I took up drums when a friend came to me desperate to find a drummer for a music piece he was to perform. In three weeks I was tasked with learning two Blink 182 songs from scratch. The performance was unsurprisingly terrible. I lost my sticks and played with glockenspiel beaters. Despite all that, I kept playing drums and six years later joined Zangryus.

 

Being a drummer can be dull depending on the music that you have to play along to. I'm pleased to find a band willing to experiment with unusual time signatures, changes in tempo and complex building structures. It's a challenge often times trying to find a rhythm that is both suitably wierd, but sounds natural. Challenge is the thing that keeps me wanting to practice; just wanting to be able to do that rhythm a bit faster, or that fill cleaner. Hence I've usually been drawn to drummers who use their imagination to fit the music. Mitch Mitchell's builds in three across Hendrix' four, or the sheer variety of fills Travis Barker gets out of a simple four/five piece kit.

 

I play a Pearl Forum with 24" bass drum, 10", 12" and 14" toms. 14" hats, 16" crash, 20" ride and a massive fuck off cowbell which has little value other than humour. I can also play a variety of Nine Inch Nails and Iron Maiden tracks on a keyboard.

 

Damien Joined Zangryus in Spring 2007