Ray: The DeLeo Bros. are some of my favorite musicians, and two of my favorite people on the planet. I’m very proud of the AOA CD and the tour that followed it. It only lasted a little over two years and then we disbanded. STP and Filter got back together; I joined Korn. My main focus is Korn and Jonathan Davis & the SFA right now. I recently filled in for Eric Kretz and played two shows with Stone Temple Pilots. It was such a rush to be back on stage

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SDM: Who were your main inspirations behind the kit, at the time the Lethargy material was written? Brann: Animal from the Muppets. Sean Reinert, Stevie Wonder, Elvin Jones, and all the rest of the amazing drummers that everyone else likes too. The real thing that inspires me behind the kit, is awesome guitar riffage. When I hear an amazing riff blaring out of a Marshall stack, I can hardly wait to put drums to it. SDM: Can you tell us about you and Bill meeting the other members at a High On Fire show, and eventually forming Mastodon? Brann: It was two weeks after we had moved to Atlanta. We went to go see High On Fire at this place called Parasite House, a house in town that had shows in the basement. Brent had an Iron Maiden jean jacket on, so we got to talking, and he informed me that his band just broke up that night. We exchanged information, and a few days later Mastodon was formed. There was also an ice storm that night that lasted for a few days; figures, I moved here to get away from the harsh Rochester winters, and next thing you know: Ice Cold. SDM: Can you tell us more about your appearances on the Melvins tribute doing the song “The Bit”, and the Metallica tribute doing “Orion”? How did this come about? Were you happy with the outcome of both?

some insight from the thunder behind mastodon Interview By noel smart photography By tiaja lynn

the thing that inspires me behind the kit, is awesome guitar riffage SDM: Did you ever get to play with Discordance Axis? We heard something about that and wanted to confirm... Brann: I hate to be the one to break it to ya, but I never played for DA. I don’t know where you saw that, but it’s wrong. Dave is one of my oldest and dearest friends; he loves cats. SDM: What led to the split up of Lethargy, and are there any talks of a reunion show? Brann: Lethargy was a blast; we had so much fun writing that music, and I learned a lot about challenging myself as a musician playing with Eric Burke. In the end it was just time to move on and do something else. We’re all still really good friends, and I would love to work with Eric again someday in the future. He’s one of the most talented guitar players I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Maybe we’ll do a reunion when we’re both senior citizens. 18

Brann: We’re all really big Melvins fans, so when the opportunity arose for us to do a cover for the tribute compilation “We Reach”, we were really excited to learn “The Bit” and go record it. We’ve been playing it live ever since. Recently at the All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in the U.K. we were joined on-stage by the Melvins, and played the song together. Three drummers! It was awesome. The Metallica thing was for the twentieth anniversary of Master of Puppets for Kerrang magazine. It was the first thing we tracked in the Blood Mountain sessions, so we kind of used it to get sounds for our material. We all love that song. It makes me think of the beautiful musical spirit of Cliff Burton. SDM: Please tell us a little about your experience with the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie soundtrack. Brann: That was a lot of fun; I would definitely consider using Meatwad as a producer in the future. He brings a lot to the table. He brought out the best in us as musicians and as people. SDM: The logo and artwork for Mastodon seem to represent something different about the four elements. Whether it’s fire, water, or earth. Why is that? Do you or any of the band practice any sort of religion? What’s with the symbol at the top middle of your logo? Why does that change so often from album to album? Brann: We are all practicing Scientologists, because we’re rich and famous, and that’s how we do it. The symbols and artwork all tie into the concepts of the records. We like to build a whole Mastodon world for the fans to immerse themselves in, and it makes for bad-ass t-shirts, and I’m addicted to bad-ass t-shirts. SDM: What was the reason for doing The Workhorse Chronicles? What was the objective behind it, and did you achieve your goals when it was released? Brann: It was to show the history of the band up until that point. It was to kind of let people know that we didn’t just pop up out of nowhere; we have a long musical history, and we’ve been working hard at this for a long time. I think we achieved (continuted...) 19

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what we wanted with it -- it gave our fans a little insight on who we are as people. SDM: Would you describe the Mastodon sound as being progressive metal with groove? Or something completely different?

SDM: First off, what exactly are drumheads made of? Steve: A combination of Mylar, Aluminum (Hoops), and Epoxy.

Brann: I think it’s kinda like crusty prog. But what do I know? SDM: How do you stay on top of your drumming game in Mastodon, consistently playing with such original feel over the music? Brann: I just try to play what I think fits over the music, and make it work the way it’s supposed to. The way I play it is the way I hear it. Sometimes my parts come quick, and sometimes they take time, but we don’t stop until we feel it’s right. SDM: On the Remission album, why did you use the roar of the T-Rex from Jurassic Park on the song “Crusher Destroyer”? Brann: Because it sounded bad-ass! SDM: What has been the most difficult video you have ever shot? Brann: Without a doubt, the Colony Of Birchmen video was the toughest. It was shot at Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, TN, in front of the waterfall that’s at the end of the cave trail. I had to carry my drums and hardware all the way through the cave to get to the location. It was a twenty minute hike to the falls through very precarious and narrow passageways, but it was worth it, because that shit looked awesome! SDM: What can fans expect from “Crack the Skye”? Brann: “Crack the Skye” has a little something more than our previous records; there’s a big heart to this record. I couldn’t be more proud of my bandmates and everyone that was involved in the making of this album. It’s the kind of album I would like to be remembered by; it will always have a special place with me. I can’t wait to share it with people.

