INTERVIEW WITH!

Jay Postones
Words : Sina Najaou

AY POSTONES

Drummer for UK Prog pioneers TesseracT, Jay has played drums for 15 years, the past 8 of which have been spent drumming for TesseracT. He joined the Regal Tip family in December 2010 following TesseracTs first tour of America with The Devin Townsend. He proudly endorses Crush drums, Sabian cymbals, Evans (D'Addario) drum heads, Regal Tip sticks and Porter and Davies drum thrones.

I dont know how to explain this situation, but Im sure all of us have experienced the beautiful moment when a song can change the way we feel, I still remember the first time I listened to TesseracT, We were recording our first single and my bandmate (Guitar player) suggested me that Altered State album was sick, I was thinking about how such an amazing drummer Jay is, and his unique style made me spend hours on YouTube watching his videos. We dont have Heroes, Rock Stars or things like that in todays music, you know everyone has the potential to be a Hero, you cant close your eyes and just follow one person, you need to see everyone, I dont know what would happen to Jay if he was playing 50 years ago but as a drummer Im sure that a super-talented musician like Jay would always finds his way through success. --- Sina Najaflou
1

HERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU, WE WOULD LOVE IF YOU WOULD FILL US IN ON SOME IMPORTANT THINGS! WHY DID YOU START PLAYING DRUMS? CAN YOU SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US? JAY : SURE - I FIRST STARTED PLAYING DRUMS WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD. I WAS ORIGINALLY A KEYBOARD PLAYER IN A SCHOOL BAND WITH A COUPLE OF FRIENDS. ONE OF THEM ASKED ME TO PLAY DRUMS INSTEAD AS WE NEEDED A DRUMMER AT THE TIME MORE THAN A KEYBOARD PLAYER - SO I PLAYED DRUMS! IT SEEMED PRETTY NATURAL FOR ME. HOW DID YOU JOIN TESSERACT ? JAY : I HEARD A VERY OLD TESSERACT DEMO BACK IN 2005. THE GUITARIST FOR MY BAND AT THE TIME ASKED ME WHAT I THOUGHT OF THE DRUMMER TO WHICH I REPLIED RIDICULOUS, I WANT TO PLAY THAT STUFF!. AFTERWARDS I FOUND OUT THAT THE DRUMS WERE PROGRAMMED BY ACLE AND HE DIDNT ACTUALLY HAVE A DRUMMER SO I SET ABOUT HASSLING HIM ON MYSPACE UNTIL WE SORTED OUT AN AUDITION. IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO 10 YEARS AGO, WOULD YOU CHOOSE TESSERACT AGAIN ? JAY : TOTALLY - IM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. I LITERALLY GET TO PLAY MY FAVORITE MUSIC.

HOW DO YOU EXPRESS YOURSELF AS A DRUMMER AND MUSICIAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY PLAN FOR EDUCATIONAL STUFF AND WRITING BOOKS OR YOU JUST ENJOY PLAYING DRUMS ?! JAY : I JUST ENJOY PLAYING DRUMS. IM ONE OF THOSE STUBBORN PEOPLE - I ONLY EVER DO WHAT I ENJOY DOING. IF SOMETHING IS STRESSING ME OUT, I MAKE SURE ITS DEALT WITH QUICKLY AND WONT EVER RETURN. JUST THIS YEAR IVE STARTED TO TRY MY HAND AT TEACHING DRUMS. I PREPARED ABOUT AN HOURS WORTH OF MATERIAL WHICH I WORK THROUGH IN EITHER SMALL GROUPS OR ONE-TO-ONE ON TOUR. THE LESSONS SEEM PRETTY WELL RECEIVED AND I REALLY ENJOY THEM. ITS SOMETHING ID NOT DONE IN THE PAST AS BEING ABLE TO DRUM AND BEING ABLE TO TEACH ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT SKILLS. I THINK IM GETTING THE HANG OF TEACHING. I GO THROUGH AS MUCH MATERIAL AS POSSIBLE RATHER THAN FOCUSSING ON ONE AREA BECAUSE I QUICKLY REALIZED MOST PEOPLE WANT TO UNDERSTAND MY APPROACH TO PLAYING, HOW TO UNDERSTAND ODD TIMINGS, HOW TO REMEMBER THIS STUFF. ITS ALL QUITE SIMPLE WHEN ITS BROKEN DOWN BUT I GUESS PEOPLE WANT TO RUN BEFORE THEY CAN WALK. THEY JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO PLAY IT NOW. I TRY TO SHOW THEM WHY THE BASICS ARE IMPORTANT AND HOW THEY APPLY TO THE FINAL GROOVE AND FEEL OF A BEAT.

