Name: Ashley Ramsey
 
Where are you based? Perth, Western Australia
 
How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument?
I started taking lessons in school around the age of 14 for a year or so then abandoned drumming completely when I left school. To be honest I think Meg White from White Stripes was my first influence. I started up again in my early 20s when I got into 70s punk and 90s riot grrrl and have played on and off since then.     
 
What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now?
I currently drum in Gaffer and sing in Cold Meat.
 
What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)?
The first band I drummed in was Dianas. I also drummed in a short lived but very fun band, Debbie Downers.
 
Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now?
Locally I’m really enjoying Mascara Snakes, Paranoias, Gutter Oil, Slow Point and Nerve Quakes. Australia wide I’m obsessed with Nylex from Sydney/Adelaide, Exek, Hacker, Il Globo and Ubik from Melbourne. Otherwise on my rotation at the moment is The Blitz – Voice of a Generation, Carambolage and the Disco Not Disco compilations. I’ve been a bit slack lately and desperately need new music!!
 
Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why?
Peter Clarke (Budgie) from Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Slits is probably my all-time favourite. His style is so dynamic and inventive. I love how Palmolive from Raincoats and the Slits played with such chaotic energy. John Maher from the Buzzcocks especially on the Another Music in a Different Kitchen album. I’ve always thought Cathy Green from X was a bit of a spunk and a solid drummer.
 
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 guess I would describe Gaffer’s sound as hard, stompy punk. A bit aggressive but a bit post-punky too. I suppose there’s not a whole lot of 70’s inspired punk going on in Perth at the moment so I suppose that makes us a bit different. Cold Meat is a Feminist punk band so I try to be a bit confrontational as a singer but probably just look a bit goofy and puffed out.
 
Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises?
I usually just stretch out my wrists and arms a little bit. I still get very nervous so try not to think about the thing that is about to happen until I’m on stage about to play.
 
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 really. I love drumming and singing in bands as a social thing that I do for fun rather than as a job and the people I play with feel the same about their instruments so we don’t feel the need to promote ourselves that much. We’ll post on our own profiles but neither of the bands I’m in have a Facebook page or Instagram. I don’t want people to get sick of us. I like making gig posters that we’ll sometimes post around the city.
 
Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? 
Definitely not, I’d say we hardly break even half the time! I’m a high school art teacher in the day and all the people I’m in bands with work full time. It’s nice to be on the same page with everyone about the purpose of the band. It means that money rarely comes into the equation when we are deciding on whether or not to play a gig. I’d rather play gigs that I enjoy with other friends in bands and get paid very little than get paid a lot to play gigs I’m not interested in.
 
Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you?
I’m yet to tour internationally with any the bands I’ve been in but would love to some day! I’d say the shows Cold Meat have played over east in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane have been at the top of the list. We got invited to play at a festival focused on women in music in Melbourne and we’ve played Maggotfest. We also played Total Attack in Brisbane which was great. It’s such a pleasure to see such a variety of punk bands in larger cities. It’s especially inspiring and uplifting to see so many amazing women at the forefront of these scenes. So I think meeting cool people and watching their bands has been the best thing about making music.
 
If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be?
Stop getting so drunk before playing! And maybe practice a bit more J
 
Other thoughts/info
Cold Meat’s first LP will be out (hopefully) at the start of next year with Static Shock Records and Helta Skelta records and Gaffer’s demo tape should be out a bit before then on Helta Skelta Records.
 

Name​
Emma Ash

Where are you based?
I’m from Adelaide – I have been living in Melbourne for five and a half years now.

How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument?
I have been practicing since 2017, but playing properly for about a year now. I’ve forever followed the beat of the drum in songs, and have always been interested in playing them. My parents had no room to house a drumkit when I was younger and offered instead to get me guitar lessons/buy me a guitar, but I couldn’t have been more disinterested! Learning drums was always the goal.

Meg White from The White Stripes inspired me greatly as a young girl. I have always wanted to play the drums since hearing Elephant. In my teenage years I would go to a lot of gigs in Adelaide, and anytime I saw a non-male on stage (which was rare) it only fuelled my desire to play music more.

Do you play any other instruments?
Drums is it.

What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now?
I am in a garage punk band called LVIV that I play with a lot! We are coming up to almost a year together. I’ve also recently started a new electronic project with a bunch of friends.

Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about?
I write all of my drum parts, however my bandmates make suggestions of what to add etc.  I write lyrics for some songs, and generally my lyrics are derived from political controversies, or mishaps. I work in government, so naturally I have a lot of memories to draw from re: unfortunate experiences with old, white conservative male MP’s.

Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now?
Right now I listen to KAPUTT- Carnage Hall on repeat. A modern-day masterpiece, I can’t fault it. Other current spins are Gouge Away’s Burnt Sugar (the drums are so strong it’s HOT), and Alex G’s House of Sugar. On any given day for the last few years though you can probably find me listening to either Low Life, Marbled Eye, Institute or Constant Mongrel.

Do you have any favourite drummers?
As of right now, I am in awe of local drummers Issy Orsini from Pinch Points, Layla Crambourne-Rai from Girl Germs and Zoe Mulcahy from Body Maintenance. They all leave me bewildered each time I see them play. Exceptionally different drummers, however they inspire me to try new things and improve all the time.

Worldwide, I’m in love with the drumming of Institute and Marbled Eye. I can’t tell you how many hours I must have spent trying to perfect floor tom beats like theirs. 

Or other musicians who inspire you? why?
I have a super crush on Isobel Buckley – self taught AND self starting. She works really hard in Gutter Girls and I admire her passion and her persistence. Grace Gibson from Future Suck also inspires me big time – she’s a force on stage. They’re both boss as- I have all the time in the world for them- complete symbiosis. 

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?
LVIV is synth garage punk, I guess? I don't know. I am always uncomfortable deliberating what genre a band is. I feel like even after all these years listening to music I still can't arrive at a decision when asked that question haha! My drumming is relatively rudimentary, which complements the overall sound. I like to think that I bring an unadulterated perspective to the band, as LVIV is my first project. I had no experience prior, so I did, and still do have, a lot of enthusiasm for what we are creating. I am also pretty open minded and flexible when it comes to how we should collaborate together.. There is no fixed agenda from me- I'm simply just happy to be here.

Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises?
A friend of mine who is also a drummer drilled it into me how important it is to stretch. I couldn’t tell you what the stretches are called – there’s just a lot of pushing and pulling with my hands and fingers. Pretty basic stuff, but I find it helps me to not be sore the next day, and I no longer sprain my wrist as a result, which I did a couple of times earlier this year.

Does social media play a big part in how you promote yourself as an artist and your various projects?
Yeah hugely. I manage LVIV and oversee 99% of our social media. It’s enormously powerful for bands, not only as a platform to share our music and communicate with our peers and fans, but also because we have this very much instantaneous opportunity available to us to connect with other bands and artists that we admire. It is seriously galvanizing. A lot of our LVIV’s close relationships have been forged as a direct result of social media.

Do you make a living from music?
Absolutely not haha. Whilst music is a passion of mine, the projects I’m involved in are for fun. We do make money, and that money goes back into the band, paying for music, our rehearsal space, various artists we commission for artwork etc.

If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be?
Ultimately Emma, no one really gives a fuck about your drumming capabilities - it's all in your head. Be proud that you're out there giving it a go - nothing matters beyond that.

Links:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2nghPSmZJb8SCXNyCzfwQw

Name: Heather Wright 

Where are you based? Melbourne, Victoria

How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument? 
14 Years playing drums, (Percussion 23 years) I didn’t have much choice in starting drum kit. I was employed as a Percussionist in the Royal Australian Navy Band. One of the deployments required a small rock band and needed a personal change because 2 bunks available on the ship were no longer available for males, therefore 2 females had to deploy instead. The Navy band at that stage didn’t have a female bassist or guitarist to swap out so another lady deployed on saxophone and I was the closest female they had to a drummer,  so I took a baptism of fire and began drum kit.      

Do you play any other instruments? 
Mainly Percussion. Violin and some piano.

What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now?
As a full time mum I’m not in a regular committed band. I freelance for whoever needs, either on percussion or drums.

What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)? 
Royal Australain Navy Band
Heaps of Theatre Shows
Heaps of Orchestras
Teaching, Tutoring, Performance Coaching
Music Camps

Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about? 
I have developed a couple of theatre shows.
The Good The Bad and The Ugly of Musical Theatre, On My Way and The Musical Story of Christmas.
These shows have been developed for community theatre based around a theme, I created the script and adopted mainstream and theatre music, all tied together to create a story.
I have also developed manuals for specific circumstances in drum learning platforms.

