|
Straight out of TEXAS, Brian "The Hog" Hays is big, he's bad, and has what it takes to rock!
After three sold-out tours in 2004 with Tesla, Podunk's sound is now even bigger and better than ever. But don't just take our word for it, sniff around, ask any of the hundreds of thousands who have seen them live or heard the CD. (That won't be hard to do, because Podunk is buzzing everywhere. The self titled CD "Podunk" was released four years ago is still creating new Podunk fans around the world..)
Brian Hays is the drummer for Podunk, and while he's bringing home the bacon Texas style, he's also introducing young drummers everywhere to a very real, and a very true "new school" of ROCK. Can your students say "John Bonham"? Trust us, you'll want to hear Brian Hays play the drums. Our advice is to go listen to this drummer as soon as you can. We'll have all the details on The Pocket of Chip's website as soon as the band releases it later this year.
And now, chipritter.com is proud to present to you an exclusive interview with one of the most powerful, solid, and dynamic drummers to have ever taken a stage. You are now in the Drummer's View with Brian "The Hog" Hays!
The Drummers View with Brian "The Hog" Hays An Exclusive drummer to drummer Interview from chipritter.com
Chip - Brian thanks for doing this interview man, let's just jump in, how long have you been playing the drums?
Brian - I got started when I was 11 years old, my mom and dad bought me a snare drum, I just started playing’ on that, then I got my first drum kit when I was about 16 years old.
Chip - I couldn’t help but notice that you listed Robert Sweet on your band’s website as one of your inspirations...
Brian – oh yeah, back in those days you really couldn’t see the drummer when bands came to town because they had their two 24” kick drums, cymbals galore and all the racks etc. I saw a Stryper video and, maybe it was the yellow and black that had a tranquil effect or hypnotizing effect, but man the flair, the sideways set up, the cymbals on chains…
Chip - Robert Hypnotized many of us dude! (laughing) Brian - Well yeah I just saw that all, with the sticks and the hair and I was just like, I couldn’t take my eyes off the guy, I kept thinking “man this guy is incredible!”
Chip - Robert made me want to play too, I cited him as an inspiration in my last article for the Drum Pro Mag. Brian can you give me your best - current list of Brian Hays' Top Drumming Inspirations?
Brian - Well that would have to be Robert Sweet, Jerry Gaskill - Kings X, Kenny Aronoff - Mellencamp, Simon Phillips, and Zoro for drumming reasons and as a personal mentor. I’ve had the pleasure of hanging out with him (Zoro) on many occasions when he comes to Houston. He’s a really cool person, Also I have to say Paul Geary of Extreme, amazing drummer. Back when every drummer was banging away on monstrous double bass kits enclosed in cages... Paul Geary went up there with a 4 pc kit and just kicked ass! He didn't have anything to prove. He just laid down a sick, fat groove, he was another HUGE influence on me.
Chip – What are
you favorite top 5 drumming CD’s and why?
Brian - (whistles very loud) wow…. Hmmmm.. Chip - come on now, I know you gotta give me some Tesla! Brian – You know, the thing about the top five thing is that every day the interests can change. An interesting thing about Troy, out of many of those drummers I was into, he is the one guy who has never seemed to stop growing, his playing on The “Into The Now – CD” is phenomenal. Just phenomenal. I’d also have to say Self Titled by White Snake, Ansley Dunbar played on that I believe. Anything by Journey cuz Steve Smith is god, I drove my parents crazy with the “Escape” album. And you gotta give love to Robert Sweet for his playing on “To Hell With The Devil”.
Chip- Shelby and Dwight are former drummers with Podunk, Brian how did you end up playing with this band?
Brian – I’ve known Paul the bass player since I was about 16. After meeting Paul I got to met the rest of the guys in the band. The drummer they had before me was a guy named Dwight Baker. Dwight was their drummer until basically he decided to hang it up as far as the drumming, touring goes. And so they needed someone who could basically fill the spot full time. By that time I had done some fill in shows when Dwight wasn’t able to make it so, it was a no brainer when Dwight left the band they just called me up and said it’s a full time gig if you want it.
Chip - And just like that, as simple as that, a drummers dream comes true.
Chip – Speaking of the music I hurt my neck rocking out to Podunk about five times a month.
Brian – thanks man! You gotta hear this NEW CD!
Chip – I can’t wait man, Brian what goes thru your mind when setting up your kit, in other words what are you looking for placement wise?
Brian – I play my snare very high, and very flat, almost as if I were playing traditional grip but I play matched. I just really like my snare perfectly flat. As far as toms go, nice and low, like my cymbals, you know, I just like to keep my movement on the kit down to a minimum, make it all easy to reach etc.
Chip - Please describe your set up, gear etc? What are you recording with and what are you touring with if different?
