 Photo by Andrew Bromley (@andybromm) Name Alice O’Sullivan Where are you based? Melbourne How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? I started playing drums back in primary school. I think it’s universally agreed that drums are just the coolest instrument (sorry not sorry), and young me wanted to be a part of the club. I was fortunate enough to have some great mentors over the years who supported my playing. Do you play any other instruments? I’m not too shabby at guitar and had lessons for a few years back when I was still in school. The lessons weren’t quite for me, and once I started taking drumming more seriously, I decided to actively self-teach (and didn’t do such a bad job I’ll add). What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now? My biggest commitment now is with my band, All Regards. Our genre is not quite pop-punk, not too heavy either, so we like to say its grungy-emo-punk (take a listen and you’ll hear what I mean). On top of that, I’m drumming in a surf rock project called CHEAP-SKATE. We recently scored a tour with the Smith Street Band which has been heaps of fun preparing for. As I’m writing this, our first show of the tour is on Friday, so fingers crossed! I’ve got a few other things in the works, but not enough to start touting them yet! Hopefully soon, though. Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about? In All Regards, we definitely all contribute to the song writing process. Whether that’s bringing forward lyrics, a cool guitar riff or a theme to write a song around, all the band members are writing. Outside the band, I still have songs and ideas I’m working on. Not all of them fit the heavier genres or the vibe of All Regards, so hopefully they’ll come out in the future. As for shows, we are doing a lot more support slots these days which has been great – playing for bigger bands and interacting with different crowds to who we usually see. At the end of 2021, we held a headlining single launch for our song, ‘Where Were You’, which we pretty much organised all ourselves. It was a huge success, we sold out Last Chance in Melbourne and had an epic night. Hopefully we will get to run some more headliners again soon.  Photo by Andrew Bromley (@andybromm) What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run? I think active collaboration is essential in making good music. I like to say I’m a ‘yes girl’ – if someone suggests an idea, I always want to say yes and try it before dismissing it. If it doesn’t work out, you can always go back or take it in a new direction. I always want to revise and try improving something until I’m in love with it. After all, when is your first attempt ever going to be your best? Since gaining experience recording in the studio, I’ve learnt a lot about the whole process and can now identify ways to make a song better, add layers and keep it engaging. Who are you listening to/who’s music are you enjoying right now? I’ve been trying to listen to a broad spectrum of artists recently to cater to my various projects and things happening behind the scenes. I’ve been doing a mix of keeping up with contemporary artists, but also diving into the archives. My top three at the moment are;
 Photo by @ActFourPhoto (Beth Morrison) Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises? Anything that makes my hands confused is a good start. I like to pick something challenging, then work my way to nailing it. I try to find these on YouTube or look through some old drumming books I’ve collected over the years. At the moment, my warmup consists of a run through my rudiments, then some chop-building work. I’ll play around with paradiddle accents and 5 or 7 stroke rolls to create interesting accent patterns. Does social media play a big part in how you promote yourself as an artist and your various projects? Do you promote your work in other ways? Social media, and in particular Instagram, is the hub of most of what I do in terms of promotion. I like to keep the band page active as well as my own, letting people know where and when I’m playing. Sometimes I think no one notices, but I often run into people and the first thing they ask is ‘How’s the drumming going?’ which is kind of nice. To be honest, I think word of mouth is really powerful as well. I always like to strike up a conversation about music and find that if you can connect with someone about that, they will often be invested in your own music journey. Even better when they make an effort to come see a show, I always appreciate that. Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? All Regards has done some amazing shows with local bands I’ve admired for a really long time. The most exciting part for me has been and continues to be our growth. From a band struggling to muster a crowd on a Thursday night, to playing to a sold-out venue alongside some promising Australian acts is unreal. I am eager to see what comes next. If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be? Do your rudiments! (Unfortunately, this still applies today). Other thoughts/info I’m excited have joined the Big Sound Percussion team last year. It has connected me with so many other drummers and the community that has been created is so amazing. You can find them on Instagram @bsp_drumsticks and their sticks stocked in any good music store. Website The best place to stay up to date would be my Instagram, @ali.osully https://www.instagram.com/ali.osully/
