Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:23 What's up everybody? This is Rowdy Alternative. My name is Sam and we have a special treat. Today we have Corey Cover Stone, formerly, uh, the former drummer of Dirty Honey and many other things you'll come to find out we'll be hitting on. So, uh, Corey, how you doing?
Speaker 2 00:00:39 Doing well, yeah. How are
Speaker 1 00:00:41 You? I'm doing all right. I'm doing all right. Um, alright. I, I guess let's just jump into it, man. Um, okay. So I guess let's start at the beginning. We'll hit a few bullet points here. So, uh, w what made you and around, when did you pick up the drums?
Speaker 2 00:00:57 Uh, I started playing when I was nine years old. Um, and I think what led to it was just kind of a experimentation and trial and error of being a kid and trying out sports and realizing I'm not very athletic and, uh, <laugh> things like that. Eventually, I think found, um, well I started with this. Okay. It started with that. And then my mom was very into Aerosmith. My dad was very into Van Halen. Mm-hmm. And so I would listen to that in the car with them all the time. And my dad, uh, knew a little bit about music and drumming and knew that Eddie Van Halen was something special and he would point these things out to me, you know, riding around in the car or whatever and listening to Van Halen. And, um, so I think that was like, the early awareness was sparked with just my parents and the music that they listened to.
Speaker 2 00:01:54 Um, and I think, I don't know, just my dad pointing out Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Eddie wanting to impress my dad, probably led to grabbing some pots and pans and like the classic total cliche, like I set up little, like drum sets, pseudo drum sets out of like old paint buckets and paint cans. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I would go in the garage and like jam along the music. And, and then from there my mom got me a snare drum, like a student model snare drum and like a rudiment book or whatever. And I would put on, I don't know why I did this, but I would put on like ski gloves and drums and like bang on the snare drum along for like ZZ Top and whatever. And yeah. And then it just kept going from there. They got me a little toy drum set.
Speaker 2 00:02:40 Um, and, uh, one of the coworkers of my mom back in the day, they would do like these kind of company employee potluck jam session things. There was a lot of musicians that worked there. And, uh, one guy had like an old, uh, stainless steel Ludwig Octa Plus. Okay. I dunno if you know what that is. Yeah. But it's like a sing You do. Yeah. <laugh>. Yeah. The Singlehead with Hydraulic Heads concept. Toms all like nine piece, or I guess was more than nine piece nine Toms. Um, he would bring that kit to the potluck Jam and I just thought it was like the coolest thing. And, uh, that, yeah, seeing him, his name was Wes Pores, I think he still plays. Um, um, yeah, just seeing, seeing him play and thinking the kit was cool and getting a chance. I, he was my first teacher took lessons with him and here we are.
Speaker 1 00:03:37 Yeah. I'd say it worked out for you. <laugh>
Speaker 2 00:03:41 <laugh> we're trying.
Speaker 1 00:03:42 Yeah. So, um, what pre Dirty Honey, uh, like, were, what was, when did you first like start I guess professionally playing, if that makes sense? Like if you Yeah, like for like playing, like not just as a hobby, like hop in a band, start playing shows and stuff.
Speaker 2 00:04:02 Yeah. Well, I guess there's two different answers that come to mind professionally was when I moved to LA in 2009 and started really studying with like, session players and guys that were like really making a living doing this stuff. That, and then, you know, 2010, 11 was like professional beginning of playing drums professionally in Los Angeles. Um, but before that, being a teenager, you know, like responding to Craigslist ads, <laugh>, you know, old school. Uh, old school. Yeah. I'm dating myself now. <laugh>,
Speaker 2 00:04:40 Uh, um, yeah, it, it was just that I remember the first band I joined was this punk band called Poor Boy. And it was just me responding to a Craigslist ad. They were all in their like mid twenties and I was 14 and at the time they needed a drummer and I was, I guess the best one that they had come across so far. So I played with them for, I dunno how long it was a year or two, three, something. Um, and then, yeah, various like local bands in Portland, Oregon where I'm from. Um, yeah.
Speaker 1 00:05:15 Yeah. So I guess that leads into like, how, how did you meet, uh, the guys in Dirty Honey and how'd you connect with them?
Speaker 2 00:05:22 It's just kind of a long process of being in LA for, I guess at that time I had been here like eight to 10 years or something. And, um, just gigging and networking and going out and meeting, meeting musicians eventually, um, just randomly played a gig, a country gig, um, with Justin Bass player. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, and I think we might have played a couple times together and just swapped phone numbers, kept in touch and then lost Touch for a while. And then randomly, like a few years after that, not having spoken to him at all, um, he just called me, he was like, Hey, are you available for a gig in like two days or whatever? It's says bar in Santa Monica and it's all like rock covers. It was like, hell yeah, I'm down. Like, what type of stuff do you do? He's like, oh, we do like Aerosmith, ac d c.
