feel like the rigidity of both punk rock and rap can be a little foolish – all music can be dope as fuck . So , I ’ ve been listening to a ton of country ( Johnny Paycheck , Waylon Jennings , Tammy Wynette ), roots ( Beverly Glenn-Copeland , Susan Christie , Caroline Peyton ), 1990s and 2000s pop music ( Richard Marx , Celine Dion ) – songs I used to hate on , but I realize I know all the lyrics . And not only that , the music itself is wonderfully constructed . They got hits . Admit it . The reason I ’ ve dug deeper into these artists and genres is because music is a language . I want to understand all of it , not just some of it .
Lander : During the past few months , I ’ ve been trying to learn how to use Logic better . I ’ ve always written things very organically without recording a lot , so this is a big change . Other than that , I play drums when my old lady will allow me to . The one thing that I ’ ve really appreciated about being locked down , especially in the first four months , was the opportunity to become obsessed with music again , specifically British music from the 1970s , and to really pick apart bands like ELO , Roxy Music , Sweet , etc ., and their use of strings and synths . A lot of music from that
era has some amazing vocal arrangements and a lot of textural vocals , which I really enjoy .
Lewis : I was always into electronic drums and that ’ s what I ’ m using mostly at home , so I ’ m digging into music technology ; getting deeper into Ableton , fiddling around with Logic and other drum software . Other than that , I ’ m playing basketball more . I ’ m 6 ’ 4 ”, so it was nice to get back on the court and dunk again . I also changed up my diet a bit and lost 30 lbs ., which is great .
But I feel like I got busier over the pandemic . I thought I was busy before , but then all of a sudden , I ’ m a video editor , recording engineer , and producer . It ’ s great , but I look forward to the day that my wife and I can feel safe – really safe – to just chill out in a hotel and get some care for our kids .
Menow : It was tough when the pandemic hit , I felt as though I lost my inspiration for a while , but I have begun playing [ again ]. As a self-taught , learn-by-ear drummer there ’ s so much I need to learn and practice . I look to those who inspire me and do my research on what to practice / learn . My taste in music was already all over the radar . I love all sorts of different types of music and always try to keep my mind and taste open to all . I ’ ve recently gotten into listening to Caamp ( I really dig their chill vibe and folky sound ), The Boom Booms from Vancouver ( I love their writing , harmonies , and the stories behind their songs ), and The HU ( their music in their own tongue amazes me , and the throat singing as well ). I ’ ve also been tapping into some more Pink Floyd thanks to a couple of the dudes in the band .
CM : If you could study with any musician , past or present , dead or alive , who would it be , and why ?
Burrows : If I could go back in time , I ’ d love to study with Buddy Rich , Gene Krupa , Max Roach , any of those greats . I never had much time as a youngster to study technicality . Their discipline was scary good , and brought drums and drumming to the forefront of their generation .
D ’ Oliveira : These days , given my obsession with complex polyrhythms and ‘ Laya ,’ I ’ d love to study with Maestro South Indian percussionist Trichy Sankaran , who happens to be a living , walking treasure trove of rhythmical knowledge and probably one of the
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