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 Name Mina Cannon. Where are you based? Yugambeh (Gold Coast), QLD. How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? I’ve been playing drums since I was around 16-17. I always knew I’d grow up to make music, but as a young girl I thought my options were either singing or playing guitar, both of which i’m pretty bad at, haha. I got my first kit on a whim, and it’s been pretty uphill since then. Do you play any other instruments? I don’t, not yet, maybe that’ll change one day. What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now? At the moment, VOIID is the main. I do have some stuff in the works for the future, but you’ll have to wait on that. What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)? I have played in another band, Sun Serpent Gully, who are currently on a hiatus and hopefully returning soon! My first band ever was called Viral Eyes, which I was only in for a hot minute due to the rest of the band being from Sydney. I played my first ever show with them though, and I had a lot of fun.  Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now? At the moment i’m really loving Gel, Lingua Ignota and Ballista. As for more local bands though, i’m digging Blind Girls, who just released an LP ‘The Weight of Everything’. Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why? I have a lot of favourite drummers! But the drummers who inspired me the most to start playing would be Vinnie Paul and Matt Cameron. When it comes to inspiration though, I get a lot of that from watching local bands and my friends killing it. How would you describe the kind of music or projects you’re mostly involved in? And what kind of unique perspective/sound do you bring to these gigs? I feel like I’ve done a lot of diverse stuff in music so far, with VOIID we get to do a bunch of different stuff like fast punchy punk songs to slow shoegaze-y kinda feels, it’s cool to have that fluidity and creative leeway. And then with other projects I’ve been involved in, I get to play on the heavier side - Sun Serpent Gully was a doom metal band, I had a lot of fun with that. Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises? I’m pretty bad at sticking to a routine when it comes to warming up honestly, I just fuck around. I find it hard to keep my mind on a particular exercise when really I just want to play songs I love to warm up. Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? I definitely don’t make a living from music as of yet as much as I’d love to! Right now, music is obviously the passion, but it doesn’t pay the bills - I work full time as a Legal Assistant. Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? We’ve only been around Australia as of right now, but my favourite place to go is Tasmania for sure. I grew up there, so it’s cool to go back and play for family and old friends from school. The last time we went to Tas we ended up staying at (and then shortly fleeing from) a haunted hotel, that counts for cool, right? If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be? I actually think about this a lot, which is weird because I don’t really have an answer. Drums was the only thing I was ever really easy on myself with, and went at my own pace, I’m usually pretty self critical. Maybe that’s why drums stuck with me, because I was never an asshole to myself about it when I was younger and let myself have fun. I guess the only words close to advice for my younger self would be “stop trying to play ‘shattered’ by Pantera, the neighbours are getting pissed.”  Name
Natalie Grasso Where are you based? Perth, WA How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? I’ve been playing drums since I was 9 years old, so around 13 years now. My cousin was doing lessons at the time and is a really amazing drummer so I guess he inspired me to pick it up and I started lessons with him. Do you play any other instruments? I don’t play any other instruments in the traditional sense but I DJ and produce music both of which can feel like picking up a different instrument at times. What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now? At the moment I mostly drum for an artist called Jewel Owusu. She’s an pop/indie/alternative R&B artist who's actually one of my closest childhood friends. We started making music together in early 2020 with her writing and me producing and then later in the year we formed a band and started playing her tracks live around Perth. What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)? I have played drums for another artist called Princess Khanya when she needs a fill-in drummer. I’ve played a few cover band gigs over the past few years with different singers and played at quite a few jam nights in Perth but otherwise I haven’t played in many other projects. I grew up playing a lot in church which was what really helped me learn how to play with a live band and to an audience. Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about? As I mentioned before, I’ve had a lot of involvement putting together Jewel Owusu’s live show playing drums and helping arrange the songs to be played live. If the show requires a duo set I’ll usually DJ for her too. I also produce songs for other artists and make remixes as part of my DJ work. What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run? Collaboration has played such a key part in my music projects over the past few years. The way that Jewel and I work together collaboratively works so well for both of us because we get to play to our strengths. Usually she sends me a demo where she's already written the chords and the lyrics and then I can program the drums and other instrumentation that's needed. Going into production with a drumming background I sometimes struggle with the music theory aspects of producing music so that's why collaborating with Jewel who’s good at that has helped so much. Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now? I love R&B so I always find myself listening to artists like Snoh Aalegra, H.E.R and Ravyn Lenae. Over the past year I’ve been really into a UK artist called Pink Pantheress who blew up on tik tok. She does really chill drum and bass music which I never thought I'd be into but have been vibing a lot to. Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why? I would say Chris ‘Daddy’ Dave and Karriem Riggins are up there for my favourite drummers. I’m really into hip hop so their grooves and feel are my favourite to listen to and try to emulate. I love their style of trying to play like a drum machine in the style of J Dilla’s productions. Questlove also inspires me with his pocket and because he's a successful DJ too so I feel like I relate to that aspect of him. How would you describe the kind of music or projects you’re mostly involved in? And what kind of unique perspective/sound do you bring to these gigs? Most of my projects would be considered R&b/Hip hop/Neo-soul. With a lot of my projects I’m always interested in trying to do things with a fresh take and make them sound new and current. A big part of this is trying to incorporate more electronic sounds and loops with a SPD-SX in shows. I feel like this is a unique perspective I have as a DJ and producer. Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises? I usually just try to stretch out and warm up my hands and arms beforehand. I use the sticks to help stretch and shake out my arms which I learnt from a Tony Royster Jr video. Then I try and do a few basic rudiments on my stick bag or cymbal bag for resistance. Does social media play a big part in how you promote yourself as an artist and your various projects? Do you promote your work in other ways? Social media plays a huge role in promoting myself as an artist. I’ve connected with, built relationships with and ended up working with quite a lot of people through it. I’ve found that making content like drumming reels has been a really effective way to promote myself as an artist. Meeting people at shows has also been a really important part of promoting myself though. Even meeting with people I've connected with online changes the dynamic completely and helps build relationships way quicker. Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? I don’t rely on music for income. I work part-time as a youth worker which I rely on mainly for my income and I like to look at music work as a bonus to that income. I feel like it takes a lot of pressure off and helps me enjoy my music projects solely for the experience not for the money. Sometimes if I want to make a big purchase or am feeling tight on money I'll do a few mobile DJ gigs like parties and weddings which are usually a pretty good way for me to make money from music. Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? I haven’t been on any tours or anything like that yet but lately i’ve been really grateful for the last few shows we’ve done because we’ve had great crowds who brought the vibes. We recently did a single launch for one of Jewel’s latest songs and the feeling in the room was like nothing i’d ever felt before. It was really cool to be in a room playing music I love and have put a lot of effort into to people who were really vibing it. If you could give your younger drumming self some advice, what would it be? Practice foot exercises a lot more. I struggle to this day to incorporate as many double kicks in my fills and grooves as I would like haha. Website I don't have a website but my instagram for my music projects is @namesake.mp3  Name Sara Pensalfini Where are you based? Hobart, Tasmania How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? I’ve been playing on and off since I was about 17 or 18 I guess, so that’s almost 30 years now. My Dad was a drummer and when he disappeared, he left his kit in our shed. I was going out with a guitarist and hanging out with a bunch of friends who all played music so it was logical to start playing. There were never enough drummers. Do you play any other instruments? I’ve always been musical. Early on I tried the piano but my teacher kind of ‘fired’ me after 2 years when she realised I’d been faking reading music and was just learning by ear. Double bass (and later electric bass) was my first instrument. I play a little bit of guitar and an even littler bit of clarinet. Drumkit is my love. What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now? Right now I’m teaching drums from home. Without intending to I’ve kinda come to specialise in supporting neuro-divergent students and ambidextrous players. After 25 years of making all sorts of original music, I’ve recently joined my first ever covers band (wait that’s a lie- I sang in an ABBA tribute show for a couple of months when I was 19). Anyhow, VIXXIN is a band that plays regularly here in Hobart. We are all women, which I absolutely love. We play hard rock, pop and soft metal classics