INTERVIEW WITH JAY POSTONES SINA NAJAFLOU

AS A TOURING MUSICIAN, HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME WITH BAND WHILE YOURE ON THE ROAD ? JAY : DURING THE DAY WE TEND TO STAY FAIRLY QUIET. MOST OF THE GUYS ARE SLEEPING OR READING, LISTENING TO MUSIC OR IN THE CASE OF A COUPLE OF US - WORKING! THE TIME BEFORE LOAD-IN AND SOUND CHECK IS OUR OWN TIME AND THE MOST USEFUL THING YOU CAN DO IS MAKE SURE YOURE WELL RESTED. WE HAVE SOME DAYS OFF WHICH ARE EITHER SPENT TRAVELING - WHICH IS DULL - OR OCCASIONALLY WE HAVE A DAY OFF IN A CITY WHICH IS AWESOME. ITS A PERK THAT COMES WITH BEING A TOURING MUSICIAN, YOU GET TO SEE THE WORLD FOR FREE. WHATS YOUR BEST MEMORY OF TOURING WITH TESSERACT ? JAY : THE FIRST US TOUR I THINK. EVERYTHING FELT VERY SPECIAL ABOUT THAT TOUR: IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE AS HELL FIVE GUYS CRAMMED INTO A SMALL VAN WITH ALL THE GEAR; DRIVING LONG HOURS ON UNFAMILIAR AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUSLY ICY ROADS BEFORE AND AFTER EACH SHOW; SNEAKING INTO A MOTEL ROOM WHICH WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO ACCOMMODATE THREE PEOPLE (YOU GET CHARGED MORE MONEY IF THEY FIND OUT); EATING AT DIRTY DINERS ALMOST EVERY DAY AND COMING HOME COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED; SEEING ALL THE SIGHTS THE US HAS TO OFFER FROM THE GRAND CANYON TO THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING; PLAYING BIG SHOWS ALMOST EVERY NIGHT WITH A BAND WE HAVE HUGE RESPECT FOR (DEVIN TOWNSEND). ONE OF LIFES BOXES HAD BEEN WELL AND TRULY TICKED. AND WHICH CITY HAS THE MOST INTENSE FANS ? JAY : NEW YORK. LA TOO ACTUALLY. THE BIG CITY SHOWS ARE ALWAYS A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE YOU HAVE A GREAT MIXTURE OF PEOPLE AND A HIGH LEVEL OF ENERGY. THERES THE GUYS WHO STAND AND LISTEN (IM ONE OF THOSE GUYS!) AND THERE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE A FEW MORE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO JUMP AROUND AND GO CRAZY - EVEN TO THE QUIET SONGS. ITS A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH FROM STAGE. YOU RELEASED YOUR 4TH ALBUM; ALTERED STATE IN 2013, GREAT RECORD BY THE WAY, AND THERE WAS A LITTLE CHANGE IN THE LINE UP OF THE BAND, YOU RECORDED THE VOCAL WITH ASHE OHARA, WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT DANIEL TOMPKINS, WHY HE LEFT THE BAND, AND HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH A NEW VOICE FOR THE ALBUM ?

I GUESS PEOPLE WANT TO RUN BEFORE THEY CAN WALK. I TRY TO SHOW THEM WHY THE BASICS ARE IMPORTANT.