Brian – We just
finished laying the drums down for the new CD. We used a DW kit, an old Ludwig
60’s kit, that’s so dry and boomy, it kind of called for that on a few songs.
For snares we used quite a bit actually, we used some pearls, some old Ludwig’s,
some DW’s and even an old Gretsh snare I had. As far as touring goes, I play a
DW collectors kit, Sabian cymbals, and Vic Firth drum sticks...
Chip - are you really the band’s official, giggle box, air freshener, operator of the Podunk teen crisis hotline, drummer version 3.0 ? I find it strange that the drummer would be listed as the air freshener,,,, is that true?
Brian - That was sarcasm at it’s best. (laughing)
Chip - is your Motto really Have a good time, all the time?
Brian - Well yeah! That’s both a quote from Spinal Tap, well and my motto! I’m easy going man, that expression “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade” fits me pretty well. Nothin’ really gets to me, everything seems to roll off my back pretty good. I try not to let anything get me down, I can always find something good in anything you know? It’s just about being positive.
Chip - Podunk = The Bear, The Gorilla, The Walrus, and The Hog, please tell me what your super powers are? I heard Jason the BEAR is the designated Alligator patrol and his duties include Jedi Mind Stuff, can you please explain?
Brian – (more
laughing) that’s the infamous Podunk name game! It started years ago, everybody in the band, our close friends, and producers we’ve worked with, we all started calling each other names based on their characters.
Chip – so how’d you become the Hog? Brian – Because I’m always eating man, I’ve got like the bottomless stomach you know! Chip – right on, and Jason is the Bear? Brian – Jason is the Bear because.. well he’s just kinda clumsy, he could be walking through an empty parking lot, and there could be ONE pole sticking out of the ground out of the entire lot and he’d run into it.
Chip – (laughing) SO when you were on tour with Tesla, what was it like getting to see Troy “The ROCK” Luccketta play every night? Did you guys talk about drumming etc and if so can you give us any advice Troy may have given you?
Brian - Troy is the man, the guys is so incredibly nice and talented… it was very surreal. We were out there for months on that tour and there were times when he would Just come up to me and be like “Brian, I love your band, you’re a kick ass drummer…” and I’m just looking at him going “dude shut up, your TROY Luccketta!” I’m telling him, “I used to jam your songs, and TRY to keep up with you!”
Pictured here from left to right is Johnathan Matina (podunk crew), Brian Hays , Mike Mangini (Rush tribute phenom / and the worlds fastest drummer), Troy "The ROCK" Lucketta (Tesla), and Jason Touchette (singer/podunk)
Chip – Troy’s like one of those cool, too few "non-rock star" of real rock star drummers.... all the talent, non of the lame "tude".
Brian – exactly, he’s super cool. As far as advice we basically discussed set ups and gear etc, he never really came up and said “Brian you should do this, or try this” etc..
Chip – well that’s equally impressive, that’s a
compliment in itself right?
Brian – (laughing) well thank you very much!
Chip –thank Troy! Tell us about your self titled CD Podunk. The one I keep hurting my neck rocking out to, How did this come about?
Brian – that album came off by the skin of our teeth. We went in with four songs, we walked out with 11. While we were tracking drums in one room Jason was in the other room writing tunes. 7 of those songs were written while we recorded that CD.
Chip – That CD still lights me up Brian, great music. I have been hearing that your band is also quite the show Live in concert. People I have spoken with from both coasts have all said the same thing… that you guys truly ROCK... What does it take as a drummer to do that night after night?
Brian -I don’t have a ritual I don’t warm up, I’m probably the worst guy in the world to ask that question. No chants, I drink beer, I’m out of shape, its not good. I just play. (both laughing)
Chip – Ok well how about what does it take mentally? Do you have a game plan or a certain way that you look at the show while you are playing? Anything you are trying to accomplish while performing with Podunk? I mean, if you play Kansas, are you thinking “Hello Kansas, ….”I’m in Kansas and you guys are never gonna forget my band”!?” Is there anything you do to psych yourself up?
Brian – nope. I just go up there and do my thing.
(dramatic pause…… Chip starts writing notes to self…..”try to be more like Brian…do your thing”)
Brian - You know Podunk is Jason’s voice and those guitars. As much as I’d like to say this is like a Dream Theater project it’s not. The drums in Podunk have to be very Pocket oriented. You know, so I just try to go up there and give my bass player something solid to sit on. We let the guitars take off and when they play great, the whole show is killer.
Chip – Hack away at the non essential… hmmm interesting! This is what I enjoy so much about talking with other drummers, I learn something every time I get to do this. Thank you Brian. So the same idea was in mind for making that CD?
