In hindsight, if I could go back in time and relay a message to my younger self, I would tell him to work on his time keeping, and that the job of a drummer is not to be the one that gets noticed the most on stage, or to be the fastest, or the loudest. Above all, it is to be the timekeeper.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of timekeeping over showmanship in drumming.
In this reflection, Taylor Hawkins shares his insights on the true role of a drummer, highlighting that the essence of drumming lies not in attracting attention or showcasing speed and volume, but rather in maintaining the rhythm and time for the entire band. This message serves as a metaphor for life, encouraging individuals to focus on their responsibilities and contributions rather than seeking the spotlight.
In practice
During a musical workshop, when discussing the importance of teamwork, this quote can inspire young drummers.
In the studio you can auto tune vocals, and with drums, you can put them on a grid and make them perfect. I hate that sound. When someone hands me a record and the drums are perfectly gridded and the vocals are perfectly auto tuned, I throw it out the window. I have no interest in rock music being like that.
I've worked hard, but this business can be tough, and I just consider myself incredibly lucky to have had the career that I have, and to still be having so much fun playing drums and making music.
Will punk rock ever die? Pal, if you have to ask it's dead to you.
When I go to a gig and I hear a song that I really like, a song that hits home to me or hits an emotional nerve, if I could ever recreate that for someone, that would be the ultimate goal.
My greatest teacher was not a vocal coach, not the work of other singers, but the way Tommy Dorsey breathed and phrased on the trombone.
There is nothing to keeping a band together. You simply have to have a gimmick, and the gimmick I use is to pay them money!
That's the music that I play at home all the time, Joni Mitchell. Court and Spark I love because I'd always hoped that she'd work with a band. But the main thing with Joni is that she's able to look at something that's happened to her, draw back and crystallize the whole situation, then write about it. She brings tears to my eyes, what more can I say? It's bloody eerie. I can relate so much to what she says. "Now old friends are acting strange/They shake their heads/They say I've changed."
It was very interesting in my world, because I grew up as a fan and I did not know that there was a thing called R&B, pop, country, classical - I just knew that I loved music.
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