Speaker 2 00:06:16 I'm like, I I know all that stuff, dude. That's what I did. Fun. So it was super easy to jump right in. And, um, yeah, it was a lot of fun. So that was the first, um, sort of like introduction to those, those guys that was playing with Justin and Mark. That was when I met Mark for the first time. And that first gig we did, uh, there's actually a different guitar player. I think it was somebody filling in for John, and I didn't get to meet John until a few gigs after that. And then, yeah, we just kinda kept gigging and we would always play this place, this bar in Santa Monica. Um, what was it called? The Victorian or the, the basement in the Victorian, I don't remember. Bar on Main Street in Santa Monica. We would always play there like once or twice a week.
Speaker 2 00:07:07 And um, yeah, that was where we would like try. We'd mostly play covers, but we would try some original ideas and see how it would go over with the crowds. And, um, yeah, at that time it was still kind of original music that they had written, um, before I joined the band. And, uh, they were going by a different name at the time they were called the Shags. And so I was kind of like end of the phase of the shags. And then, uh, when I, at the time was like, all right, I'm down to do this. I'm committed, like, let's go. Then that was basically when we became Dirty Honey. And that was, you probably heard the story maybe of Mark how he came up with that name and Yeah, he just had like a hill list of names on his phone and just reading through 'em and we're like, all right. Yeah. Dirty Honey's the coolest one I guess. I dunno,
Speaker 1 00:08:07 <laugh>. Right. So would you say that, uh, when there were the shags, uh, between that and then when you joined and afterwards, was the sound different at all? Like overall, or did you con ye did you contribute like a whole new aspect to it?
Speaker 2 00:08:24 Well, I mean, the sound was very different at the time. They were kind of going for, it was a lot more like Musicy kind of. Oh, really? Like Mo a little bit more modern rock. Yeah. Like I think Justin at the, I remember him saying he was really into news and kind of wanted to pursue something along those lines. Um, and it was a little heavier. It was a little more like modern, heavier. There was a song we demoed that was in Drop D and oh, <laugh> and in, so there was like, yeah, it was, it was different for sure. Um, when the sound kind of changed to the sort of like throwback, classic rock esque thing that's happening now. Um, that was when we connected with, uh, our first, the first like industry guy that had any interest in us. We went out to Austin, I think it was Austin, yeah, I can't remember now.
Speaker 2 00:09:22 Um, we went out there to his studio and demoed some stuff and one of the songs that we demoed was, well, maybe it was the only song we demoed was When I'm Gone mm-hmm. <affirmative> and I, at the time, I had never even heard it cuz we never played it. It was just like an old, old song that they had. And, um, so that was what we ended up working on and that when I'm Gone was kind of the first thing that came out as us as Dirty Honey. Um, any recorded product for people to hear. So that was kind of, I guess being shopped around or the guy who was interested in us at the time was trying to generate more interest, um, and everybody liked that sound. So that was kind of when the, the direction shifted.
Speaker 1 00:10:10 Yeah, that's the one that pulled me in. I, I heard it and I think it was when that first album came out and I, I just immediately thought like, okay, this is like Aerosmith meets Black Crows. Like yeah, I fuck with this. <laugh>
Speaker 2 00:10:24 <laugh>. Nice.
Speaker 1 00:10:25 But, um, so like, I guess overall, and we don't have to go over the whole, like all the dirty honey things, I'm sure you've been asked it a million times all these questions, but, um, so like, was there overall with your time with the band, was there like, like I guess you could say like lessons or experiences that you had that you like, that stuck in your mind that stuck with you? Like to now like ins like specifically anything that, like you learned on the road or in the studio or anything?
Speaker 2 00:10:54 Lessons? Uh, oh man. Putting me on the spot. That's a great question. <laugh>, that's a really good question. Uh, I short answer is yes, there are <laugh> <laugh>, uh,
Speaker 1 00:11:08 I can't, you don't have to pick your brain if you don't want to. I just, man,
Speaker 2 00:11:11 No, I wanna give you something juicy. I wanna influence the pee the kids out
Speaker 1 00:11:15 There <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:11:16 I wanna say something, make the most of this is my opportunity, this is my big chance to say something
Speaker 1 00:11:21 Great. Yeah. Oh yeah. Uh, spotlights on you <laugh>,
Speaker 2 00:11:25 Man. I don't know. I want to say the first thing that comes to mind is nothing really that specific, but being on the road and around the same people in a cons in a, a small environment on a bus or in a van like we were in the beginning, um, sharing hotel rooms, not having any privacy like that alone. Um, learning to like live in those circumstances and, and get along. Um, I would say that that's the first thing that comes to mind just on off the top of my head right now is, is learning to just get along, uh, with people in a pretty tough environment, you know? Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:12:10 Like learning to adapt and stuff.
Speaker 2 00:12:13 Learning to adapt. Yeah. I mean there's <laugh>, there's some, uh, some rough patches that we had in the beginning. <laugh>,
Speaker 1 00:12:21 I could only imagine, man.
Speaker 2 00:12:22 Yeah. I mean, you know, you have like four like, I dunno, alpha type dudes like living in a van that are all like, pretty competitive, like musically and wanna <laugh> mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, like showcase their stuff. Like yeah. Shit's gonna go sideways once in a while, but yeah. Um, you'll
Speaker 1 00:12:43 Have that I guess.
