Page 41 - Sick Drummer Magazine Issue 29 - Hannes Grossmann

Thanks man. I didn’t have a choice really [laughs], as we were in a tiny space, but when you play in a large band like ours you need to pick your spots and make your voice heard in the right spots. Make sure you cut through and make a statement, especially as the drummer. All the frequencies are being attacked all the time, so you really need to dial it down and understand what in fact will be effective. What will say the most, with setting it up the least.SDM: Outstanding. That’s why I’m here. I want to expose your music to more drummers, so they can see what is capable on only two drums, when it’s done right and done with taste for the whole of the song.I appreciate that man. It all started with the Kick - Snare - Hat series, and I’m not sure if it was Aaron Spears who started it, but that’s who I saw do it first. It was a bunch of different situations, rooms, and just different ways you could hear those three instruments in all these different tunings, sizesand arrangements. This is how you’re going to get known the most, as that’s really what you play on the most., and how you (even without you knowing) develop your own identity.SDM: What kind of drums are you playing?I play Allegra drums, it’s a custom shop out of Portland, Oregon, run by Marcus and Ben Young. We opened for Bootsy Collins and Erik Hargrove who was playing for Bootsy at the time, was a Bosphorous Cymbals guy, and he asked me if I had a drum deal at the time. I was playing DW then, but didn’t think I would have any luck with them. So, Erik let me play his drums and they reminded meof DW drums, but the shells sounded older, almost more mature. Then I was at a gig playing with Tyrone Hendrix, who played with Prince, and he also plays Allerga. He was hitting those things and I was like. ok, I need to call this dude. So I called Erik and asked if he would put in a good word for me, he did, they signed me up and built me a kit. It’s great! They custom cut my bearing edges to 37 degrees, so the drums have this more round resonance, like an old Gretsch - but a still very focused tone.I also play Vic Firth sticks and DW9000 pedals and hi-hat stand. In the last couple weeks I have also been talking with Meinl Cymbals, but there will be more to talk about as it unfolds. It may happen, it may not, but we shall see.41sub Headline interest text