What's up, everybody! Welcome to Episode 22 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast. This week I'm joined on the show by Touring Drummer, Dan Macon.

I've been having a funny connection with my guests as of late. It's something that I'm sure has always been there but may just be more evident as I'm becoming more comfortable as an interviewer. It's as if I've known them for years and we are just catching up after a few years of not seeing each other. Kind of strange how this has been happening, but I'm not at all complaining. I love the fact that I continually speak to drummers who are extremely down to earth. The same goes for my guest this week, Dan Macon.

Dan and I hoped on our Skype call and immediately started kicking it like we were high school pals! In reality, I don't know much at all about Dan beside for what I've learned about him through my research. So after a quick check-in, I ask him about how he got started playing drums. He explains what sparked his interest and about growing up in the state of Maryland. like a lot of drummers, finding neighbors who are willing to deal with noise is always a challenge. Sometimes more so than learning how to play the drums altogether.

Dan has a youtube channel where he posts different kinds of videos ranging from covers to vlog style videos. After watching many of his videos, I quickly learned that Dan plays many different styles of music. We talk a bit about some of the different bands he's covered in his videos and get into a great conversation about our biggest influences. We discuss some of the bands that we enjoy and draw inspiration from, and also some of our favorite drummers.

Prior to every interview, I have my guest answer some brief questions about the bands they have played or play with. Dan sent me over a list of the different artists he has worked with. Myself being a drummer who has played with dozens of bands, I always enjoy talking with other drummers about their experiences. Especially when you see that they cross several different genres. I think it's also a great opportunity for the young up and comers that listen to this show to hear some advice on how to land themselves a gig.

Dan gives us some great tips and then we dive into the bands he's toured and recorded with. He's played with Average American, Burdened Hearts, Like Friday, and Take Care just to name a few. I had Dan give us a bit of background on each band including their style, achievements, and albums recorded. He had the opportunity to play the Vans Warped Tour back in 2015. We talk about that experience and how the Law of Attraction worked for him in this case.

In our next segment, Dan and I get into gear. I noticed on his Instagram page that he recently began playing bass guitar. Since I play a little bass myself, I wanted to know how it has been going for him. I find it very useful when teaching students. I try and teach them how to lock in with a bass player right off the bat. Once we finish up our bass chat, we move on to his Drums. Dan has an unbelievably nice kit made by our good friends over at Dark Horse Percussion. Dan is a proud endorser of Dark Horse and tells us a bit about how he developed his relationship with the company. He even gave his kit a name, Sasha!

As always, I like to focus a portion of the interview on the use of the internet. We start by talking about content creation. I feel it is very valuable for beginners to hear how each of my guests go about micing, recording and mixing their drums. And of course, creating video. Video rules right now and I imagine it will as time goes on. So how do we get ourselves out there? Well, a good start would be places like Youtube and Instagram. As I mentioned earlier, Dan's youtube channel is a great place to check out a wide variety of Drum Covers and even some tips and tricks. On his Instagram page,

What's up folks, welcome to Episode #21! My guest today is one of the most In-Demand Drummers out on the scene right now! Ladies and Gents, Mr. Jonathan Ulman.

It was a pretty busy week for me when I was getting geared up for this interview. I had been going through all of Jonathan Ulmans's websites, social media profiles, and anything I could dig up. I quickly realized that I had a caseload on my hands. Putting together a group of questions with the little time I had was going to be tough! So I decided to approach this interview from a different angle rather than stress myself out.

Jonathan is an award-winning session and touring drummer with many noteworthy accomplishments. We had so many things we could talk about that I would rather focus my questions on a topic and let him go to town! We start off our chat the traditional way. After getting all caught up, Jonathan tells a bit about how he got started on the drums. Jonathan and I share a few laughs about the struggles of being a young drummer with not so great gear.

Before we went down a rabbit hole, I thought it was important to note the extensive list of artists Jonathan has worked with. Ani Difranco, Too Many Zooz, Kyp Malone, and Dax Nielsen were just a few that immediately stuck out to me. Jonathan has worked both directly and indirectly with so many artists. It's not unusual to see him in a picture hanging out with Quest Love or Mike D from The Beastie Boys. Whether opening for the artists, playing in their band or recording with them, Jonathan sure has planted himself in the right positions throughout his career thus far. It's very interesting to hear.