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SDM: What are the differences between one and two ply heads?

the Brann Dailor Giveaway! One lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive the cymbal and the $250.00 gift package from Evans. All you need to do to enter:

Send an email to: [email protected] Make the email subject “The Thunder of Mastodon” Please include your sickdrummermagazine.com user name in the email body... A winner will be chosen and emailed on Febraury 1st

Good Luck!!

Steve: Single ply heads generally produce an “open” sound with more overtones, and moderate durability. Two ply generally produce a more “focused” sound with significantly more durability. SDM: You actually have a couple of specially designed heads: the EC series, and the new G plus line. Can you talk a bit about those and what makes them different from the G1 and G2s? Steve: EC Stands for “Edge Control”, and the overtones are focused rather than eliminated. This is a two ply head similar in construction to the G2, but with the EC Ring installed. The G Plus is a 12 mil single ply in clear and coated (an off-white color): these are designed for the player who needs more durability from a single ply. The G1 is 10 Mil, and our competitors’ single ply heads are usually 10 mil, as well. SDM: Evans has been an innovator in snare drum heads with variety and designs. How does Evans come up with new and innovative drumheads, and can you tell us about a few of the more popular models? Steve: We arrive at new models by listening to endorsee/ consumer feedback, and by trying to target what’s missing in our competitors’ offerings. The EC series (with and without power dot) has become particularly popular with rock players, and the dot version is especially popular with those requiring serious durability. This is essentially a “tuned” head which removes the mid-frequencies that are most commonly removed when mic’d by a sound engineer. SDM: Evans has quite an assortment of kick drum heads as well. With so many models to choose from, let’s focus on the EQ and EMAD series. What are the differences and what was the design process? What sound was Evans looking for? Steve: The EQ Series (1, 2, 3, 4) have internal muffling (some with removable flaps) only, whereas the EMAD (Externally Mounted Adjustable Damping) does exactly what its name states. With the EMAD and EMAD2, we were looking to make the fattest, punchiest batter head ever produced, and the

numerous awards we’ve won for this, combined with the sales figures, would justify that claim. SDM: With so many notes being played on the kick drums in most metal music, kick drum patches are a necessity. What does Evans offer and what are the differences? Steve: We offer three different types of impact patches. One is made of black Cordura material, one of clear plastic, and one from Aramid Fiber (AF Patch), which is the actual name of Kevlar, which we can’t use due to copyright reasons. The AF Patch offers the most durability, with accentuated attack. The clear plastic offers increased attack and a more “flexible” feel than the AF patch does, with slightly less durability. The black Nylon patch offers no accentuation of attack, and moderate durability. SDM: Now a subject that most drummers seem to avoid, and dread! What is the recommended life of a kick drum head? Given that it doesn’t have a hole in it, and it’s always had an impact patch, does a kick drum head go flat, so to speak? Bottom tom and snare side heads as well? Steve: This subject is so controversial, because EVERYTHING to do with a drummer’s gear is SO personal! Generally speaking, if the bass head is not responding like it used to, and feels like it’s lost its “elasticity” (if you will), then it should be changed. The same thing with tom and snare heads. A lot of dents, and a general “pocketing” (essentially a dent where the stick most often strikes the head) will certainly affect a drumhead’s ability to produce a pleasing sound and tone. Also, many drummers don’t think about resonant side heads! These wear out too, even though you don’t strike them! The resonant head gets hit with the same force of air that you strike the drum with, and that will most certainly cause the reso heads to wear out over time. The general recommendation we give for replacing resonant heads, is to replace them every three or four times that you replace the batter heads.

> play ec2 drumhead sound < > play G-Plus drumhead sound < 21

we love talking to bashers from belgium!

Interview By noel smart

blast beats and double bass rolls. My only goals were speed and power. But after a while, I got more into different genres such as jazz and fusion, and didn’t really focus on speed anymore. Now my main goal is to be as musical as possible. Leng Tch’e of course requires a lot of blast beats, but in the new songs I have some space to open up my playing, and put more dynamics and feel into the drum parts. A drummer who I think has an excellent approach to this is Burnt by the Sun drummer Dave Witte. So at this point I think out of all those bands it will be Burnt by the Sun that is the most dominant in my playing. SDM: How would you describe Leng Tch’e’s sound as a band? I know you list yourself as death metal, grindcore, and hardcore. Are there any other elements? Do you think that maybe you guys have been confused with, or labeled under the moniker of deathcore? Tony: I think the sound is very broad. There are a lot of elements combined in the music. One element not to be forgotten is rock. It is not always that obvious, but if you would hear the guitar parts without the drums, many riffs have a totally different feel. For example, with a blast beat on top, rock riffs become more death metal or grind riffs. That’s why it is so hard to specify the sound. If I can’t even determine what style one riff is, then I am not even going to try to define the band’s music. So I also wouldn’t call it deathcore, but I am sure you will find some in the music. SDM: Tell us more about your split 7” with Fuck the Facts?

SDM: How come there are no original members left in the band?

scene, and Serge is more interested in society in general. It’s all part of the continuous evolution of Leng Tch’e.

Tony: Most of the original members left the band a while ago, so I don’t know about them. The last one to leave was Sven, which doesn’t surprise me at all. When you play in two bands you will always have to make sacrifices to one of them. Aborted and Leng Tch’e are two bands who need the complete attention of all of their members, so I guess this was bound to happen sooner or later.

