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