ION INDIE MAGAZINE October 2015, Volume 17 | Page 54

CH: Well PRO-PAIN was one of those hard core bands from New York and is one of my favorite bands of all time. I knew the
guys pretty well, and they were doing gigs at STUDIO ONE in Newark, NJ. I want to say it was December 1993. I was just out of
high school. So I was like, 18 or 19, and I guess I just turned 19. So we're back stage and their drummer had something going
on with his heart and he had to be taken to the hospital. And we're sitting in the dressing room, and their singer, Gary, was
just like, “What are we gonna do? We've got this big guarantee!” The place was pretty packed. It was fixing to be a really good
show, and I was just like, “I'll play.” And he looks at me like, “Yeah, right kid—whatever.” Just that look of, “Yeah, go ‘F’
yourself.” So I just went about my business, and it was maybe 20 minutes before they were set to go on, and the drum tech
comes up to me and is like, “Man, do you really think you can play?” I went, “Absolutely, man!” So him, Gary, and Nick--the
guitar player--who's still one of my best friends to this day…they took me up to the stage and the opening band was still
playing. They had a curtain covering all their gear, and they sent me up to the kit and said, “So play something.” I said,
“Alright…call out whatever.” And he said, “Okay…Arachnophobia.” I counted off and I got to the first chorus, and I looked
back and they're all sitting there with their mouths open, and they just had this look like, “Oh, $h!t this guy is pretty good!”
So Gary was just like, “Well, I guess we're playing the show tonight.” A little bit later, we walked out on stage, and it was
literally one of the best days of my life. It was literally unreal. It was one of my favorite bands, and at that age, it was just nuts.
SJ: And the rest as they say is history. So with that, here you are all these years later, and now you're the man. I know you've
got some endorsements and sponsors yourself. So why don't you tell me about them? Because the way you play, you've got
to go through equipment like crazy.
CH: I've been really lucky. I've been with the same companies since like 1998-1999, and I'm sponsored by TAMA DRUMS,
SABIAN CYMBALS, VATER STICKS, EVANS DRUM HEADS, PORTER AND DAVIES-- who makes this really cool thumper seat and
are a company based out of England. KELLY SHU makes these really cool microphone mounts, and if you go to their website
and click on artist profile you can find Chris Hamilton, and it will show the gear that I use. It's been really cool. As I've been
in and out of bands, they've all just stuck with me. A lot of guys make the mistake of letting their managers or their techs or
whoever handle their endorsements. I never let a manager, a tech or anyone ever deal with those people. I make sure I build
those relationships.
SJ: How does that all come to fruition in terms of you getting such endorsements and selecting the brands you want to use?
CH: I basically went after the brands I've always played with. I've been playing with Tama forever. When I went out to Los
Angeles to join Downset, I called Sabian and I was like, “Yo, I'm in this band, Downset. We're signed to MERCURY.”--and the
guy pretty much gave me the endorsement on the spot.
SJ: Getting back to the record that Saint Caine has been working on--what are some of the highlights you can discuss regarding
that project?
CH: I think the recording process in and of itself has been really amazing. I know John and I were just connected. I don't know.
It was just such an effortless record to make. We were just really on the same page. Then, when we were doing the record, we
had TROY SANDERS from MASTODON--who came and sang on the record, which was pretty unbelievable. He dug the band,
and actually, my old band shared a bus with them in Europe years ago…which is how I got to know him. He came in and really
killed it. I can't wait for people to hear that song. It's the song we're going to do the video for too.
SJ: So I guess 2016 is going to be a big year for you guys?
CH: I hope so. We'll see.

www.ChrisHamiltonDrums.com • www.facebook.com/saintcaine