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Music, Pop Culture

An Interview with John Fred Young of Black Stone Cherry

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Combining Soundgarden’s post-modern heavy metal attack with the classic, southern rock song craft of The Allman Brothers, Blackstone Cherry have arrived from south central Kentucky to give hard rock a serious kick in the ass. Since the summer 2006 release of its self titled debut, this quartet of high school friends has been on the road nearly non-stop with rock heavyweights such as Buckcherry, Staind and Black Label Society, winning diehard converts at every venue. “You can sit here and talk about it,” says 21-year old drummer John Fred Young, “but when people see us live they go, ‘Oh my god, this band’s the real thing.’” Raised on the music of ‘70s legends like Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin, John Fred is actually part of country rock legacy: his father Richard and Uncle Fred are guitarist and drummer, respectively, for the Grammy award-wining band The Kentucky Headhunters. “My uncle Fred got me a kit of drums when I was five years old,” he explains. “Besides John Bonham, he is definitely my biggest influence.” With more tours booked and the album still selling well, 2007 looks like another great year for this talented band of southern rockers, as John Fred confesses, “I think Blackstone Cherry is really just at the very beginning of where we’re going to go.”

Metal Edge: When recording the album, did you come up against any challenges in the studio?

John Fred Young: There were some challenging songs, because we don’t play with a click track, so everything – including the drums – is cut live. We just go back, do the vocals and add maybe a couple of guitar overdubs. It’s kind of like back in the day when Ray Charles was making albums: you just do it in one take. When you make albums in that manner I feel like they come off so much more from the heart.

Metal Edge: What songs are your favorites to play live?

John Fred Young: I think one of the funnest songs to play live is probably “Drive.” It’s such a high-octane groove that’s just in-your-face, and on the last part of the drums it goes a little berserk. One of the biggest compliments I’ve gotten about the record is when kids ask me ‘What kind of double kick pedal do you use?’ And I’ll say, ‘It’s an invisible one, because I use a single pedal’ (laughs). That’s a cool compliment. I guess [my footwork] comes from listening to my uncle Fred and Bonham play. I like doing a lot of fast footwork, but I’m definitely a better fisherman (laughs).

Metal Edge: With your fast footwork, did you previously play a double bass kit?

John Fred Young: I like messing around with double bass, but I’m really not good at it. I can do a really good standard metal roll; the digga digga digga, but that’s it. I think if I played double bass I would rather play it like Tommy Aldridge, Alex Van Halen or my uncle Fred. Those guys incorporated such different, unusual footwork besides just your standard, metal double kick. Then you’ve got guys like Vinnie Paul from Pantera; that guy’s insane. There are so many good double bass drummers coming up on the scene. I listen to them and I’m like, Jeezus, how the hell do you get that fast with your feet? I wish that I could play double bass like that, but if I switch then that’s not me. So I’m doing my own, unique little thing here on the farm.

Metal Edge: Your playing is not only fast but also very precise. Do you have any playing tips for drummers on how improve the speed and precision of their playing?

John Fred Young: My advice on how to build up speed and power is just to start out doing stuff slow. You can play a beat at a really high tempo, but you have to make it clean and you have to be able to really have a formula for how you start out your rolls and different rudiments. Everything for me is about practice. I may not practice for five hours straight, but I’m always drumming on something or I have pair of sticks in my hands. I think that Buddy Rich said something like, ‘As long as you can practice fifteen minutes a day you’re fine.’ That’s so cool, because Buddy Rich is the greatest drummer of all time. He’s undeniably the best and if I had a fingernail of the talent that he did, I would be set (laughs). He was very awesome.

Metal Edge: Some of your parts are very busy: do you ever worry about stepping on the vocal?

John Fred: I pretty much overplay all the time (laughs). I definitely I try to play for the song and make the groove, but sometimes I get caught up with so much raw energy that I lose where I’m at. Then I’m like, ‘Oh god.’ But I do feel like I over play a lot, and I don’t know if that’s good or bad. The thing is, when you’re doing something really hard, you’ve got to make it look easy, and you’ve got to make the easy stuff look hard. That’s the ticket.

