I was always fascinated by music and when I was in Grade 4 I started to play violin. I played it for 3 years but I didn't love the instrument and never wanted to practice.
When I got to highschool in Grade eight I was given the oportunity to join band. I wanted to play jazz sax, it sounded so sexy and I thought it would be a lot of fun. Sadly we never got the opportunity to play anything cool or fun... I remember the worst song called Soft Shoe Shuffle... Death. I quit Sax
In Grade 11 my buddy Cameron started getting seriously into bands like Iron Maiden. He introduced me into some classic metal and I fell in love. Cameron really wanted to start a band as a result, and so he picked up a bass, his brother had a guitar and he convinced me to try learning drums.
Not knowing how to start I found the website mxtabs.net, pulled up the tabs for Metallica's "Orion", set up some cd cases as drums/cymbals, whipped out a couple of pencil crayons and got to work learning the simple rock beat in the intro of "Orion".
I really didn't know what I was doing and Cameron kept telling me that I'm supposed to cross my hands because it looks cool. It felt awkward and uncomfortable so as a result I play open-handed; my left hand on the hats and my right on the snare.
Although I was really having a lot of fun drumming along to various iron maiden and metallica songs with my pencil crayons in my room, it wasn't untill a year later where I discovered my passion for percussion. My mom was driving me home from a hockey game, I was sweaty and tired. I flipped on the radio to Classic Rock 101.1 there was some instrumental song playing. But oh my god! the drumming in this song! What rhythmic genius was playing this!? At the end of the song the commentator announced that it was Rush playing YYZ. My mother said "oh yeah rush... I never liked them. Didn't like the singer". The song being an instrumental I couldn't care less! that instrumentation was absolutely amazing!
When we got home I asked my step dad what he knew about Rush (he's a professional recording engineer so he was bound to know). He told me that they were a canadian band and that the drummer was Neil Peart. Rush is now my favourite band of all time and Neil Peart is the greatest inspiration to not only my drumming but life. His rhythems with all their nuances complement his lyrical prowess which is sometimes fun, sometimes inspirational and moving. All that coupled with his vast intelligence (watch him interview Jean Cretien.
http://www.guba.com/watch/3000093700) and the tragedy in his life and his courage to come back...
Anyways that's my story