Photograph Credit score: Eketarina Gorbacheva
With out query, one of the vital modern steel drummers stays Dave Lombardo – whose groundbreaking double bass work, fast hearth fills, and relentless power definitely left an indelible mark on different timekeepers. A number of a long time into this profession, it’s only now although that he has gotten round to issuing his first-ever solo album, the all-instrumental drum showcase, Rites of Percussion. Which (spoiler alert) is not a metallic smorgasbord, however reasonably, experimental, avant-garde, and even soundscape-y at instances…but nonetheless shows his distinctive abilities.
First rising to prominence as a member of Slayer, Lombardo performed on the group’s greatest albums, together with the steel masterpiece Reign in Blood (amongst numerous different titles). Moreover, he has contributed to quite a lot of different initiatives through the years – Fantômas, Lifeless Cross, Mr. Bungle, Misfits, Testomony, Suicidal Tendencies, and lots of others.
Lombardo spoke with AllMusic shortly earlier than the discharge of Rites of Percussion, and mentioned the making of the album, his favourite drum recordings, upcoming initiatives, the fashionable state of rock drumming, plus Slayer’s most intense tune.
AllMusic: What made you determine to launch your first-ever solo album now?
Lombardo: “It has been behind my thoughts for years. I’ve at all times needed to do one thing like this. I used to be impressed by drummers like John Bonham – who created a music referred to as ‘Bonzo’s Montreux,’ that was launched on Led Zeppelin‘s Coda album after he handed.”
“Additionally, Tito Puente – a Latin jazz percussionist. I knew he had created these little drum songs prior to now, however I by no means attributed it to a specific album. And Mike Patton – again in ’98 or ’99 – discovered that I used to be into Tito Puente, and stated, ‘Oh Dave, you have to hearken to Prime Percussion.’ I might by no means heard of that album. And he turned me on to it.”
“So, I knew of different drummers who had created one thing like this however by no means a complete physique of labor…nicely, I feel later I heard that Hal Blaine had created one – however nothing to this extent, with this route. It has been some time, and eventually it is right here and I am actually excited.”
AllMusic: Which tracks are you most pleased with?
Lombardo: “One that stands proud is ‘Interfearium’ – the place there was a spontaneous second within the recording studio. Not in my private recording studio the place I recorded the majority of it, however after I went to Studio 606 and recorded the majority of the overdubs, I had only a fleeting concept of opening up the piano, placing a sandbag on the maintain pedal, and reaching within the piano field – not touching the keys – and grabbing some mallets and taking part in the piece that you simply hear.”
“It was only a thought – ‘Oh, I am going to do this and see what occurs.’ And I had one of many assistants dim the lights within the room within the studio, I lit a candle, and simply began taking part in. That is how that piece got here up – and that is certainly one of my favourite items.”
AllMusic: How did you go about composing the songs? Did you begin with a beat after which construct on it from there?
Lombardo: “Yeah – that is mainly the way it began. I’d simply begin with a specific drum sample. And generally it is not the drum sample that you simply hear start the music. Typically, it could possibly simply be a easy rhythm performed on a desk prime with my arms recorded by my cellphone, after which I’d obtain it into Professional Instruments and develop it from there. After which what you are listening to is a totally totally different rendition of the music – the ultimate piece is completely totally different to the way it began.”
AllMusic: I perceive that your son, David A. Lombardo, combined the album.
Lombardo: “Effectively, I’ve labored with him on a pair different albums prior to now. We’re each gearheads…truly, each of my sons and I like music gear. We’ll sit and chat about all of it day lengthy if we had been capable of. And my oldest son, David, he used to assist me when he was a very little child. I used to inform him, ‘OK. Punch me in when the machine says 0124.’ And he would do this.”
“After which when he was 18, I gave him a Professional Instruments MBOX, and we recorded a few albums collectively. He was recording his brother’s band, demoing their songs, and ultimately bought a job at a recording studio. And now, he is mixing film trailers for Netflix, United Artists, and Common.”
AllMusic: What are a few of your favourite drum albums of all-time?
Lombardo: “Mickey Hart‘s Planet Drum, Babatunde Olatunji had a few actually cool albums that had been very percussion-based. I actually like Smithsonian Folkways – their compilations of actually deep African drum rhythms. Haitian Vodou drum rhythms. These are all on Smithsonian Folkways, I imagine. Hossam Ramzy, a Persian percussionist – he is wonderful. I actually like Milford Graves – a percussionist out of Brooklyn.”
AllMusic: What are your ideas on modern-day exhausting rock and heavy steel drummers, by and enormous?
Lombardo: “By and enormous it is fascinating the way it’s developed. I get pleasure from a number of it. They’re gifted and youthful and youthful as we age. Their chops are on level.”
