Full Transcript for Episode One: Drummer Brian Tichy (Gene Simmons, Billy Idol, Slash) Speaks About His New Project Led By Vultures

00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:32.480 So I just kind of looked at it like I'm gonna get this finished by the end of the summer, you know, and it didn't get completed till pretty much the end of the year, and then you have to set up putting the record out and getting all that together, but you know, the mixing and mastering, but but yeah, just uh I I don't know if it was an obsession. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:49.920 It was just a if it says that maybe I maybe I did say that, but it it was just more like a a drive to complete something you know you can complete and you really don't want to keep looking back and look at this unfinished idea and this goal that you've you know you can do and you just haven't done, you know. 00:06:50.639 --> 00:07:02.480 One of the things that I hear a lot of that you're really locked in being you you being a drummer, but also being a multi-instrumentalist, I can really hear the grooves lock in with the drums on this particular album. 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:20.160 And one another thing that I heard, especially with the second song at the beginning of that, I heard this cavernous sound with the drums, kind of like what John Bonham used in when the levee breaks, uh, this big sound as opposed to something that might have been sounded you know more thin and isolated. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:26.399 Um Yeah, well there's uh there's a bunch of different sounds on the record, but it's all organic. 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:49.199 And I think the song you're talking about is is uh the second video I put out called Massivity, and once I had the guitar riff, it just made it just seemed clear that it should be a really big, simple drum sound and really take advantage of you know, the room and distant micing and and all that. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:56.800 And uh yeah, that that song in particular just seemed to be written with that being very evident, you know. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:08.639 There's some other songs that might be sort of close to that, but that probably is the one where I wanted to really make that heard without even having to you know question it. 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:48.000 The other thing is like this record in particular, and like a lot of records coming out with hard rock bands, they still understand and adhere to the album or the the art of making an album, where there's an A side, a B side, especially with Vital coming back nowadays, and um even that's uh in some ways, but there's that division now, and then there's that track listing, the way the band that wants you to hear a particular record, and there's a special sequencing as opposed to somebody who might just put on an iPod and just uh shuffle every release they have or every uh MP3 they have on the on their iPhone or iPad or whatever. 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:56.159 And it seems like a lot now bands are really adhering to the art of making a particular album and not just a simple collection of songs. 00:08:56.559 --> 00:09:04.320 Yeah, I I guess now it's still there

is that sort of maybe a bit of a resurgence in that way of thinking. 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:12.559 Uh and there's also the more modern way, but put out singles and not be super concerned with the big full record. 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:25.120 But I grew up on that, and I've just been a fan of that's just how I grew up and thought it should be, and still feel that way, even though I totally get it's a different time and era now. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:38.159 Um but yeah, and I knew I was gonna put out vinyl and CD, so I wasn't thinking of while making the record, I wasn't thinking this song should go there, there, you know, on this side or that side. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:45.840 But I guess as it got developed, it became clear, you know, this could be a good leadoff song, this might be better towards the end. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:51.600 So yeah, I was probably thinking about just because I like that is the big picture of an LP. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:53.840 And the only sucky thing is I did 12 songs. 00:09:53.919 --> 00:10:10.559 I I was in it, I guess, yeah, now I'm thinking back, I was gonna do 10 because I looked at it like five to five and you know on each side, but I had ended up with 12, and uh I had to leave two of the songs off and rearrange the record just for space's sake. 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:16.960 I couldn't do it in the order I wanted and make it fit on both sides, so I had to kind of twist the order a bit. 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:24.720 Uh, but but the C D is the 12-song order that I wanted if it could fit all on an LP. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:32.559 I grew up buying records and sitting there with the headphones on, cranking records, or you know, playing drums to records, and then and that was where it all started. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:37.360 So you know, even my dad had records, you know, it was all about the LP, the vinyl. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:52.639 And um I like hearing, I guess if you like a band or like a song you hear and you you want to dig into them more, it's pretty it just makes sense to me that there's a bigger picture than just one song, uh, especially if you like a band. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:56.799 Oh, I want to get this record and hear the whole big picture of where they're at and what they're doing. 00:10:56.879 --> 00:11:06.159 And and uh would kind of suck if it was only a couple singles and you had to wait however long to hear the next batch of music or the next single. 