JAY POSTONES

JAY : ITS ACTUALLY OUR SECOND ALBUM BUT FOURTH CD RELEASE. DAN LEFT THE BAND AS HED BEEN APPROACHED BY DAN WELLER (EX SIKTH) TO WORK ON A POP PROJECT. WE WERE DISAPPOINTED OBVIOUSLY AS THIS HAPPENED ABOUT THREE WEEKS AFTER ONE HAD BEEN RELEASED AND THE NEWS WAS DELIVERED TO US HALF WAY AROUND OUR SECOND US TOUR, SO WE WERE A LITTLE BUMMED OUT. IT COST US AT LEAST A YEAR OF HARD WORK. WE FOUND ASHE WITH RELATIVE EASE HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON WE ASKED TO AUDITION AND HIS VOICE SUITED THE MUSIC PERFECTLY. HIS AUDITION WAS THE SONG WHICH BECAME NOCTURNE AND VERY LITTLE CHANGED FROM HIS ORIGINAL AUDITION TO THE VERSION WE RELEASED ON ALTERED STATE.

INTERVIEW WITH JAY POSTONES SINA NAJAFLOU

YOURE CURRENTLY ON TOUR WITH TESSERACT SUPPORTING THE ALBUM, HOW IS THE FEEDBACK FROM THE FANS, FELLOWS MUSICIANS AND PRESS SO FAR? JAY : WEVE BEEN TOURING RELENTLESSLY SINCE SEPTEMBER 2013, ITS NOW MARCH 2014 AND IM ABOUT TO HEAD OVER TO THE US FOR A MONTH OF HEADLINE SHOWS. ITS BEEN ONE HELL OF AN AMAZING JOURNEY BUT I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME HOME TIME AND REST IN MAY. WE COULDNT HAVE HOPED FOR A BETTER REACTION TO THE ALBUM. WE WERE PERHAPS A LITTLE ON-EDGE BEFORE ITS RELEASE AS ASHE WAS TECHNICALLY THE FIFTH SINGER THIS BAND HAS SEEN AND WE KNEW WE WERE TAKING THE VOCALS DOWN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ROUTE TO BEFORE SO HOW WOULD THE FANS REACT? - WE WERENT SURE. LUCKILY ITS BEEN FANTASTIC. THE ALBUM MADE IT ONTO THE US BILLBOARD, NUMBER 2 IN THE ITUNES CHART ROCK AND RECEIVED VERY COMPLIMENTARY PRESS AND CROWD RESPONSE WORLDWIDE. WHICH SONGS GOT THE MOST INTENSE LIVE REACTION FROM THE CROWD SO FAR ? JAY : NOCTURNE ID SAY. ITS THE SONG WE FIRST RELEASED AS A TASTER FOR THE ALBUM AND ITS PROBABLY THE MOST CATCHY SONG TOO.

THERES ALWAYS A HUGE ROAR FROM THE CROWD WHEN WE DROP INTO THE SONG. WHATS NEW FROM YOUR NEXT ALBUM, ARE YOU DONE WITH WRITING OR YOURE ALREADY RECORDED SOME PARTS ? WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR NEXT ALBUM AND ALTERED STATE ? JAY : I CANT REALLY SAY WHATS GOING TO BE NEW AS AT THE MOMENT, WE DONT KNOW. THERES A STOCKPILE OF RIFFS AND PART-FINISHED SONGS THAT WEVE HAD FOR YEARS. SOME MADE IT ONTO ONE AND SOME ONTO ALTERED STATE BUT THERES STILL A LOAD WHICH WED LIKE TO USE. WELL START THERE AND JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WELL, YOUR STYLE OF DRUMMING IS VERY UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL, ONE OF THE BEST COMBINATIONS OF TECHNIQUE AND MUSICALITY WE CAN HEAR IN YOUR BOTH STUDIO AND LIVE ALBUMS, WHICH PRACTICE METHOD OR INSTRUCTOR IS RESPONSIBLE OF YOUR DRUMMING NOWADAYS? JAY : IM MOSTLY SELF TAUGHT. I SAY MOSTLY AS I DID HAVE SOME DRUM LESSONS AT SCHOOL WHICH TAUGHT ME THE BASICS BUT IVE ONLY EVER HAD AN INTEREST IN PLAYING ENERGETIC,

THE BIG CITY SHOWS ARE ALWAYS A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE YOU HAVE A GREAT MIXTURE OF PEOPLE AND A HIGH LEVEL OF ENERGY