As I mentioned earlier, Jonathan is an award-winning drummer as well. He won back to back "Session Musician of the Year" in the 2016-2017 Boston Music Awards. He was also nominated in 2016 for Rhythm Magazine's Best New Drummer. Jonathan tells us a bit about these awards and then we get into the topic of session work as a drummer. He has actually come up with an acronym by the name of TAPAS which is used to outline the steps of being a successful musician. Jonathan explains these steps an how he has applied it to his success.

In the next segment of our discussion, we chat about the many amazing companies Jonathan endorses. I recently bought the Zildjian L-80 Low Volume Cymbals for my practice setup and if you look at the back of the box, you will see Jonathan Ulman playing a kit!! As you have probably guessed, Jonathan is a Zildjian artist. He has teamed up with many other big-name companies like Vic Firth, Evans Drumheads, Big Fat Snare Drum and K-Brakes. All of which have given praise to Jonathan through testimonials.

To finish up the interview, we focus a bit on Social Media and tips for the up and coming drummer. Jonathan is yet another drummer who I have discovered thanks to the power of Instagram. We discuss how different it is today from back when we were younger. We had to hang flyers and hope people stumbled into one of our gigs to be heard or seen. These days you can build a career by posting videos online. This is a topic that we weigh the pros and cons on. The one piece of advice no matter which path you take is to always be yourself and be authentic.

We hope to catch up with Jonathan soon, and will be sure to keep an eye out for what he's up to next! You can do the same by checking out all of the links below!

Jonathan Ulman

http://jonathanulman.com

https://www.instagram.com/jmudrums/

https://www.facebook.com/jmudrums

https://twitter.com/jmudrums

For more info, and to Follow the Show -

Welcome to the 20th Episode of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast with my very special guest, Drummer Joey Bones Parasole!

What's up gang! It's great to be back this week to celebrate the release of the 20th Episode! I can't believe we made it here! Joining me to ring it in this week is our good friend and Papa Bear, Joey Bones Parasole! I also received some other good news this week. The Podcast has been nominated for "Podcast of the Year" as part of this year's Electric City Music Conference. You can help us win by heading to our Facebook Page and voting!

Getting back to the show, let's dive into a bit of my interview with Joey. Not only is he a fellow Drumtacs and Booty Shakers artist, but he is also a fellow Bearded Brother! I've been looking forward to sitting down with Joey for a while now. After a quick check on his shoulder (due to a recent work accident) we get down to business. For those of you not familiar with Joey, he tells us a bit about growing up in Brooklyn and how he got started with the drums. We share a laugh over having owned the same kit when we were kids and also being a master of that infamous "doon doon gah, gah gah, doon gah" beat that everyone plays.

Joey takes us through his career as a touring drummer in the late 90's and early 2000's. He has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with some mega bands of that time including Sum 41 and 3 Doors Down. It was a great time for music in which Joey shares some highlights from his days on the road.

Nowadays, Joey is spending more time with his family in New Jersey. He is happily marrieds to his wife of 17 years. When I asked Joey about some of his biggest accomplishments, he was prouder than ever to say that his two children have been the biggest. I wondered if having children has ever given him the itch to teach drums privately. Joey jokes about how teaching really isn't his thing, but if his children ever wanted to learn, he'd be happy to show them the ropes.

When Joey isn't busy being a Dad, a Husband, and holding down a full-time job, he now finds enjoyment in playing the local circuit with his band The Morgan Freemasons. This is by far one of the coolest band names I've ever heard! The band is comprised of members of past bands Joey has played with. He explains how the lifelong friends have been playing together since they were young, and have all reunited to put together a band that works on their terms. You can hear their original tunes and see where they will be playing next by checking out their Website.

In the next portion of our conversation, we talk about gear. Joey and I share a few of the same endorsements including Drumtacs and Booty Shakers. He is also a proud endorser of Love Custom Drums. I've been seeing alot of their drums recently and I've gotta say they are BEAUTIFUL! And they sound amazing! Joey also plays Legado Cymbals. This is another company I've been seeing quite a bit of recently. Before we move on, Joey and I chat about the filming and recording process for our content and the gear we use and enjoy.

Finally, we wrap up our chat with what brought us here in the first place, Social Media. Instagram specifically has been a huge part of where the drummers on this show come from. I have made so many great friends through Instagram. Without it, I may not have ever gotten the chance to talk with many of them. Joey Bones Parasole, better known as just Joey Bones has built his Instagram following to over 20 thousand followers. It's an incredible accomplishment especially these days. Being able to grow that kind of following online has become pretty much extinct. If that wasn't enough, Joey is also behind the popular Drum Sharing Page "GrooveShare" which features drummers daily in their feed.