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:16.720 Yeah, I just I like the whole picture of this is where a band's out, this is what they focused on and sound like at this point in time, and and uh yeah, I've I've always always thought that way. 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:20.480 So just in making this, it was always gonna be that. 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:31.440 Speaking of which, when I listen to the album on a great album when I listened to it on a really good stereo, I could definitely hear that there's a lot of body to this particular sound. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:35.679 It's not adhering to the whole loudness war, nor is it uh overly compressed. 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:42.480 I mean, there was a lot of dynamics to it that tend to be missing from a lot of bands or a lot of albums these days. 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:44.080 Oh, that's yeah. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:51.919 Well, I guess because you can push and overcompress and still, you know, and things are louder than they used to be. 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:55.600 You know, I I understand it, that that's where people want to go. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:12:03.679 But uh and it's also, you know, digital recording, there's just more options for mixing, recording, mastering digitally now. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:09.840 But but uh I wanted to record it organically and have it sound organic and just sound like real instruments. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:31.360 And uh I didn't, you know, I I think I I noticed that a lot of new rock bands when they're mixed, and you listen to the mix, it sounds like that the high-end of the you know, the cymbals, uh that part of the drum set kind of gets tucked in the back a bit, and um so there's more room for high-end and stuff on vocals, but I've never thought like that. 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:37.840 I just look at the drums as one big instrument and get the drum sound where I like it, and then work around that. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:48.240 And that's sort of how I felt you know, older recordings were where you can hear the clarity and detail of cymbals and not not just the the punch of drums. 00:12:48.399 --> 00:13:02.799 I'd like to hear the resonance of the whole kit around itself, and it's kind of fun for me to work like that and try to see if I can keep that while all the other instruments are added and vocals and you get in a mixing. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:05.840 It's nice if you that's a it's a challenge, but it's fun. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:13.679 I love I love that side of recording, is you know, you hear a pic picture in your head of what you want it to be and try and get there while you're making it. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:18.000 And within that, yeah, it's I don't really know how to do modern stuff anyways. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:21.600 I treat the the computer recording, the Pro Tools and stuff. 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:25.039 I kind of just treat like a faster two-inch. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:37.279 I like when I can get a sound on my own and retain that sound all the way to the end of a mix, and and I go, yeah, those are my drums, that's how I tune them, that's how I mic'd them, that's how I hit them, that's how I mixed them. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:59.759 You know, I I as opposed to nowadays you can really do a lot with in the studio to accentuate all different aspects of the sounds of drums and or a mix in general, but I don't really have that at my hands, and I kinda I don't really care because I still put on my favorite records that were made organically back in the 70s, and I love those sounds. 00:13:59.919 -->

00:14:05.759 There's still new bands I I love and I love the sound of their mixes for for the style they are. 00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:08.399 If it fits the style of the band, that's great, you know. 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:14.960 But uh for what I'm doing, I really just like to keep it as organic as possible. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:16.240 Absolutely. 00:14:16.480 --> 00:14:38.000 That was uh you know, I've I've heard about guys going into studios and they record everything on Pro Tools, but they actually go find themselves a vintage reel to reel somewhere or an old reel reel, or sometimes even a cassette deck, to where they can warm up the sound a little bit and take a let away a little bit of the digital harshness and and that kind of glues everything together in the mix. 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:49.279 Um, you hear about people using like when they want to compress the bass drum, they'll use a tape simulator, and that that's kind of a way to give it uh some people have told me that's kind of a way to give it uh less harsh. 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:49.679 Right. 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:58.159 Yeah, that that's that's all you know, some people record into Pro Tools and then put it through two-inch tape back into Pro Tools or the Safe Similars. 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:16.559 There's the simulators and are great, and there's a lot of great plugins, you know, all that there's that's you know, when I upgrade my studio rig, I will definitely get into that kind of stuff, see if you know that sounds fun, it sounds like it would work, and I just haven't uh I'm not there yet. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:34.480 But um but yeah, it's it those are the great options about this this age of recording, is that you can literally do stuff that will make it get closer to the old school sounds, but still have the be able to work in a modern way. