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ASK ERIC February 1st 2006
kissarmy44@yahoo.com
hi Eric,
i have a question regarding tightness, and cramping while playing drums. in the past six months this has happened 4 times.
i don't smoke or drink alcohol. on gig days i drink water and Gatorade. eat bananas and fruit. i also have a fan that keeps me cool under the very hot lamps.
Eric, have u had this problem in the past, if so, how did u correct it?
are there any tips you can give me for this?
thanks Eric for your time.
Scott Sheppard
ES: I suggest you try warming up & stretching before you play. I use either mineral ice or biofreeze on muscles 1/2 then I warm up & stretch right up until I hit the stage. Try to stay relaxed & breathing is most important. You may find that when you focus on your breathing you will stay more centered & have less tendency to cramp or tighten up. You may also wanna look at the size sticks you play too ?
rhysdrums666@hotmail.co.uk
Hi Eric,saw you on tour with Alice Cooper on tour in the uk last year. You
and the whole show blew me away! You are truly a great drummer. When I was
little you inspired me to pick up sticks. How do you approach double bass
druma nd whats the best way to get to play it fast? Thanks for your time.
Pawb Lwc! (Welsh for good luck)
Rhys Jones.
ES: Thank you for such kind words. I don't really consider myself a consumate double kick drummer. More old school 70's style ala Cozy Powell or Carmine Appice in my approach wich is really more simplified power beats. The most important thing to me is keeping the drums even and driving whenever I use them. I suggest try practising along with a drum machine that is programmed with double bass drum patterns & try to match your playing with the metronome while attemting different tempos & rhythms or beats.
troypourchot2@sbcglobal.net
Hey man, my name is troy, i saw you, and gene over @ Namm. You were tellin' me that later this year you were gonna do some shows with deep purple. I was wondering if you would feel weird playin' with one of your fav drummers Ian Paice (One of mine too!).
I'm 16 and I gotta say I love your visual performance. I was wondering what you do to warm up before a show. My fav drummers are Ian Paice, Don Brewer, and you.
Do you ever get a chance to talk to them?Peace! Troy
ES: Hey Troy, kool to see you @ NAMM ! I am actually playing next week in Germany with Alice Cooper/Deep Purple double bill. There are 10 German dates only with this line-up sadly. I am really looking forward to seeing/meeting Ian Paice for sure ! He is also one of my fav drummers (as well as Don Brewer whom I have met) I hope I get some time to pick Ian's brain a bit drumwise ? See my answer above regarding warming up.
IACmbelbis@aol.com
Hello Eric, My name is Mario from Chicago. I am a guitar player who was influenced by many of the great rock bands from the past...Van Halen, Kiss, AC/DC, Ozzy, Rush. I am just wondering what you think of these bands compared to what is out there these days. As a guitarist, I don't really keep track of great drummers but I can say that you rank up there with my favorites Alex Van Halen,Neil Peart. As a drummer, who are your favorite guitar players?I have a whole bunch but Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoades are my all time favorites. Thanks for your time.
ES: Hey Mario, thanx 4 the mail. I agree, the music from the 70's is the best ! But, we must remember that every generation has & wants music that they can call their own. Music really is the soundtrack to our lives. I am a guitar head myself & have always been really influenced by guitar based bands. many of them I have been able to play with too ! Gary Moore, Brian May, Ronnie Montrose,Ace Frehley etc...
My favs are Hendrix,Randy Rhoads, Van Halen ,Brian May, Michael Schenker,Frank Marino,and more...
tony.koivula@luukku.com
Hi Eric! i´m your big fan and i saw you at summer in Tampere when you were with Alice Cooper. I´m doing now your fanclub in finland (not offical) and is that possible give interwiew us?
(i´m sorry i have bad english bechose i´m only 13.. birthday today ;D)
Any ideas about new Kiss album?
When we have a chance see you in finland maybay with kiss? Or Kiss expo..?
Why you had only one bass drum in rock the nation tour?
When Gene and Paul asked you play in Kiss second time? And what did you say then they said you have use Peter´s mask?
You are best!!!
ES: Hey Tony, thanx for the support !! Maybe we can do a separate email /interview for your fanclub & answer all your questions there OK ?
email me or thru the site
carr91@ozemail.com.au
Eric.. love ya man... love yr playing.. very inspiring.
I have seen u play times.. I really loved the drum workshop you did for Drumtek (Melbourne) back in '96. it was very initimate and I only wished I got up with you on the other kit to play with you.. I was too shy like the other 20 guys.grrr... but it was a great time.
Will you do that again soon?
I do have a comment about your toms. Why in the hell are your toms on the Rock the Nation DVD plus the Australian shows (which i witnessed first hand)
sounding like empty tin cans? They have got no balls.....as a drummer why is the bass bass the loudest sounding part of the kit but not the toms as much?
