1. what first inspired you to become a drummer?


My brother was always a keyboard player. I thought he got all the musical genes in the family. When I was in primary school, he had a little band that would gather in the bungalow at the back of our house. The drummer would get driven over by his Dad, and I'd watch as they loaded in this bright blue kit. At that point, I wished I could play drums.

A few years later, my daily homeroom call at school was in the music room. One of my best mates was learning the drums and I wanted in on the action  I'd get to school early and have a quick 10 minutes on the drums each morning. It was there that I figured out how to play The Smashing Pumpkins' "1979" - it was the first song that clicked with me - I could hear how a drumbeat slotted together. So from there, I just taught myself.


 
2. anything that you’ve learnt along the way that’s really helped you as a drummer?


That I should have probably gone and got some real lessons!  Just about everything I've learned about drumming has been self-taught. Lessons would have taught me discipline and theory, but I enjoyed playing more than anything.


 
3. who have you and/or who are you playing with at the moment and what are the bands movements?


   Anything to plug?


At the moment (and for the foreseeable future) I'm playing in a band called Matheson. We've just released an album called 'These Are My Horses'. We're playing shows across Melbourne to support the release, too. The next one is at Spenserslive on Saturday May 15.  I can't imagine playing in any other band right now. We just have too much fun.   


We've been quite a few places, too. We've played the Woodford Folk Festival, played at the Melbourne Zoo's Twighlight sessions, and played with some top acts like The Panics, The Whitlams and Paul Kelly.


Plus, I played in a band called Krafty back in high school. We rocked. There's talk of a reunion!   


4. what gear are you using at present?


I've only ever had two kits. For the first 5 years of my playing career, I didn't have a kit!  My first kit was by a company called DRAGON. I bought it from a mate for $200, complete with cymbals and stands. I loved that thing. I scratched off the A in DRAGON on the kick resonator. That left me with a skin that read DR. GON. I've vowed to one day form a band by that name. One day...


But now, I play a Tama Rockstar that I bought off another mate (the one I mentioned earlier who was learning drums). So the kit is probably 11 years old now. It's got a 22" kick, 10" rack tom, 14" floor tom, 14" x 5.5" snare and the cymbals are a mix of things I've collected that I think sound great. I'm on a never-ending quest to find the perfect ride cymbal. It just means I end up collecting rather than trading.


Plus, I'm expanding the range by playing Glockenspeil/keyboards and a bunch of other percussion.


5. what would be your dream gig?


I'd love to be in a backing band for Neil Young at Glastonbury or something equally large. Or I'd like to have BEEN Dave Grohl. He's seen his fair share of cracking gigs in his time.


 
6. favourite drummers and/or bands and why?


Dave Grohl (from all sorts of groups) - he can slot into all sorts of styles, and he's just darned good.  


Glenn Kotche (Wilco) - He's inventive.  Hear him on record and it can sound simple, but watch him play and you realise he's playing so much more (ghost notes and cross-rhythms).  His sound selection is incredible, too.  Really dry sounding gear.


Clint Hyndman (Something For Kate) - Plays with such power.  Some of the patterns he created on the SFK records are amazing.  I reckon I can play 'Elsewhere for 8 minutes' on drums, start to finish - I've listened to and practiced along to that record so much.

1. what first inspired you to become a drummer?

I think the first time I became inspired was at a very early age. Most probably at the time I figured out my Mum's pots and pans sounded great, when you hit them really hard with metal spoons. I can only imagine what my poor family went through, I was age 3. And then whenever there was a kit around growing up, it would seem to draw me toward it, much like a moth to a flame, or a tractor-beam. That has never changed. In 1988, when I was 10 or 11, my Sister started taking lessons at High School (we were country kids, lessons were unheard of). She came home once a week, and would teach me what she had learnt. She stopped playing soon after, and I kept practising. Mainly to late 80's cheesy pop compilation tapes I would collect as a kid, studying many drummers and styles at once, unintentionally. Then I got real lessons and played at the School when I attended myself in the early 90's... So actually, I suppose my Sister inspired me! Fancy that!

 
2. anything that you’ve learnt along the way that’s really helped you as a drummer?

The amazing collection of rudiments and drum solos that are available on youtube! - thats whats helped me as a drummer lately. Great for when you get into a rut, and so easy to play and practice to (not so much the solos, the rudiments!). Much more fun than the old book I used to have as a pre-teen. Before I got my hands on that "Rock Drumming" book, I didn't know what "Rudiments" were. I used maths paper that I had gridded into long boxes with ball-point pen and fluro, that resembled some kind of chart, with crosses in patterns that made total sense to me. Helped me to remember all my favourite (crappy pop) songs on cassette, that I was trying to learn at the time. God bless that old tape-deck, where ever it may be.

 
3. who have you and/or who are you playing with at the moment and what are the bands movements?

Ive been in A LOT of bands over the last 20 years. In 1997 I joined a female band called "M'juica" in Christchurch, New Zealand. That band brought me to Melbourne via Auckland. We managed to land some good shows while we were here with Aussie bands like Six Ft Hick and Cog, before disbanded in 2001. Only 6 months after arriving. We went our separate ways in a new country. It wasn't long before I founded a band called "K Road Queens" with my good friend Derek Spencer Richards. He also fronted the band "Dr Invisiablo". We always talk about reforming K Rd, so watch out for us in the future! Currently, I'm playing with a band called "Ross Royce"'. We are about to embark on a US Tour in July this year. You can hear Ross Royce and learn more on our facebook fan page, or myspace www.myspace.com/rossroyce  


4. what gear are you using at present?

I'm using a Gretsch Blackhawk at the moment. For a lower range Gretsch, you'd be surprised how phat it sounds. It actually sounds bigger than my last kit which was a Pearl Session Series. But lets face it, you cant really go wrong with Grestch! Ive always wanted a Vintage Ludwig though. I used to be a Zyljian girl, but over the years I've broadened my range, with the addition of Bosphorus and Sabian. I also use 5AL size sticks, Promark 747s mainly (due to the fact I have short girlie arms and need the extra inch of reach!).

 
5. what would be your dream gig?

I would love to play in front of 2000+ people again, what an amazing feeling! All I really remember is a "sea of faces". I've done it once in Christchurch before leaving NZ. I'm also looking forward to playing in Las Vegas when Ross Royce go to the States. I'm really looking forward to all the tour dates actually, and playing to US crowds, it will be a great experience!!!

 
6. favourite drummers and/or bands and why?

Early early on, I swear I was the biggest Lars Ulrich (Metallica) fan, complete with life size Lars poster (shudder!). Until in my early teens when I discovered bands and drummers like Danny Carey of Tool, John Stanier of Helmet, Dave Grohl (for everything he does!) also Taylor Hawkins from Foo Fighters, John Bonham, this is a given! Herb Alexander of Primus, Matt Cameron- Soundgarden, just to name a few. All of these drummers have their own styles, but I love big sounding, percussive solid rock drummers, who play from the heart... does that sound cheesy? I sure you know what I mean :)