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:35.679 It's definitely great. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:38.559 Especially now with yeah, the tape simulators. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:45.919 I have uh Pro Tools and use Waves and I have IK and there's all types of different um different tape machines. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:53.600 You can have the I Abbey Road clone, you can have channel strips, they're like SSL to other vintage, there's Eddie Kramer stuff, there's all this neat stuff. 00:15:53.679 --> 00:16:03.679 Now, granted, I won't be using all of that, but I thought it was pretty cool to use because at one point, years and years ago, I was kind of into recording stuff, but kind of uh left that in light of more journalism type stuff. 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:08.320 Yeah, all that stuff is great, and that that's when I when I upgrade my rig, I'll have all that. 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:15.279 But over the years, as I see new things coming out, I'm like, I gotta I gotta I gotta bump it up, man, because I want to get into that. 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:22.159 But you know, yeah, this record is really you know as basic as possible in it as far as the recording. 00:16:22.240

--> 00:16:27.600 It's literally stick mics in front of amps, stick mics in front of drums, mic in front of your voice, or you know. 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:31.120 Usually I do the bass direct, but sometimes I'll make up an amp. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:32.480 But it's that that's really it. 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:38.799 Put it all together and start doing your, you know, use your ears and EQ and compress and maybe a little bit of herb or delay here and that. 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:40.080 It's real real basic. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:47.440 There's not much uh um there's not much going on like as far as over-the-top production at all. 00:16:47.759 --> 00:17:05.519 Yeah, that's it really boils down to the music because I've known a lot of bands that they can't figure out how many guitars to put on the album, how many synthesizers to put down, and it seems like the material just kind of suffers because of that, but it's best just to go in and say, Yeah, I'm just gonna mic this and that's it. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:06.720 We're gonna hit the recording. 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:27.759 Yeah, I you know, that's that's what it's good to have a producer that can kind of see your goal and vision and and work with you on it and keep it organized and offer you know suggestions for valid reasons and you know, to help a band along the way if they're not really knowing which way to go with it with the whole recording process. 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:29.599 And it's definitely cool. 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:40.880 I I I think I kind of I've been doing this so long, and I'm such a fan of listening to music from all angles, and um not just as a you know a drummer or whatever. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:18:01.119 Um I kind of been paying attention and taking notes for a long time on how records are made, whether it's older stuff or modern stuff, and just listen and watch stuff on different producers and engineers and how they'll either mic something or how many, how many guitar tracks, or how they'll do whatever the drums. 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:14.720 Yeah, you know, there's there's it's all it's all great stuff to to listen to and learn from and incorporate, you know, back to like, oh, how did they mic up drunk hits in the 70s, this band to that band, or how are they doing guitars in the 80s, how is how are people doing stuff now? 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:17.200 It's all it's all great to learn from. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:21.359 And and then, but for me in on this record, it starts real simple. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:51.359 It's really, if it's a rock guitar song, it's gonna have a drum track, and I'm gonna know if I want it to be roomy and big or a little tighter or whatever, and and but I also usually know, well, I'm gonna have the main rhythm guitar track doubled and panned left and right, and um have a bass and vocals on tops, and maybe there's some percussion, maybe there's some harmonies, you know, vocal harmonies, or maybe there's some guitar added bits, or you know, but I

kind of hear it in my head and and I stick to that most times. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:19:03.119 But if a song, if there's a song that has room for, oh, throw a third guitar down the middle or middle or or EQ a guitar differently for a different color to mix in to give a little more power to a chorus. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.200 It's kind of like, you know, should I put a tambourine here? 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:06.319 Should I put a shaker here? 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:08.480 Should I do a double vocal here? 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:11.359 Should I um put a lower harmony or higher? 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:13.200 Should I double the you know the harmonies? 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:14.720 You can you know, it's all fun stuff. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:41.519 You just start thinking back to your your Beatles and Queen and Zeppelin and you know, all the you know, those records up to modern stuff, and you just kind of look at what you're doing, and I guess it's it would be easy to second guess and overanalyze and spend way too much time bugging out on what may work best or better, but I try to keep it simple in my head, like it's not jumping out at me as the way to do the song, you know, how how to record it. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:52.799 If I if I can't really hear it in my head, and I'll or I'll or I'll be in the process of doing something and go, yeah, this is this sounds cool, but there's sounds like I could add something or you know, take something away. 00:19:52.880 --> 00:20:07.680 And and I guess that's the producer mindset, which I guess if I'm doing this on my own and on the producer of it, I have to have uh I have to have my head wrapped around it enough to not sit here and spend five years trying to make a few songs, you know. 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:14.799 Well, have you even thought, I mean, I know it's way, way, way too early right now, but have you even thought about the possibility of doing a follow-up? 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:17.119 Yeah, I'll I'm gonna continue. 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:22.400 This was this was like sort of paving a road now that I can ride smoothly down. 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:33.519 You know, you I got this the band together, the record together, and it's out, and uh there's now it's just yeah, I can I will continue. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:36.079 And uh I don't know exactly when. 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:45.359 I it's I if I have song ideas, I'll start recording, but uh as far as a plan of when to release release another record, uh I don't know yet. 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:58.880 I would just I would assume next year I'd be trying to kind of keep working on this and get a band together and play out a bit and and uh throughout the year write and record and see where I'm at towards the end of next year with with a follow-up. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:01.920 Absolutely. 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:03.920 Well, let's go back a little bit. 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:15.279 Um you were with Zach Wilde's first big project, Pride and Glory, and then you were with Gilby Clark, the former Dozin Roses guitarist with uh rubber at a couple albums. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:20.880 That was a time when rock music had pretty much went downhill. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:34.000 It was, you know, like they said in the book, uh nothing but a good time, a lot of rock and roll, and the hair metal people were kind of considered the class nerds, but you were persevering with a lot of these artists and and whatnot. 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:35.279 What was kind of the vibe like? 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:43.440 Because I know with with Pride and Glory it was a great record and everybody was all hailing it, especially with you know with Zach Wilde being from Aussie and everything. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:49.680 But what was kind of like the vibe like for a musician that wanted to play rock music in the in the mid to late nineties? 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:53.519 Oh I I thought it was all great, you know. 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:59.759 Um I didn't have I I liked so much of the I liked so much music that was coming out then. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:09.039 And I and it sounds like you're you're kind of talking about the difference between like the 80s rock or what you know, hair metal versus grunge kind of did into new metal. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:14.960 But I l absolutely loved the whole grunge movement. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:27.599 I loved how it just was a little darker and it was more real, and it was it was just MTV in the 80s and the whole whatever, whatever, hair, the whole hair metal, butt rock, whatever, all that kind of thing. 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:34.319 It was getting really corporate and bands were cookie-cutter-ish, you know, to sound look a certain way. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:44.240 Not to say there wasn't great songs put out, because there was a lot of great songs, singles that we hear to this day, they're still like, yeah, that's that's it's a great song. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:59.359 But the whole image and presentation of a band was seen to be like a one-way street with but by the time the 90s came, I mean that the the biggest bands were still thriving, whether it was you know Metallica, and I know they're they're metal and stuff, but they just kept getting bigger, and Guns N' Roses was always huge. 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:21.359 And um but uh yeah, I you know Zach was the whole pride and glory thing was a bit uh make a little bit of a southern influence that Zach was incorporating into that, and we like to jam a lot live, so we were really we weren't fitting in with anything, but you still had I mean you had Stone Temple Pilots, which I guess were put into the grunge world as we're Smashing Pumpkins. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:50.079 But if you think about like what grunge is and you listen to their songs, you're like to me, it sounds like you know, I hear a lot of Zeppelin and STP, and I hear great choruses and a really killer-sounding band that it doesn't matter when they came out, they sounded they were