Could you tell me some moments in your drumming career where you were so totally pissed off with the sound engineering and venue?
Please keep rocking and we will definately see u in OZ again. !
Cheers and have a great year Eric
Daniel
ES: Daniel, I really had a good time in OZ 96. I hope to come there again sometime & do more of the same type thing. I have just been touring so much since then that I have really gotten away from clinics & teaching.
I many times have no control over the sound engineer's that are hired by the bands I work with. Some are better than others but, remember each venue is different & affects so much of the sound perspective. Believe me I have been really pissed of at monitor guys thru the years. & sometimes get bad reports about the front of house sound too. The good thing is each gig you get another chance to try & make it better...
leonel.guimaraes@presidency.com
Hi Eric...
i play drums.. and you are my favorite drummer..
who was your favorite drummer when you started ? i think john bohan, no ?
and eric, today, who you think are the best drummer ?
thank you.. i wait see you in brazil this year
i know you used to play with a pro-mark drumsticks..
why you decide to start use a zildjian model ? do you see many differences?
thank you, peace/love :-) [sorry inglish.. ]
Leonel Guimarães
ES: Leonel, thanx for the great support man ! My favorites have always been Buddy Rich, Denny Carmassi, Bonham, Cozy Powell, Carmine Appice, Aynsley Dunbar, Simon Phillips & on & on....
I switched to Zildjian sticks many years ago because they make exactly the type stick I always wanted & still use to this day.
shareenbarnes@aapt.net.au
Hi Eric. Firstly, thanx for being so accessible to your many fans. Having your own "Ask Eric" forum is super cool. Long before you had this feature on your site, I had written many emails to you over the years and you always replied. Always ! As for my question, do you ever plan to do another instructional DVD ? The "All Access To Drumming" one you did in the late 90's was just brilliant, but it would be cool to have something with some of your more modern playing on there.
Thanx
PS; See if you can coax Gene and Paul into doing a new KISS album. The Army demands it !!!!
Roger
#1 Eric Singer Fan
ES: I try to answer when I can time permitting...
I have not really thought about another DVD/Vid since there are just so many others out there now.I would like to see KISS record new material, it is up to G & P at the end of the day...
heatherchurchill@hfx.eastlink.ca
Hi Eric
My son, 6, has an interest in playing drums and has watched you on several KISS DVD's - he's impressed and you are the main reason for his interest! A fan for life I believe! He was given a set of bongo drums for Christmas and absolutely loves them..
We are planning on getting him into playing a full kit. My question is where should we start him off seeing he's only 6 and we have limited space?
Heather
ES: That sounds so great. I suggest maybe a small junior kit maybe ? Or try just a entry level snare drum to see just how much interest he has. Many people forget that kids at a very young age get bored really quickly. Especially with video games at their disposal everywhere. Most important is be supportive with whatever he has interest in.
tommysdrums@yahoo.com
ive also had the chance to meet you while you were out with montrose,in support of whitesnake,dokken and scorps,great show,and i also saw you with badlands,along with great white and tesla.it meant alot thank you, my questions are how does playing kiss songs differ from other bands styles that you have played with? and why do you think gene and paul wont go into the studio to record a new cd?thanks eric,god bless you.
ES: That's kool that you were able to see that one show MONTROSE did on that tour ! San Antonio is a rock town in the truest sense. (not a bad basketball team either...)
Playing with KISS is not as simple as it may seem. The music is not that complicated but, Gene & Paul like it played a certain way to make them feel confident in the drummer. I have learned to pay attention to what they like & dislike and give them a comfort zone by playing consistent and locking in to their feel & vibe.
Gene & Paul have other lives away from KISS these days. Maybe , hopefully someday they will be inspired to make new music as KISS again. The fact is most people want to hear the old hits as with most bands that have been around this long. ie: The Stones, Paul McCartney
maria_belemsanchez@hotmail.com
Hi Eric
My name is Belem , im From Hermosillo, Sonora. Mexico.
I saw you last year at the KISS EXPO in Mexico with ESP, I must say i had a great time with my houseband , I dont know if you remember when my houseband asked you about names for my baby who i will give birth around May or June , you suggested Howard if its a Boy or Monique if its a girl , if you please allow me when my baby is born to let you know about the baby's sex .
I never experienced talkin with somebody famous , and you are a cool person who has the time to be with fans .
Tu amiga
Belem
ES: Yes, I remember you & your husband ! good luck on the birth of your child !!
gdbates@shaw.ca
Hi Eric,
I will be seeing you play with Alice Cooper here in Winnipeg in May and was wondering what songs you will be playing from Dirty Diamonds? Any in the set list?
Hope to meet you again also!
Greg Bates
Winnipeg, Canada
ES: Greg, we do a few tunes from DD
I can't give away the set list, that's like giving you a gift & telling you what's inside wich spoils the surprise !
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