Apart from his mentor, Dr. Arvin Scott, Andy’s two biggest influences (in alphabetical order) are:
STEWART COPELAND- I saw him in 1994 on tour with another one of my favorites, singer/percussionist Vinx, and then in 2007 on the Police reunion tour. He became a huge influence on me before anybody joked that I looked like him. As good looking a guy as he is, however, it has meant more to me over the years when people have told me my playing reminds them of his. He is a master of high hat and ride cymbal technique, he can use a minimal amount of percussive voices at a time with amazing musical strength, he gives you a wide variety of sounds, and he’s great about holding back during the verses so that when he does play a full rock beat it is more effective than it otherwise would have been. The reggae-influenced and improvisatory nature of the Police’s material left him plenty of space to showcase his unique style, and he filled it with musical statements that were creative, spontaneous, and tasty. No two notes sound the same, and he keeps it fresh and full of spice. He is a brilliant drummer and one of the rock’s most influential.
LARS ULRICH- I have seen him three times in concert, and he was the first drummer with whom I became deeply enamored. In high school I could air drum all the songs on Master of Puppets and …And Justice for All verbatim. The real kit, of course, became a different story. I heard many a drummer in college, especially the music majors, say “Yeah, Lars is okay, but [insert name of another metal drummer who plays a lot of notes but doesn’t groove and would sound boring playing a standard 4/4 pattern] has more chops, etc.” He, unlike many metal drummers, sounds human and alive. One is hard pressed to find a juicier four measures of basic 4/4 rock time than his first four of “The Unforgiven.” His work on Metallica’s albums in the 1980’s and in 2008 was not lacking in muscle, though, and on these albums he uses the drumset as a melodic instrument with dazzling effectiveness. His style is often experimental and unconventional, as most drummers who have influenced me, and very bombastic, especially when he uses the toms the way an orchestral percussionist uses tympani. He is an ensemble player and has made his mark as a true metal pioneer.
Other influences and/or favorites include:
AKIRA JIMBO- A very innovative and incredibly coordinated solo artist, a percussive authority in Japan, and the one I’ll refer you to if you don’t like me holding my left stick backwards.
CARTER BEAUFORD- He also cites Stewart Copeland as an influence, and he has played an essential role in weaving the experimental tapestry that is the sound of the Dave Matthews Band.
CINDY BLACKMAN- Lenny couldn’t have picked a drummer more suited to his groove-oriented style of music. Her playing breathes and is full of life and far from a machine.
JOHN BONHAM- He brought the thunder, he had a drumming style unlike anyone before him, and he has been as influential to drummers as Robert Plant has to vocalists.
JOHN DENSMORE- Every member of The Doors was unconventional and unique. His heavily jazz-leaning drumming style lent itself well to the improvisatory nature of the music. He had just the right touch.
JON FISHMAN- Vermont’s Phinest drummer as far as I’m concerned. He insisted on playing a different pattern for every single Phish song and is a break-all-rules kind of player. He has never seemed to be aware that there is a box to think outside. Add to that the sheer volume of covers of varying styles those guys have done, and he is one of the most complete players there is.
ANDY GALEON- If you listen to Death Angel’s 1987 release Frolic Through The Park you hear lots and lots of notes and meaty fills and clever patterns. Not necessarily in the pocket the whole time, not really an example of mature restraint or tasteful musicianship, but he sure is fun to listen to!
RYAN LACEY- An explosive drummer who plays a creatively designed drumset-like hand drum setup with one of my favorite bands to hear live, Gaelic Storm. I first heard him about six months before I found myself hand drumming.
BILL MALLONEE- Singer/songwriter of the Athens,GA-based Vigilantes of Love, who were one of the big acts in town while I was a student there. Some have likened my songwriting style to his. I don’t hear it, but I’ll take it.
TRAVIS MCNABB- Another very solid, in-the-pocket player. I first saw him in Athens with the Vigilantes of Love, and later I stopped going to Vigilantes shows about the time I started going to Better Than Ezra shows. BTE was still playing clubs when Travis made the switch.
VINX- When Sting discovered him by accident he was singing and playing a hand drum unaccompanied. I have been a fan of his since the early 90s, and when the time came for me to take up the djembe more than a decade later he was the model of that for me.
WEIRD AL YANKOVIC- An all-around musical genius. He has outlasted most of those he has lampooned, stayed on the cutting edge, given us a wide variety, and put on a show that is much, much more than just fun music.
And of course, how many guys who started playing drums as a teenager in the 80’s can deny the influence of Neil Peart?