they sounded great, and uh Smashing Pumpkins were doing their thing, they sound like themselves, and even you know, I guess like even God Smack came out in the late 90s, and maybe like Allison changes, but they're you know heavy guitar-driven, powerful kind of hard rock metal or whatever. 00:23:50.160 --> 00:24:01.039 But uh yeah, I mean music goes through changes, and especially when the the the 80s stuff was really getting uh was sort of water watered down, you know. 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:18.480 Like I can't I can't say there wasn't good songs, you know, like I said already, there there was, but yeah, there's just so many bands coming out and so much you know, because there were so many major labels then people are getting signed, there was deals, there was MTV, video budgets, tour budgets, there was all that, you know, tour support and all that kind of stuff was happening. 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:19.599 So it made sense. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:25.440 Let's get bands that kind of you know, new bands that kind of resemble bands that are big now and see if we can get these bands big, you know. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:26.960 But yeah, it definitely changed. 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:41.039 But I know I had a great time in the in the in the 90s playing with the slasher snake bit stuff, was right out of pride and glory, and that's how I met Gilby and I started playing with Foreigner in 98 in 1998, which was nothing to do with anything that we're talking about. 00:24:41.119 --> 00:24:51.279 They were their own thing, which was I grew up on them, so it was a lot of fun to you know, I did a couple years of them at that point and then went to uh Aussie in 2000, then into Billy Idol for a bunch of years. 00:24:51.440 --> 00:25:00.799 So yeah, I was I've had I didn't come from like an 80s band that was riding high on some kind of success from the 80s that got affected in the 90s. 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:01.839 I had nothing to do with that. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:12.559 I was maybe a little younger, and but I was also in the late eight the late 80s getting into different music, whether it was the you know, Living Color and the Chili Peppers and Jane's Addiction and uh and then a lot of the Seattle stuff. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:16.160 I was just getting turned in heavier stuff, like not just the Seattle thing. 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:20.559 I was getting into that because I still went back to like Sabbath and Zeppelin and all the 70s stuff. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:26.799 Everybody had their own sound and image and look, and it was hard to uh mistake them. 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:33.039 You know, it's like Sabbath is Sabbath, and they're not Queen, and Queen is and they're all killer, and they all sound like themselves. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:41.200 You know, you can't mistake the Who for Aerosmith or whatever, you know, just whether it was the production and the portrayal of the bands, you know, and how they presented themselves. 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:48.079 Everybody had their own thing, and I guess I got a little ward watered down in the 80s where for obvious reasons, which I get, but but yeah, that didn't affect me. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:50.559 So I was just in I was I was all good. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:51.440 It was all cool. 00:25:51.759 --> 00:26:10.880 Yeah, I think the reason I kind of mentioned stuff like that is because I worked at a corporate record store in the 90s, and it seemed like that what what the record industry was mostly pushing besides the hard stuff were your kind of lighter bands or slicker bands like Matchbox 20 and Third Eye Blind and Marcy Playground and Dave Matthews band and stuff like that. 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:17.680 It just seemed like that was, at least where where I was working at the time, it it was the the type of music that most people were into at that time. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:29.359 Yeah, they were they were yeah, like that was a you know more radio friendly kind of stuff and maybe not hard rock, but but uh the same in every decade, you know. 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:36.640 There's some 80s, 80s stuff where it's kind of maybe rockin', but it's more on the poppy side, you know what I mean? 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:44.319 It's not like uh looked at like a fan and hairspray and leather or whatever, but they still have you know a rock side, but they're more poppy. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:27:16.720 You know, there's there's always various things going on in in every decade, but uh I know I know what you mean, but uh I think maybe sometimes people try to pigeonhole it into like one one way it was, but I I didn't um I mean geez, it was like Skid Skid Row was big and they were going, they were taking out Soundgarden and Pantera and Guns of Rose was taking out Soundgarden, you know, there was a lot of that, you know, Faith Memoir was coming up and they were out with those, you know, bands that were maybe associated with the 80s more. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:18.960 So I thought that was all great, you know. 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:23.119 It's it's it's just uh you can't predict what's gonna happen. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:29.759 And I think no matter where what era you're in, there's gonna be bands that are you know kind of jumping on bandwagons. 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:33.039 There's and then there's bands that are you know leading the way. 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:34.240 And it's just how it goes. 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:43.839 You know, for all types of music now that's uh out there on the various labels. 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:45.839 But the thing is, this is how rock is now. 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:47.119 You don't hear it on the radio. 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:56.319 There I don't think even MTV exists, but you got YouTube, you could watch a playlist, you could watch, you could make your own playlist in that case to watch videos. 00:27:56.559 --> 00:27:58.720 But yeah, I mean it rock is still going strong. 00:27:59.440 --> 00:27:59.759 I guess so. 00:28:00.799 -->