On the show with me today, Drummer Jules Stewart!

What's up, everybody! Welcome in to Episode #19 of The Up and Coming Drummer Podcast! This week we are trying something new. For the first time ever on the show, I have enlisted the help of a Co-Host! Joining Jules Stewart and I will be a former guest. Ladies and Gentleman Mr. Buck August!

When doing my prep for the interview with Jules, I realized not only did Buck and Jules both live in California, but they had also developed a really special friendship through Instagram. It just goes to show how awesome and supportive the drum community really is! I figured why not ask Buck if he would like to join in on the conversation and help me ask Jules some questions!

Going through Jules Instagram page led me to become extremely inspired. There is just something about her content, and desire to share her drumming with the world. I felt a quick connection and couldn't wait to get to know her. We start off the show discussing her childhood growing up in Seattle. Jules went through various moves throughout her life before ending up in California. Somewhere along the way, she discovered the drums, and I wanted to hear all about it! It's a little tricky trying to do a timeline of the show being that it was very much just a few drummers chatting about drums. But I will try my best to guide you through it.

After getting to know a little about Jules, we learn about the two bands that Jules currently plays with around town. The original band "Sweet Deal" and party cover band "Soundwave". We talk a bit about the music scene in the area and how to balance a full-time job and two bands. We also find out about her feature in the  "New Blood" column in an issue of Drum Magazine. I can remember seeing this feature months ago, way before I ever knew of Jules. And long before I even had a thought about creating a podcast!

Jules is only the second female guest to be on the show. With the surge of female drummers coming to the forefront of drumming, I thought it would be a great opportunity to explore this topic. We know that female drummers have been there all along, but Jules, Buck, and I discuss why female drummers are just beginning to receive recognition. With the help of drummers like Anika Niles, the doors have literally been blown open for female drummers. And we all couldn't be happier!

Our next hot topic is on education. Jules has been kicking around the idea of getting into teaching. She has been testing the waters and we all chime in on what it's like to be on the delivering end of this information. Jules studies with well-known drummer Dave Elitch. You may know him from his time with The Mars Volta, among many other amazing bands. Dave is an incredible teacher and highly in demand. I was very curious to hear what a session with Dave is like. Jules shares some of the best tips she's learned from him and lets us in on some of their inside jokes!

After a roundtable chat about gear and the companies that make the gear, we finish up the interview talking about social media. Jules recently posted a video that hit home with a lot of content creators.  It's the feeling of inadequacy in filming ourselves playing. It's can be daunting trying to create content for social media. We do it because we want to promote ourselves but in the process, we become obsessed with perfection. Is it possible to ever truly be comfortable with the camera? It's a tough call which yielded an incredible discussion between us all. Jules takes us on a journey through social media thus far. While it still may be trial and error, there is one thing that has become more important than the content. That is the friendships made!

We leave the interview with one final question which asks Jules where she hopes to be in one year from today. We will be keeping an eye out and cheering her on the whole way.

Ladies and gentleman, my guest for Episode #18 is Drummer and Educator - Steve Elvin!

What's up, everybody! Happy 4th of July to all the listeners here in the States. Hope you guys are having a fun and safe holiday! What better day to release a podcast. You can literally chill by the pool with some earbuds, or a Bluetooth speaker and relax while you listen to the show! While Steve Elvin may not be celebrating in the U.K., I'm sure he's having just as good of a time playing on that beautiful drum kit of his. Have you seen that kit!!??

Anyway, we will get into that more in a bit. Let's run through this shows discussions. As I mentioned earlier, Steve Elvin is a Drummer and Educator from Bristol. With over 14k followers on Instagram, there's a very good chance you have seen Steve around! Besides that, we get to know a little bit about Steve's upbringing and his first encounter with the drums. Steve has been playing for around 15 years so he has been at it for quite a long time!

As Steve progressed through his career, he eventually found himself in the band he currently plays with that goes by the name "Decembre". If you are reading this before listening, then you probably pronounced their band name the same way I did..."Decem-Bray". Well as you will find out, it is actually pronounced exactly like the month. The flipping of the "R" and "E" was just for aesthetics.

