Интервю с DAVE LOMBARDO

First of all, let me ask you what are you preparing for tomorrow.
What I’ll do tomorrow.. I have some songs that I play along with. Those songs don’t have drums, so I’m able to perform, what I do I to play along and then afterwards I do a drum solo, then I do something like ‘Question & Answer’. I talk to the fans, they ask me question about whatever they wanna know about my drumming. I try not to answer too many different questions. It’s gonna be a fun night. We will be talking a lot about music, about drums, different bands, different styles in music..

And what have you been doing recently?
I’ve been doing a lot of recording, a lot of writing. I finished an album with Philm – my new band – that we released. What else? I’ve been working on movie’s course. So stay busy.

So tell us about the movie, ‘Insidious: Chapter 3”, it’s an interesting employ.
I’m friends with the composer Joseph Beshara. He called me to create some drums and sounds for the movie. So you will hear some drums, little bells.. I can’t wait to hear it. When I get back, I’m gonna watch some of the movie with Joseph and listen to some music.

How do drums match with violins, cellos and this kind of instruments that are used?
Well, you’re not creating a song, you’re creating moods, moves, sounds, textures, emotions. So it’s not like a drum beat, it’s more like an intense (horror) movie, where somebody is being chased by ghosts. I can make my drums sound intense but I can also make my drums sound happy. I think maybe that’s why they called me, because I have a special connection with drums and I can express myself in a different way.

Do you think that expressing yourself in a different way includes your recent art collection? Tell us more about it.
Yes.
Well, it’s collaborated with a company called “Scene Four” that has showcased other drummers like Bill Ward, Carl Palmer, Rick Allen, Chris Fehn.. So they asked me if I want to be a part of that,I agreed. I used these special drumsticks that have lights in them, I was in a dark room with my drums, playing, they were taking pictures, I am really really excited, it’s kinda fun. I really liked it, it’s a special project for me.
And it has also inspired me to create some paintings in the future – just myself, with paint – not photography – something more. Sometimes I draw, I call it “doodling”, I get a piece of paper, just scratching. I think that’s cool because you express yourself on paper.

What kind of things you like drawing?
Lines, shadows. It’s abstract, it’s not a particular subject. I am more of a Modernist. But I also like the traditional art, portraits.

How would you comment that people define you as “truly one of the hardest working guys in music”? What keeps you motivated?
I live a very structured life. Like my drums – they’re structured, so my life’s the same. There’s 24 hours in a day, right? Everybody knows that, it’s very simple. So what I do is break up my days – 8 hours for sleep, 8 hours for work and 8 hours for myself. So when I wake up, I get some time for myself, then I work for 8 hours – whether it’s writing, creating music, recording, interviews, business meetings, answering emails, social media – the list goes on. And after I’m done with the day’s work I rest, sleep. I just don’t like to waste time. Some people say “I don’t have time”, but you really have to look and see whether you’re using your time right.

Is anything you can say about the success you’ve made – some people say it’s because of your natural talent (and we could agree that) but we see that you also work very hard. Is there a balance between those things, ot is it mostly talent and less work, or a lot of hard work and a little piece of talent?
What I like is being creative. There’s nothing more satisfying. What makes me happy is when I’m in a room with musicians creating things. So I think it’s a combination – when you have the natural talent and when you love what you do.

Let’s get back toy the new Philm album. You recently said that “Fire From The Evening Sun” is marking a new direction to the band. Where do you expect it to lead you?
Like anybody who has a band you want the band to be successful, you take a step and with every album you take it to a better level. I think that with this album we definitely took a new step and the next album will have better songs, better production. So you just try to create and be productive. The mixing on this album is different, it’s a lot more heavier, it’s just a step in a different direction. The first album was more artistic, more avantgard, had more improvised pieces. And then this one has more songs that are structured.

Let’s talk about Fantomas. There hasn’t been an album and anything new since a long time but the shows in December. What are you preparing, what will be the big surprise?
The band hasn’t played together since 2004, so it’s been 10 years. All members are very excited and happy, looking forward to working with Mike again. Hopefully there will be more music in the future but for right now we’re focusing on the shows. We’re going to play “The director’s cut” album, it’s a fantastic album with different soundtracks, all these classic movies. Mike created Fantomas style music to those soundtracks. I don’t know about the future but I know we’re all very excited to get back together again. There’re gonna be 2 shows – a club show and then the festival next day.

Is there anything it going to happen with Grip Inc.?
Nothing’s going on with this project for now. I was thinking about putting the band together again but I think that the band won’t be the same since Gus Chambers has passed away, he was a very special part of the band. Maybe we can put something together and release the old songs that we haven’t ever put on CDs before. It’s just hard to put other musicians in. Not only honoring their memory, it’s their style. I have been thinking about changing Gus but I changed my mind. I just can’t see myself replacing him , it’s a kind of respect.