00:28:06.480 I I guess I don't really pay attention to the mainstream and just not super concerned with it. 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:19.279 But then I look at who's in the stadiums and I see Metallica, Foo Fighters, Guns N' Roses, ACDC, you know what I mean, or the the bigger venues seem to have bands that are hard rock. 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:20.160 You know what I mean? 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:21.359 They're still out there doing it. 00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:25.279 Still those those bands are still doing great business, and I think it's awesome. 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:40.160 And the fact that you're hearing about Eddie Trunk, who um is literally broadcasting saying that the CD buying public or the music buying public, whether it's on CDs, LPs, or even digital downloads, people are starting to buy music again, which is a good sign. 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:45.279 And you're seeing a lot of these rock bands uh make it really high on the billboard charts. 00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:57.039 And even though maybe streaming services and the way people buy music now has uh changed that, but it shows it goes to show that yeah, there's a lot of people still interested in buying music and still have fans out there. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:11.519 But looking at some of the artists that you've worked with over um over the years, like Whitesnake and and Tommy Shaw, Jack Blades, and Ozzy and stuff, what has been some of the big highlights of some of these artists? 00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:18.400 Because I know that I've seen that you've also played gigs with Gene Simmons and that you've actually been on tour with Vinny Moore over the years. 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:22.640 Vinnie Moore is back in 91-92, a long time ago. 00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:39.680 And Gene Simmons has been three years now, but that's kind of my main thing that we've been doing for a few years, and uh yeah, which is which is great because the first first band I grew up on was KISS, and uh so it's nice to kind of come full circle and play the songs I grew up on with with the founder of the band and stuff. 00:29:39.759 --> 00:29:41.599 And he's he's a great guy, and we have a lot of fun. 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:44.400 So we do yeah, we're doing a lot of shows the rest of the year. 00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:50.000 We've and this year we've had a bunch, we have a lot coming up next year, so that's super cool. 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:55.440 And uh no, I uh all the experiences have been 35 something years now. 00:29:55.519 --> 00:30:09.599 It's but most of it's been all great experiences as far as it you know being a drummer that you know you get into a band that's established and you have to make that band sound good, make everybody happy, and carry that torch and play music that you you're a fan of and you grew up on. 00:30:09.680 --> 00:30:14.079 It's all all been cool, but so it um on different levels. 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:18.240 You know, Vinny Moore was a long time ago and that was clubs, but it was such a blast. 00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:26.799 We had so much fun six nights a week, months and months around the country, which included two weeks opening up for Rush, which was just you know amazing. 00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:35.920 Like all those are amazing experiences back then, and you know, going into Pride and Glory, going to Europe and Japan with Zach for the first time. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.119 You know, I'd never been there before. 00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:38.240 That was that was all cool. 00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:51.519 And jumping in with Slash, like I think that just go down the list, you know, into Foreigner, you know, those are records I had as a kid, Ozzy's a legend, and Billy Idol, a bunch of years with him, and writing him with him was a lot of fun, great, great memories. 00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:54.960 And yeah, Whitesnake 2 after that, and Jeff Tate. 00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:56.799 I've been doing some stuff with Michael Shanker. 00:30:56.960 --> 00:31:02.640 It's like these are all like legendary people that we've known, some of them since the 70s, you know, and the 80s. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:04.000 And it's all been really cool. 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:11.759 You know, I've gotten to record and do a couple like a corporate show and a benefit show with Steven Tyler, and one of them, Joe Perry, was playing as well. 00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:19.839 It's like those are all to get to a point where somehow your name gets into being able to be considered to do those things is is awesome. 00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:21.359 You know, and I hope it continues. 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:26.720 And it was it was nice to start doing stuff with with uh Gene Simmons in 2024. 00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:30.000 Because you know, you never know what's around the corner in this business. 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:34.799 It's it's it can be up and down all the time, and you never know what might come up next. 