Behind The Beats: With German Perez

I've realized through recording the podcast that I've predominantly been influenced by rock music of the late nineties and early two-thousands. There is no surprise then that The Strokes, and specifically drummer Fab Moretti had a big impact on the way I play my drums.    I admire Fab's journey of music and drumming. He's only been in one band(although he's recorded with other artists since), the drive behind his success has stemmed from playing music with close friends.    That's exactly what I was doing when I started learning songs by The Strokes. I would play along to albums like Is This It and Room on Fire from beginning to end, and on repeat. Eventually, me and my friends started a cover band and I had a chance to play these songs live in front of people. At first, all of our shows were outside and for whatever reason, it was always cold outside. Combined with the nervousness and anticipation of playing for people, my hands would get cold frozen. There was no warm up, no pad exercise or hitting pillows.

I've been lucky enough to visit New York one time in my life and it was a dream come true. The city does have a buzz that can only be felt by walking in the streets or riding the subway. I've always felt like I had a deep connection with New York and If I ever have the chance to visit again it would be again, a dream come true. I don't know if it has to do with musicians that are from New York or from watching movies that take place in New York, but whatever it is, It holds a place in my heart and deep rooted curiosity that makes me want to visit as much as I can. This love for the big city wasn't always with me and to be honest growing up I didn't know much about other cities besides my own diamond, Los Angeles. Music and drummers specifically have altered the way I live, the way I think and have made me a different person than ten years ago, five years ago, always changing me for the better. In the late nineties/early two thousand Brian Chase was going off to college to study jazz at a good school in Ohio.

This podcast is about drummers but not limited to only talk about music and drums. If you're like me, I just want to hear encouraging messages and surround myself with like-minded individuals. I don't want to exclude anyone and if you don't either, this podcast is for you. Every week I talk about the players that got me started playing drums and every week I think of different ways to make the podcast a little better each time. When I think back to 2003-2004 it was the Live in Texas album by Linkin Park that got me to start liking current rock music. There's a message in that album that I love and it goes hand in hand with what my message is for this episode. Fast forward to when I loved rock and alternative music and Rob Bourdons playing on that album is hyped! I mean that in the utmost positive way. There's nothing like listening to a drummer going off live and delivering the rawest energy. 

Playing in a cover band was a right of passage for my drumming. As soon as I could hold a beat for longer than two minutes it was time to learn songs and absolutely butcher them. It wasn't always bad but in the beginning, I remember struggling for a few days on my own and barely getting the song right until it was time to play with my bass player. That was the cover band, a bass player homie and myself. We might've outdone ourselves on one occasion and that was when we tried and did learn Fire by Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was also the beginning of an adoring fascination with Mitch Mitchell's style of drumming. It was the fluidity in his playing, It was the constant crashing on the cymbals and at the time in my world, his funkiness. I tried my best to play like him. Eventually my cover band would play little functions for friends and house parties, and Fire was my chance when I could emulate Mitch's style. He bends rhythms and fits different time signatures in places that might not fit and I didn't mention,

The stories are always different. Everyone has their own version of how they ended up where they are. Its one of the fascinating things that we experience while we're alive. David Lovering loved the drums, got lessons and eventually started playing in a band. Everything was great until it wasn't. The band broke up and David was left thinking that was that. That band was Pixies or how everyone else calls the band "The Pixies." Things happen and you can sit on your butt wondering how or you can dive into the next phase of life, and David found a love for magic. He studied and learned how to be a magician and eventually started to do magic shows. As the story goes, the band got back together, David dusted off the drums and got back to playing to massive crowds. The band is back recording new albums and playing shows. David Lovering is one of those drummers that shaped my love and curiosity for playing drums. His writing is a combination of dynamic driven mashups of punk, blues, reggae and everything but the kitc

Hello friends    Welcome to the podcast, welcome to the land of all things drums and drummers. I'm your host, German Perez and this week I talk about a drummer who is underrated when it comes to being most influential. But the amount of recognition a drummer gets isn't what's important. Alfonso Andre holds a special place in my heart for his style of playing and getting me to practice and play along to his songs. I'm talking about a global superstar who doesn't get enough credit for being a creative force when it comes to writing songs. Still active on the rock n roll scene and putting out new music. Wether it's his solo work or playing shows with Caifanes, there's no denying that putting in over twenty-five years as the drummer for one of the biggest Mexican bands has cemented his importance in the drumming and music community. Please enjoy this episode on how I discovered the band Caifanes, more importantly, the drumming of Alfonso Andre. I also tried something new and talked about real-life stuff that I ex