JAY POSTONES

INTERVIEW WITH JAY POSTONES SINA NAJAFLOU

GROOVE BASED MUSIC. MOST OTHER MUSIC BORES ME, AT LEAST FROM A DRUMMING PERSPECTIVE. ACLE WRITES MOST OF THE DRUM PARTS FOR TESS. AS HE COMES UP WITH GUITAR RIFFS, HELL PROGRAM DRUM IDEAS USING TOONTRACK SUPERIOR DRUMMER AND THEN SEND THE IDEAS OVER TO ME. I ABSORB THEM, LEARN HOW THEY FEEL AND EVENTUALLY (SOMETIMES MONTHS LATER) GET TO WORK ON HUMANISING THEM. IF IM WRITING SOMETHING MYSELF, IT USUALLY COMES ABOUT BY CHANCE. ILL BE PLAYING, JAMMING, AND A COOL BEAT WILL SOMETIMES JUST HAPPEN. I GO BACK TO IT, DEVELOP IT AND IF I LIKE IT, I PROGRAM IT INTO MY COMPUTER. ONCE ITS PROGRAMMED IN I CAN PLAY IT BACK AND HEAR WHAT THE BEAT SHOULD SOUND LIKE WHEN ITS PLAYED PERFECTLY (THE COMPUTER DOESNT FUCK UP). I THEN HAVE A STANDARD I NEED TO REACH. IT CAN TAKE QUITE A WHILE TO GET THERE. ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE TO LEARN NEW TECHNIQUES LIKE GETTING MY LEFT ARM TO NATURALLY PLAY SOMETHING IT WOULDNT NORMALLY PLAY. OUR TRACK EXILED IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT THE LEFT ARM WORK IN THAT TRACK IS VERY TRICKY. HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND PRACTICING DRUMS ? WHAT DO YOU PRACTICE AT THE MOMENT ? JAY : NOT AS MUCH AS I SHOULD. IM ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO LISTENS TO THE MATERIAL I NEED TO LEARN A LOT BUT SPENDS VERY LITTLE TIME BEHIND THE KIT. ITS PROBABLY 95% OF THE TIME LISTENING, 5% REHEARSING. FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS, TESSERACT WOULD REHEARSE EVERY WEEKEND. WED PLAY THE SAME FIVE OR SIX SONGS OVER AND OVER UNTIL EVERY LITTLE DETAIL WAS WORKED OUT AND WE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE DOING. SINCE THEN, WE ONLY REALLY REHEARSE FOR A DAY OR TWO LEADING UP TO A TOUR AND I RUN THROUGH THE SET A FEW TIMES AT HOME BY MYSELF.

IF THERES SOMETHING IM STRUGGLING WITH, ILL SPEND MORE TIME ON THAT AND EVEN WHEN I THINK IVE GOT SOMETHING DOWN, IT WILL BE A FEW SHOWS UNTIL I FEEL CONFIDENT WITH IT. I HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT IM DOING WITH SOME OF THE NEW MATERIAL, BUT THATS A GOOD THING - I KNOW WHERE I NEED TO FOCUS MY TIME AND ENERGY. TO DEVELOP MY RUDIMENTARY SKILLS, IM TEACHING MYSELF A LOT OF ODD-NUMBERED STUFF AT THE MOMENT. MOSTLY NINES OVER FOUR. THATS SOMETHING I GO THROUGH IN MY LESSONS TOO. YOU ALWAYS PLAY BUNCH OF GHOST NOTES ON YOUR SONGS, WHATS YOUR APPROACH FOR MAKING A GOOD SOUNDING GHOST NOTES, WHICH EXERCISES DO YOU THINK CAN HELP US IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THIS TECHNIQUE? JAY : GHOSTS ARE AWESOME. PUT THEM IN AND THE TRACK GROOVES. TAKE THEM AWAY AND ITS EMPTY BUT NO ONE OTHER THAN THE DRUMMERS IN THE ROOM REALLY KNOW WHY THAT IS. LETS SAY YOURE PLAYING A BEAT TO A METRONOME WHICH IS COUNTING STRAIGHT QUARTER NOTES. IT CAN FEEL AS THOUGH ITS DRAGGING SOMETIMES AND THE TENDENCY TO SLIP BEHIND OR AHEAD OF THE BEAT IS QUITE EASY. DOUBLE IT UP SO THAT THE METRONOME IS PLAYING 8TH NOTES AND THE GROOVE IMMEDIATELY BECOMES MORE APPARENT - THERES MORE FOR YOU TO ALIGN YOUR BEAT TO SO INSTEAD OF 1, 2, 3, 4 YOU HAVE 1 AND 2 AND 3 AND 4 AND. TAKE IT UP ANOTHER NOTCH TO 16TH NOTES AND YOU HAVE 1 E AND A, 2 E AND A, 3 E AND A, 4 E AND A. YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO PLAY TO A METRONOME THAT FAST BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE PLACES YOU CAN DROP A GHOST.

