MD: When would be the five percent that you wouldn't?
Mike: For whatever reason, some songs flow a little more naturally without a click. Some of our tempo maps, like when we did "Black Balloon" on the last album, I remember that by the time that song was over, it was 7 or 8 bpms faster than when it started. That was a weird temp map, because it sped up and slowed down so much. But normally it would be something like 80 bpm for most of the song, and then around 82 for the chorus, and then it would go back to 81 or whatever.
Mike: For whatever reason, some songs flow a little more naturally without a click. Some of our tempo maps, like when we did "Black Balloon" on the last album, I remember that by the time that song was over, it was 7 or 8 bpms faster than when it started. That was a weird temp map, because it sped up and slowed down so much. But normally it would be something like 80 bpm for most of the song, and then around 82 for the chorus, and then it would go back to 81 or whatever.
MD: Why wouldn't you just average it all out to 81?
Mike: It's doesn't work. It's weird! (laughs) We probably worry about that stuff more than we should, but it all works out in the end. I don't know how a lot of other bands do it, but this band definitely spends the most time during pre-production worrying about the minute details. That sometimes is a real pain, because it's like, is this really going to matter? But when the recording light comes on, it does matter.
Mike: It's doesn't work. It's weird! (laughs) We probably worry about that stuff more than we should, but it all works out in the end. I don't know how a lot of other bands do it, but this band definitely spends the most time during pre-production worrying about the minute details. That sometimes is a real pain, because it's like, is this really going to matter? But when the recording light comes on, it does matter.
MD: What are some of those minute things?
Mike: Johnny will be really particluar sometimes about things like lead-in fills. He'll be like, "I don't like that." So I'll try something else, and a lot of times it ends being the simplest thing you could imagine. This time around, it was a little different because they actually wanted me to play a little bit more in spots, which is really cool and made me want to go up to a five-piece kit.
Mike: Johnny will be really particluar sometimes about things like lead-in fills. He'll be like, "I don't like that." So I'll try something else, and a lot of times it ends being the simplest thing you could imagine. This time around, it was a little different because they actually wanted me to play a little bit more in spots, which is really cool and made me want to go up to a five-piece kit.
MD: Do you tend to over-play?
Mike: No. I'm always the other way around. I just try to be musical. Drums can be so obnoxious. I've never been a fan of those kinds of players, with some exceptions. Keith Moon is my favorite drummer ever. But, it's like, he could do it. It's his personality that comes through so hard on his performance, and it makes it that much more exciting.
MD: How much of your personality do you see in your playing?
Mike: I try to blend into the song. One of my other favorite drummers, who's the king of that, is Stan Lynch, who used to be with Tom Petty. He's just a phenomenal drummer, one of those great, overlooked drummers because he never really played that much. But what he did play was so tasteful. I try to think along those lines. How many times have you seen a band where the drummer is trying to show off? I'm sorry to say this, but it's not about the drummer, it's about the music. When I play, I want the music to be good and I want the song to be good.
Mike: I try to blend into the song. One of my other favorite drummers, who's the king of that, is Stan Lynch, who used to be with Tom Petty. He's just a phenomenal drummer, one of those great, overlooked drummers because he never really played that much. But what he did play was so tasteful. I try to think along those lines. How many times have you seen a band where the drummer is trying to show off? I'm sorry to say this, but it's not about the drummer, it's about the music. When I play, I want the music to be good and I want the song to be good.
MD: In addition to the new rack tom, are there any changes to your setup?
Mike: I've actually added a China cymbal, which is funny because I hit a China exactly four times on the album. But yeah, it'll be there and I'll hit it four times during the set! (laughs) Nah,actually, I've found a couple of other places to use it. I've avoided Chinas in the past because they can get really obnoxious. You've got to use them carefully. I've never changed my setup much; I've never really been gung-ho about my setup. My cymbals change a lot, the sizes snf thicknesses. I just changed my ride in fact. I'm using Zildjian 21" A Custom, which I really like. But I was using a 20" Ping for the whole last tour.
Mike: I've actually added a China cymbal, which is funny because I hit a China exactly four times on the album. But yeah, it'll be there and I'll hit it four times during the set! (laughs) Nah,actually, I've found a couple of other places to use it. I've avoided Chinas in the past because they can get really obnoxious. You've got to use them carefully. I've never changed my setup much; I've never really been gung-ho about my setup. My cymbals change a lot, the sizes snf thicknesses. I just changed my ride in fact. I'm using Zildjian 21" A Custom, which I really like. But I was using a 20" Ping for the whole last tour.
MD: Why the change?
Mike: I used to use a 21" medium ride, which is what I used my whole life, but Zildjian stopped making it. So I went to a 20" Ping, which was cool. But now they're making 21" mediums in the A Custom line, and it's a little washier.
Mike: I used to use a 21" medium ride, which is what I used my whole life, but Zildjian stopped making it. So I went to a 20" Ping, which was cool. But now they're making 21" mediums in the A Custom line, and it's a little washier.
MD: It must be easy swapping stuff around when you have an endorsement deal.