Speaker 2 00:12:44 Yeah. Um, in terms of experiences, I don't know, one thing that comes to mind is, um, I mean there's the obvious I guess, like getting to meet, you know, slash and like, uh, Roger Daltry and like Jean Simmons Yeah. Getting to meet these rock stars and, uh, have conversations with some of 'em and hang out with some of 'em. And, um, that's obviously very surreal and very cool. Um, one thing that really sticks out for me, two things we have time for that. Is that cool? <laugh>? Yeah. Yeah. I dunno how long, as long as
Speaker 1 00:13:21 You have time
Speaker 2 00:13:21 For it. Yeah, yeah. No, um, what was I gonna say? One thing that comes to mind is that you get to do kind of different shit than you normally would get to do. Like, I remember one time we did an interview, it was still pretty early on, we did the interview podcast acoustic performance thing in New York, and it was in this like office building that had this archive of all these live recorded tapes starting back in the fifties. So there was like, wow. I mean, I'm a huge like, jazz nut. So there was like original tapes, like locked up in these metal cases from Coltrane Performances and Miles Davis. Wow. And like, I got to hold some of those actual tapes that had like, the handwritten stuff of like, here's the players of Tony Williams, uh, Ron Carton. I'm like, man, this is the closest I'll ever get to Tony Williams.
Speaker 2 00:14:17 Like is holding the tape that was there in the room with him that day that he performed. Like, stuff like that is pretty, pretty cool to me. Pretty special. And, um, I got to do a bit of things like that with 30 Honey. Um, and the other thing was moments when, uh, particularly like young musicians, young drummer kids would show up with their dad or whatever and be in the front row and like air drumming along <laugh> and like getting the opportunity to, at the end of the show, like reach down and hand him my sticks or something. Yeah. And just seeing the expression on his face and like seeing that that was a special moment for him and me having the opportunity to, uh, I don't know, fulfill that or, or whatever is, um, also very cool because I remember being that kid, you know? Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:15:10 I I don't think anyone grows out of that <laugh> that experience, like, to be honest with you, <laugh>. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:15:16 So those are some things that come to mind.
Speaker 1 00:15:19 Alrighty. Um, so I guess if you want to talk about it for a minute, uh, um, just like maybe a bit of the backstory of why you decided to step off, uh, dirty Honey.
Speaker 2 00:15:30 Sure. Um,
Speaker 2 00:15:35 Well, I mean, to be honest, I've never been a fan of touring, particularly tours that last over a month. Um, I'm a homebody at heart and so living on the road is, uh, something that I got used to and, and made the most of for myself and learned ways that I can enjoy it. Um, but overall it was just not, um, just kind of went against the grain of me as a person. I guess. That being said, I like if an opportunity to came up the tour for two or three weeks at a time, that would be totally game for it. It's just, um, with 30 Hunting in particular, it was, came down to the amount of touring, you know, it was like we are gone nine months solid out of the year. Plus in between tours. It was like a double-edged sword. It's like, okay, this is great.
Speaker 2 00:16:33 Like I don't have to do anything, like, work is over for a bit and I have all this free time. But it wasn't always like that because inevitably a festival show would come up that we'd have to fly to or go meet with these new producers and demo stuff. Like, we're just always traveling. Like even in your off time. Yeah. It's like something comes up and, um, I just, I don't know, I just struggled with that I guess. So that was a big part of it. And, um, I guess the re the timeline for it was just stuff I was going through personally. Um, yeah. I won't go into too much detail, but you know, my grandma Yeah. Who I was super close to passed away in November and that was the first time I'd ever lost anybody that was, um, like a, a really close family member.
Speaker 2 00:17:20 And, um, so I dunno dealing with, with all that and just, you know, right now, um, you know, they're on tour in Europe and in November that tour was coming up and I just obviously gave it a lot of thought and it wasn't an easy decision at all. Um, but that dealing with that grief and those emotions and other things I was going through personally and just, uh, I just kind of wasn't ready to go back on the road. So I didn't wanna, um, you know, uh, I dunno what I'm trying to say, drag it out or, or beat around the bush or anything. And I just decided like maybe the only option here is just to back out.
Speaker 1 00:18:04 Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:18:04 Which, um,
Speaker 2 00:18:07 Yeah, I don't know. It's, it's crazy cause it, it's, uh, like I said, it's a, it's a complicated thing for me and it's a double-edged sword because I didn't wanna like quit. Like, on one hand it was this dream come true. Like, like I said, growing up on classic rock and getting to meet some of my heroes and stuff. Got to meet Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, like I've Yeah. Watched that right here, right now, live video of those like so many times as a kid. And so in a lot of ways it felt like the most perfect like full circle position for me to be in. And I felt right at home, but at the same time, like realizing what it meant to live life on the road was not something I expected. Um, or it wasn't what I expected it to be or Yeah. So, yeah, I dunno, that's kind of the gist of it.
