Welcome to Episode #15 of The Up and Coming Drummer Podcast with my guest, Chris Stephenson.

As always, it's great to be back with another show where we look into the lives of some of the best drummers in the world. If there's one thing that I love about doing this show, it's the fact that I gain an amazing new friend every week. Technology is crazy man. What are the chances I would have ever gotten to know Chris Stephenson if it hadn't been for Instagram and this podcast? Slim to none right? Think about 15 years ago. Unless I was at a gig somewhere Chris's band "Old James" was playing, it would be highly unlikely that I would ever get to meet him, let alone know he existed! So if there is anything that I get out of this podcast, it is the connections I get to make with these super cool guys and gals!

Chris Stephenson popped up on my list of guests right in the beginning when I was initially scouting for drummers to come on the show. We had some trouble locking down a date at first with his schedule, but the day has finally arrived. I was anticipating this show for a while! Anyone who has gone through Chris's Instagram would immediately be intrigued by all the cool things he has going on. So as you could imagine, my list of questions was big! But I narrowed it down to some key things I wanted to ask him about, and that is the show you will hear today!

We start off talking about Chris's upbringing. Being in a military family, Chris has lived all over the world, never staying in one place for more than a few years. Chris comes from a musical family. His older brother happens to be an accomplished musician as well. Together they started hustling at a young age and before long were touring the world. Chris and his brother have played in many bands together, including their current project "Old James". His resume is so long that it was hard to pinpoint which band he was with and when. Chris gives a guided tour through his career which is amazing to hear. He has done so much in such a short time.

Next, we discuss one of Chris's true passions, Drum Education. Chris teaches over 50 students at the Nepean School of Music in Ottawa. We talk about the balance of teaching and gigging which can be difficult when the road is calling. Chris has also been busy putting on Drum Clinics. One recently at the school of music where he teaches. I'm always curious about how clinicians put together their presentation. Chris walks us through his clinic and gives us an idea of what we could expect if we were to attend. Before we move on from drum education, I had to ask Chris about the lessons he has taken. you may have noticed on his Instagram some pictures of him and Chris Coleman. Chris tells us what he has learned from C.C. as well as Thomas Lang. These are some very, very cool stories.

Our next topic of discussion is gear. If you've seen any recent posts from Chris, then you know he has a unique way of setting up his kit. His kick drum is actually flipped on its side similar to a floor tom. This way he can play both sides of the drum. One with a pedal, and the other with his sticks. Chris explains how he came up with this approach, and tells us how he gets it to work. Speaking of gear, Chris is endorsed by some pretty killer companies. Mapex, Murat Diril, and Los Cabos to name a few. Chris tells about the companies he represents and gives me a little background on Murat Diril Cymbals. You may not have known that the Byzance line of Meinl Cymbals was inspired by Murat Diril.

We spend the last portion of the interview focusing on Social Media. Like I mentioned earlier, 15 years ago there would be a slim to none chance of Chris and I ever linking up. Same goes for the marketing side of being a professional musician. We toured and taught locally. That's what we did. If we were lucky enough to sign a deal, then maybe we made some money off records.