Interview withBobby Alt of Street Drum Corps
Bobby Alt (S.T.U.N., Faculty X) of the Street Drum Corps caught up with me briefly while in the studio to discuss about the new STREET DRUM CORPS album due out early next year.
Reflections of Darkness (RoD): Hey, how are you?
Bobby: I’ am fantastic. I’m at my home in Downtown L.A. just down the street from the new desert bar that just opened up having a waffle with some peaches, it’s delicious. I’m actually looking to open a store in Downtown L.A. So I’ve been in meetings for the last couple of hours, talking to the guy that’s been showing us around -a bunch of which have become available for rent that are the up and coming sites so it’s been a fun day.
RoD: I heard you were in the studio, how's that been going?
Bobby: It’s been an incredible summer. We’ve spent the last 2 and half months all summer long in and out of all different studios all over the L.A. area, we started by recording at Dave Grohl’s studio in Northridge. Then after that went over to East West Studios where we recorded Sinatra, Beach Boys, the Mama’s and Papa’s ‘California Dreamer’; so that was a real treat. Then went over to the Howard Benison studio, which’s our producer and recorded all the guitars and bass, and then I’ve been recording vocals - in Howard’s northern bedroom in his house way out in Calabasas all the vocals for this double album, one is all the traditional drumming street corps drumming and the second album is the more produced band vibe still heavy in the drums of course.
RoD: What can we expect when listening to the new album?
Bobby: Oh boy! Pure sonic excitement, [*Laughs*] a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this double album, a lot of tribal rhythms, war rhythms, I’ve been singing and writing songs now - but there’s a little bit of my life and our lives as a whole, when making this record. We’ve put together great artwork for it and then go out and do a bunch of touring for it.
RoD: Were there any songs that didn't make the album?
Bobby: Tons of songs didn’t make it to the album. We wrote between 50-60 songs
since May of last year for this particular record which we twiddled down to 21 that our producer picked and twiddled down to about 15 and then 12; 3 of them to be featured as B-Sides or given away to movies, video games, while the other 12 will be featured on the album itself. Then we have about 30 minutes of drumming that will be the all traditional drumming CD so a lot of songs were written this year, a lot of which didn’t make it but you might see them pop up here and there later on in the future.RoD: What are the upcoming plans for you guys for the remainder of 09 into 2010?
Bobby: This year to next year - right now we’re finishing this record with Howard Benison and hoping to release the record into February or March of next year. We’re just taking our time, being very patient making sure we’re getting the best sonic expression of this particular STREET DRUM CORPS carnation and we also are working on our STREET DRUM CORPS Bang Show which is an all drumming experience you can see at colleges and performing arts centres across the country. So we’ve been putting together a bigger production for that particular group and we’re also writing a show that we’re launching in September 2010 called “The Street Drum Corps Presents: Banner Machines” that represents a 6 person cast using over 100 years of technology to create music of all different styles and sounds of instruments, i.e. microwaves, typewriters, blenders, any type of kitchen appliance available so we got our plates full.
RoD: How many guest drummers did you have on this album, who was your favourite to work with?
Bobby: Oh boy! We had, I don’t know exactly, about 6 or 7 special guests on the all drum CD - on one particular song called ‘Thrashing and Trashing’. That particular song we have members of STREET DRUM CORPS, the embers of Bang, we have Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe), Brandon Saller (Atreyu), Matt Sorum (The Cult / Guns n Roses), Brooks Wackerman (Bad Religion), Shannon Leto (30 Seconds to Mars)… and I can’t pick one favourite drummer that we worked with because they all brought something special to that particular track. A lot of them are good friends of ours too, like Brandon, and Shannon. Those dudes we’ve hung out with and played with before so it’s a real privilege to have them come and play on our CD.
RoD: Have anything planned for Halloween?
Bobby: Halloween? Yes I am flying to Travis City, Michigan with the Bang group to direct our new video for our electric press kit. So I get to hang with the Bang guys and they’re playing a Halloween show there. About a couple thousand people within a small college town. So this will be my directional debut and we get to film with Bang throughout the day and then package that up and send it off, to all the colleges and theme parks, so that’s what I’m doing probably dress up like a Vampire.
RoD: What are one good thing and one bad thing about being in a band?
Bobby: One good thing about being in a band: its like a family, it’s a very tight family gang of the outsiders; the reasons I started playing music while I was young was to get together with friends and jam out… been doing it since I was 13 years old. One bad thing is being a fan boy. [*Laughs*] It’s a double edge sword pretty much. I can go a little deeper… it’s about being a musician and creating these shows and putting together these productions, you’re head feels like it’s going to explode with all this creative energy. You just got to sit back and breathe and put it altogether and organize it all out. Whether you’re working on a banner, artwork, song, t-shirt design… whatever it may be, you stick with it - that’s what you go with.
RoD: Were you guys out at the Henry Fonda when Papa Roach performed?
Bobby: We were not at the Henry Fonda. I was not but I’m sure some of the other guys were. Those guys rock!
RoD: Anything else you'd like to add?
Bobby: Anything else I’d like to add? Just had a very exciting summer recording this music and can’t wait for everyone to hear. So be sure to come out and check out the live shows and have a good time.
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