Mike: I bought a Tama Artstar kit in '95, and then after that I basically begged my way into an endorsement deal. I knew what I wanted to play. So many guys get locked into endorsement deals with anyone that'll give 'em stuff. We hadn't really broken yet, but I kept calling Tama anyway. And when things started to roll for us and we appeared on Letterman, I'd call the guys at Tama and say, "I hope you noticed I was playing a Tama drumset on Letterman!"
Mike: I bought a Tama Artstar kit in '95, and then after that I basically begged my way into an endorsement deal. I knew what I wanted to play. So many guys get locked into endorsement deals with anyone that'll give 'em stuff. We hadn't really broken yet, but I kept calling Tama anyway. And when things started to roll for us and we appeared on Letterman, I'd call the guys at Tama and say, "I hope you noticed I was playing a Tama drumset on Letterman!"
MD: You make it sound like they gave you a free kit just to get you off their backs!
Mike:Yeah,exactly! (laughs) The endorsement guys at companies have to be like A&R guys. They have to guess who'll break and also beat out the other companies. But I was really gung-ho about what I wanted to play. I was like, "I only want to play Tama and Zildjian, and I'm gonna wait till they give me a deal."
Mike:Yeah,exactly! (laughs) The endorsement guys at companies have to be like A&R guys. They have to guess who'll break and also beat out the other companies. But I was really gung-ho about what I wanted to play. I was like, "I only want to play Tama and Zildjian, and I'm gonna wait till they give me a deal."
MD: How'd you get your start on drums?
Mike: I started the summer between sixth and seventh grade. I'm the youngest of four kids, my Mom's a classical violinist, and because everyone else played an instrument, it was like, "You're going to play an instrument." I just like the drums-they were cool. I took lessons from a guy named Mike Cotton in Salt Lake City. Hopefully he'll read this, because I haven't talked to him in years. He was a really good instructor, which I realized years later. After moving to Miami, I eventually took lessons for three years with a guy at the University of Miami, Harry Hawthorne. I had my stuff down and he was so impressed that he asked for the name of my teacher in Salt Lake City.
I started playing in high school cover bands, but there wasn't much a of rock scene in Miami. At the end of high school, I became a punk rock kid. I really got into Black Flag,The Clash, and The Sex Pistols. But I never really played in an original band until I went to college at the University of North Texas. I went there for music. It's kind of interesting , because I went to a prep high school, and the guidance counselors there always shunned music as a career. The band director, Tim Shipley, had respected me as an musician and he sort of quietly said, "Don't worry about it, you'll make a living playing drums." He never came out and blatantly said that, but I realized it about ten years later. There's another guy I've gotta get back in touch with!
I went to North Texas sort of on a whim, because I wanted to go to music school but I didn't want to stay in Miami. So Harry Hawthorne mentioned the school and I was like, "All right, cool, I'll go there." I went to music school for one semester but didn't really like it, but it was a cool class. Matt Chamberlain was in my class. A lot of musicians come out of there.
After that, I ended up playing in a million punk rock and noise bands that were just starting off. I was having a blast. And there were so many great musicians in the area because of the school. Dallas had a great scene. Dave Abbruzzese was a Dallas musician and played on a bunch of indie records.
In '92 I moved to LA after deciding it was time to go. I was twenty-four years old, and I had sort of run the gamut in Dallas. I hadn't really made a career of it. So I came out here to LA and played around the Hollywood scene for about two and half years. Then I got an audition for the Goo Goo Dolls and joined in January of '95.
Mike: I started the summer between sixth and seventh grade. I'm the youngest of four kids, my Mom's a classical violinist, and because everyone else played an instrument, it was like, "You're going to play an instrument." I just like the drums-they were cool. I took lessons from a guy named Mike Cotton in Salt Lake City. Hopefully he'll read this, because I haven't talked to him in years. He was a really good instructor, which I realized years later. After moving to Miami, I eventually took lessons for three years with a guy at the University of Miami, Harry Hawthorne. I had my stuff down and he was so impressed that he asked for the name of my teacher in Salt Lake City.
I started playing in high school cover bands, but there wasn't much a of rock scene in Miami. At the end of high school, I became a punk rock kid. I really got into Black Flag,The Clash, and The Sex Pistols. But I never really played in an original band until I went to college at the University of North Texas. I went there for music. It's kind of interesting , because I went to a prep high school, and the guidance counselors there always shunned music as a career. The band director, Tim Shipley, had respected me as an musician and he sort of quietly said, "Don't worry about it, you'll make a living playing drums." He never came out and blatantly said that, but I realized it about ten years later. There's another guy I've gotta get back in touch with!
I went to North Texas sort of on a whim, because I wanted to go to music school but I didn't want to stay in Miami. So Harry Hawthorne mentioned the school and I was like, "All right, cool, I'll go there." I went to music school for one semester but didn't really like it, but it was a cool class. Matt Chamberlain was in my class. A lot of musicians come out of there.
After that, I ended up playing in a million punk rock and noise bands that were just starting off. I was having a blast. And there were so many great musicians in the area because of the school. Dallas had a great scene. Dave Abbruzzese was a Dallas musician and played on a bunch of indie records.
In '92 I moved to LA after deciding it was time to go. I was twenty-four years old, and I had sort of run the gamut in Dallas. I hadn't really made a career of it. So I came out here to LA and played around the Hollywood scene for about two and half years. Then I got an audition for the Goo Goo Dolls and joined in January of '95.