Speaker 1 00:18:58 Yeah. I don't think anyone could blame him, man. I, they glamorize that like tour life so much, but like when it, I just talked to so many artists that are, they just hate it, you know? Yeah. So I don't think anyone could blame you, <laugh>. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:19:12 Well I hope they don't, but I mean, uh, <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:19:14 Yeah. It's, there's always those fans out there who get all but hurted about it, but, you
Speaker 2 00:19:18 Know. Absolutely. So they fortunately haven't, uh, contacted me or anything <laugh> too much
Speaker 1 00:19:24 <laugh>. Right. Well, we could, we could, uh, let's, let's move on to, uh, your solo work. Um, sure. I went back and, um, before this interview I wanted to make sure I do, I like to do my research. Nice. But, uh, and I, I went back and listened to, um, uh, the 2014 record, wasn't it 2014, the first one
Speaker 2 00:19:44 Probably. Yeah, that sounds about right. I
Speaker 1 00:19:45 Think <laugh>, um, A human Experience. Yeah. And then I listened to, uh, yeah, then I listened to, uh, punch the Shaman. Nice. And, um, let's hit the first one first. So Totally. It's clearly a jazz record. It's
Speaker 2 00:19:59 Clearly a jazz record indeed. <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:20:01 Yeah. And that's what, that's first flag that went up with me. I'm like, is this the right guy? <laugh>, because like, you know, I'm, I was so used to dirty Honey stuff Right. And I listened to it and, um, first off it was, it was great. Thank you. I love, as a drummer, like I love the jazz drumming. I can't do it for shit <laugh>, but I love the jazz drumming. Nice.
Speaker 2 00:20:21 Well, yeah, me too. It's, it's a, a life lifelong, uh, pursuit I suppose was a work in progress. Yeah,
Speaker 1 00:20:28 Yeah. So, so first off, who are some of the musicians involved in that?
Speaker 2 00:20:32 Yeah. They're
Speaker 1 00:20:32 All that you like to maybe give credit to?
Speaker 2 00:20:34 Yeah, absolutely. They're Matt Pano on piano. He's one of my absolute favorite musicians to play with. Um, unfortunately I don't get the opportunity to play with him very much anymore. Um, but at the time time, yeah. And around the time that we did that record, we were playing quite a bit together and it's incredible man. He's super, um, super expressive, just like raw, um, emotion and feeling, but also has like crazy technical ability as well and, um, listens really well. And yeah, he's super inspiring to play with. I love playing with that guy. Um, Hamilton Price played bass on the record, uh, Hamilton and Matt played a lot together with another drummer named Kevin Canner, um, who I, they, these guys are all kind of a little bit older than me and so I would go and watch Hamilton, Matt and Kevin play as a trio in LA and, and it was like all straight ahead jazz stuff and just to go to try to learn. And I ended up studying with Kevin Canner and um, yeah, so Hamilton played bass and uh, I put them together cuz I knew Hamilton and Matt played well together. And, um, on Sax it was Wes Smith who was somebody who played in the horn section of a band called The Makers that I played in, in la. Um, and that was like real like funk afrobeat type stuff.
Speaker 1 00:22:04 Okay. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:22:05 Um, and I just liked, I liked Wes' Power, he like played with authority and played loud and I dunno, it was just always fun playing with those guys. So I put that band together and um, the tunes were just, uh, tunes that I was learning at the time, like Jess standards and whatever and yeah.
Speaker 1 00:22:26 Okay. So those were standards. Yeah. I don't know. I'm much familiar with them,
Speaker 2 00:22:30 So. Right. Yeah, none of that was original music on that record. It was all tunes from what classic jazz records and stuff that I was listening to at the time and learning how to improvise on. And, uh, there was one song though that Blue and Green, the Bill Evans arguably Bill Evans, miles Davis song. Um, and that song we did it in, the only thing that was original about it was my approach to it, which I wanted to do like a free time thing with it, which was kind of, uh, my, me trying to pay my respect, sir homage or whatever to, uh, my teacher who had passed away. His name was Jamie Font and we worked on a lot of like free time exer free time in time exercises and stuff. So, um, and, and this is kind of whatever, a crazy detail to me at least.
Speaker 2 00:23:28 The, when he passed away, um, I was actually the first one with the police force or whatever that showed up at house. Oh geez. Like, uh, you know, there to, it was just this weird whatever, that's a whole other story. But he passed away unexpectedly. And uh, so I was in his house after they removed him and cause his family was outta state and whatever. So I was like there watching the place and Bill Evans Blue and Green was on repeat on his computer, just stuck on repeat. So that was why I chose that song and did the free time thing trying to like, you know, tip my hat to,
Speaker 1 00:24:08 That was a sign Man, I think.
Speaker 2 00:24:09 Yeah. <laugh>. It was <laugh>. That's, yeah, that's a whole other story, but yeah.
Speaker 1 00:24:14 Yeah. He wanted you to play that. Yeah. <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:24:16 Yeah man. So that was, but um, and that was those tunes and that was, I wanted to, uh, I, it was a goal of mine to release my first record as a solo artist, um, before I was 25 I think. So, yeah.
Speaker 1 00:24:33 Okay. So it's been a long time since you were playing jazz. It's,
Speaker 2 00:24:37 Well, I mean, I still practiced it and you know, I've actually,
Speaker 1 00:24:40 Or I'm sorry, I, I meant, I meant it's been like you've been playing for a long time cuz that's because that was from, that was from like 10 years ago, I think. Your record. I wrote it down Yeah. In case you wanted to know. That's the only reason <laugh> <laugh>. But, um, so clearly you've been playing that for a while. And, um, so what made you want to get in the jazz drumming? That just seems like a, a monster that I would never want to tackle. Uh, honestly, yeah.