John Fred’s Gear:
Drums: Ludwig Green Sparkle Kit
Sizes: 26” Kick, 12”x14” Rack Tom, 16”x16” and 18”x18” Floor Toms, 6”x14” Snare
Cymbals: Meinl
Heads: Evans
Sticks: Vater

Official Website: http://www.blackstonecherry.com/
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackstonecherry/

John Fred Young
Image Source

This article was originally written for Metal Edge Magazine as part of a monthly column by Gail Worley (under the pen name Jayne Rollins). With the magazines’ dissolution, the article has been added to the content base of The Worley Gig for our readers’ enjoyment.

Music, Pop Culture

An Interview with James Powers of Defcon 4

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Having just dropped its brutal sophomore disc, File Under F**k – a CD whose punishing, first wave LA-Hardcore-influenced songs could excoriate the earth – Boston-based hardcore punks Defcon 4 are already finishing up their next aural assault; an as-yet-untitled, experimental hardcore epic consisting of one 25-minute song. “We’ve been recording with (producer/engineer) Steve Austin,” says drummer James Powers, a veteran of the hardcore punk scene who drummed for the now-legendary Last Rites when he was just fifteen. “Steve has worked with Lamb of God, Jello Biafra and Today is the Day (Austin’s own band),” James explains. “He’s also mixing it and will release the CD on his new label, Supernova.” Powers offers that the upcoming disc will be “more metal” in tone.

“We knew it would be challenging to do a record like this,” the drummer continues, “but we just wanted to try something new that still has Defcon 4’s mark on it. We practiced for a long time and got to the point where we could easily play the whole thing all the way through. But in the studio our guitarist, Robin (Goodhue) wanted to break it up into four parts. Physically it was just difficult to record because we threw in weird parts and weird instrumentation, and it’s all pretty fast and heavy stuff.” With a unique drumming style that’s been described as “exploding forth in angry fits and retreating quickly,” Powers offered some insight to Metal Edge on what makes both him and his band tick.

Metal Edge: How has your drumming style progressed as far as influences go?

James Powers: My biggest drumming influence was, and still is, Alan Myers from DEVO, followed by Bill Ward from Black Sabbath and, of course, John Bonham. Once I got into punk rock, I was inspired by the drummers from Black Flag and The Circle Jerks. Later, Metallica came along and Lars was the big thing. I saw Metallica on their Kill ‘em All tour at a little club in Boston during a snowstorm. Only 40 people showed up and the band was so psyched that they played every one of their songs. It was the most unbelievable thing; guys from every local band were there and that just changed everything. Then everyone turned into Def Leppard (laughs).

Metal Edge: How has your bass player, Skot, affected your style?

James Powers: Since I first met him in 1999, Skot has turned me on to the best music. Like me, Skot is also into ‘70s progressive hard rock bands – like Pink Floyd – from when he was a kid. But when I met these dudes they were listening to Deicide and Cannibal Corpse – maybe not playing as well as them but wanting to play like them. Being introduced to that extreme metal has been a huge influence. When we’re playing live, I’m feeding off of Skot as a bassist: just looking at and listening to him. I play the same now as I did when I was in Last Rites, but I’m also trying to play faster and put more in there than just fast, straight beats.

Metal Edge: I understand that you’re something of a Skateboard entrepreneur. What’s the story there?

James: In the early ‘80s, punk rock music went along with skateboarding pretty heavily. If you rode a skateboard you started a band; it was just what you did. Now I operate a chain of five skateboard shops in Massachusetts and New Hampshire called Eastern Boarder, which is a business I started with one of my best friends from childhood. We design boards, stickers and T-shirts, and also have a distribution arm called Blue Collar Distribution where we have skateboard ramps and things like that. We’ve become a network of friends who are all just really into skateboarding and music, so it works out well. This is our seventeenth year in business!