What’s like working with other bands like Testament, Apocalyptica, Sepultura. Would you do it again?
I don’t think I’d do it again because I feel like I really did it, I don’t wanna go back and keep doing what I’ve done in the past. What I did in the past is history, now I focus on the future, creating something new. Testament is there, they’re very very nice guys, I love them. I am very proud of that album and everybody likes it. Sepultura too. I was at the beach, I texted the engineer “Hey, Ross, how are you? Can I go by?” I had my dog and wanted it to meet his dog. I have a Vizsla, my little girl, very beautiful. And he has a boy labrador, let’s have them play. When he answered back, he texted “Wanna play drums?” Umm, yes! So I went there and there were the Sepultura guys, it was a nice experience.

And you were surprised?
Yeah, I didn’t know! When I went upstairs I saw two drum sets.

Well, I wish you more surprises of this kind then!
Yeah, it’s exciting! When you have friends like these they always invite you and get you play. I love playing so I’d never say no. It’s a part of me.
It something that makes your job exciting.

With whom you would mostly like to collaborate?
My dream artist to play with would be Jimmy Page. I think he’s an amazing producer and guitar player. I would love to sit in a room, playing, just to improvise and play what we feel.

Like jamming or recording?
Yeah, jams. But recording them, haha.

What is your favorite song – as a fan and as a drummer?
What I like to play? There are some classic rock songs that are fun to play from, like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath – ‘Paranoid’ or ‘Iron Man’… I learned them when I was a kid. Bill Ward is an amazing influence and an amazing drummer. What else.. AC/DC, I love them – and it’s very simple.
There’s a constant cycle. My inspiration is the love I have for music. I really do love my job. It doesn’t matter where I play, I always enjoy being on stage whether there’s 8000 people or 500 – I still play with the same passion. So what keeps me motivated is being creative and being on stage.

What you like the most in playing at smaller venues – we know you’ve been performing on very big stages, on very big festivals, even the Big 4 one in Sofia, 2010?
On the big stage you really don’t feel the connection. But in the club, at a smaller venue you feel the heat, the love and you can hear the people screaming and enjoying themselves. I like playing in smaller places, honestly! Big festivals are great, I love them – big production, big stage, big lights. But the other way you connect better with the fans.
Definitely one of the best memories from the big stage is playing with the Big 4 here, in Sofia, that’s epic and filming the show was amazing.
And I always meet crazy fans. I was in Brazil few months ago, doing workshops. And this fan, he had a Slayer flag, he put it on the ground,got on his knees, and started crying and bowing to me. That’s 35-40 year old man, but he says that my drumming has inspired him, that was a very emotional moment. It was nice but weird.

What do you expect from these drum clinics?
Haha, well, okay, the fans, the drummers, they always have questions – about my pedals, about my drums, how do I create music with other musicians. This is the time when I can finally give back to my fans – they’ve given me for so many years and it’s the place to help them, to share experience with them, to make their lives better.

Well, your sole existence already does make their lives better – it’s very inspirational to see someone so devoted to his work, you say to yourself ‘Wow, I want to be like him!’
You know what, I just feel that I was born to do this – nobody taught me how to do it, I did it all by myself – me listening to music, to classical bands like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath. Their albums were very inspirational to me, I just followed my heart and here I am. I feel like I need to continue this, my life has been very strange. I need to do this for the rest of my life, this drumming.

Oh, you did it again – I had a question that said ‘Where do you see yourself in ten years’ and you answered it in advance!
(laughs) Where will I be? Right here! One day we will be doing an interview again and we will catch up – ‘Hey, remember, ten years ago you said this…’

Oh, that’s a good vision – growing stronger… or wiser!
Yeah, it definitely is, ha-ha!

Would you say to the young drummers that the main thing in this business is not to give up? Because you have inspired me to take up drumming but my ‘career’ didn’t go well.
Really? You play the drums? Wow! Oh, well, it’s a tough job, I don’t recommend it, it’s difficult. What I always said to the youngsters is that it doesn’t matter at what level you are as long as it feels good, if you play the drums and it makes you feel good I think you should keep playing, whether it’s with your band or alone in your room or among friends. Not everybody makes it, this is a hard business, there is no guarantee you will make it…

And then there’s you. (laugh)
Yes. I told you – I was born to do this.

It’s always interesting to understand if a musician has set some kind of boundaries before himself. Are there any taboos for you, have you ever said to yourself ‘Oh, I won’t do this ever!’?
No, not at all. See, there are some places that I haven’t discovered yet and my mission is to explore them in the future. For example I haven’t done electronic music or played with a country songwriter. Maybe I will create something like metal-country-punk mix, I just don’t know yet. I think in time I will go there – but in time. There are too many things going on right now.

You’ve been playing the drums ever since you were little. Have you ever had other plans for your future, other dreams?
I wanted to be a sound engineer. I love doing this, maybe this is the reason I do my own recordings right now. If I wasn’t a drummer, I would be this. There are a lot of technical things they are trying to teach you but I enjoy simply recording.

Now you’re on the both sides of the process.
I guess that’s what happened.

Maybe it’s time for our last question, time is running out. What would you say to your five-year-old self?
Don’t marry that lady you married, don’t marry her!

Is there anything you’d like to say to our readers?
Thank you for your support throughout the years. I hope to continue to give you more heavy music in the future, and not just heavy. I would love to come here with Philm and share our power with the Bulgarian fans.

Thank you very much for the opportunity!
Thank you too!

Rada & valkyrja