SDM: Did you find it difficult to learn songs that Sven De Caluwé (Aborted, In-quest, Whorecore, They:Swarm) originally created?

SDM: Can you explain the origin of the band name “Leng Tch’e”? Is this something that you have researched? Tony: Our first singer, Isaac, was big into serial killers and torture methods, so he came up with it. It also happens to be an album by John Zorn’s Naked City, which is an instant excuse to use it as a band name. SDM: How do you think grindcore fans take the band’s lyrics? (Written on topics like: family stories, anti-racism, society, and the metal scene.) Tony: I haven’t heard anybody complain so far. Honestly, I don’t think most metal fans care much about the lyrics. In any case they’re always evolving since we change singers every two records. Isaac liked to vent about his family situation, Boris (and Sven) loved to write about the metal 22

Tony: The split is very important to us because of the recent lineup changes. We had great reactions on the shows, but of course a recording reaches a lot more people. To clear all doubts, it was important for us to get this recording as soon as possible. A full album would have been too soon, so the 7” split was perfect. Because we were going to do a tour in Canada, and because it is such a great band, Fuck the Facts was the obvious choice to do the split with.

career? What was it like playing to all these people in a new band? Any pressure? Tony: The response was great, I had a lot of fun on stage. It was not the biggest fest I played, though. The biggest fest would be Brutal Assault 2007 in Czech Republic. And that show had a lot of pressure to it. First of all, it was my first real show with Leng Tch’e after the try out show we did. At that time I was in the band for about 3 weeks so all the songs were new to me. Also, I was used to a crowd in the range of a hundred people, two hundred max; this was thousands of people standing in front of the stage. If that wasn’t enough, former Leng Tch’e drummer Sven, who played next with Aborted, was standing right next to me watching my every move. But the show was great. So I think you will find it easy to understand that all the shows after this one are like a walk in the park for me concerning pressure. I actually feel most pressure when playing in Belgium. I don’t know why, maybe because more people know me so it becomes more personal or something. SDM: How is your label support with Relapse Records? Tony: It’s alright. We’re a small fish in a big pond over there so they’re doing what they can, I guess. It’s also not easy being a European band on a US label. But they’re definitely partly responsible for lifting the band to where we are now. For sure they are one of the best labels in the world to be on as a grindcore or death metal band. SDM: Is your other band, The Seventh, your top priority? How do you separate the styles of The Seventh, who play melodic death metal, and Leng Tch’e?

SDM: Out of all your influences (Napalm Death, Nasum, Blood Duster, Burnt by the Sun, Converge, Morbid Angel, Hemdale), which is the most dominant in your drumming? How?

Tony: The tour went great. We had lots of fun on stage and afterwards. It was my first tour so I was very exited about it. To do a tour is mostly one of the main goals you have in mind when you pick up your first instrument. So being able to actually do that is great. The other bands were all very cool guys so it was basically one big party. And the Canadian crowd was awesome. The only downside were the long drives in between but the poutine well made up for that. That is some fine cookin’. Max is, like all of the Krisiun guys, a really cool guy. We talked drums and stuff, had some laughs. I can’t say that influenced my performance. It was just cool to see him rip up those drums. He is an amazing drummer, but I guess you all know that already.

Tony: From the moment I joined Leng Tch’e, it became my top priority. Otherwise I wouldn’t have joined the band in the first place. It is a much harder working band than The Seventh and that was just what I needed. I had much more musical ambitions than the other The Seventh members. From the start I devoted a lot of time to the band. I actually started out as a guitar player. After a while I started playing drums and also immediately switched to drums in the band. This was very hard since I was just a beginner. So I had to practice several hours each day to get to a certain level in as little time as possible. Later on I continued devoting much time on drumming, music, and the band. After a while it became clear to me that the other band members were not on the same page as me concerning practicing their instrument, putting time in the band, tour plans... a lot of things were discussed and a lot of stuff was planned, but in the end not much happened. This became more and more frustrating to me, even to the point where I stopped having fun in the band. That was the time when I realized that I had to find another band which had the same goals as me. Living in Belgium, this was no simple quest. When I heard Leng Tch’e was in search of a drummer I immediately knew this was it.

Tony: My first years of drumming, definitely Morbid Angel. Back then I could spend hours behind my kit, just playing

SDM: What was the response like at the Queens of Metal - Open Air in Germany? Was this the biggest show of your

The first rehearsal confirmed this: this was a hard working, much demanding band. So from that point on, I could enjoy

Tony: I think most of the songs we play live are created by our guitar player Jan. The hardest part of learning the songs was the short time span I had. The setlist consisted of nineteen songs and since the try out show was in two weeks it all had to go pretty fast. The actual drum parts are not so hard, and there are much of the same patterns and fills, so that helped me quite a lot. Yet the downside to it is that you sometimes get confused between the songs, because you have the same drum parts and fills in different songs. On a technical base, the drum parts of my other band, The Seventh, are much more challenging. This will be different for the new Leng Tch’e songs, though. Jan is writing some crazy shit as we speak.

SDM: How did the Krisiun tour go for you in Canada? Did Max of Krisiun have an impact on your performance? How?