Metal Edge: One reviewer of File Under F**K seemed really perplexed by what was going in with the album. He wrote: ‘There isn’t any defining this band.’ What is Defcon 4 doing within the hardcore genre that’s new or innovative?

James: Defcon 4’s way of thinking is very forward. We change stuff up pretty quickly within a song, whereas most bands would find a part that they like and just repeat that. We like to have songs broken up with different parts, and that’s what critics seem to notice. I guess people find some of our music challenging to listen to because of the breaks, but it’s not really thought out: it’s just what happens. If there’s one rule we have, it’s that we hammer out songs and try not to be lame in any way.

James’ Gear:
Drums: Ludwig
Sizes: 24”x16” Kick, 18”x12” Rack Tom, 20” x18” Floor Tom, 14”x10” Vintage Marching Snare.
Cymbals: Zildjian
Sticks: Vader
Heads: Remo and Evans

Defcon4 CDCover for James Powers

This article was originally written for Metal Edge Magazine as part of a monthly column by Gail Worley (under the pen name Jayne Rollins). With the magazines’ dissolution, the article has been added to the content base of The Worley Gig for our readers’ enjoyment.

Music, Pop Culture

An Interview with Rick Allen of Def Leppard

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“Every five years or so, Joe [Elliott] would say, ‘We need to do a covers album!’” explains Def Leppard drummer, Rick Allen. “Finally we just recorded it and told everybody after the fact. We made this album to really give people an idea of where we came from musically and what inspired us growing up.” The album in question is Yeah, Def Leppard’s brilliant collection of ‘70s rock classics that includes such hidden gems as David Bowie’s “Drive in Saturday,” Badfinger’s “No Matter What” and “Street Life” by Roxy Music. “The idea was to choose songs that inspired us prior to being signed to a record deal,” Rick continues, “but we didn’t want to pick anything that was too obvious, such as Stones or Beatles songs. Interestingly enough, we all came up with similar song lists!”

Allen confesses that playing the drum parts on these songs gave him pause to consider certain aspects of drumming that have become something of a lost art. “These days, I think a lot of people work out songs using drum machines, and that’s sometimes reflected in the simplicity of the songs,” says the drummer. “Back then there was no such thing as a drum machine. Once you play a song live that’s when you figure out what the song really means and wants to be. It’s nice playing the new songs, but some of the old favorites – let’s face it – are the soundtracks to people’s lives. As soon as that [recognition] occurs, the songs really do take on their own personality, every night.” Catch Rick on tour with Def Leppard supporting Yeah through the end of 2006.

Metal Edge: As you become more comfortable with and adaptable to your physical situation (Note: Rick lost his left arm in a car accident twenty years ago), how does your set-up change?

Rick Allen: Over the years we’ve simplified things; with fewer moving parts fewer things can go wrong. Just the other day somebody asked the question, ‘How long did it take you to relearn?’ Basically, I think that the human spirit is the strongest thing I know. If you can tap into that, then what happens is that your brain rewires itself. I saw things change without me even really trying. I was able to do more things with my right hand than I’d ever done in the past, and what I can’t play cleanly with my right hand I’ll substitute for beats with my left foot. My left leg got more dexterous as time went on as well.

Metal Edge: Are you playing on all pads or are there acoustic drums in your set-up?

Rick Allen: Right now I’m using an acoustic kick and snare, and three pads. Everything that I used to play with my left arm I now play with my left foot using foot pedals on the floor. That set-up changes when I’m back at home, and in the studio I’ll probably be using more acoustic drums.

Metal Edge: When you guys play “Rocket” it really sounds like you’re doing a bass drum shuffle. How are you getting that sound?

Rick Allen: What I do for that is I use a four beat loop that I play on the up beat. A nice thing about the electronics is I can take elements from the record and actually use them in a way that fits in with how I want the song to sound live.