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:39.440 So all of a sudden, you know, you get the opportunity to play the gene and he's happy. 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:40.720 Keep doing stuff together. 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:43.039 It's cool because it ties into my life. 00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:53.440 I I don't care if it's you know, uh at this point for as long as I've done stuff, I don't really care what anybody thinks about it could unless I'm happy. 00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.079 You know what I mean? 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:57.839 If I'm happy doing it and it's all cool for me, and then that's good. 00:31:57.920 --> 00:32:01.920 You know, it's my my life, and I want to do stuff that makes me makes me happy. 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:06.000 So yeah, I've had so many great memories and just hope it continues. 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:09.759 What would you, you know, what does it take to become a band that gets signed? 00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:11.200 And to me, that's a scary question. 00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:25.759 I mean, I'm obviously a podcaster and I'm a formal former writer and journalist, but what

would you say, what advice would you give to anybody uh that wants to become a session musician, wants to be as an artist and whatnot? 00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:32.799 I mean, what would you say, you know, what what type of would you you just have to want it more than anything else? 00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:34.240 Uh yeah, that's the main thing. 00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:38.799 You you want to start a band or you want to get into an established band or you want to be a studio musician. 00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:54.480 Whatever it is, you have to have the the passion and love and desire to practice your instrument and get to a point where you're at a level where you can get into those situations and kick ass, and you can't expect stardom, fame, money, all that stuff. 00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:56.720 If that's the goal, that's a little different. 00:32:56.880 --> 00:33:01.839 I'd only know that I started playing drums and you know guitar and stuff because I loved it. 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:04.319 And I didn't know how I was gonna do anything with it. 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:06.799 I just knew I would was gonna try. 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:11.920 And I'd say now this day, I used to say, get out and play, like you know, get out and play wherever and people see you. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:16.400 It doesn't matter if one piece person sees you or a thousand, it one person can make a difference. 00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:19.519 But now it's like you can you know get yourself out there online as well. 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:23.039 People get gigs from being seen playing online. 00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:30.559 It's it sometimes can be that simple, but just because it can be that simple doesn't mean it's gonna go that way for everybody at all. 00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:32.160 And you also have to just be cool. 00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:38.000 You know, meet people, and if you you know if you have an ego or a weird attitude, that's it's never really good. 00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:57.200 And if you're obsessed with trying to think you need to get paid what some amount that isn't being offered, and it's like, well, you know, you gotta you gotta pay your duties, you gotta get in and prove yourself, and even if you have a a resume, a good track record, that doesn't mean every offer is gonna keep increasing. 00:33:57.440 --> 00:34:20.000 It's always about you know where you are in the moment, where you're at in your life, and what opportunities come up and what you think what works for you and the pros and cons of if I take this gig or this, you know, if I get this and I commit to this, whatever the deal is, for this long, for this much money, blah blah blah, you know, is that something I want to d do now or do I want to maybe not dedicate that much time to this? 00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:31.679 So there's all these things that just come along and you can't you can't really uh there's no one answer until you're actually there doing it, and it's all so much of it is about the individual. 00:34:31.840 --> 00:34:33.519 You know, what do you have going on in your life? 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:40.400 But but to get there, to get the opportunities, the the first thing is you gotta you gotta practice, focus, and play what you love. 00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:45.679 Being well-rounded definitely doesn't hurt at all to open up more opportunities. 00:34:45.920 --> 00:34:57.920 But if you're playing one certain way, you know, and that's your thing, well, that might be all it takes because I don't need to hear Angus Young play any other way than how he plays. 00:34:58.079 --> 00:34:58.559 Perfect. 00:34:58.639 --> 00:34:59.280 It's amazing. 00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:00.320 That's his thing. 00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:02.719 I don't need to hear if he can play different styles. 00:35:02.880 --> 00:35:03.599 I I don't care. 00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:09.920 You know, he's he's in a one of the biggest bands ever, he's one of the most badass guitar players and does his thing his way. 