Speaker 2 00:25:06 I mean, I guess just curiosity and wanting to make drumming and music my career, you know, and being exposed to some musicians in la. Nate Morton was my first serious teacher in la, um, and mentor and I, I actually still consider him my mentor. Um, and he, he is not really a jazz drummer, but he definitely like, understands it and exposed me to it when I first started studying it and stuff. So I think just curiosity and wanting to get better and wanting to learn and, um, the more I started to understand the art form, the more fasted I was with it and wanted to learn. And I, by the way, would never call myself a jazz drummer. I, the guys who are really jazz drummers are fucking nuts and play so beautifully. And I aspire to maybe one day sound like that, but, um, yeah, I just, I'm very influenced by jazz. I'll say that.
Speaker 1 00:26:12 <laugh>. Yeah. Yeah. Well, like, clearly you could tell when you're listening to it. Uh, which brings me to your next one, punch the Shaman and Yeah, man, before I say anything, I was listening to that today and I was, um, I was also, right before I turned that on, I was listening to King Crimson. Oh, nice. And um, and it sounded like very similar in the way like it's, uh, like the Prague aspect mm-hmm. <affirmative>, it's like rock, jazz, influence rock. So it was pretty cool to make that connection kind of, that's the first thing I thought of. Oh, nice. It was like, it's almost like Prague to me. Yeah. At least. So, um, what was the, uh, inspiration behind the name first of all mm-hmm. <affirmative> and uh, second like what made you want to choose that musical direction? Because it, you can't argue it sounds a lot different than like, traditional jazz music, like from your first one.
Speaker 2 00:27:05 Yeah. Uh, well Punch the Shaman <laugh> is another crazy story. I got into a phase where I was doing, uh, ayahuasca and experimenting with, uh, spiritual psychedelic whatever, and, um, had a bad experience. And uh, you know, the name comes from a real Experience <laugh>, where Punch the Shaman. So Yeah. Um, that's the name. And, and I was telling the story to some friends and whatever, and they're like, dude, punch the Shaman. I'm like, you're right. Punch the Shaman. It's like, that's, I gotta use that. It's so good. Yeah. Um, so that's that story. And then, uh, well the super paraphrased version of it and, uh, the musical direction, I mean, bef going back to what I talked about with Poor Boy and playing in bands in Portland before moving to la uh, I, I also, I got really into like metal, you know, like mm-hmm. <affirmative> went through a whole like Metallica and then Slip Knot and Corn and Mud vain and like new metal stuff and
Speaker 1 00:28:20 Limp Bizkit,
Speaker 2 00:28:21 Lin Bizkit, dude
Speaker 1 00:28:23 <laugh>, I love Li Bizkit.
Speaker 2 00:28:25 So I got into all that and every time I die was in that mix, uh, of bands. I was listening to August Burns Red, the Bled D Escape Plan, all those types of bands. So that's like, I mean, I still listen to some of that stuff and love that music and I just love like the heavy guitars and heavy riffs and sugar, all that shit. And, um, so I wanted to do something that was, that had some of that influence in it and hence some of the heavy riffs that are in that. Um, and something that could still be, I was listening to a lot of like Tony Williams lifetime, um, and I was listening to a lot of like Mark Juliana's first solo record that he did. So there's like kinda a weird mix of like electronic stuff, Tony Williams, like Fusion Jam band stuff and then like Metal <laugh> and I just tried to like put it all together and uh, let's punch the Shaman and those musicians, man, those are some more my favorite players.
Speaker 1 00:29:33 Who are some of them?
Speaker 2 00:29:35 That was the legendary Tim LaFave on bass.
Speaker 1 00:29:39 Oh. From, uh, Bowie.
Speaker 2 00:29:41 Yeah. Played on, really played on Bowie's last record. Um, I mean he does all, he does plays with everybody. He plays with all kinds of jazz music. Wayne Cranz, Donny Mcca McCaslin. Yeah. He plays with literally all my favorite drummers. Like Keith Carlock Marcian, Zach Daner plays with them like on the regular. Um, he's a badass. Um, so he played bass on it and Jeff Bako played Keys on it. Jeff, another LA session guy plays a lot of fusion jazz stuff. Plays on the, uh, Kimmel show in the House band. And who else played? I Colin Cook on guitar. Um, he's a buddy of mine. He's a monster guitar player, obviously. Have you heard some of those guitar solos? They're like insanity.
Speaker 1 00:30:34 I don't think. I ha I don't think I have.
Speaker 2 00:30:36 Well, just the ones on Punch the Shaman on my radio.
Speaker 1 00:30:38 Oh yeah, yeah, those ones. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:30:40 Insane.
Speaker 1 00:30:41 Yeah, they were sick.
Speaker 2 00:30:42 Um, yeah, those are those musicians bunch the show in
Speaker 1 00:30:49 Hell yeah man. Um, so, and then this just popped my head going back to Dirty Honey really quick. Yeah. Was there ever instances where you were like trying to maybe play a little bit of jazz in a song like messing around the studio something or like do something a little crazy like drum wise? Or was it just like stick to the rock, like kinda beats or what?