Metal Edge: When I saw Def Leppard recently, I especially loved the intro to “Rock On,” which starts with Rick Savage doing a bass solo and then you come in and the two of you just lock. What’s your dynamic with Sav like?

Rick Allen: I did an interview recently all about Sav’s and my relationship. I think that intuition really comes into play with that, where we anticipate what the other will do. At a certain point you don’t literally need to communicate that in a normal way. I know he’s going to do exactly what’s expected of him. It’s nice because I can relax and I rely on his timing sometimes, where if something is a little challenging he’ll be right there with me.

Metal Edge: Do you meet many disabled drummers who say they’ve been inspired by your story?

Rick Allen: Not just drummers but musicians in general. Yesterday, for instance, I was at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. One guy there was talking about how he’d loved playing guitar before he’d lost one of his limbs. I told him ways our guitar player Phil [Collen] had explained to me that people could play [guitar] without using both hands. It’s been interesting to share that, but it’s a two way street. I’m so inspired by people I meet, to the point where I realize it’s not about me giving somebody a wonderful experience and blah blah blah. It’s about my recovery and my development as well. I figure that I’m in a great position to make a difference if I can.”

Rick’s Gear:
Drums: DW acoustic drums
Sizes: 22″ Kick, 12″ Snare (with ddrum triggers)
Pads: (3) 8″electronic pads by Hart Dynamics
Hardware/Pedals/Electronics: DW hardware, custom pedals by Axis Percussion, (2) Akai Z8 Samplers, (2) Roland TD-20’s, (2) Grace Design headphone amplifiers, custom switcher by Whirlwind
Cymbals: Zildjian
Sticks: Ahead
Heads: Remo

Official Website: http://www.defleppard.com

Rick Allen Drums

This article was originally written for Metal Edge Magazine as part of a monthly column by Gail Worley (under the pen name Jayne Rollins). With the magazines’ dissolution, the article has been added to the content base of The Worley Gig for our readers’ enjoyment.

Music, Pop Culture

An Interview with Ray Luzier of Korn

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As a renowned session and touring drummer, instructor and clinician, drummer Ray Luzier has enjoyed an almost storybook-like career. Playing drums since age seven, Ray grew up on a farm in rural Pennsylvania. After high school, he left home for Los Angeles – with visions of rock stardom in his eyes – to study drums and percussion at LA’s Musicians Institute. Later, Ray paid the bills teaching the hard rock curriculum at MI’s Percussion Institute of Technology. He also realized a childhood dream by playing drums on a dozen albums for the famed Shrapnel Records label. In 1998, Ray’s determination and amazing ability to network landed him behind the drum kit for the David Lee Roth band, a gig he held down for over seven years. The drummer toured the world with Roth while recording and performing with a variety of projects, including the Nixons, ‘80s metal cover band and comedy routine, Metal Shop and his own instrumental group, Hideous Sun Demons.

In 2005, Ray got the break he’d been working towards his entire career when he was asked by brothers Dean and Robert Deleo (ex-Stone Temple Pilots) to join the hard rock supergroup, Army of Anyone – which includes singer Richard Patrick, formerly of Filter. Featuring a sound that mixes Led Zeppelin and Motown with modern industrial rock, Army of Anyone’s highly anticipated, self-titled debut was released this summer amid the biggest music industry buzz since Velvet Revolver hit the scene. Ray talked drums with Metal Edge the night before Army of Anyone took off for a tour of Japan. (Note: Although Korn is Ray’s current gig, this interview was conducted years prior to to him doing that band).

Metal Edge: What players have most influenced your double bass technique, and how do you keep your drumming fresh?