Considered by many as the most entertaining and raw talents to ever be, Stewart Copeland's career is something to strive to be like. From a young age, Stewart's father would guide his musical abilities by getting him lessons of various instruments. When he found the drums the search was over and Stewart knew the drums were going to be part of his life forever. Being technically fluent has allowed his playing to flow and develop into something you don't think about, you just play. An amazing human being and brilliant musician, there's a fake it till you make it essence, an "if you don't let me in, ill just break in the back door'' type of attitude. Stweart Copeland figured out a way to make it happen for himself whether it was launching his first band, finding the members of The Police or scoring films for famous producers, he's always a man with a plan. I am encouraged and hopeful that if I look up to humans like Stewart, I am on the right path to creative freedom and a life of expressive freedom. Please enjo

The first time getting my mind blown with Chad Sexton's drumming was the beats off of From Chaos. His style of playing and the unique tone was too complex for my beginner virgin ears. I listened on repeat and dissected all the amazing phrasing on that album. I knew that Chad Sextons drumming was something that I wanted to sound like, or at least steal ideas from(wink). His background in drum corp had a major influence on his style and to me, it was the first time I noticed a drummer using that technique with rock, reggae, and funk styles of music. Its been a long time since the days when I didn't know what rudiments were and in some weird way, I credit that realization to Chad Sexton's drumming. Please enjoy my podcast about my appreciation of this amazing drummer. Thank you!

A drummer who sparked interest in beats that are high energy and the ability to make you dance; Ed Lay's style of playing embodies emotions ranging from A-Z. The total package when it comes to writing good songs and a perfect template for influence. I love this drummer, human and the band he plays with. Enjoy this episode!

Chad Smith's playing combines funk, jazz, rock, and hip hop into a force that has inspired people all over the world for centuries. This podcast highlights Chads Smith's message to start bands, make music, and how to do what you love with confidence and gusto to get noticed. I started being a RHCP and Chad Smith fan around 2003 with the Off the Map concert and am still mesmerized by Chads playing live and in the studio.  I'm influenced by his versatility on the drums and his ability to always play in different projects. The man does not stop and why would he, when he's doing what he loves to do. 

In the midst of the twentieth anniversary of releasing the album "Make Yourself" Incubus is riding the waves of the business and continues to play huge shows sold out by adoring fans. Jose Pasillas is the heart of the band, his originality and emotionally expressive style has taught me about playing music creatively and with style. It was indeed "Make Yourself" that made me a fan of the band but more importantly a student of Jose's drumming. Not only am I a fan of the drumming, I dove all way deep and listened and read countless interviews. I started reading more because of Jose. I quit drinking because I heard an interview with Jose talking about giving it a break. I'm heavily influenced by the great Jose Pasillas and it is an honor to have recorded this podcast talking about what he means to me. Its been one year since I started the podcast, Happy anniversary to Behind the Beats Podcast and so cool that I chose to chat about Jose Pasillas. Thanks for tuning in and hope you enjoy your listen. - G

If you've been to a party in the last twenty-five years and the DJ has played Spanish music, chances are you've heard Alex Gonzalez on the drums, making you dance along with his band Mana. This is a story about a musician who early on in his life knew what he was destined to do. Alex found a way to move to Mexico and join the band he believed. Now, I didn't know his story at all, I only knew the songs from Mana's super successful album "Donde Jugaran Los Ninos." I played that album so much, I burned myself out from playing it so much. I'm sure you have too because it's that good. It's rooted deep down in my core and Alex Gonzalez has been an early influencer on how I approach playing drums and writing music. When I would finally start to play drums I would play along to countless Mana songs and I really studied Alex's style of drumming. The combination and tasteful mashup of styles make "El Animal" one of my favorite musicians on the planet. Let's not forget he rocked a bass drum with a picture of his infamou

Radiohead and Phillip Selway's drumming helped discover my love for music and specifically drummers. The year was 2004 and it happened at Coachella, the headliner was Radiohead and I was left with a feeling of infinite excitement of becoming a drummer myself. I went home and studied, dove deep into Phillips drumming and noticed all the different styles and tempos he uses in his playing. Fast forward to today and I'm still a fan of the band but more Phillip Selway. The band has added another killer drummer but that does'nt take anything from Phillips playing. The sound is now matured into the next level for Radiohead and the their potential endless. This episode is about Phillip Selway and his way of expressing himself genuinely as a drummer, from the heart. 

