It was pennant weather. Tom and I were hanging out at Max’s, like always, but different. You see, we weren’t just watching the game like usual on the undersized tv behind the awning pole. But we had been in this particular spot before.
Like infinite indie rock bands before us, we had just lost our drummer. Being adrift in a drummerless ocean is a unique feeling. Questions arise: Are we done? Is that gonna be it? Will we ever find another match? Statistically speaking, it wasn’t likely. But we had gotten that number, and the guy actually answered, and he said he’d be here…
The last couple years were productive and fun with our previous drummer Jason, and we are proud of the album that resulted (“Joyland”). But we knew he wasn’t “our” drummer, and weren’t surprised when he moved on. When we got that call from Tiff, we were not holding our breath.
Tiffany is a discerning observer, honed in the time honored service of tending bar. If you want to know who’s on the real, ask the bartender. She is in our tribe, and she knew our plight. One night she overheard a customer lamenting how his band had just played their last show and he was already jones-ing for another gig. She overheard him say how much he missed playing drums. Something about him struck a good chord. So she said to him, “I know a band who needs a drummer…”
So there Tom and I are, and here comes a guy with a swank hat and swagger and a great twinkle in his eye. He walked right up to us and we just started talking. We gave him a copy of our still-unmastered “Joyland,” and shot the proverbial shit for a few minutes. Be in touch, we said. A couple days later he called. He liked it. When can he try out? We set up a time. He showed up on time. He held his own and had a great attitude. Tom and I conferred and invited him back. Second time was even easier and better, and there was something different and cool about how he was playing our songs… We invited him to play a show with us. It went really well. We continued to invite him and he kept showing up and it kept getting better, like, something cool was emerging, possibly…
Then one day during a rehearsal, he asked us, “So…am I in the band?” Tom and I looked at each other and cracked up laughing. We had been “not holding our breath” so well that we didn’t dare even think that question!
It’s hard to describe the relationships involved in bands, and how important they are to the sound, the function, the results. You have to want to be there, be engaged, take and give suggestion, try things, work together, be flexible and dependable with your time. When you find all those ingredients, it’s something special. And when you can handle each other’s communication (or lack of) tendencies on top of it? Uh, that’s a keeper.
We said, “Hell yeah you’re in the band!”
And we had a big laugh and a bunch of high fives and cracked open a beer, officially welcoming Bunny, who is “our” drummer. Five years later, we feel just as excited to play together as we did then, having found that cool “something” that happens when your chemistry is just right, when you become more than the sum of your parts. We think it shows on our brand new album “Waveship,” and we want to share it with you!
Let us know where it takes you!
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Thanks for making it all matter,
Suzanne, Tom and Bunny
Boomchick
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