INTERVIEW WITH JAY POSTONES SINA NAJAFLOU

MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME TO MAKE MY OWN CHOICES IN LIFE AND FOCUS MY ENERGY ON THE THINGS THAT MATTER TO ME. AND THEY SUPPORTED THESE CHOOSES FULLY.

JAY POSTONES

INTERVIEW WITH JAY POSTONES SINA NAJAFLOU

I FIND THAT KEEPING QUARTER NOTES ON THE HI-HAT (OR 8TH NOTES IF ITS SOMETHING TRICKY) WITH THE FOOT AND USING THE LEFT HAND TO FILL IN THE GAPS OF A BEAT WITH GHOST NOTES REALLY HELPS ME STAY IN TIME. THE FACT THAT IT HELPS CREATE GROOVE IS AN ADDED BONUS. WORK ON DOUBLE STROKE CONSISTENCY AND AS MANY OTHER RUDIMENTS AS POSSIBLE. THE MORE YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE BASICS, THE MORE YOULL BE ABLE TO EASILY APPLY TO YOUR PLAYING. HOW DO YOU TUNE YOUR DRUM SET, DO YOU USE ANY TECHNOLOGICAL TUNER LIKE TUNEBOT OR DO YOU TUNE IT BY EAR? JAY : I TUNE BY EAR. MY 10 TOM IS TUNED QUITE HIGH AS I WANT IT TO CUT THROUGH LIVE. MY 12 IS TUNED TO RESONATE NATURALLY WITH THE WOOD OF THE DRUM. MY 13 IS TUNED SUPER LOW IT SHOULD REALLY BE A FLOOR TOM AND MY 16 FLOOR IS BARELY TUNED AT ALL. THE LUGS ARE JUST OVER FINGER TIGHT. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT I WANT IT TO SOUND REALLY FAT OUT FRONT. BASICALLY AN EXTENSION OF THE KICK DRUM. RINGY FLOOR TOMS ARE THE WORST. MY KICK HEAD IS QUITE LOOSE AS I JUST WANT A FLAT, PUNCHY SOUND. MY SNARE IS TUNED QUITE LOW AS ACLE MOANS WHEN I TUNE IT HIGH. ITS HARDER TO BOUNCE GHOST NOTES OFF A BAGGY SNARE BUT THE SOUND OUT FRONT IS WAY MORE ROCK WHEN THE SNARE IS BAGGY AND THERES SOME AIR BETWEEN THE MICROPHONE AND THE SKIN. TRUST ME (AND OUR SOUND GUY). YOU USED 10 AAX O-ZONE SPLASH STACKED ON AAX 17 CHINA, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW STACK, WHICH ONE OF THEM SEEMS LIKE A 16 APX ? IM VERY CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT IT. JAY : MY CURRENT STACK IS A COMBINATION OF A 14 HH THIN CRASH AND A 10 O-ZONE SPLASH. ITS A FAST FIZZY SOUND WITH A QUICK ATTACK. I SPENT SOME TIME WITH MY SABIAN REP PICKING OUT THIS SETUP. WE TRIED SO MANY DIFFERENT CYMBALS TOGETHER - LARGE CRASHES, SMALL CRASHES, CHINAS, SPECIAL EFFECTS CYMBALS - THEY HAVE TO SIT ON EACH OTHER JUST RIGHT. THIS COMBO WORKED PERFECTLY FOR ME. I CAN PLAY IT LOOSE IF I WANT MORE FIZZ OR CRANK THE WING NUT UP TO GET MORE ATTACK. ACCORDING TO YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE, YOURE VERY INTERESTED IN MOVIES, CAN YOU NAME FIVE OF YOUR FAVORITE MOVIES PLEASE. JAY : HA, YEAH I DO LOVE A GOOD (AND BAD) MOVIE. IM RENOWNED AMONGST MY FRIENDS FOR HAVING TERRIBLE TASTE IN FILMS BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, ITS SUBJECTIVE. JUST LIKE MUSIC.