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The Seventh again. The Seventh’s rehearsals are always relaxed and a lot of fun. It is also good to play two different types of music. It helps me not to get stuck into one musical vision. SDM: Why did Once Godlike, who first played death metal, decide to go into the metalcore sound? Why did you play bass in that band and not drums? Tony: The first instrument I ever played was guitar. After a few years I also played bass in a jazz / rock band. When I quit that band, I still wanted to play bass in a band just for fun. So I joined a local band soon to be named Once Godlike. It actually was a hardcore band back then, and the thing was that I didn’t know anything about hardcore music and the other guys didn’t know anything about (death) metal. So when we were writing songs it was a mixture of hardcore and death metal riffs. After a while, I could convert most of the guys to the death metal side, so the music was more death metal oriented. Just before I left the band, a second guitar player joined. He came up with more metalcore type of riffs and when I left, the band got more and more into that direction. SDM: What was the recording like with Tue Madsen on The Seventh’s “Cursed Earth Wasteland”? What did you learn from him? Tony: Well, actually, Tue Madsen only did the mastering. We gave him the mix, he mastered it and gave it back. So I didn’t learn anything from him. The recording and mixing was done by Jörg Uken at Soundlodge studio in Germany. This was a good experience for me, because Jörg is also a drummer. We discussed things like muffling the kit, mic’ing, trigger sounds, tuning the drums, and using different effects on the drums. He was a very relaxed person to work with, willing to try out things. I don’t like it when people only see their vision and 24 don’t even want to try something different.

SDM: What kind of bass drum pedals are you using, and why? Tony: I use the Axis A longboard pedals. I didn’t have the chance to try them out before I ordered them, they just seemed like good pedals and got good reviews on the net. It took me a lot of time to get used to them but now that I have, I think it was a good choice. I used to play two bass drums but some time ago I switched to a double pedal. I was fed up with carrying my eight piece kit to shows, only to find out they only have four mics to mic the entire kit. So I downsized and switched to a single bass drum. This was no problem with the Axis, since I only had to buy the conversion kit. The downside of Axis is the price, though. SDM: What can we expect from you and Leng Tch’e in 2009? Tony: We are currently working on new material for the next full album, which will hopefully be recorded and released in 2009. Besides that we will be playing a lot of shows and probably do another tour. So basically, it will be a very busy year for us. Just keep checking the myspace for dates and updates.

CLICK TO VIEW ALEX’S VIDEO

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CLICK TO VIEW TEEMU’S VIDEO

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teemu letru

Name: Teemu Letru Age: 18 Hometown: Nummi-Pusila, Finland Years Playing: 4 Lessons: No Band: No Favorite Drummers: Gene Hoglan, Sean Reinert, Richard Christy, George Kollias, and Derek Roddy

Name: Alex Bent Age: 15 Hometown: Escalon, CA Years Playing: 4 Lessons: No Band: Valkyrja Favorite Drummers: Tim Yeung & George Kollias

SDM: Why do you set your snare tension very tight? Do you think that helps with the blast beat response? Tony: It was something I discussed with our sound guy. I played some shows using a lower tension, some medium tension, and some higher tension. Afterwards I discussed the sound with our sound guy and he said he really liked the higher tension and could get a much better sound that way. So when I do gigs or recordings I mostly tighten my snares a bit. For rehearsals and practicing, I loosen them up a little. I guess it makes sense that in fast blasts every hit comes out more clearly when the snares are tighter.

Alex Bent

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Luke Dumke

CLICK TO VIEW LUKE’S VIDEO

Name: Luke Dumke Age: 19 Hometown: Las Cruces, NM Years Playing: 9 Lessons: Yes Band: The Informant Favorite Drummer: Thomas Pridgen

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Juan Carlos

CLICK TO VIEW JUAN’S VIDEO

Name: Juan Carlos Artehaga Mosquera Age: 34 Hometown: Calarca Quindo, Columbia Years Playing: 8 Lessons: No Band: Mental Apraxia + Mindly Rotten Favorite Drummers: Geaorge Kollias and Lord Marco

The next Blast Off Drum Competition will be posted in our March 1st issue. Thanks to all who entered, MetalInjection.net, Axis Percussion & Hudson Music! Keep your eye on Sick Drummer Magazine.com for details on what you can enter to Win Next!

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I have been a fan of James Murphy (legendary guitarist and master of all things music production) for a long time, having grown up listening to nearly every record that he’s ever played on. With his time spent in Death, Obituary, Testament, Cancer, Disincarnate, and his various guest solo spots on albums by Gorguts, Malevolent Creation, Artension, Solstice, and Explorer’s Club, not to mention his two brilliant solo albums Convergence and Feeding The Machine... his punishing yet beautiful riffs, intelligent songcraft, extremely melodic and memorable leads, as well as his incredible phrasing and outstanding vibrato have helped to make him a giant in the metal scene, as well as one of my favorite musicians of all time. And in the last several years, his astonishing production abilities have led to a professional career as an in-demand producer, engineer, mixer, and mastering engineer on top of his already flourishing career as a guitarist. Needless to say, I was incredibly excited when, back in the summer of last year, I was asked to record the drums for the album “The Grand Partition and the Abrogation of Idolatry”, the Nuclear Blast debut album by the band Success Will Write Apocalypse Across The Sky for which James was handling production duties. We became fast friends and share a love for jazz-fusion music and all things drumming, as well as having many of the same favorite drummers. His invaluable experience and expertise in the recording field, along with his engaging personality, and the incredible list of drummers he’s worked with, assured me that he was the perfect candidate for an interview that all drummers can learn from. Mike: How long have you been producing, engineering, mixing, and mastering albums, as most of us will likely know you as a guitarist? James Murphy: Since 1995. I started working in ‘95, anyway. Studied, learned, and practiced since ‘89 or ‘90. My interest was sparked in 1989 when I joined Death and recorded “Spiritual Healing” with Scott Burns producing; I immediately started devouring any and all resources I could towards learning the craft.

