My Drumming on Vampire Weekend’s new single
Last week I saw a tweet suggesting one shouldn’t release albums without having a large audience. I laughed because at this point I’ve spent 25 years releasing stuff nobody asked for, only for a lot of it to end up either something I hate and can’t break away from or something that pays my bills – long after I’ve moved on. And like most things I’ve done, nobody asked for Lunch Breaks, a drum break library I recorded and released in early 2014 while entrenched in my then newfound passion for drumming. I was just happy to be playing and putting it out there. I’d only been playing drums for two years at that point, but I had woodshed some insane hours in those two years and had a unique recorded sound. I figured people may want to sample me. I was correct, but my unexpected pivot from rap to writing a book to suddenly dropping everything to learn to play drums full time was something nobody really asked for. And years after I’d already found my lane as a working drummer and forgotten about Lunch Breaks, that raw, mildly-sloppy-in-a-funky-endearing-way drumming debut of mine suddenly became the gift that kept on givin’ (it’s been sampled to death at this point). Madlib, Danger Mouse (Broken Bells), Prince Paul, Alchemist…and now indie rock band Vampire Weekend. Did not see this one coming, but very happy it did and honored to say their latest single, “Capricorn,” is me on drums. Sampled, but me nonetheless. Cleared and with my proper musician credit. Thanks to Michelle, Ariel and everyone involved for making it happen. The tune is out now, and if you like me and you like Vampire Weekend, dig. Video below: