You all know the man's name, if you don’t, you’re an extreme music snob or just refuse to admit that the parody genre of music is an actual genre. Well – it is. And Weird Al Yankovic has been around for a long time. I personally have been a fan of these guys since Al was on the Dr. Demento show.
Regardless of what you think of Parody, or Weird Al, you simply can’t deny the talent of the band that backs him up. These guys run the gambit of musical styles, there being very few (see below) that they haven’t hit. Give them time and I’m sure they’ll get them all eventually. Driving the drums behind this talented group of musicians is Jon ‘Bermuda’ Schwartz.
I met Bermuda on the Pearl Drummers Forum way back when and met him in person this past winter NAMM . The man is an absolute joy to talk to, funny, and entertaining.
He of course readily agreed to an interview, and I of course, being the fan that I am, produced one.
Drumrock: You've pretty much played with Weird Al for his entire recording career - what's that been like? Details are a must. :)
Bermuda: It's been unique, fun, musically and percussively satisfying, and I've learned a lot along the way about music, drumming, production, the music business. It's been profitable and allowed me to pursue other projects between tours, and it's fulfilled and surpassed my childhood dreams about being a professional drummer. I still run into people who don't really understand that this is a solid career, that we've been doing the same things 'mainstream' artists do: touring, making videos, appearing on tv, making albums, etc. and in many cases we've enjoyed much greater longevity and popularity than the artists we've parodied. Of course about half of our material is original, but it's the parodies that put Al on the map, and keeps him there.
In a word, it's been great. And there's no end in sight.
Drumrock: How do you feel the different styles have impacted your playing?
Bermuda: Certainly the various styles have added to my musical vocabulary in ways I probably wouldn't have expanded otherwise. But of course that doesn't mean I get to play every style all the time, and on a normal gig in town, I'm pretty much playing 2 & 4, some shuffles and swing, really very straight-ahead stuff. But I like playing - anything - so doing one basic style all night in a club is satisfying to me, and so is playing a dozen styles on stage with Al. If there's an obvious impact, it's that I'm better prepared to play with Al. The longer we work together, the fewer surprises there are.
Drumrock: Do you have a favorite style that you like to play or are they all fun?
Bermuda: It's all good. As I said, I just like to play.
Drumrock: What was the hardest one to pick up?
Bermuda: One song I was worried about was "Zoot Suit Riot" by Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Great swing and Krupa-style drumming by Tim Donahue, and of course very organic. One thing people don't realize is that I have to work harder to copy parts, than the original drummer did in creating them in the first place. So things that were done on the fly by Tim had to be studied, dissected, written out and practiced by me. I was listening to Krupa back in the '60s when I started playing, but getting every little nuance that Tim did without even thinking, was a real challenge on that track. In the end, our "Grapefruit Diet" parody turned out to be easier than I thought, and I nailed the part and got pretty close to Tim's feel as well.
Drumrock: What's the one style you most wish you'd never have to record again? :)
Bermuda: Nothing's been that unpleasant, I don't think there's anything I'd groan about if it came around again.
Drumrock: Is there any given musical style that has had a more profound impact on your playing than any other?
Bermuda: Because we've done so much of it in the last dozen years, I'd have to say that Rap has honed my ability to keep time and work with tracks. And of course that carries over into all styles.
Drumrock: Is there a style that as a band Weird Al has never tried that you'd like to try or have you guys pretty much run the gambit of music in your career?
Bermuda: We haven't done speed metal... or progressive jazz or fusion... or salsa...I think that's all we've missed. I'm honestly not dying to do those, but will do my best should they present themselves one day!
Drumrock: Tell us about your kit - what do you have to have onstage to accomodate the range of music you perform?
Bermuda: In the studio, obviously we work hard on specific sounds and I have the luxury of using different snares, cymbals, and tuning as needed. But on stage, I get one kit, one set of cymbals, and one tuning to do everything. If I had a really poppy, sharp snare, it might be great for one song, but completely wrong for everything else. So I go for the most average, 'normal' drum and cymbal sounds, so they blend well with everything. My drums are a mixture of common and classic sizes: 16x22, 8x12, 9x13 and 14x16 Ludwig Classic Maple, and a 6.5x14 Black Beauty. Cymbals are Sabian APX, and heads are Evans EC2 clear on the toms, SuperTough on the snare, clear EMAD on the kick. I don't use triggers, but I have a Kurzweil K2600 and Kat for loops & sfx.
Drumrock: What's the best touring experience you've had in your career with Al?
Bermuda: Touring itself has been a great experience, far beyond just the opportunity to play every night. I think what I like most is traveling - seeing places I'd never get to on my own. We've played 49 out of 50 states (only Hawaii is missing from the list) and traveled across Canada from BC to PEI. We've played all over Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand, places I also might have never gone to on my own. And I've met some great people along the way. It's not a vacation by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a great opportunity to see different places, not to mention it's all expenses paid!
Drumrock: What's the worst?
Bermuda: In 2007 we did a 5-month run with no breaks - that's playing an average of 5 nights a week and traveling on the days 'off', without going home or even having 3 or 4 days to sit in one spot and chill. That's a tough schedule for a young band, let alone a bunch of 50+ guys like us! Everyone was pretty beat after about 3 months, and then we were just burned out and numb for the rest. But everyone's back and ready to work, and looking forward to the 2008 tour which will be just 9-10 weeks.
Drumrock: Musically do you work outside of what you do what Weird Al? If so what?
Bermuda: I've played and recorded with L.A. area bands before and during my tenure with Al, and for the most part they're very tolerant of my touring schedule, and I've never been ousted from a band for that (or any other reason for that matter!) The styles I encounter aren't as varied as with Al, and I can usually be found playing blues, oldies, roots rock, country, and even a little jazz.
Drumrock: Do you do Clinics?
Bermuda: I've done a few clinics, and plan to do more starting in 2009. My concept of a clinic goes back to the classic clinicians of the '60s, where the audience learned both about playing, and about being a drummer. The clinics of recent years are entertaining and filled with fireworks, but there's very little that someone can take with them that helps in their career. My "Real World Clinic" is conducted primarily from in front of the kit, where I discuss the business of being a drummer: learning and growing as a player, handling auditions, working in the studio, touring, finances & taxes, professional attitudes, endorsements, and other aspects of being a working musician. No other clinics focus on these things, yet it's some of the most practical and important information an ambitious drummer needs to know. Of course I also discuss equipment, sounds, technology... I even play a little, too!
Drumrock: Do you teach?
Bermuda: I haven't taught in many years, and I miss it. These days, I'd have to be cautious about my schedule interrupting a student's progress. In a healthy teaching relationship, there's a bond between student and teacher, and I'd hate to get someone started, then take off after 6 months. So if I return to giving private lessons, it will have to be during a period where I'm sure I can devote a year or more to the student. 2009 just might be that year!
Drumrock: If you could impart any words of wisdom, to the aspiring drummer and/or parody artist, what would those be?
Bermuda: Learn, grow, and become a good musician, not just a good drummer.
Drumrock: Any final comments, advice, words, lyrics, before we wrap this interview up?
Bermuda: Nope, I've said too much already!
Thanks to Bermuda for taking the time to answer our questions.