Interview By mike heller

we caught up with the legend of production himself

Mike: What was it about that particular situation that sparked your interest? James Murphy: The exact situation... the first moment... was probably when Scott first set me up to record my guitars myself, using a looped auto-punch on the 2” machine. We recorded that album on 2” 24-track analog tape machines. Then I really got drawn in by the mixing process. I was pretty enthralled the whole time, though, by every stage, and by the studio and gear. Mike: Are there any upcoming projects that you’re really excited about, or people you’re excited about working with? James Murphy: I’m usually excited by every new project I take on, so it’s a bit hard to answer that one. Certainly I’ve just finished a few that have been a pleasure to work on... LaZarus A.D.’s Metal Blade debut, Abigail Williams’s debut LP on

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Candlelight, and Burning Human’s debut on Koch. Currently, I’m just entering the mix stage of an album I produced for Nuclear Blast... the debut LP for the band Success Will Write Apocalypse Across The Sky (SWWAATS), and I’ve had a blast with those guys, including you as the session drummer when we tracked your parts in NY a while back. Mike: I know you’ve expressed to me your love for drums and drumming, so who are some of your favorite drummers? James Murphy: Well, there are many metal drummers I love, but the pinnacle for me is fusion... drummers like Dennis Chambers, Kirk Covington, Chad Wackerman, Billy Cobham, Bill Bruford, Steve Smith, Vinnie Colaiuta, Jeff Sipe, Steve Gadd, et cetera. Mike: Who was your favorite drummer to work with as a producer/engineer in each genre you’ve recorded? Care to share any stories about working with these individuals? James Murphy: Well, I like different guys for different reasons. Dean Castronovo was just incredible to work with and record... total pro, played flawlessly on every take, hit the drums very solidly, so it was always a good tone. Steve Smith was a consummate pro as well, as you’d imagine. Jeremy Colson was a pleasure to work with; he was very young and just embarking on his career but already a very accomplished player. Brian Harris is a great session drummer from Ohio that I always enjoy tracking. Matt Thompson of King Diamond was also a total pro and played great... and I had a total blast tracking Martin Lopez, formerly of Opeth... incredible feel. It wasn’t too shabby recording you, either, but don’t let it go to your head! Mike: (laughs) Thanks. James Murphy: Oh, and Jason Bittner of Shadows Fall. Mike: With Burning Human? James Murphy: Can’t forget him; awesome experience working with Jason, and he laid the smack down for sure, on the Death tribute tracks he played on. Mike: You have also played with many legendary bands, including Obituary, Testament, Death, Disincarnate, and so on. As a guitarist, who was your favorite drummer to work with in a band situation? James Murphy: I have great memories of several fantastic drummers I’ve played with as a musician. I had a really good time with Johnny Tempesta when I joined Testament, and later working with Jon Dette was good, too. Then, of course, I finished off my time in Testament with Dave Lombardo on drums, and that was quite an experience as well... he was a really nice guy and a great player. I also toured and recorded with Konkhra with Chris Kontos on drums for the first album and tour, and Per M. Jensen of The Haunted for the second album and tour... both were great. 27

Mike: Tell us a little about the role of a producer in a recording situation. Mike: You’re doing solos on their new record too, aren’t you? James Murphy: I did play several solos for the new Konkhra CD. Should be out in ‘09. Mike: Do your views on drummers change when you’re in the role of a producer on a session, as opposed to just being the guitarist? That is, do you look for different things in a drummer on a session as opposed to a drummer that you’ll jam with? James Murphy: No, I think it’s pretty well integrated, though obviously when you’re playing live, you need to have a great familiarity with your drummer, and a certain unspoken language that develops over time that allows you to really communicate and gel musically. What I love about fusion guys, though, is that with the really great players they seem to have that communication even if they’ve never jammed together before. It’s an innate ability to feel “pocket”. Mike: What can you tell us, as drummers, about how to prepare for a recording, and how is this different for jazz, metal, power metal, or death metal? Tuning? New heads? Practicing to a metronome? James Murphy: Don’t think I can really break it down to different genres. Jazz guys should drink coffee, and wear berets, and metal guys should sacrifice a goat to the virgin whore. Mike: (laughs) James Murphy: (laughs) Seriously, though... new heads, but try to get them on the kit the night before in the room they will be recorded in, and stretch them a bit. Practice has hopefully been handled prior to entering the studio; it’s not really the place to still be figuring out what you’re going to do unless you are fortunate to have that kind of budget. And be able to play to a click... practice it, as well as being able to play across different tempos... not all songs are one tempo. Also, know what meter you are playing in. Mike: What are the most important things that you think drummers need to work on to help make recording go smoother? James Murphy: Playing in time, playing with “pocket”, dynamic control, and that’s about it. Beyond that, setting up their drums for recording, and being used to playing that way. For example, raising cymbals up high enough that they aren’t basically lying on top of their toms, hi-hat not necessarily right on top of their snare... toms on less of an angle. And getting used to playing with their seat (never call it a “throne”, it goes to their heads (laughs)) high enough that gravity is working in their favor with their kick drum pedals. And finally... learn how to tune and maintain their drums. 28