Aside from gigging, Steve also teaches drums from his home studio. Being a teacher myself, I always like to compare notes and teaching styles with my guests. We talk about marketing ourselves as teachers, and how difficult it is to lose students. Therefore, I find these chats are always good for any of the listeners who are also teachers. There is a lot to take away from these discussions and I hope that we are helping out others who do this for a living.

After getting to know a bit about Steve, I find the right time to strike! And by that, I mean to ask him about that beautiful Pearl masters Drums Kit of his. Steve is a lover of gear so this was an area of discussion that he had no problem talking about! Steve gives us the rundown on his kit, and also tells us about a company he has been working closely with called "The Green Drum Company". A company that prides itself on keeping an eye on the earth by repurposing materials, and planting trees to help replace the ones that are being used to make drums.

We spend the final sections of the interview focusing on Social Media. Steve Elvin has over 14 thousand followers on his Instagram page. He tells us about how long he's been taking his page seriously, and some of the strategies and techniques he feels have helped him grow a fan base. One thing he does is something that I think a lot of us like to see. He documents rather than create. He initially started the page to keep track of his progress, and he has grown an audience in the meantime. Being an online musician is a fairly new thing, so Steve and I discuss how we feel it can evolve into a career for musicians. Finally, I ask Steve what goals he hopes to accomplish in the coming year.

If you ask me, Steve is already well on his way. I wouldn't be surprised if he accomplished most of those things since we ended our call! Check out Steve Elvin at all of the following links below!

Steve Elvin

https://www.instagram.com/steve_elvin/

https://twitter.com/elvin_steve

https://www.facebook.com/steve.elvin

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6jt3_M_hYO_4XGbkrqo_dg

 

Decembre

https://www.

My guest for Episode #17 is Drummer Tony Pichler!

What's up, everyone! It's great to be back this week with another episode of The Up and Coming Drummer Podcast. This week I sit down with fellow Pennsylvanian, Tony Pichler. Tony is the first guest I've had on the show who is also from the state of Pennsylvania!

I've gotten the chance to speak to people from all over the world in the last 16 episodes of this podcast. It was very exciting for me to finally talk to someone right around the corner from me. Tony Pichler hails from Harrisburg which is the state capital. Though we may be a few hours apart, we have both been to each other's respected home so it was interesting to see what we had in common.

The episode kicks off with Tony and I catching up. Staying true to the typical format of the show, we dive into the time machine and discuss the early years of Tony's drumming career. He tells about how he became interested in music, and who some of his earliest influences were. Although Tony is not currently playing with a band, he has done his share of gigs. We talk about the bands Tony played in over the years discussing some of the clubs in our area trying to figure out if we've ever crossed paths. Tony has also recorded award-winning records with these bands.

So what keeps Tony busy these days? Tony teaches the drums at one of the BEST drum shops on the east coast. That shop is called Dales Drum Shop. If you are ever in the area, you need to stop at Dales. When I say wall to wall drums, I mean wall to wall drums. Tony and I chat about the teaching life and how we both go about presenting curriculum. Over the years, Tony developed his style of teaching and has put together a book that he teaches out of. It's always interesting talking to other teachers and hearing their approach. There are so many situations to overcome, so if you are a teacher, you will totally relate to the conversation we had. Before moving on to our next topic, Tony shares an incredible story about meeting Terry Bozio. I won't spoil this part for you!

My next question for Tony involves the balance between working full time and hanging on to your passion. I feel like so many people put the sticks down when they get married, have kids, and work the day job. Tony explains how he manages to be a full-time Vet Tech and keep his chops up on the kit. We dive into some practice tips on how to effectively and efficiently continue getting better even if you have a busy life outside of drumming. This is certainly something you should hear if you find yourself struggling with finding the time. The key to this really comes down to being focused.

Tony's kit is massive. If you've ever seen his Instagram page, you know exactly what I mean. Tony gives us the rundown on what he uses, and we talk about the temptation to buy gear when working at a place like Dales Drum Shop.

We finish up with an inciteful chat about social media. Tony has been hard at work testing different camera angles, mic setups, and video ideas for his content. It is always interesting to hear how my guests approach platforms like Instagram. I find that many of us don't go into it thinking much of it, but soon find out what an incredible community it really is. Growing a following has become an art form in itself. Tony shares some tips that he finds to work for him when creating content for social media, and shares with us the goals he has set for himself over the next year.

Tony is yet another great drummer who we get to learn a little more about through this podcast. I hope you all enjoy the show, and if you have not yet checked out Tony Pichler, head below to follow him on his drumming journey! Cheers!