Speaker 2 00:31:10 Uh, yeah, I mean I would say there's a pretty clear spectrum of like, uh, adventurous musicians and non-vet adventurous musicians in Dirty Honey. And starting from the most adventurous would be me for sure. <laugh> <laugh>. I was like, let's fucking play the weirdest whatever the least obvious choice is musically, let's do that. And, uh, John and Justin were a little not so adventurous. They're like, yes, like, we're up for that, but let's like dial it back a little bit. And, and they were kind of the, uh, the middle ground between me and Mark, which were like polar opposites mark's like, let's, let's do what Coldplay does, <laugh> <laugh>. And, uh, so yeah. Yeah, there were of course times where I was like, I want to do something what I think is more interesting or compelling or, uh, whatever satisfying in some way. Um, or just outside of the box. Like I get tired of hearing the same cookie cutter bullshit, you know?
Speaker 1 00:32:16 Right. Who, who are some, um, cuz I'm clueless on the modern jazz drummers, like I know like, you know, buddy Rich them guys. Yeah. But like who, who are some like modern drummers that come to your, or modern jazz drummers that come to your mind that kind of like influence you a bit?
Speaker 2 00:32:34 Uh, well, I mean there's again, kind of a spectrum of like what you could call jazz, like the most traditional modern jazz guys. I mean like Greg Hutchinson is like a super straight ahead like modern jazz guy that I really like. Um, Eric Harlan plays a lot of that stuff. Um, but the guys that I really, really like, I mean you could use the term jazz, but like Zach Danziger is one of my favorite drummers and I would call that jazz, although it's not like swing jazz, like traditional style. Like he does really experimental, but very much has like the spirit and the improvisation element of jazz. So yeah, I dunno. Mark, uh, mark Juliana was another one guy that I really, really, uh, like and Nate Wood, another drummer, Zach Danziger, like I said. Um, yeah, those are my favorites.
Speaker 1 00:33:36 All right. So, um, what about like, um, some, uh, I guess exercises are the best in case there are people out here who want to like, who are listen, who want to take up jazz. Uh, so like what are some like exercises, whether it be like stick control, anything like that, that would be good to like really put your foot on the pedal for if you want to excel in that?
Speaker 2 00:34:00 Yeah. Um, I mean, there's a whole bunch of stuff. Stick control's, great. You can obviously do the exercise where you're playing the traditional jazz ride pattern in the right hand and two and four in the left foot. And, uh, you go through the stick control patterns between your kicking snare and obviously stick control's written in two, four, everything has eighth notes, so you have to adapt that and play everything as triplets. So everything becomes kind of this poly rhythm two against three, um, thing. But yeah, that's a great exercise for coordination. You could do that and then, uh, switch your hands, assign the jazz ride pattern into your left hand and then go through stick control and just start assigning, um, different roles, the same patterns overall between, uh, the kit I guess. But you start assigning them to different limbs. Um, that's a real good exercise. That's a mind fuck. You can do that with just straight like a, uh, Billy Jean groove, you know, just a straight mm-hmm. The floor groove and start assigning, like switching up the role of each limb. And um, yeah, that's a really good exercise too.
Speaker 1 00:35:15 So is a lot of it, like, to me jazz sounds like a lot of improv and that's just from someone who's, I don't play it, I don't know much about it. So is that accurate to say that people who like drummers who play jazz, is it a lot of improv, uh, improv or is it like literally, is it like sheet music that's, that tells you you each note to play? Or is it more of like, it's all up to you kind of just make
Speaker 2 00:35:41 Something? No, it's uh, it's definitely heavily improv based sheet music thing that would be more like classical musicians play exactly the note that's written on the page and like reading exactly your part. Um, but yeah, jazz, I think just as a broad, um, approach is very improvisational based. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:36:05 Okay. So
Speaker 2 00:36:05 It's developing your musical skills to a level of proficiency that allows you to be basically react in a moment, you know, to what another musician might play and, and keep it in time and keep it hopefully grooving still and, um, you know. Yeah. There's a lot, a lot to it, man. And I'm by the way, not claiming to be any sort of master of this at all, <laugh>. Right. It's just something that I love and, and work on and, um, yeah. Aspire to get better at.
Speaker 1 00:36:41 Yeah. It's, it's funny you say that cuz that's something that at least with me, like I've, and I know a lot of people think the same way, like when it just comes to like, not even just jazz, but like sometimes if you're like, just kind of, if you're making something up on your own, like a good fill, like it's hard to think of something interesting for that at least. Yeah. And I'm sure there's ways to practice that. Are there, I don't know if that's a weird question, but are there ways to like maybe like condition yourself for like a good fill or a good like transition or something?