James Murphy: Basically, the producer’s main job after entering the studio is to help get the best performance out of each musician. It’s part psychologist, part technician.... we guide the session, essentially. Prior to entering the studio, the producer’s role is to help iron out any compositional issues, e.g. clashing harmonies, weak arrangements, vocal lines, as well as any performance issues that may need addressing, such as a weak drummer that’s not ready for recording. Mike: What do you do if you are in that type of situation? James Murphy: You work with the musician in question until they improve to the point of being able to pull the job off, or you organize a session player. Not my favorite thing to have to do, but it’s come up a few times here and there. It’s why bands/labels hire producers, though; the quality of the end product becomes your responsibility if you accept the producer’s mantle... and should you turn in a “less than final” product, you may well find yourself sitting by a business phone that never rings. You have to be able to read the situation well... and know when you’ve reached the point of diminishing returns when working towards getting a lackadaisical or incompetent player in shape. Knowing when to give it more time/effort/a different approach versus knowing when to “pull the plug” and bring in a session guy. You have to develop good judgement for that. Mike: When you were recording my parts for the SWWAATS album we only had about two days to record all of the drums, and I had very little time to learn the songs before the actual recording. It seems like it would have been a very nerve-wracking situation, yet I had an amazing time at the studio. You made absolutely sure that there was a relaxed atmosphere, and we spent a lot of the time between takes cracking jokes, and most importantly, we ended up with a great product. What type of thing do you think contributes to a great working relationship between artist and producer? James Murphy: Absolute obedience (laughs). Mike: (laughs). James Murphy: Just kidding. Well, yeah, I mean... you have to be able to not let any pressure get to you; you have to be able to allow some levity to enter the session; you have to take the job seriously, but there’s no reason that has to equate to being uptight. A good producer/artist relationship is key, and I don’t think I know any formulae for achieving that... you just have to do your prep work for the session (pre-production) so you have confidence that you’ll get a good result in the end, regardless of time pressure or any other negative pressure that may enter the session. I also think the producer sets the tone; if he’s relaxed yet focused, fun yet hard working, and confident but not cocky, then everyone else in the session will respond to that and follow suit.

Mike: You brought your own microphones in your carry-on bag from Florida to the studio in New York. What are the microphones you used on this session and does your microphone choice differ for different sessions? James Murphy: Yeah, I brought several mics... all Audix: two D6s, a D4, three D2s, two cardiod SCX-One SDCs [Small Diaphragm Condensers], and one super-cardiod SCX-One SDC. I really like the sound of these mics for hard rock and metal drums. I also love the small profile, which makes it easy to place them without much concern for them being hit during recording. I would use a very different set of mics to record a jazz-fusion trio, and an another set altogether to record an R&B act. Mike: How would you suggest that someone get into the session game? James Murphy: Have the following: serious chops, but an ability to use restraint and play appropriately; ability to play to a click; read charts in some cases, though it’s not a strict requirement by any means; good networking skills, personable nature, and have a variety of styles under your belt. Then just get to know the local producers in your area, which goes to networking, and make yourself available. If you’re called, cancel other plans, if necessary. In other words, don’t turn down a session because you had plans to go see Transporter 3. Mike: (laughs). James Murphy: Show up on time, prepared, sober, and attentive. Mike: And bring peanut butter cups! James Murphy: (laughs) That’s the studio’s job to supply. Mike: How do you feel about the rise in project/home studios? James Murphy: Well, I think they have their purpose. Mainly songwriting, pre-production, experimentation, et cetera. Unfortunately, too many people throw together such home setups and start advertising themselves as a commercial facility, despite having little to no experience or actual skill. Learning a software package and reading some manuals and recording your own band’s demos does not equate to becoming a qualified recording engineer... ultimately, there’s no real threat to legitimate studios or experienced recording engineers. I think your average home recording gear has its place, and despite any confusion that may be caused by the overabundance of personal studios advertised as commercial rooms, the cream will always rise to the top, while the dregs will sink to the bottom. It’s great, though, when musicians have this gear and use it the right way: for honing their music and song-writing. Of course, it’s really all about the individual using the gear. Give me a pro in a bedroom using a consumer level rig over an amateur in a multi-million dollar commercial facility any day. Fortunately, I don’t have to make such choices. No one does, really; there are enough

great rooms that any professional, good engineer can make the right choices for any given band. In many cases, various stages of an album can be done at home studios... and I mean your “average” home studio. It’s a given that some “home” studios are actually pro facilities and are quite well designed and outfitted, but you’ll always need somebody who’s good at what they do to get a good end result. Mike: What’s your take on people downloading music? James Murphy: There’s no doubt that illegal downloading is hurting the music business, and it’s mostly hurting smaller bands. I notice that many people that do this are under the misconception that going to the band’s shows makes up for not buying their album and just illegally downloading it. It doesn’t. The bands that are being hurt by downloading do NOT pay for their albums with tour income. In fact, the proceeds from live shows, both guarantees and merchandise, usually barely cover the expense of touring. Bottom line, if you like a band and want them to continue to be able to make good albums, then buy their current CDs. It’s simple math. I also notice another excuse that’s along the lines that they want to help the bands but don’t care about the label... that’s all well and good, but the band chose the label, and have an arrangement with them, whereby the label pays all expenses up front for producing the band’s CDs, so don’t fool yourself. Labels still provide a very important service, and thus have a crucial role to play in the production of great music. Support the bands you like by buying their CDs, because it’s crucial to them being able to make more. And, it’s crucial to YOU, as drummers, for getting paying gigs. Mike: When can we expect some new music from you? James Murphy: Within the next year. Meanwhile, I’m guesting on a number of current and upcoming albums, including Warrel Dane’s “Praises To The War Machine”, the new Konhkra, Abigail Williams’s “In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns”, Burning Human’s “Resurrection Through Fire”, and I can be seen performing live and I’m interviewed on the soon to be released “Roadrunner United - The Concert” DVD. Mike: What does the future hold for James Murphy? James Murphy: Well, I’m just going to focus on building my production career, while playing as much as I can, and before long I’ll have new music in the form a new Disincarnate CD and a new solo CD. And have fun and make friends along the way. Mike: Well James, I want to thank you for taking the time to answer these questions, and for giving such honest and informative answers. Is there anything you would like to say to the readers of Sick Drummer Magazine? James Murphy: Try to broaden your horizons, keep your mind open, and never become bitter. A music career is a journey, not a destination. Trite but true. 29