What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run? 
I love collaboration in music, especially if the musicians have other talents they can use to enhance the performance/project. There have been a few occasions where I have been able to feature on stage as well as in the band/orchestra allowing for unique contributions to the shows. An example is playing an onstage Taiko Drum in a production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado.
In solo work I have added a dance elements. Two examples are performing spanish dancing to a clapping section of a Timpani piece by Paul Sarcich another was incorporating tap dancing to a drum kit piece.  

Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now? 
I’m a little old school, love the 70’s/80’s
Michael Jackson, Police, Toto, Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power, Royal Crown Review.

Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why? 
I’ve always loved the drumming from Jeff Pocaro and Simon Phillips (Toto) the riffs are amazing and they are mean drummers. Love 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 am mainly in theatre shows. There is such a broad range of styles needed you can never get bored. I always like to think outside the square and bring in strange objects when it calls for non standard drum sound. My husband takes great delight in testing out the chunks of metal around his workplace to find me a new unique sounds. 

Do you have a particular warm up or practice routine? Or favourite exercises?
I mainly just loosen up, stretch and give my wrists a really good shakeout. 

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? 
My main avenue for getting gigs is through facebook and the ‘people you know’ way.
I don’t really promote myself, I’m happy to just take what’s around. As I’ve been doing more gigs, my name has spread further and more opportunities are arising.

Do you make a living from music? What different types of work does this comprise? (no worries if this is a bit personal)
I make somewhat of a living from music. Some performance and some teaching. Not all employers pay the same rates and gigs are not like a 9-5 job. My full time job at this point is my 3ys son and I gig as much as is reasonable to have some good pocket money and a balance family and traditional wife life. 
 
Where’s the coolest place that music has taken you? 
It’s hard to say. I have performed in around 25 countries. 
Coolest might not be the right word…..
Perspective - 3rd world countries, 
Prestige - Europe and performing for Royalty, government and other dignitaries, Danger - the middle east. 
However the coolest comment I ever got was a soldier thanking me for the performance because, “for just a short time I was able to forget where I was and enjoy myself”.

If you could give your younger drumming self some advice what would it be? 
You needn't have feared being a female drummer (It took many years to push past this barrier), you should have just gone for it earlier. 
Despite on occasion being told as a female drummer I wasn’t wanted and was a crap player, I believe I have proven that comment incorrect. 

Other thoughts/info
Lessons in Percussion and Drums available in the West of Melbourne.
Percussion/Drum Instruments for hire.
entertainersclub2010@gmail.com ​

Name
Katherine Bray
 
Where are you based?
Canberra, Australia although I will be moving to Washington, DC in 2020.
 
How long have you been playing drums? And what initially drew you to the instrument?
I have been playing the drums for almost 7 years. My brother who was playing the drums initially drew me to the instrument.
 
Do you play any other instruments?
Yes! Guitar and I sing occasionally.
 
What bands/projects/collaborations are you involved in right now?
I am about to release an EP with a band I have been involved with - Paint Store.
 
What else have you previously been involved in (bands/shows/projects etc)?
I was in a band called Dalmacia that played local and interstate shows for a couple of years. I released an album with them a year ago. I also played local and interstate shows with a band called Neon Highways and we released two singles.
 
Do you write music or develop your own shows? What are they about/how have they come about?
Yes! I contributed to the songs written by Dalmacia and Neon Highways. I have also recently written music that is suitable for the gaming industry.
 
What are your thoughts on collaboration in music and in the projects you’re involved in or the projects you run?
If you are trying to create music I feel that collaborating with others is helpful because different people bring different strengths and ideas to any project, although you should be open minded and willing to accept critical feedback.
 
Who are you listening to/whose music are you enjoying right now?
At the moment I am listening to a lot of John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Weather Report and Kool & The Gang.
    
Do you have any favourite drummers? Or other musicians who inspire you? why?
Elvin Jones because he inspires me to express myself through my instrument. My teachers/mentors Ben Schumann, Mark Sutton, Chris Johnstone and Stephen Taylor because they have given me confidence, guidance and support for many years.