When someone mentions the name Mike Mangini in a circle of drummers, the conversation invariably will turn to his holding the WFD record for fastest hands. Then the guys who think that speed is everything will jump into an hour long debate over who’s faster. Ultimately everyone walks away with their own opinions on who’s the fastest drummer out there, hands feet, whatever.
What these guys miss is that while speed is important to some genres of music, it’s not everything. What they need to do is listen to Mike’s work, his playing, and they’ll discover there’s more to Mike than just speed.
Really you say?
Yes indeed, I answer, and respond further with links.
Check out Mike’s Bio page (http://www.mikemangini.com/1mikemanginipage/biospage.htm) to get an idea about just how versatile Mike is and about his background. Then, when you’re done there, head over to the Overview section of Mike’s site to hear how versatile the man is. (http://www.mikemangini.com/siteoverview.htm)
I met Mike at the Pearl booth at NAMM this past January, where he was showing his new signature snare. We didn’t converse much, as artists are always under the gun during the show, but I did drop the request for contact info for the possibility of doing an interview. Needless to say, Mike was more than willing to spare some time for our little corner of the internet. The result is below, enjoy!!!
Drumrock: You started with music early on - what was your first exposure and at what age? And what sparked your interest in drums?
Mike Mangini: My first exposure to music was as an infant. My family, stretching out to cousins, great aunts and uncles, etc., would get together every single weekend during the summer. My mother’s father played sax professionally and others played piano for fun. There was music all the time.
My earliest memory “knowing” that I liked the drums, was some time before the age of 3. My memory of this, as if a video clip was playing in my mind, is of my setting up food cans to hit with pencils. This would occur when either my brother or sister would take turns playing their favorite LP records on the living-room record player. My father bought me a toy kit on my third birthday and my grandfather bought me a real-miniaturized kit on my 4th birthday. I started playing out at family functions at age 5.
DR: Do you enjoy playing any other instruments besides drums? If so what are they and how does the knowledge and ability to play other instruments affect your drumming?
MM: I enjoy dabbling with other instruments like keyboard, guitar and bass. I stink at them so to speak, but I can write music on them. Playing these instruments has changed my view on what others might want out of my drumming, rather than what I just ‘see’ as a drum part.
DR: What styles of music do you enjoy playing?
MM: I enjoy playing all styles except country, as I’m not disciplined (or paid) enough to stick to the kick and snare pattern for too long. Interestingly, I don’t have a favorite style, but rather, a favorite tempo for each style.
DR: Which one do you enjoy playing the most?
MM: If I had to pick a style I enjoy most, it would be Heavy Rock leaning towards Metal. The sound of a thick, held F# or D chord makes me hit things hard and want to punch a gong. It’s really fun. I’d love to play with Ozzy (solo) or Sabbath with Dio, because the melodies are so strong. I don’t want to play “a lot” - just for the song. Not everybody writes songs that strong to warrant my playing heavier. When ROCK songs are not written strongly, but the music is cool, I gravitate towards the music thus playing more orchestral in nature. If the melody isn’t strong enough to me, I’m not inspired to just groove because I don’t feel much, so I orchestrate more.
DR: Tell us some about who you've worked with in terms of recording and touring. Vai, Extreme, LaBrie to name a few, but overall and what your most memorable experience on that side of the
MM: One way to see (some of) who I’ve worked with is in the ‘Recordings’ section of my website. I have memorable moments from every session or tour I’ve done. The first show I played with Annihilator, at the Underground in London, in 1993 is first. Playing those metal riffs in front of a nothing less than mental crowd will stick in my mind forever.
DR: If you could sum up you Rhythm Knowledge system in a nutshell, outside of what people can read online, what would that be? (We'll link to the site as well)
MM: In a nutshell, my Rhythm Knowledge system is about behavioral change, or growing the nut J Volume 1 allows a person gain a global perspective on an issue and also to learn things on the microscopic level so that one doesn’t end up traveling to a new area without a map, so to speak. With regard to music, one learns to ‘see’ the components of human-selves and the environments we exist in. Accordingly, the communication between these components is addressed. I broke down every thing that could be played into five basic systems (in Volume 2.) The reader can mold themselves into whomever they want to be based on what areas of practice their hearts tell them is “for them.”
DR: I would assume that you utilize this system extensively in your teaching work at Berklee?
MM: I use Rhythm Knowledge philosophies and exercises to get at the root of a student’s needs. Since RK accounts for all physical and mental possibilities I could think of, I make each student a sort of “practice prescription” each week.
DR: How did you come into the teaching gig at Berklee?
MM: I started teaching at Berklee College of Music in the fall of 2000 because the Chair, Dean Anderson, personally recruited me.
DR: How have you benefited from the experience?
MM: I have, and continue to benefit, from my experience teaching at Berklee because of the effect my students and fellow faculty have on me on a weekly basis. They all offer something special, inspirational, or things that just plain keep me on my toes. I have been impressed with every faculty member I’ve seen play. It’s crazy how good people can get when they do what they do well. I am therefore growing deeper with each style of music we teach because I want to experience other people’s ways as deeply as I can.
DR: What advice could you give to those who have perhaps been playing a long time and never had formal instruction? Is it worth it to put yourself into a "beginners" position for the sake of growth?
