Since the day I have been accepted as a drummer in Overside, I have never stopped loving this instrument. For me, playing on drums projects me into a parallel universe where nothing else exist than the sound, and the high! I first discovered that while being in Nonsense & then in Side Effects… All the creativity needed, all the dexterity, precision, timing, and so on make it more interesting. Guess I will never master drums, coz I never had a theorical approach of it, am self-trained by listening to drum beats in songs and trying to repeat it on anything I had in front of me! Till now I don’t own a drum kit, so all my experience on a drum kit was solely during reharsals, which is somehow an advantage, as I fear that if one day I own one, I might loose interest in it… lol! But I really want a mapex drum kit as it is the brand on which I have felt most comfortable… Yeah! Some may say that I wanted tama drums, but in fact I love tama drumsticks only.. wahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Am known for being an agressive metal drummer, often breaking parts of drum kits, and competing with Tof for breaking drumsticks… I have calmed myself with time, adopting a more precision based type of play, counter tempo things, and always listening to drummers that inspires me (when I can understand what they are doing) so as to develop my creativity, and acquire a little something that will only be for me…
Brad Wilk – Rage Against The Machine & Audio slave, has been my best teacher, while mostly using a standard drum kit, he impressed me with his techniques and guess will remain the one who changed my vision of a drummer and thanks to him I love funk lines, leading me to blues, jazz lines…
John Bonham(1948-1980) – My all time favourite drummer, since I discovered Led Zeppelin, I was fond of the drums!! If you don’t like Led Zeppelin, its time for you to stop listening to music, and I am being jokingly serious! His power, his groove, his speed, and playing with his bare hands just for effects purpose! Giving a new vision of what a drummer can do!! Bonzo you were incredible, may your soul rest in peace… Thanks for your influence, not only in metal but in all styles u’ve played!!
Lars Ulrich – Metallica, my first idol, and frankly, a drummer of his own! Till now I have not been satisfied while playing “For Whom The Bells Tolls”, as even if it seems easy for non-drummers, there is a little something in his play that can’t be copied! And this is the little something I will strive to obtain in my drumming life, a little something which will be my signature! Respect dude…
Vinnie Paul Abbott – Pantera & Damage Plan, for me one of the most talented drummer in history! He is simply amazing, with his double bass rythms and has his special something too..
Igor Cavalera - Sepultura, I will simply say Roots BloodyRoots, being the first metal song I have ever played, and will remain one of the best songs I have ever covered!! His incredible power, rythms, made him the the first drummer from whom I have started learning…
Roy Mayorga – Soulfly & Stone sour, “Tribe”,” Eye for an eye”, “Quilombo”, “Prejudice”, well those titles form part of my favourits all time songs and those rythms are done by this guy!! Just to say how incredible he is!! All the tribal effects inspired by those songs put him definetely on my best drummers list… as Tribal is my favourite style of play!! I want to be able to play this style well one day..
Joe Nunez – Soulfly other drummer, on “Back to the primitive”, “Jumpdafuckup”, “The Prophet”, “Terrorist”, “Mulambo”… he simply kills!! With the tribal/groovy influence he puts in those songs, he forms part of my favourites too! Hail to you!
Steve Hewitt – Placebo, he has been very influential in the sense that while listening to placebo songs, I thought that they were simple, but in fact it reflected a real complexity!
Paul Thomson – Franz Ferdinand, simply incredible, like Jeeves said “kan mo ecoute Franz Ferdinand mo gaigne l’impression zot p prend nissa ar moi”! And he damn is right!! This guy has an incredible drum play, was guitarist in the band before becoming drummer(wadir jeeves) and also do vocals & percussions(wadir moi, surtout kan li pa ler passe inapercu derrier so batterie) …
Matt Helders – Artic Monkeys, this guy is younger than me, and started just like me.. being a drummer as it was the only thing left in a band which started without any notion of music(with Overside after Nonsense’s breakup in 2004)… His bizarre, groovy, unique style has impressed me.. simply wow!!!
Matt Johnson – Jeff Buckley’s drummer, one of the best drummer Ive ever heard, and still I just can’t understand why he is not that recognised… Just listen to”Dream Brother”, “Grace”, “So real” and come and tell me that he is dumb! The album Grace is one of the best albums in music history…
Dave Lombardo – Slayer, feat. Apocalyptica; the godfather of double bass, and it was not a stolen name!! He is real fast and agressive drummer, and if ever I have a double bass pedal, his influence will play a great part in it!!