Tony Pichler

https://www.facebook.com/tony.pichler

This week on the podcast is Drummer and studio owner Owen Alec Ashworth!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far! As always, we are here to break things up a bit and talk some drums! Owen Alec Ashworth is a drummer who reached out to me early on in the developing stages of this podcast. It's great to finally get him on the show to chat.

Owen and I kick off his interview with him telling us about growing up in Manchester. Owen was introduced to the drums by his older brother and with the support of his family, he went on his journey in developing his craft. I noticed in some of his pictures and videos that he was playing guitars and bass. We discuss how we both dabble with other instruments, and the benefits it has in being able to create music.

We learn a bit about Owens band Revival, a cover / original project who recently released their album last year. It's always great to hear stories about bands my guests have played in. With line up changes, careers, and personalities, it's amazing how some bands pull it off.

When Owen isn't out gigging with his band, he is holding down the fort at his gorgeous studio, Silver Lining Studios. He walks us through the development of the studio which started off as a place to play drums and practice with his band. Owen and his family realized they had an opportunity right in their lap. The building was the perfect space to convert into a studio. They started laying out the floor plans, putting up walls, painting, and acquiring the gear necessary to open it up as a full-fledged recording studio. One of the most unique things about Silver Linings is the fact that there is actually a gear shop inside where you could buy strings, heads, sticks, amps, and loads of other gear if you needed something in a pinch! Many cool projects have been recorded there including a song written and performed by dozens of local musicians to help raise money and awareness for the Manchester Bombings.

If you've seen any of Owens Instagram posts or his Owen Alec Ashworth youtube Channel, then you know he loves his gear. We talk about that beautiful blue DW Drum Kit and his endorsement with Amedia Cymbals. Owen does a lot of gear reviews on his youtube channel (listed below), so if you would like to learn more about the gear he plays, be sure to visit the channel.

We wind things down with a good chat about Social Media. Owen has been spending a lot of time on his youtube channel. I know how hard it can be to create content and get it in front of your target audience. Owen tells us of the struggles and the successes he's had. For someone looking to get into online content creation, Owen offers some tips about what has worked for him, and what he thinks is next in the social media game.

All in all, we are just a community of drummers trying to find our place in the world both online and off. For those of you who spend alot of time online, go check out Owen and show him, his bands, and the companies he uses some support! Here are all the links you can find him at! Enjoy!

Owen Alec Ashworth

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbVftOuI4vSDPMW9hlEQEA

https://www.patreon.com/OwenAlecDrumming/creators

https://www.facebook.com/OwenAlecDrumming

https://www.instagram.com/owenalecdrumming/

https://twitter.com/OwenAlecDrums

http://www.amediacymbals-uk.com

Revival

https://www.facebook.

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.

What's up, everyone! Welcome to The Up and Coming Drummer Podcast. My guest today for Episode #14 is none other than Mr. Siros Vaziri!

I've been playing drums my whole life. I've played in multiple bands, recorded multiple songs and records, and have taught dozens upon dozens of students. About two years ago, I started getting serious about my online presence as a drummer and educator. At that time I was a member of Drumeo so I was seeing how online education was becoming more and more popular. But it wasn't until I saw this amazing Drummer from Sweden blazing incredible chops around the kit that I realized there was something more to this. This wasn't just a drum companies game, this was anyone's game.

I began following Siros Vaziri on his youtube channel and would anticipate his next release. I wanted to see more! It inspired me to the point that I decided to create my own youtube channel. My facebook posts became more about drumming than politics or current news. I finally opened my Instagram app again after neglecting it for months. I started following drummers and drum pages and realized that there was a world full of drummers doing this thing. I cleaned out my selfies and started fresh as a business page aimed at creating Drum related content.

It should come as no surprise that I am extremely excited about this interview. Siros was a huge part of why I started taking my online drumming seriously. Look at me now! I host a podcast dedicated to that very subject! So it's quite an amazing feeling to come full circle, and sit down with a guy that had so much to do with it! Most of you are familiar with Siros. He has done some incredible things in the past few years. Today we are catching up with him to find out what he's up to now, and what he has planned for the future!

Siros took a break from social media a few weeks back. I can understand why he did it. It's easy to get consumed by these pages and find yourself endlessly scrolling. We start the interview by welcoming him back and allowing him to explain his reasoning behind the hiatus. I too took a short break recently and even went as far as deleting any apps that were wasting my time. I think there's a bit of discipline that goes into saying enough is enough. I highly recommend it to everyone.

