How would you describe your music for people who don’t know you?
I would say a cross between Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Muse and Franz Ferdinand.
You’ve been getting a load of tracks recorded and put out there recently – are you proud of them?
Definitely. I am aware that the production in terms of sound could have been better (it is always a budget thing), but I think the EP is pretty damn good! Very proud of it! It is not a coincidence that it is called ”Too Proud to Say Loud”!
What would you like to do before the end of 2012?
I would like to see my band going forward, make a video clip for ”Clock Moves Forward”, play good gigs, get a following (which is already happening), and land some good support slots! Maybe record/release another single too, and find the time to write more music! So maybe getting management should be a good option as ”managing” the band doesn’t leave me any spare time at the moment! 24 hours per day are just not enough.
What made you get into music?
As I mentioned before… Nirvana was a big influence in my teenage years! Nirvana, combined with the family of my teenage love, my first ever girlfriend Miss Cornelia, made me get into music. Her mother was a singer and her dad a guitarist. Her mother actually convinced my parents to buy me my first drum kit. I loved being around them, spending time with them, they were taking me to their rehearsals and I was loving it! The musical world was exciting me and I kind of felt that this world was where I belonged.
Who’s your ultimate icon and how have they influenced you?
Well very good question but I do not know the answer! When I was a kid I guess my icon was Kurt Cobain and Nirvana were my ultimate love!
I started learning how to play drums when I was 14 and I had loads of drummers as my icon -Ian Paice, John Bonham, Billy Cobham, Dave Weckl to mention a few. I’ve been through loads of different musical stages so I can’t really identify one icon. I’ve gone from grunge to 70’s, from 70’s to Punk, from Punk to Thrash Metal, from Thrash Metal to Jazz, from Jazz to Fusion, Classical, Experimental, Minimal and so on! Then as the years went on I got more into songwriting and I love the works of Dave Grohl (I adore the fact that he also started as a drummer and he was always a great example for me), Frank Zappa, Sting, The Police… There’s so much music out there!!
What’s the best bit about playing live?
The energy of a good band playing is something extraordinary. Performing live is a unique form of meditation. You’re just there being 100% alive, feeling every moment, interacting with the rest of a group of people that are in a similar state of mind. That’s why I love performing with great musicians. Accomplished musicians have managed to unlock this gate of mental freedom.
Which song do you wish you had written?
Queen – You Take My Breath Away.
What’s your weirdest music-related experience – it could be on tour, in the studio, a random encounter with a fan, anything!
Loads of weird things happen when playing! Difficult to choose! One incident was about two years ago. I was drumming for a quite famous ”old school” rock singer/song-writer. We ended up playing one night in this amazing venue where the stage was round. We started the gig, the venue was packed. The audience was surrounding the stage. A group of people behind me started talking to me between the songs. ”Oh, how can you coordinate your hands and feet like that?!” ”How long have you been playing?!”, they didn’t stop! And then the worst part… They started buying me shots! By the time I had finished the gig I was drunk! All the band was laughing, shouting ”Don’t! Please, no more shots to the drummer!” and then more peeps from the audience started to buy shots for the rest of the band! It was very funny. The audience wanted to get the band pissed! And they managed it!
What do you hope to do before the end of 2012?
Get some rest…
Describe yourself in three words?
Workaholic, creative and persistent.