This episode is dedicated to Matt Tong from the band Bloc Party. I got introduced to this drummer through a DJ who was playing a dance remix ofthe song "Banquet". I was hooked to Matts drumming because he combines beats that make you dance and sound easy to play along to. The songs are not easy to play. Matts playing is fast and his creativity and skill allowed him to come up with all sorts of drumming goodies. Hes fun to watch live and if you close your eyes and listen to his abums with Bloc Party, Matts Playing will provide eargasms with the stuff he came up with on drums. 

Interpol stood out amongst the bands coming out of New York City in the early 2000s. They were going left while everyone else was going straight. The sounds made you feel something special and the beats...Well the beats sounded open, with groove flowing through them and when the time was right, straight ahead. Sam Fogarino knows how to be original without reinventing the wheel. After writing drums on the classic "Turn on the Bright Lights" Sam and Interpol have been on my radar as a special group and hold a special place in my memory and in my heart for a thousand reasons. 

   This show is a chronological timeline of the drummers that I discovered that have impacted my developement as a player and music lover. I started playing drums around the year 2004 and it was around the same time that Chris Hathwell and band Moving Units we’re creating dance parties all over the globe. I’m a huge fan of Chris’ playing on the self-titled EP and of the bands first full length, “Dangerous Dreams.” In this episode, I talk about how I got into the band and why Chris Hathwell’s drumming on these projects stand out as a point of reference to how I want to play live and record. Sit back, enjoy this episode as I play snippets of Chris’ timeless playing and encourage you to give these cuts your undivided attention. 

Sow Notes:  Instagram.com/Weezer  Songs:  Weezer(The Green Album)- Hash Pipe  Make Beleive- Peace  Weezer(The Blue Album)- Only in Dreams 

Show Notes  Follow Mike on social media: Facebook.com/mikecosgrove  Instagram.com/fillycozzy The songs I played on the episode in order of appearance.  1. S.S Recognize/ truANT/Alien Ant Farm  2. Sticks and Stones/ANThology/Alien Ant Farm 3. Calico/ANThology/Alien Ant Farm  4. Summer/ANThology/ Alien Ant Farm  5. These Days/truANT/Alien Ant Farm  6. Goodbye/truANT/Alien Ant Farm  7. Rubber Mallet/truANT/Alien Ant Farm  If you want to see Mike do his thing live there are a couple youtube videos that I would recommend "Alien Ant Farm Big Day Out 2002" "Alien Ant Farm live in Germany 2002"    

Show Notes: Wearescientists.com Instagram.com/wearescientists Instagram.com/tappermichael andyburrows.co.uk instagram.com/andyburrows Check out new music by Andy here: Andyburrows.lnk.to/RTSAIN There's a cool video of Keith playing in studio with his other project "Power Mystery" at KeithCarne.com Instagram.com/kcarneage Also, check out this awesome article written by Keith about Grateful Dead drummer Billy Kreutzman. It's not the full article because it's not free but a nice chunk of it and worth a read. https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.moderndrummer.com%2Farticle%2Fapril-2018-grateful-deads-europe-72%2F&e=ATNODwdMa99tnYFWhkaTvYI2Fot7HkBSjCopiM2WW-rjaoWwB2bl9lrOHPcY6m3FuUO9lHqdxMqdjmw-CJRLj8GP I have been inconsistent with producing content which hurts my practice as a podcaster. I know that and will continue to trek on. The only way to go is forward! Thanks for listening to my podcast. If you love music and drummers subscribe to the podcast and rate. Sharing is caring so tell anyone or anyt

Show Notes: Check out Fredriks band@ the-sounds.com instagram.com/thesoundsband and twitter.com/thesounds Check out all their albums. The one that hooked me was "Living in America" https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/living-in-america/1308465065 as well as all of their tunes :)   Thanks for listening! Please review and If you love discovering drummers or just hearing me talk about drummers subscribe to the show. Thanks so much, and see you next time! Music by: Dead Reverend