Ray Luzier: My double bass playing is mostly influenced by Terry Bozzio and Deen Castronovo, but Scott Travis from Judas Priest also has a great double bass technique. He’s so amazing and clean. For a long time now, I’ve wanted to be more than just a drummer. I picked up the guitar about seven years ago and it’s allowed me to see a new perspective coming from the guitar player. When I was really young, I couldn’t understand why the producer would say, ‘You shouldn’t play that drum fill’ or ‘that kick drum pattern doesn’t really go with the guitar part.’ Playing guitar has allowed me to see that you can step on the guitar riff if you play a busy drum fill over the top. It’s brought new life to my playing.

Metal Edge: In the David Lee Roth Band you played many of his biggest hits with Van Halen. What was it like playing Alex Van Halen’s classic drum parts?

Ray Luzier: There are signature parts, drum wise, in songs like “Jump” or “Dance the Night Away” – which were huge hits. After the keyboard intro at the beginning of “Jump,” you have that simple fill that everybody air jams to. If you miss that fill you should be knocked off your drum throne (laughs)! There were certain things that I’d emulate from Alex but Dave really let me be myself. Through the years, the songs definitely evolved. I’ve watched live videos of us and it sounds like this new band with Dave, yet we’re complimenting the old stuff while bringing ourselves into the mix as well.

Metal Edge: Army of Anyone is your first experience as a full member of a band and not just a “Hired Gun.” How did you approach your drumming on this record?

Ray Luzier: When I got this gig there were twenty-six songs already written to a drum machine, so I had to really think creatively. Robert and the guys really showed me – beyond the vocal melody – how to think of everyone’s part as a hook. Instead of thinking, ‘what drum part is going to sound good with this?’ I had to ask myself, ‘what’s my hook right here?’ Usually, the bass player wants the drummer to lock in, so the bass drum is right with the bass line. Robert’s not like that. He’d say, ‘Play around me. Find what works for you.’ So it’s like we have four different parts going on with guitar, bass, drums and vocals, but it all seems to work. I’m definitely playing differently these days.

Metal Edge: What were some of the highlights of being in the studio recording the Army of Anyone album?

Ray Luzier: Being in the studio with (producer) Bob Ezrin was a great experience. One of the reasons I started playing drums was because of Destroyer, the KISS album that Bob produced. Just watching the way Dean and Robert work – with the magic of the way they layer guitar tracks, and the way Richard would sing certain parts – was amazing. Dean might suggest that I play a certain fill or someone would say ‘Play one of those crazy things you do right at the end.’ Then I’d play it and they would all just smile and say, ‘That’s it!’ This is definitely some of the best work I’ve ever done and it’s a record that I’m very proud of.

Ray’s Gear:
Drums: Orange County Drums & Percussion
Sizes: 22×22″ Kick Drum, 8X10″ and 9X12″ rack toms, 14″ and 16″ Floor toms, 5 1/2″ X 14″ steel/wood snare
Cymbals: Sabian
Heads: Remo
Sticks: Pro-Mark 5B Hickory wood tip Ray Luzier signature sticks

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Army-of-Anyone-215998051773832/
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RayLuzierOfficial/

ray luzier drummer
Photo By Tina Korhonen

This article was originally written for Metal Edge Magazine as part of a monthly column by Gail Worley (under the pen name Jayne Rollins). With the magazines’ dissolution, the article has been added to the content base of The Worley Gig for our readers’ enjoyment.

Music, Pop Culture

An Interview with Kevin Taylor of Crash Kelly

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Kevin Taylor had a steady gig playing drums with Canadian glam punk band, Robin Black when he started sitting in on drums for Crash Kelly; a group of dynamic, ‘70s-influenced rockers lead by his friend, guitarist Sean Kelly. “I played with Sean for about a year when Robin Black wasn’t on the road or recording,” the drummer explains. “Things got busy with Robin again, but I kept going to see Crash Kelly shows and I realized Sean had something really good going on.” Less than a year later, Kevin was back behind Crash Kelly’s drum kit fulltime.