from the 70’s til now. What’s even sweeter is that, as players, our ages span 3 decades. What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)? I co- created and drummed for The Stickmen and drummed for Sea Scouts here in Hobart. With Sea Scouts I also recorded (Pattern Recognition) and toured a fair bit in the late 90’s I also played in another band called 40 Watt Stars. Mostly I played drums but we used to swap around a bit, so I also played guitar and sang a little. Some of my originals. My degree was in Music Theatre and Theatre Performance. In my mid 20s, during my time at Arts Academy (Ballarat), I played drums for a couple of the Cabaret shows and I really enjoyed that. After a few years of mainly playing either punk or low fi folky stuff, it was a challenge to play more jazz and to explore different styles and approaches. Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about? You know, I’d really like to get back into writing my own material. From age 16 ‘til about 25 I wrote many original songs and also used to play solo sets (guitar and singing) around the traps in Tasmania and Victoria. Last year I had a break-up after a short but lovely relationship and wrote the first song I’d written in 20 years. It was good too! Maybe I need to date more and get my heart broken more? Who knows. What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run? I’m a little bit of a loner in my personal life but as an artist I thrive on collaboration. Whether it’s writing, performing or directing, whether it’s music, comedy, theatre or film- there’s nothing better to me than the feeling of making something with a small group of motivated and creative people. It’s been a real time of hibernation and growth for me over the past 5-7 years or so. That said, I have been actively working again as a musician and also as an actor and writer, so I’ll say that it’s definitely something I want an ongoing and positive relationship with. As artists so often we are who we are. It’s intrinsic and inescapable. I’ve tried to turn my back on creating and performing time and time again, but it’s always right there waiting for me. Or calling me back. Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now? After having babies (they are almost adults now!) my relationship to music changed. I stopped listening to as much because it kinda cracked my heart open. It can’t be a background thing as much anymore. It’s either off or I’m completely immersed in it. Over the past decade I’ve mostly enjoyed old-school Soul, particularly Harlem Soul. I’ve also loved a lot of American pure Country and Folk and recently gone back to enjoying singer-songwriters like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Waits. I’m obsessed with warm, golden production.  Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why? The first drummers I really noticed were Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience) and Bernard Purdie (playing on Aretha Franklin’s Rock Steady). With both of these players it was their crisp and energetic syncopation and the way they made really simple beats sound so bloody exciting. My all-time favourite drummer is Jim White. I just adore how responsive and expressive he is. I’m also really admiring a lot of the session drummers who played on classic Soul recordings and doing my best to learn more about them. Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises? Rudiments over ‘walking feet’. Back and forth. Left and right. Doubling and halving. Plus, flams are my favourite ever friend. Does social media play a big part in how you promote yourself as an artist and your various projects? Do you promote your work in other ways? Not at all. I’m a bit of a technology dunce to be honest. Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? I currently don’t make a living solely from my music, but via teaching and now regular gigging it certainly boosts the budget. I don’t think I’ll ever make a living from just one thing. I’ve always been the type of person who has multiple streams of creativity and multiple jobs on the go at once. Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? Supporting loads of prominent Aussie bands and also some very influential international acts when I played with Sea Scouts was definitely a highlight. I was so young and didn’t really appreciate at the time what a special time it was. If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be? Practice. Explore your own responses to how other people play. Use your rudiments (lead with both hands and both feet) and then make them into music for yourself. Practice is not boring and can be done anywhere (car, bus stop, classroom, waiting in line). The goal of practice is not to be correct, it’s to develop your own distinct style. I’d never actually practiced until I started to teach a few years ago and now that I’m having to learn covers. I only ever set up the kit to jam with others or to play gigs. I learnt by playing live I suppose. Whilst that’s fine for what I’ve historically played - I’m a pretty intuitive musician who can fudge along to most things- it’s only now at 46 that I’m wanting to become a more technically proficient and knowledgeable player. Never too late though! Other thoughts/info Thanks so much for the opportunity to share a little about me and my relationship with drumming. It’s been such a pleasure to reflect on it all. |
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