Derek Roddy The Evolution of Blast Beats

ries s e S g n i m rr A Recucording drudaath on re the man of from

Over the next few columns I’ll be asking some basic questions that you should be able to answer right off the bat. If not, reprioritize and get these issues resolved. Here goes. This question is very, very important: Can I play all the parts to a click? If not, then it’s high time to get started. Here’s a simple way to go about this. Go to Google and type in “Drummer Metronome”. Find something that fits your budget; just make sure that it can handle tempo changes within a song. Then type in “Drummer Headphones”. Vic Firth’s tend to be the most popular, but browse for what makes the most sense. Once you have your setup, get to programming. Figure out your tempos and practice your songs to that click. Now here’s the trick: don’t just play to a click. It needs to feel as though the click isn’t even there. If you are struggling against it then you’re not nailing it. If it’s too fast, slow it down to a tempo where you’re comfortable, and build from there. Just make sure that you are grooving to the click. Remember, the click is your friend. Here are some simple exercises which will help you lock in to that groove. 1 – Find the tempo/tempos at which you can play through the entire song comfortably. Don’t find the tempo at which you 30

Book + Play-Along CD

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Steve Kilgallon Double Pedal Metal Book + Play-Along CD

Available at drumshops everywhere. To learn more go to hudsonmusic.com

would like the song to be, find where you are comfortable. Play the song to the click at this tempo until the parts become second nature. For some people, this means playing the song ten times, for some it means a hundred times. It doesn’t matter how long this takes, MAKE SURE YOU CAN ROCK THE FUCK OUT OF YOUR SONG TO THE CLICK! 2 – Switch the metronome so that you can only hear it on beats 2 and 4. If your metronome can’t do this, just cut the tempo in half (that is, 250 BPM becomes 125 BPM). You are about to be forced to hear 1 and 3 in your head. Now I want you to play the song like this until it’s second nature. Notice how much your feel improves by doing this. Again, do not even think about moving on until you are comfortable with this! 3 – Switch the metronome so that you can only hear the 1. Repeat the process above. If you can nail this in the pocket by only hearing the 1 on the click, then you can truly play your song with good timing. Now the fun part. 4 – Bump up the click by five BPM. Go back to number 1. Repeat this process until you are at your desired tempo. This may sound tedious, but just give it a shot. The rewards will be great. Also, you will find that once you’ve been through this process with a few tunes, you will pummel through learning newer material the right way. Okay. Hope that helps. Till next time. Cheers, Eyal Levi

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31

reme:b! p u s h c drumtfeamous mike the in

SDM: Over the course of your career you have worked with bands like: Lamb of God, Meshuggah, Danzig, Hatebreed, Mastodon, Overkill, Bullet for my Valentine, Type O Negative, Soilwork, and others. Who have you done the most tours with and which was your favorite tour? Why? Mike: The most touring I think I have done would have to have been with the band Hatebreed. I have a done quite a few tours with the boys in that band. Those guys are amazing people, and great instrumentalists, great at what they do. I don’t know another band that tours as hard as Hatebreed. My favorite tour was with the band Meshuggah as direct support for a Tool tour back in 2002. The Tool guys were amazing because they actually care about the perception of the band in all its forms. They have utmost of integrity and vision for their band never compromising in the process of artistic expression. SDM: Which drummer has been the easiest/hardest to set up and how?

Interview By craig sternberg SDM: Can you tell us about your history with drums and how you got into the drum tech gig? Mike: I started playing drums at a young age and was quickly guided by my father to keep pursuing the instrument through the following years of my life. I received my first real drum set at approximately the tender age of eight, and it was purchased for one hundred dollars. I continued to play drums for the next few years, taking lessons playing in marching band, orchestra, concert band, local bands; also, playing at nursing homes, churches, homeless shelters, and just about any musical situation I could get into. I got started doing the drum tech aspect of things much later after meeting my good friend Matt Byrne (Hatebreed). We were on tour together playing in bands and I helped him with some of his drum problems: letting him borrow my double bass pedal, replacing a front bass drum head, and giving him some of my cracked cymbals. A few years later I saw Matt at a Hatebreed show at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA. It was at this show where I asked Matt if he ever needed a drum tech that I am his guy! The rest is history. 32