TesseracT plays Of Matter live with at Sphere Studio :

http://youtu.be/O-hnSlicxV4

ALIENS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE. I GREW UP WITH THAT FILM SO THERES NOSTALGIA THERE. IM A BIG FAN OF THE MARVEL FILMS BUT USUALLY JUST THE FIRST OF A SERIES. I ENJOY THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PERSON INTO BECOMING A SUPERHERO. I DONT CARE TOO MUCH FOR WHAT THEY DO AFTER THE FIRST 30 MINUTES OR SO OF HAVING SUPER POWERS. IRON MAN 3 WAS BALLS :( I LOVE THE CULT FILMS LIKE PULP FICTION, CLASSICS LIKE ROCKY, THERES NOT MUCH I WONT WATCH. WHAT BANDS, MUSICIANS OR MUSIC GENRES ARE YOUR LISTENING TO AT THE MOMENT? CAN YOU NAME 3 OF YOUR FAVORITE TUNES FROM ANY MUSICAL PROJECTS YOU HAVE PLAYED IN? JAY : IM LISTENING TO THE NEW ANIMALS AS LEADERS RECORD A LOT AT THE MOMENT THE PLAYING AND SONGWRITING IS PHENOMENAL. I DONT LISTEN TO MUCH HEAVY STUFF ANY MORE THOUGH. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE AND MOST BANDS SOUND THE SAME NOW, AT LEAST TO ME ANYWAY.

INTERVIEW WITH JAY POSTONES SINA NAJAFLOU

I ENJOY ELECTRONIC MUSIC. JON HOPKINS, TRENTMOLLER, HELIOS TO NAME A FEW. I UNDERSTAND HOW THEY MAKE THEIR MUSIC BUT THE LEVEL OF OF CREATIVITY, MUSIC THEORY KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE SOFTWARE THEYRE USING TO CREATE SUCH LUSH AND DETAILED SOUNDS IS ASTOUNDING. I HAVE MASSIVE RESPECT FOR THESE GUYS. MY THREE FAVOURITE TUNES FROM PROJECTS IVE PLAYED IN HMM. I LOVE NOCTURNE. ITS A LOT OF FUN TO PLAY. CONCEALING FATE PART 2 IS FUN TOO BUT MAN, THAT SONG DRAINS MY ENERGY SO QUICKLY. I ALSO PLAY IN A PROG THREE-PIECE CALLED HEIGHTS BACK IN THE UK - WE HAVE A SONG CALLED CENTRIFUGE WHICH I REALLY ENJOY PLAYING LIVE. WHO WERE/ARE YOUR HEROES? WHO INFLUENCES YOUR DRUMMING THE MOST? JAY : MORGAN AGREN - HE IS ONE OF THE MOST CREATIVE AND INSPIRING DRUMMERS IVE EVER SEEN. CHECK OUT THE WORK HES DONE WITH FREDERIK THORNENDAL AND MATS MORGAN BAND. SO MUCH GROOVE.ITS A FAST FIZZY SOUND WITH A QUICK ATTACK. STEVE GADD - THIS GUY IS ONE OF THE REASONS I PLAY DRUMS.