“There’s a number of nice drummers – certainly one of which is Daru Jones, who performs with Jack White. Very distinctive. Ian Chang who performs with Son Lux – he is additionally a tremendous drummer. New, upcoming avantgarde drummers that work with a number of my mates in New York Metropolis – Kenny Grohowski, who performs in a band referred to as Imperial Triumphant. He is wonderful. Additionally, Ches Smith from Trevor Dunn’s Trio-Convulsant.”
“There’s numerous – it is only a matter of discovering and sifting the mass quantities of drummers which might be on the market and selling their work on-line.”
AllMusic: Planning on taking part in reside exhibits in help of Rites of Percussion?
Lombardo: “No. That is merely a bit of artwork. It could take a lot work and bringing in the best musicians, and I’d actually have to consider orchestration. It is not inconceivable, however I am unsure if I need to sort out that – no less than proper now. It would change, you by no means know – if the best provide comes alongside that may change my thoughts.”
AllMusic: Any speak of recording a brand new studio album with Mr. Bungle?
Lombardo: “No, that hasn’t been mentioned but. We have not exhausted this album that we simply launched, The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny. But it surely could possibly be potential – I would not doubt it.”
AllMusic: How is Mike Patton doing? I learn some time again that he was coping with psychological well being points.
Lombardo: “He’s significantly better. He is doing so nicely – I am actually pleased with him, the steps that he is taken. We did a South American tour final December and he kicked ass. He was in nice spirits, he was on level, he was in his conventional ‘Mike Patton type.’ I am so comfortable for him and I am wanting ahead to this upcoming tour.”
AllMusic: Talking of Mike Patton, Rites of Percussion was issued through his label, Ipecac Data. What made you determine to go along with Ipecac?
Lombardo: “Mike Patton’s love and help from day one. I couldn’t – wouldn’t – give it to anybody else. There isn’t any different file firm that may perceive one thing like this and the way essential a physique of labor like that is than Ipecac.”
“Mike Patton, the primary file he put out on Ipecac was the primary Fantômas album – that I used to be part of. That firm and his help has been an integral a part of my drive to finish this physique of labor. I bear in mind telling Patton, ‘Hey man, I am nearly performed!’ And after I despatched him the file with all of the songs, he got here again, ‘Lastly! In spite of everything these years!’ I simply needed to discover the best time and I needed to be in the best headspace mentally. And we had been capable of seize it.”
AllMusic: Which different initiatives do you will have arising?
Lombardo: “Effectively, I simply launched a single from Empire State Bastard, a brand new band I am working with from England [which also includes Biffy Clyro members Simon Neil and Mike Vennart]. They’re huge followers of hardcore music and so they put some music collectively and introduced it to me with a demo again in 2020 – across the identical time I used to be recording my drum file. I did not need to take some other initiatives on – I used to be simply actually targeted on Satanic Planet [another band Lombardo plays in], on my drum file, I feel I might recorded ‘Colours’ for Physique Depend, and there have been different initiatives.”
“And after I heard Empire State Bastard, I used to be like, ‘OK. I’ve to do that. This simply has my identify written throughout it. I can get behind this.’ So, that [a full-length album] goes to be launched hopefully on the finish of the 12 months. We launched a brand new single referred to as ‘Harvest’ and we performed just a few showcase exhibits in London, Manchester, and Glasgow. I feel we may be doing one thing within the States – touring.”
“I am within the means of enhancing a video for a really sluggish, down tempo love ballad undertaking [Venamoris] I put along with my spouse Paula. She sings and writes a number of the music. We’re going be releasing a video quickly – I do not know precisely when, inside most likely the subsequent month – for the final music on the file, referred to as ‘So Good.’ And I’ve some excursions arising – Mr. Bungle, Misfits, and Empire State Bastard.”
AllMusic: How would you describe the music of Venamoris, the undertaking along with your spouse, Paula?
Lombardo: “We simply launched an album and several other movies. No touring – it is only a singer-songwriter duo, creating some darkish…they name it ‘journey hop.’ It is nearly like Portishead, just a little little bit of Halsey in there. But it surely’s essentially the most left flip I may have taken, musically. I play brushes, I play with rimshot, I play the slowest tempos you may ever hear from me. And her voice is beautiful – her voice is gorgeous, it is wonderful. Stunning harmonies. Nice songwriting. It is one thing hooked up to the Lombardo identify which you could play on your mother and father or your grandmother. It is one thing very, very chill.”
AllMusic: Lastly, do you agree that Slayer’s “Angel of Demise” stays essentially the most intense steel music of all-time – each musically and lyrically?
Lombardo: “Sure. That music is intense. If there is a image or a music to go together with that description, yeah, that may be the music. I may see that. I am unable to disagree on one thing that I am so pleased with – that may be sacrilegious. It is some nice stuff proper there.”
See what Lombardo is presently as much as through his Twitter web page.