Speaker 2 00:37:13 Uh, in, in, uh, in a certain context mean like a, a se a session? It sounds like you're asking as like a session musician, you're trying to play something that's like ta in a rock context or
Speaker 1 00:37:24 Yeah, we could go with that. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:37:26 Yeah. Um, I mean, I think it just comes from an understanding. This is, I mean, these are great questions and it's, this is stuff that I still work on. You know, every time I'm on a session and I play something down, I think as I'm playing it, I'm like, oh, that was the shit. Like, this is gonna be great. And then I go in and listen to it and I was like, oh, wow, I sound terrible. Or like, that still totally didn't work at all. So I think it comes from like, you know, being in situations like that where you hear yourself back and, uh, it, you know, it could be, sometimes it might be obvious. It's like, wow, that feel just obviously did not work in this context. Um, sometimes it's a little less obvious and maybe somebody else has to point it out to you or it takes some deeper, um, I don't know, reflection or like honing in on it.
Speaker 2 00:38:23 But I think it comes from like, um, just playing the music probably, you know, playing within the, if it's, it's a rock thing or if it's like a whatever thing, I don't know, whatever genre, like mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I mean as if you're talking about being a session guy, you probably want to go for like, something that's just really tasty, sets up the next, the next section of the tune really well is really obvious for all the other musicians to follow. Uh, marks the time really clearly. And that's all just the simplest shit, you know, just mm-hmm. <affirmative> the most. Like, so you probably don't wanna like even change subdivisions, like if you're grooving on like an eighth note or a 16th note feel tuned. Like you probably don't want to play like eighth note triplets, <laugh>, or Yeah. Good. I mean, maybe you could maybe like, maybe that would work if the energy is right or something then changing subdivisions like that might be a nice, it might be really nice, but I mean, I don't know, I'm just kind of riffing here. There's no real right or wrong, it's just,
Speaker 1 00:39:32 Yeah. It just often seems like you are kind of walking a line between too little and and doing too much. Yeah. At least that's what I think. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:39:42 Yeah. I dunno, it's, I think it's uh,
Speaker 1 00:39:46 I guess it's subjective, huh?
Speaker 2 00:39:48 <laugh>, it's sub, yeah, there's that too. All of music is so subjective as well. It's like, I don't know, I, on our first record on Dirty, well Dirty Honey's first EP is in the studio, um, you know, the first few days we're tracking drums and we played on down, we did down the Road and some of those fills at the end that I'm playing. Um, I really liked the vibe of, and the energy of, and I remember Nick was like, those just sound wrong to me. <laugh>, that was what he said,
Speaker 1 00:40:21 <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:40:22 So, I dunno. Yeah, it's, it's super subjective and it's just, I don't, I think, yeah, it's gotta be in time if you're gonna play something like a wacky or I don't know, even if you could go to play something that's simple and like meant to just like feel good and mark the time and everything and be the obvious choice, but if you don't play it in time or with a good field, then like, it's uh, just kind of just as bad as playing something really wacky <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:40:55 Yeah. No, I mean, you gotta stay in time. That's a drummer's job. <laugh>. Yeah. Um, so, uh, let's go over, uh, what's like your primary, whatever your primary kit is? Like what, what's some of the gear you're rocking,
Speaker 2 00:41:11 Rocking? DW collectors, jazz series, maple Gum shelves, uh,
Speaker 1 00:41:17 Ooh, I love that look.
Speaker 2 00:41:19 Yeah. A
Speaker 1 00:41:20 Whole bunch of like old school looking,
Speaker 2 00:41:22 Well, it's my kid's black lacquer, so it's just shiny black. But um, yeah, it's just a maple kit. Uh, got a bunch of different sizes I use for different things. Um, if you wanna talk about Dirty Honey, the last tour I did with them, I was playing with 24 by 16 kick, 13 by nine rack. And then I had for a floor, Tom, actually the 18 inch jazz bass drum. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> that I, that I use, I use that as a floor Tom. Um
Speaker 1 00:41:55 Oh wow.
Speaker 2 00:41:55 Yeah. Pretty sick. And then, yeah, a 14 by seven just matching snare.
Speaker 1 00:42:02 Okay.
Speaker 2 00:42:02 Is what I would use. I had 20 inch crashes most of the time. 23 inch ride, 15 inch hats.
Speaker 1 00:42:09 What stick what sticks you use?
Speaker 2 00:42:11 Two
Speaker 1 00:42:12 Bickford. Two B, big boys, big ones, huh? Yeah. <laugh>.
Speaker 2 00:42:16 Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:42:18 Pool sticks. Yep. <laugh>, um, <laugh>. Is there ever, like, um, do you ever think back on like a track you recorded, whether it been Dirty Honey or your own stuff where you're like, you often do ever wanna like go back and say, I could have done this better and like just like get an urge to like maybe rerecord it or something? Or are you usually pretty happy with the end product?
Speaker 2 00:42:39 Uh, definitely would like to go back and redo some stuff. <laugh>,
Speaker 1 00:42:43 <laugh>,
Speaker 2 00:42:44 There's only a handful of tracks that I, I think am still like, pretty proud of the way I played on and that would be tied up and um, oh shit, what's the name of that song? It was the one we never Played Live. That's,
Speaker 1 00:43:10 Um, was it the EP or
Speaker 2 00:43:11 The No, that, that's on the record. Um, um, I can't Wear Dirty Honey fans. They might be listening. Definitely know what song I'm talking about.
Speaker 1 00:43:19 I think, I know I'm having a brain fart.