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:13.599 And he's been improving that for a ridiculously long time. 00:35:13.840 --> 00:35:19.920 So so if you want to be a jack of all trades and be able to get into different studio sessions, that's great. 00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:24.800 If you just play the way you play, well, then that that also can work out to your advantage. 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:30.639 There's no corners that can be cut to get to a place that you want to get to. 00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:34.480 Sometimes hard work combined with a little luck can can work out. 00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:36.960 But I think the main thing is just people, people talking. 00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:44.320 It doesn't matter in in what capacity, like if they saw you online or saw you live, you know, in a little club or wedding band, it doesn't matter. 00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:47.679 If there's something that somebody sees, that can get a door open. 00:35:47.840 --> 00:35:53.360 But you can't get frustrated if things don't happen in however much time you think they should happen. 00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:56.079 It's it's it's not about that, it's about a love of doing it. 00:35:56.159 --> 00:36:00.800 And every step of the way, anything you do is positive progress. 00:36:00.960 --> 00:36:09.199 You know, anytime you play out, anytime somebody says one little nice thing about how you play, or that just increases those chances of you getting other opportunities. 00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:13.199 So you just have to you have to be a lifer, as far as I can see. 00:36:13.360 --> 00:36:15.519 You know, that's uh that's how I always looked at it. 00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:20.719 Yeah, that's the you're gonna miss the meals, you're gonna it's a little bit wrong. 00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:46.719 There's no guarantees because you usually hear from success stories what they did, what their stories are, and and that's great to listen to and learn from, but that does not mean just because Eddie Van Halen did it this way, or maybe not somebody as big

as like the world's biggest guitar player, but somebody in a a big band that has many years of success doing their own thing and written some songs everybody loves and all that. 00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:55.039 If you listen to what they did, that doesn't mean if you do what they did, you know, are they are you writing songs as good as them? 00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:58.800 Do you have maybe a they might have a certain charisma about them? 00:36:58.880 --> 00:37:00.239 You know, there's all those factors. 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:09.360 Because if you could, if it was just as if it was as easy as saying I'm gonna work really hard, then everybody would be finding success all the time. 00:37:09.599 --> 00:37:14.239 And but you'll never know until you try, and then it's up to you. 00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:16.480 And you may never get to the place you want to go. 00:37:16.719 --> 00:37:23.840 The goal is your own band selling out Madison Square Art, and you sell 10 million records, or that's great, that's a lofty goal. 00:37:23.920 --> 00:37:36.639 And but you might not get there, but you might get to a place where you're taking care of yourself and you're a pro musician and you're doing you know, you have your own band or you're in bands and or you're in studio, you know, in a studio scene, and you won't know until you get there how you feel about it. 00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:37.840 That's why you gotta keep trying. 00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:45.039 You know, push, or or if it's not for you. 00:37:47.360 --> 00:37:47.679 Yeah. 00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:51.280 So in the final closing, what else do you have planned at the moment? 00:37:52.239 --> 00:37:58.000 Uh no, the main thing isn't playing doing the drum stuff with Gene Simmons, you know. 00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:02.159 We have like I said, we have a lot of gigs coming up into next year and all that. 00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:14.960 And uh when I'm when I have time in between Gene, uh I play with George Lynch and his uh you know, Lynch mob band, and so it all he doesn't like tour steadily or anything. 00:38:15.039 --> 00:38:17.599 He you know goes here, you know, here and there, a little increments. 00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:20.880 So if I'm my schedule's open, then I I'll do that with him. 00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:25.920 You know, I think I have like five or six gigs with them next starting next week, and then I go straight to a gene gig. 00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:29.920 Um then there might be a couple more of George at the end of November and stuff. 00:38:30.159 --> 00:38:33.280 So yeah, just that's those are kind of the main things I'm doing on drums. 00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:39.599 And um and then outside of that, yeah, just working on the led by vultures record and getting this out there. 00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:40.800 All right then. 00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:45.360 Well, thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to be uh interviewed for this show. 00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:49.039 Again, you are the very first guest on the very first episode. 00:38:49.280 --> 00:38:57.440 I can't thank you enough for putting some trust in me to interview or to you know to interview you for this uh for this particular episode. 00:38:57.760 --> 00:38:59.199 All right, yeah, oh cool. 00:38:59.599 --> 00:39:00.079 Thank you. 00:39:13.519 --> 00:40:52.800 Check out the same.