Diversity Meets Self-Expression
Diversity is a critical term to each of our drumming heroes. Frost might have the most focused style and perspective on diversity. To him it means either developing his style in order to achieve levels of his performance and skills, or diverging from it towards more variety of speed and inclusion of softer tones. Still, he is very much focused on the one genre that is the most important to him: Black Metal. It is a spiritual experience and guiding star in his personal and musical evolution. Frost mentions that he essentially needs the playing, writing and arranging of music for both his bands as inherent part of his self-expression. Playing shows is just as essential for self-expression as it is for the music itself. Songs not only have an individual identity but, by being played live, take on a personality of their own almost like a human being. The electricity resulting from the interaction with the crowd, the individual stages, venues and so on all add to this identity each song gains. In a very deep sense of the term we are speaking of diversity here, the diversity that is within a song itself. Frost needs this diversity in his self-expression for his personal evolution.
The scope on diversity the three others have seems to be a wider one, perhaps in a more traditional sense of the term. Jan and Walt use diversity as a sort of a tool for developing their style and performance. They focus on the diversity of genres and musical influences.
It’s interesting to play other stuff and music.” (Jan Rechberger)
Walt indicates that it keeps his drumming fresh. He can integrate influences from several genres into his drumming for his main band activities. Their focus in terms of self-expression is far more on the aspect of playing (be it on stage or rehearsals) and, delivering the heartbeat of a song, rather than participating in composition. While Jan runs his own studio, which gives him another source of diverse influences coming from his clients, Walt’s further diversity results from the sheer number of bands he has played with. He plays a wide range of genres, thus meeting a variety of band dynamics and personalities. He gets to know them as musicians and beyond, due to on and off stage interactions, as well as studio work. In that regard Walt’s and Jan’s perspective on diversity has a strong social flavour and brush Ukri’s attitude.
Each band works in a unique way, with individual routine and dynamics. This is of high importance to Ukri as well. Yet to him, diversity of styles represents a more developmental aspect of drumming. He highlights the transience of playing in a band for a limited period, making it a stage of his (drummer) life. He supposes it is a mind-set of his life’s respective period. His self-Sexpression is complementary, he says. He needs drumming and the creative parts of writing, arranging and producing music. It is not a matter of priority but of two different yet complementary things, for Ukri as much as for Frost.
Metal drumming is a very physical matter. This aspect of drumming and the entire genre in general, is a motor for Ukri. He emphasizes the masculine, aggressive character of metal, expressed in headbanging and moshpits from the audience, and excessive drumming on his own. Yoga, gym workouts and stretching keep his body and mind in shape. Frost even points out that the workout routine he goes through almost daily is essential to performing on the drums. Not surprising at all I should say, considering his very speed-driven style and the length of his career. He is also known to practice intensely before each show. As he says he builds up energy for the show, knowing of course that this works only to a certain degree and has a natural limitation. Drumming can be considered a full workout, so neither Walt nor Jan have an exercise routine before shows. A bit of stretching and playing on the pad is enough for them to warm up.
Kick-ass, Kick-bass or Sidekick?
Jan and Frost have had a very long career in music. Even Ukri and Walt have already played many years and in numerous bands each. Ukri and Jan point out that playing in a band has always been very important to them, if not a major motor for their drive. For Ukri, it is a question of interacting with different personalities and different dynamics, as he says. When asked directly, he is indecisive. In a way yes; but then again, not really. In his own view, he does not see himself as very sociable, but he puts a focus on being himself. To me, this statement matches with his spirituality. Anyway it underlines that the intimacy of band dynamics requires being true to oneself and not playing roles in order to make oneself fit into it somehow.
Looking at Walt’s current (main) affiliations it’s interesting that he could be the son of each of his band mates. How does he get along with the musicians of a completely different generation? Puolanka, the community Walt grew up in, is in the North of Finland. With approximately 2,600 citizens spread across a vast area, it’s not the place to find friends in the house next door. And not to forget: this next door might be kilometers away. One must learn to get along with the people in reach. Walt tells me he has been used to spending a lot of time with people of a very different age than his own. He also adds that his band mates might not always behave as old as they are on their birth certificates. They all share a love for the same music. This leads to yet another aspect Walt mentions: He plays in the band he has had among his favourites ever since he was a teenager. Sometimes during a show, he explains, he still can’t believe it is real. When Frost joined Satyricon as session drummer in 1991, he had a faint hope to someday become a permanent band member for similar reasons. It came true. At the same time, four young Finns formed a band called Amorphis, driven by their friendship and love for the same music. Jan was one of them and it meant a world to him when they were offered a record deal from an international label! In that regard Jan’s, Frost’s, and even Walt’s commitment certainly is unquestionable. Don’t be surprised if you run into Walt in the audience the next time his old friends and former band mates The Hypothesis play a show.