I’ve been playing music for 25 years (see Musical Headspace - 25 years of drumming Pt. 1) and have worked with a lot of different and talented musicians. But it hasn’t been until recent months that I feel like I am working with the “Right Musicians”. I’m not taking anything away from people I have worked with in the past (and possibly the future) and I’m not necessarily talking about talent either. What I’m talking about is “Musical Connectivity”. Working with people that are on the same page as you are, people that know what you are going to play before you play it, people that know how to play “with” you and not to you, people that make you sound better and in return you make them sound better, people that, well I think you get the idea.

Being a working musician in LA is a very interesting occupation. It’s a permanent “side-man” mentality by default. Everyone here has a “Project” but very few people have a “Band”. “Hey dude, I have this new project that’s gonna freakin’ blow you away”. 6 months later they have another new project that will blow you away. And 6 months later if nothing is happening with that “project” they are on to another one. I’m not suggesting there are no bands in LA because that isn’t true. I have some friends that are in very good bands. All I’m trying to say is the mentality of “all for one, one for all”, the band is a team working towards a common goal is few and far between here. There are many reasons for why this happens but by far the most important reason, in my opinion, is they are working with the right musicians, the right people. This might be the music “business” but being in a band is like having a “family business” and you have to be able to get along and trust each other like you would another member of your family.

Finding the right musicians to work with can be the biggest possible challenge any band can face. Even bigger than deciding on a band name. But when you do find those people magic happens. It’s fun, it’s entertaining and, above all, it’s the most satisfying of all musical experiences. There is simply nothing else like it in the world.

The reason I felt compelled to write this post is that last night we were recording some of the bass tracks for a new band of mine with my good buddy Menno Verbaten. (see Rhythm Section from Hell!) Ernesto (my partner at Abrasive Productions) and I have been doing all of the recording and writing along with vocalist Brian Williams. We have been writing and recording the record over the last year and haven’t heard some of these tunes for months. Last night we were working on one of those songs from 4 or 5 months ago and we had forgotten how good it was and how much fun we had writing and recording it. You could actually hear how much fun we had. And once Menno laid down his bass parts (first take, FYI!) the song shot up to a whole new level. I’ve worked with Menno for a long time and he knows how I play and last night was no exception. I’ll be posting more on this new “BAND” in the coming months.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I hope all of you are able to find the “right musicians” for your band (or project). And if at first you don’t succeed keep looking. They’re out there somewhere and when you find them it will be the most electrifying experience you’ll ever have!

I promise!