MM: I can offer some advice to those who have been playing for a long time, but without formal training every drummer on this Earth is a beginner at a pattern that they have not earned the privilege of using in a performance environment. Therefore, join the club!!
One thing to know however, it takes several months of exposure at any limb combination to develop comfort. One cannot be expected to change their “rock” body mechanics in order to play a “jazz” song with the correct feel and spiritual expression in one semester of time. Therefore teachers should not expect this out of students. Unfortunately, when any ‘teacher’ is ignorant to the mechanical workings of the human being, they tend to think a student “just doesn’t have it.” It is the teacher’s job to explain things in concrete terms along with a respect for the student’s interest level and actual ‘life’ schedule. Teachers who only, or can only, teach those that can already play, are not teachers, they’re show-ers. They show, they do not teach. I read plenty of online comments that suggest many people think this unfortunate way.
DR: You three WFD records for matched grip, bare hands, and traditional grip. What did winning those titles feel like and will you ever attempt to top those records or "reclaim" the titles should someone come along and dethrone you? :)
MM: With regard to my WFD records, I had fun pushing myself without getting hurt. I feel blessed to have been exposed to others who pointed out ways I could improve. It is so sad to me when the WFD events get negative press by those who have never attended or participated in them. They would find it to be fun. There will always be people that behave badly in any area of life. Some who can play fast become wrathful to others, as well as, misinformed that their speed makes them great. Others refer to the Drumometer as “stupid.” How can a device be stupid? It is people that can act stupidly. The loudmouth minority gets more attention than the quiet majority that knows the events are mechanical in nature in order to help one’s musical expression. The “less is more” goofballs are the drummer types that do not have any first hand experience of WFD event and not concept of basic mathematics. Less apples is less apples; more ignorance is more ignorance.
DR: You seem to enjoy doing clinics quite a bit. Aside from the promotional aspects, what does doing them do for you personally and what do you always like to impress upon the people attending your clinics.
MM: I enjoy doing clinics. I do have to say that my job there is to promote the products of the companies who are paying big bucks (over time) for me to be there. I can’t enjoy what is in my heart without the gear, so I’m happy to use it and promote it. Likewise, I get to express drum moves that would otherwise not work in songs. It just simply is fun. Getting to share my heart with so many people as well as getting to have others share theirs with me is a happy way of life. I try to impress upon people the idea that they have hope at achieving more than they may know by finding out that certain things they cannot yet play are just skills earned not a lack of talent (in many, but not all cases.)
DR: Your kit setup is one of the more unique setups I've seen - I would assume it's extremely comfortable for you? How important is comfort .vs. function? Is one more important than the other or do you feel there's a balance that every drummer should find for their kit.
MM: My kit set up is unique because one has to TRULY play lefty and righty to play it. It is based on my body mechanics. I have two arms and two legs, so I have symmetry as the guiding force behind it. I also, set up the kit my way to learn. I actually could not play it when I first reversed the hihats on each side because it was a real ambidextrous set up - not just stuff and pedals on both sides. The kit itself was a learning tool, but it was made for my body, not the other way around. Therefore by nature, it is comfortable and ultimately functional.
In all my travels and research in magazines, I've only seen parts of my kind of set up out there. I know of many, many drummers who have made reference to my kit as the inspiration for not being afraid to set stuff up on both sides. Don’t be confused by kits that have ‘stuff’ on each side; mine is set up so that one must play purely lefty or righty; not just step on a pedal with the left or right foot, or hit a ride source with either hand without the feet being totally turned around. Anybody that is out there dong this knows what I mean when I say, “each side has a unique groove as distinct from just hitting things in patterns that are not song-groove related.”
DR: You're new signature snare from Pearl made quite an impression at Winter NAMM this year. Is this a drum that you'll actually use?
MM: I’m not sure I understand this question as a signature drum should be what a person thinks is the best version of that drum. Of course I use my signature snare as an auxiliary!!! Because of the depth, I can turn off the snare and have it double as a high tom; something the small depth ones cannot do. There is something special about the Golden Ratio. You’ll have to ask God about it one day! Until then, readers should Google the term and be ready to be fascinated beyond belief.
DR: What's on your agenda for 2008? Teaching obviously. Clinics? Studio work (that you can talk about!)?
MM: 2008 is an important year for me way, way more than the previous 10 years. My son is almost two, so I now can do more….like practice for instance!! I can also complete some unfinished projects and reconnect with musicians for gig purposes. I need to get active using MySpace (not for personal messages,) but for promotion and seeing what is out there. Between Berklee, Clinics and other career stuff, I get 20-40 emails per day….I just can’t keep up. Maybe more interns are something to think about for 2008!
DR: If you could impart one bit of advice on any drummer, whether it be those just starting out or those who've been playing most of their lives, what would that be?
MM: My advice is that there is hope where there is heart. Get busy finding the right information from any available source. The right information usually shows itself in our consciences. For example, how do you think a drummer feels when 4 different teachers tell them that “they” hold the sticks the “right” way? Somehow, the human hand is the same, so each technique must be for a different, more personal reason. Seek options and don’t let anyone make you feel like you don’t have hope.
DR: Thanks for being willing to do an interview with us! It’s much appreciated!
Mike endorses the following:
Remo Drumheads, Pearl Drums, Zildjian Cymbals and Sticks, Shure Microphones, and Vater Slicknuts