Mike: The easiest has been Type O Negative/Danzig for the drummer Johnny Kelly. Johnny has a five piece kit that goes up pretty quickly because it is only a few pieces of gear (drum riser, drums, hardware, cymbals; electronics with Danzig only). Johnny’s set-up time is an hour and a half. The hardest is Lamb of God because Chris has a bit more to his setup. He has a seven piece kit with a few extras (drum riser, drum rack, more drums, more cymbals, laptop, rack with electronics). Chris’s setup is a six hour process from start to finish if it is done from scratch. Once setup on the riser, I’m all set, because it rides in the truck completely built and ready to go. SDM: What piece(s) of equipment or gear in general have been the most reliable? And on the other side, what has caused the most problems? How? Mike: The most reliable drum equipment I have used has been Tama Hardware. I know it sounds crazy, but... Tama is inexpensive and gets the job done right the first time. I had done over 300 shows with Hatebreed in a years time and nothing was ever broken or malfunctioned. Not mentioning any names but clearly one brand of hardware on the market has been very unsatisfactory. I have had quite a few problems with this brand of hardware. This hardware is great when it works, but lately I notice they have these black hard plastic/rubbery sleeves where the pipes meet to mend a stand at its connecting point, and when those sleeves slip out of place they are almost impossible to slip back in place, and are very difficult to fix! “Have fun taking it back to Guitar Center.”

SDM: How often do you change drum heads on tour, how long does it take you, and can you explain your tuning methods?

SDM: What country has been the hardest to find replacement gear in?

Mike: I necessarily change heads when I feel it is time to do so. Once every three shows or once a week depending how hard the drummer hits or how well the heads hold up. Depending on how much abuse the drum head received during its use when being played. I typically do this after I inspect the head for damage (dings, dents, wrinkles). I then use a heat gun (may be purchased at any department store) to restore the head back to its almost original look and sound. This is performed by taking out the damage done to the head. NOTE: When using a heat gun, just be careful you don’t touch the head and melt the plastic. After I use a heat gun a few times and the head is virtually non tunable, I then simply discard it and replace it with a brand new head. It generally takes just me a few minutes to change a head.

Mike: Spain.

My tuning methods include: 1) A tap test: While holding it in one hand and tapping on top of the head with a finger on the other hand, to hear if the head has a live resonating capability. This is how you distinguish a live head from a dead one (a live head resonates, a dead head does not). 2) Cracking the glue: (optional) Hold the head in both hands and vertically up and down while rotating it clockwise. Start pinching the edge of the head on the elbow curve from the rim, crunching it and breaking the glue seal. 3) Seating the head: Place the head evenly on the drum shell, making sure it is sitting on the shell properly. If the head is uneven you will have an inconsistent sound when striking the head after you have tightened it into place. So make sure it is seated properly, being even on all sides! 4) Stretching the heads: Once the heads are put on, I typically like to have the heads stretch naturally while the drummer is playing. If I start having issues with the sound of the head resonating improperly, I will pull the drums off the kit, place the drum on the floor on a towel, and put my knee into the top of the head applying pressure while holding the rim. If necessary (out of the box), I will also stretch a head right away because sometimes it is essential in achieving good results during the tuning process. SDM: Who gave the best live performance you have ever watched, and what made it so? Mike: I have seen many drummers play and put on amazing performances, but the most amazing individual and instrumentalist I have seen perform in my time was Buddy Rich. Buddy was clearly a natural. He had some amazing tricks up his sleeve. Nobody played like Buddy, and nobody ever will. He was an explosive drummer with attitude, speed, absolute power, and total control. R.I.P. BUDDY RICH.

SDM: If the drummer you are working with is not headlining, how fast can you set up and tear down the kit? Mike: It really depends on how much equipment the drummer is carrying on the tour. It also depends how much time the stage manager has allotted you to get your equipment off the stage. I would say anywhere from setup 5 to 15 minutes, and tear down 15 to 30 minutes tops. SDM: Do you have any strange/funny stories about any particular drummer that you can share with us? Mike: Well... once upon a time, there was this drummer named Tomas Haake who plays with Meshuggah, and he was feeling kinda sluggish on a tour we were doing with the band Ministry. Tomas was experiencing difficulties playing and wanting to go to sleep because he was taking sleeping pills before hitting the stage. Now the thing is... Tomas is not a drug addict! He simply thought he was taking Ibuprofen, but didn’t know he was taking Tylenol P.M., a sleeping aid pill. He thought they were just pain pills, and in the process didn’t read the label. Oops! When he realized he was taking these silly lil’ sleep aid pills we all had a good laugh! SDM: For someone looking to become a road tech, what can they do to break into the scene and get constant work? Mike: Hmmm... I would have to say: go hang out at the back door of your local venue, and try to meet some of the road crew or band members on the tour at the show, or venue employees, to either get a job at the venue or get on a national tour with a national act touring band. Now, when meeting people of this sort, just be yourself and try not to be annoying. I’m sure if you’re cool, they will gladly be cool. Also, keep in mind, these people are working, and you wouldn’t want somebody bugging you at work. Good luck! SDM: Who is your favorite drummer? Mike: Too many favorite drummers to mention, but I will say I really enjoy touring with all the drummers I have worked with. They have all been very kind, and treated me with a real sense of respect and integrity.

SDM: For the up and coming drummer with little touring experience, what can you offer as advice to be prepared for the road? Mike: Attitude Not Aptitude: I would have to say you really need to learn how to create compatibility and be able to get along with everyone. I don’t care how great of a musician you are... if you can’t get along with the people you are on tour with, you can forget being able to tour.

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Tomas Haake! meshuggah feature Dirk VERBEUREN! soilwork

peter wildoer darkane’s stickman

andy taylor

drummer for diskreet

luke dumke

of the informant

alex bent

interview

cory pierce - god forbid ray herrera - fear factory

and much more... 34

OBC Same as issue 1