You may be familiar with Siros' 100 Fills, Licks, and Chops Volumes. He has just released his third installment. I don't know about you guys, but I have a tough time coming up with one fill let alone 300 of them. So I ask Siros to dissect his process for creating his fills. We talk about the different ways he goes about constructing a fill. He goes on to mention that alot of the time it comes down to grouping numbers. For example, a bar of sixteenth notes would equal 16 notes. You basically play with the numbers divisible by 16 and group them into different phrases. It's alot easier than you would think.

Siros has spent a good part of the last year traveling the world doing clinics. I've always been fascinated with how clinicians come up with their presentation. Siros walks us through some of the highlights of his clinics. He talks about the different parts of the world he's been to. And lets us know his plans for the future.

There is a great section of the show where we talk about an episode of Hannah Montana. Rather than spoil it for you, I'm just going to say that it was hilarious! You will see what I mean. Once we collect ourselves from our Miley Cyrus rant, I get to the bottom of what the future holds for that amazing 22' Prototype China that was made for him by Meinl! if you guys don't know what I'm talking about then make sure you go to Siros' Youtube Channel (Links Below) and watch the video. This thing is incredible!

I feel like Siros has graduated on to the next level in so many ways. I couldn't be happier for the guy.

What is up, everybody? Welcome to episode #13 of The Up & Coming Drummer Podcast! On the show with me, today is Drummer for the band "Sweet Ascent", Jacob Dorn.

I have to first apologize for getting this show out to you guys a couple days late. I know how important it is to stay consistent but due to going over my allotted media plan for the month, I wasn't able to upload this show until today. But we did it so let's get on with the show!

Jacob Dorn is no stranger to life on the road. You may have caught him on tour with his hard-rocking bandmates Sweet Ascent. Prior to leaving for a West Coat run, Jacob and I sat down to talk Cats, Drums, and Rock & Roll.

Jacob and I catch up for a bit before diving into my first question. Like I do with alot of my guests, I asked him about growing up and discovering music. Those of you who are familiar with Jacob and his band may not know that the drums were not his first love. Jacob actually was introduced first to the bass guitar. It wasn't until later on that he gave up the bass to pursue the drums. And boy are we glad he did!

Location can be life or death for musicians. Areas with little to no music scene are very hard to try and gain any traction. Jacob grew up in Wisconsin but currently lives in Lawrence, Kansas. This part of the country is foreign to me so I asked Jacob about both of the music scenes in these cities. We all know how hard it can be even with the best "scenes" in the country. Surviving solely on music can be difficult. When Jacob isn't grinding it out on the road, he spends his time as a night nurse to help keep food on the table. What is a night nurse? I was wondering the same thing! Jacob explains what he does aside from drumming and shares how he got into the healthcare field.

Where Jacob's real passion lies is in writing, recording, and touring with his band. Their album "Take it or Leave it" has been to compared to waking up by a defibrillator. With influences from 80's Glam Rock to Punk to 90's Alternative, this album does a fantastic job of blending all of my favorite genres into one. We talk about the album, the writing process, and taking it out to stages across America. These guys have even played dates on the 2016 and 2017 Warped Tour! Jacob shares some stories from the tours he's been on giving us the good, bad, ugly, and hilarious! If you think cramming a few guys in a van is hard, just take a page out of their book!

It's got to be hard to come home from playing to thousands of people, rubbing elbows with other well-known bands, and having the time of your life. Jacob tells about the transition from the highway to the driveway. He lets us in on what he does with his time when he's not out with the band. Whether it's spending time with his lady, his cats, experimenting with his own podcast, or driving his neighbors nuts, he keeps busy until it's time to hit the road again.

Before wrapping things up with a few listener questions, Jacob and I talk about life on social media as a drummer. He tells us about what works and what doesn't when it comes to growing a following. As always, I will leave all of the links below where you can find him and his band. If you guys haven't checked out Sweet Ascent, I highly recommend that you do. These guys are high energy with catchy riffs and hooks. Keep an eye out to see if they are coming to a town near you.

Jacob Dorn

https://www.facebook.com/Big.Kick.Go.BOOM

https://www.instagram.com/bigkickgoboom/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCST_mZbmKMRV79rSjFdvlNg

https://www.spreaker.com/user/just-hit-it