As a drummer who’s passionate about 70s and 80s rock, Kevin feels Crash Kelly is the perfect band for him. “Robin Black’s music only needed very straightforward punk/pop drumming,” Kevin offers. “Joining Crash Kelly allowed me way more flexibility in my playing, because I wasn’t just laying down a straight 1-and-2-and-3-and-4 beat. There’s lots of room to do interesting things, which I really love.” Flaunting songs that pay homage to the finest aspects of the Alice Cooper Group’s vintage, gritty glam and Cheap Trick’s classic power pop, Crash Kelly have toured non-stop with kindred spirits like Backyard Babies, The Black Halos and The Illuminati in support of its critically acclaimed 2005 debut, Penny Pills. The band recently released its amazing sophomore CD, Electric Satisfaction, which was produced by former GNR axeman Gilby Clarke. Kevin talked drums with Metal Edge during much needed break from the road.

Metal Edge: In the studio, how did you approach your drum parts for Electric Satisfaction?

Kevin Taylor: Because of time and budget constraints, we couldn’t do any pre-production. What we did was choose the six songs we thought were the strongest and rehearse those to death. That way, those songs were very structured and everything was set when we went into the studio. Then we just banged them out with maybe a few minor changes. With the other six songs that we didn’t have a chance to work on, we learned their structure and, basically, when we got into the studio we just went with what felt good that day. I’d do two consecutive takes and end up with two completely different drumbeats. When I listened back to the tape, I realized it was a good idea to have done that because I came up with fresh, innovative ideas in the studio rather than having my parts already planned. From doing records in the past and listening to them two months later, I’ll often wish I had played something different than what made the record. This approach was great because it was a spur of the moment decision based on what felt right.

Metal Edge: How did Gilby Clarke influence you in the studio, if at all?

Kevin Taylor: We made some major drum part changes on two songs, thanks to Gilby: “Turn It Around” and “…Shock In My Rock & Roll.” The changes weren’t anything really complicated, but were just suggestions to make the songs more unique. In “Turn It Around” I originally had 8th notes on the hi-hat going through the verses. Gilby suggested I do the 8ths on the snare instead, which gives it that marching cadence you hear. I don’t have an ego and I’ve never been a producer. As soon as he said, “Let’s do this,” I was like, “you know better than I do.” He was in Guns ‘n’ Roses, so who am I to not trust his judgment (laughs)?

Metal Edge: When Crash Kelly toured with Alice Cooper, what did you think of Eric Singer’s playing?

Kevin Taylor: I knew Eric Singer from Badlands and the live Kiss DVD, but I had no idea that he was such good drummer until I saw him live with Alice Cooper. Every night that I watched him was just like a clinic; he’s solid but stylish and the tricks he has are so amazing. I always like a bit of showmanship in drumming, though never at the expense of playing. If you can pull it off live and do it well, then I say go for it. Eric was great.

Metal Edge: Crash Kelly has played with so many great new rock and roll bands that all share a kind of ‘70s rock or garage rock spirit. How does it feel to hear that kind of music enjoying a rebirth?

Kevin Taylor: The best thing is when I walk down the street and see a ten-year-old kid with long hair wearing a Led Zeppelin T-shirt. I just feel warm that kids get it. It goes to show you that a Led Zeppelin record is timeless, but in 30 years no one will even remember who Limp Bizkit was.

Kevin’s Gear:
Drums: Pearl BLX White four-piece
Sizes: 22” x 18” Kick, 12” x 10” Mounted Tom, 16” x 16” Floor Tom, 14” x 6.5” free floating Snare with metal shell.
Cymbals: Sabian
Heads: Remo ambassador coated heads on toms and snare, Remo pinstripe on kick.
Sticks: Rimshot 5A’s with wood tip

Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crashkellymusic/

Kevin Taylor Crash Kelly

This article was originally written for Metal Edge Magazine as part of a monthly column by Gail Worley (under the pen name Jayne Rollins). With the magazines’ dissolution, the article has been added to the content base of The Worley Gig for our readers’ enjoyment.