Speaker 2 00:43:21 Um, but yeah, those two and then another last time I like the way I played on, um, and almost everything else I would like to go back and redo.
Speaker 1 00:43:36 Um, well let's, uh, let's talk about your, um, your teaching, like your lessons and everything. So when did you start doing that, like teaching students how to drum and everything?
Speaker 2 00:43:49 Uh, I mean I've been teaching, you know, whenever I had the chance to or somebody would reach out, uh, and wanted to take a lesson and make myself available and I, that was how I learned how to play drums and, and started taking it more seriously that way was just reaching out to musicians and drummers and stuff that I liked. So I'm trying to, you know, return the, uh, whatever opportunities when I can if people reach out. So I've always kind of done that. Um, but now, yeah, not being in dirty hunting anymore, I'm focusing more on that and trying to develop my own sort of curriculum and got a little online, uh, drum lesson store. I'm kind of in the middle of building and we'll be releasing soon. So there will be more teaching stuff as well as some stuff on drum channel. I think there's gonna be, I'm gonna be a guest on there.
Speaker 1 00:44:44 Oh, okay. That's
Speaker 2 00:44:45 Pretty cool. Yeah, met with Thomas Lang the other week and been talking to him. So yeah, more teaching stuff in the works. Um, and I like it actually just today, just before this interview, taught a lessen, um, Jackson from Illinois, uh, I'm saying that wrong, Illinois.
Speaker 1 00:45:07 Illinois <laugh>. And
Speaker 2 00:45:07 Uh, yeah, it was super fun. He was super passionate kid and super, uh, focused and interested in improving his drumming and yeah, I love seeing that, the passion in people and if I can help them and I'm happy to help. So,
Speaker 1 00:45:25 So you say it's from Illinois, so I mean, so clearly you're doing it over, um, like the computer and everything?
Speaker 2 00:45:33 Yeah. Okay. Kinda online lessons. I mean if people are in LA and want lessons then I can do that too.
Speaker 1 00:45:40 Okay. Well that's pretty sweet. Um, what's in your curriculum? Like, um, as like do you have like maybe some sheet music you send their way or is it strictly over like, like how we're talking right now or?
Speaker 2 00:45:55 Um, for the most part it's, I mean it depends if it's one-on-one lessons, like I just taught, like I'd never met this kid before and had no idea what he even sounded like. So it's just a matter of talking to em, asking them their goals and what are you trying to get outta this lesson and what are you, and then you just go from there and I try to build something that's personalized for them. Um, you know, that it's sort of like tailor made and I,
Speaker 1 00:46:23 You know, okay.
Speaker 2 00:46:24 Do the best I can in the moment. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:46:26 So it's like a wide range, like you teach beginners and up.
Speaker 2 00:46:31 Yeah, I mean teaching and beginning is honestly harder cuz it's like you gotta start from scratch. But yeah, <laugh>, uh, yeah, it's, everybody's in a different place and I try to accommodate everybody's needs and offer them something, uh, that is hopefully helpful. And with the online, so with my lesson site that I'm gonna be releasing soon, um, that's all like downloadable lessons. So there there'll be like PDF exercise Oh, okay. With the, with accompanying videos of me just like talking and demonstrating and, um, it'll be also a lot more affordable than private lessons, you know?
Speaker 1 00:47:13 Yeah, I'd imagine. Um, so we're gonna close out with this. I was just wondering, um, like what basically what you have you, you mentioned like your online story trying to get up, but like, do you have anything in the future like thinking about new music, like maybe another record or maybe playing with some other guys or anything that you could see happening maybe in the future? Long term short
Speaker 2 00:47:36 Term? Yeah. Uh, I'm actually working on another punch, the Shaman EP <laugh>. Uh, I'm hoping to have a special producer on this one. Um, we'll see, uh, I'll probably say something about it on social media if he confirms, but
Speaker 1 00:47:54 Okay.
Speaker 2 00:47:54 Yeah. Could be a special guest involved, uh, in producing that. I'm very excited about it. Uh, so musically focusing on that, focusing on his lessons, focusing on teaching, gonna be involved in drum channel more I think. And um, yeah, just always practicing and trying to hone in on my craft and seeing where the universe takes me, man. I don't know.
Speaker 1 00:48:19 That's all you can do, man.
Speaker 2 00:48:20 Maybe dirty honey. I'll reach out and need a sub. I'm fill in free
Speaker 1 00:48:24 <laugh>. I'd imagine you're probably first on the list
Speaker 2 00:48:28 Or last depending. I dunno.
Speaker 1 00:48:30 Hopefully not, but um, well, Corey, man, this has been awesome. Thank you for talking to me. Course. Um, uh, hit, hit me up whenever your online stuff comes out. Anything you need to promote, we'll do it through Razor Rowdy and our whole thing too. We'll help kind of get the word out and stuff. Uh, I'm gonna, yep. So, uh, stick around here after I close out so we make sure this all uploads and stuff. So, uh, okay everybody, thanks for listening. This is Rowdy Alternative. I'm Sam, this is Corey, cover Stone. And y'all have a good night.
Speaker 3 00:49:08 Some crazy things.
