Sick Drummer Magazine

Keep up with Morten here:

www.myspace.com/submissionragecage
www.myspace.com/thearcaneorder
www.myspace.com/mortenloewe





Morten Løwe Sørensen, age 24. I have played with a wide variety of bands in the metal scene and beyond. I have toured/played/recorded with bands like: SCARVE, SOILWORK, HATESPHERE, NIGHTRAGE, THE CLEANSING. THE CLEANSING, REX SATANACHIA, ICON IN ME, TRANSPARENT, INSTANT CARNAGE ETC. Aside from those bands, I have  my own fulltime bands: THE ARCANE ORDER and SUBMISSION. I also do clinics for TAMA and MEINL.

Morten Lowe Sorensen Interview:

SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?

Morten: i think i was around 11-12 years when i got my first kit. before that i was just playing on anything i could hit. I always wanted to be a drummer as far back as i remember...

SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?

Morten: yes i did play in the school band. but it really sucked!! we dont´have things like drum corps in denmark unfortunately. its too bad cause it can really help your technique, as a young drummer.

SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?

Morten: hmm, always a tricky question. sometimes you are not even aware of your influences. but during the all the years i have played the ones who made the greatest impact on me must be: dirk verbeuren, sean rhineart, gene hoglan, peter wildoer, thomas haake, gary novak, vinnie colaiuta, dave weckl etc...

SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn't mean favorites, who are your favorites?

Morten: there are so many great drummers. i could easily name a thousand. but some of them: virgil donati, thomas lang, elvin jones, benny greb, marco minnemann, derek roddy, john longstreth, reno kiilerich, jojo mayer, mike portnoy, neal peart, nicholas barker, buddy rich, morgan ågren, brian rasmussen, keith carlock, steve smith, deen castronovo and many more...

SD.com: Let us know 5 CD's that are in your current rotation

Morten: right now im listening to KARIZMA LIVE with vinnie colaiuta, meshuggah "obzen", tool "10.000 days", scarve "the undercurrent", everything with porcuoine tree, allan holdswoth (the sixteen men of tain)

SD.com: What do you do to warm up before a show?

Morten:  i use my practice pads( for hands and bassdrum) between 1/2 -1 hour before the show. i like to play various coordination excercises combined with rudiments. usually i end up practicing. i also stretch alot. and sometimes plays bare handed (without sticks) warming up is really important for me, alltough in some ways its more mental than physical.

SD.com: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?

Morten:  thats really hard to remember... i always feel i could do a lot better.but the great gigs are the ones where you are totally present, and playing in the moment, not judging yourself or thinkin about how bad the monitor sound is.

SD.com: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?

Morten: since i was 15 i have been playing tama drums, and i still think they are the best, both in design and in sound. im currently playing a tama superstar hyperdrive kit. really nice drums, with a very shallow depth, and very easy to tune. besides that i play meinl cymbals, and i really love those cymbals. also they make those special products, like the thrash hats. really cool cymbals.

SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be...

Morten: be open minded, and listen (and play) to all kind of genres. get a teacher, learn all the theory. be diverse. practice as much as you can without destroyng yourelf and have patience.

SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you've ever seen?

Morten: its either terry bozzio with fantomas, or dave weckl with his band. both mind blowing experiences.

SD.com: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?

Morten: thats scary...!! hmmm i also play guitar so that might be an option?
i cant´really see myself working nine to five ever! this is what i do, and i will probably always do it in some ways. maybe i wont be playing extreme metal at age 50, but then its great to have diverse skills...