What's happening, folks! Glad to be back this week with a regularly scheduled guest! Today I am sitting down with a Touring Drummer and Session Drummer. My friend and yours, Justin Hauck.

Let me ask you this. Did you wonder to yourself how exactly to pronounce Justin Hauck? So did I. That's why I asked him during the pre-interview how to pronounce his last name. Leave it to me, five seconds later to butcher it! Lol. Oh well. Justin immediately cracked up and told me that this wasn't the first time, and certainly won't be the last! It was at this moment that I felt immediately felt comfortable with him and knew this was going to be an easy going conversation.

So who is Justin Hauck? Well, as usual, I like to take things back to the days of old when Justin was a wee little lad discovering music for the first time. We talk about the moments that stuck out to him during those early years that drew his attention towards music, and of course the drums. I asked Justin about some of his influences. Both bands, and drummers. Justin walks us through those formative years growing up and we are off to diving into what he has created for himself these days!

I always appreciate when a guest sends me a bio. Honestly, the more information you send me, the less I have to go digging. So Justin sent me a nice explanation of everything he's about. I took this info and formulated some questions to help us all get to know him better. Justin is very proficient in many genres including, but not limited to Rock, R&B, Country, Folk, and Latin. We chat a bit about the bands he has played with throughout the years. Currently, Justin plays with Andino Suns, amongst other jobs that he takes when he can. Justin shares some stories from over the years and gives a real look into what the life of a working musician looks like.

Justin has also spent some time in the studio. Some really cool ones actually! He was lucky enough to record at the world famous Sound City studios which we are all familiar with from the Dave Grohl documentary. This was a really great part of the interview because Justin tells us about the process of recording and what its like to work with big-time producers. He gives us a very valuable look into what it's like to be a drummer hired for a project. I think anyone looking to get into session drumming will benefit from the information in this section.

The thing that initially drew me to Justin was how creative he was on Social Media. In the next section of our chat, we hit on some points regarding being a content creator, and what some of his approaches are. If you haven't yet seen his Instagram page, one of the first things you might notice is the theme he goes with. Many of his posts are in black and white. You may notice some interesting sound effects that he uses to create loops. I ask Justin what sets him apart from other social media drummers out there. And we talk about how he copes with being in a creative slump.

Of course, it wouldn't be an episode without talking about gear. I noticed that Justin plays a few different kits in his videos. I had a hunch that he was playing a Yamaha kit like mine, and my predictions were correct. Justin tells about his Yamaha kit, the different snares he uses, and the other kits he plays. Justin also walks us through the device he uses to create the sounds he uses for his loops. A very interesting piece of equipment called a PO-20 which looks very similar to a calculator. Definitely, something to check out if coming up with sounds and rhythms is your thing!

In the last portion of our conversation, we discuss education. Justin also teaches drums. I love picking the brains of fellow teachers. I've been arguing with myself lately about the approach I take and if it's the best way to go about things. It was great to talk to him about the things he does in the classroom.