I HEAD AJA BY STEELY DAN WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG AND LATER ON FOUND OUT THE STEVE WAS THE DRUMMER ON THIS TRACK. HIS TIGHT GROOVES AND FLAWLESS FILLS HAD ME HOOKED ON DRUMS FROM A VERY EARLY AGE. TOMAS HAAKE - OBVIOUSLY. HE MUST BE THE TIGHTEST LIVE DRUMMER IVE SEEN. HIS EFFORTLESS FEEL AND GOSPEL-ESQ CHOPS THROWN INTO INSANELY HEAVY SONGS ARE ALMOST TOO LUSH. WHATS YOUR IDEOLOGY IN LIFE, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IN THIS WORLD ? HOW DO YOU LOOK TO THIS WORLD, AND WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR NEXT 10 YEARS? JAY : IVE HAD A VERY PRIVILEGED UPBRINGING. MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME TO MAKE MY OWN CHOICES IN LIFE AND FOCUS MY ENERGY ON THE THINGS THAT MATTER TO ME - AND THEY SUPPORTED THESE CHOOSES FULLY. I WAS ALWAYS ALLOWED TO PLAY IN BANDS AND LISTEN TO THE MUSIC THAT INTERESTED ME AND IMPORTANTLY I WAS ALLOWED TO FOLLOW MY DREAMS. AND FOR THIS I AM VERY GRATEFUL AS WITHOUT THIS UNHINDERED BASE TO WORK FROM, THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM TODAY. I CHOSE NOT TO GO TO UNIVERSITY AS I KNEW THAT ALL I REALLY WANTED TO DO IN LIFE WAS PLAY MUSIC AND THE MUSK THAT INTERESTS ME DOESNT REQUIRE A DEGREE.

IF YOURE NOT ENJOYING SOMETHING, LET GO AND MOVE ON. YOULL FIND WHAT YOURE LOOKING FOR A LOT QUICKER THAT WAY.

JAY POSTONES

INTERVIEW WITH JAY POSTONES SINA NAJAFLOU

T REQUIRES PASSION AND A SELF-MOTIVATION THAT COMES WITH BEING PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING. MY GOALS SEEM TO CHANGE AS I GET OLDER BUT MY MAIN GOAL FROM MY YOUNGER LIFE HAS DEFINITELY BEEN TICKED - PLAY IN A BAND I LOVE AND TOUR THE WORLD DOING IT. THE LEVEL OF PERCEIVED SUCCESS IS RELATIVE - SOME BANDS ARE MASSIVE AND MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, OTHER BANDS DONT BUT ITS NOT REALLY ABOUT THAT. WHILE IT WOULD BE NICE TO MAKE A LIVING FROM THIS, THE DREAM HAS ALWAYS BEEN JUST TO DO THIS AND TO ENJOY IT. I IMAGINE THE NEXT TEN YEARS WILL DEFINE ME. I KNOW WHERE IM LEADING MYSELF AND I FEEL MORE IN CONTROL OF MY DECISIONS THAT I EVER HAVE BEFORE. AS A SUCCESSFUL MUSICIAN WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LAST LESSON OR PIECE OF ADVICE TO GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO READ THIS INTERVIEW AND WHY? JAY : YOU MUST ENJOY WHAT YOU DO. THIS IS THE ONE RULE WHICH UNDERPINS EVERYTHING IN MY LIFE. IF YOURE NOT ENJOYING SOMETHING, LET GO AND MOVE ON. YOULL FIND WHAT YOURE LOOKING FOR A LOT QUICKER THAT WAY. IF YOU WANT TO BE A TOURING MUSICIAN, SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE YOU LIKE AND MAKE SURE THEY LIKE YOU TOO. THIS ISNT HARD. THE MUSIC YOU CREATE WILL BE MORE ENJOYABLE AND THE BAND WILL SURVIVE A LOT LONGER. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF - TOURING CAN BE TOUGH. YOU GET ILL AND THE SHOW MUST GO ON. EAT WELL AND DONT GET FUCKED UP ALL THE TIME. PEACE. JAY POSTONES.

ALTERED STATE TESSERACT - 2013

This album is fantastic! Probably one of my all time favourite albums, Although drums are programmed by Acle, it sounds amazing! and if you want to see how the album actually sound you have to go and see them playing this masterpiece live! Visit tesseractband.co.uk for more updates and upcoming shows!

INTERVIEW WITH JAY POSTONES SINA NAJAFLOU

Words : Sina Najaou Edit : Roberta Rizzo ! Graphic & Design : Sina Najaou Special Thanks to : Jay Postones Roberta Rizzo Lisa LaFountaine _____________________________ for sharing and publishing please contact to me.! SinaNajaou@outlook.com
http://bit.ly/1lSeWgv

10