Brian – I wanted to take the “less is more” approach. I wanted to sit back and play allot of big kick and allot of snare. I didn’t get too flashy on it, and in a way I kind of regret that. You know any musician that records, you kind of look back and go, ‘I wish I would have done this or I wish I would have done that” I listen to that CD and sometimes think I almost kept it too simple. Everyone seems to have enjoyed that though, they say “no way man that was solid” etc..
Chip – it is super solid.
Brian- yeah they were like “I enjoyed the fact that you didn’t go.. sextuplets across the toms over here…etc. On the new CD I’m going to open up a little more, but not too much. It’s still gonna be Bonham, it’s still gonna be Steve Gordan from the black crowes, it’s just gonna be a little more alive you know? Last CD = Phil Rudd Latest CD I’m trying a more “Bonhamesque” approach.
Chip- right on, off of the last CD Podunk, what were your favorite songs to play live and why?
Brian – I like Killing Day which is track three. We always open with that song and I like it because the groove on that is absolutely sick. The bass line, the guitars, and Jason’s vocals at the end of that song, when he goes pounding out notes like that, man I saw mouths hit the floor from San Diego to Boston. I like playing that song, I like playing “Glad Your Gone” When we played that live we had a good breakdown in it, it got very “mowtownish”.., Paul is an incredible bass player.
Chip – agreed, I think everyone in your band rocks, Brian you finished recording the band's latest release just this year, can you give chipritter.com an exclusive? Please tell us something that nobody else knows about this recording? Any funny stories? Something people won’t find on your website? Like Is Jason still on Alligator patrol? And if so, WHY?
Brian – (laughing) something exclusive… hmmm Yeah.. I have an exclusive for chipritter.com of course. Now I can’t mention any names, but a certain bass player in Podunk…… tracked a song naked. …….. ....But I won’t mention any names
Chip –
(laughing ) no names huh? Ok..hmmmmmm
Brian- yes but I can't say who it was, no names! Chip – (laughing even more than last time) for real? He really did that? Brian – (in a Barry White voice) "oh yeah" Chip - (shoots soda out of his nose...... Brian continues...) Brian – we were all saying he wouldn’t do it, and next thing you know there he was in the control room, dropped trough right on the spot and tracked a complete song naked.. … a certain bass player from Podunk…. But I’m not gonna mention any names.
(more laughing, then things settle back down)
Chip – Brian, out of all the shows you have played, is there one that stands out in your mind and why?
Brian – I’m gonna say Salt Lake City. The reason I say that is because we played the “E” center, which is a big basketball arena. That show was so cool for me because it was the first time I got to feel the whole arena vibe. You know from Journey, Stryper, Motley Crue back in the 80’s that was what the concerts were all about. I remember back in high school, if the Crue came to town, me and like 30 friends of ours would pile into like 7 cars and caravan down to the arena, and they’d play for like 25,000 people. And now you know, you’re lucky to see a show with like 15,000 people. It’s just not what it used to be. So for me it was huge,
we heard the security over the radio saying you know, it’s time to come get us, and to do that walk, go down the hallway, under the bleachers, to hear people stomping their feet, and to come up behind the stage when it’s pitch black and you can hear over 20,000 people screaming their heads off, it was like “This is what those drummers felt like” you know, it was just…. That one really stuck out for me.
Brian – yes, a
couple times during the week I teach a handful of kids when I’m home.
Chip – do you still take lessons? Brian – Not as often as I should.
Chip – if you could take a lesson from any drummer in the world who would it be.?
Brian – Rough question…… If forced to give you one name, I’d have to take a rock drumming lesson from the rock man himself, Tommy Lee. When I think rock drumming I think Tommy Lee.
Chip – I am such a huge fan of Tommy Lee, I picked Tommy’s drumming out of a Richard Marx CD… Tommy Lee Rules. Brian – I agree completely.
Chip -What advice do you have for younger drummers out there who may be starting out and wondering what it takes to Rock like you do? Brian - Patience and practice. A lot of my kids get frustrated when they can’t play something, and I have to explain to them that you have to be patient and you have to practice. When you’re teaching yourself to make four limbs do different things at the same time, in time, you have to be patient and keep working at it. You’ll make the progress if you keep working at it. Keep working at it, and be patient.
Chip – Brian thanks so much for your time here, and thank you for doing this interview. Do you have any parting words?
Brian – Just tell everyone thanks for reading this and to please enjoy the new
Podunk CD! Brian Hays endorses Drum Workshop drums, Vic Firth Drum sticks, and Sabian Cymbals.
for more information please visit Podunk's official website
All sound clips and pictures are used here with full permission, and remain the sole property of Podunk.
We're under some re
construction but please feel invited to
|
Brian- I knew
the guys for like ten years, I mean we were like brothers and I loved the music
already so when they asked me to come on board it was like … shoot…. Are you
kidding me? Let’s go!
