100 Drummers #3: Starring Daniel Coborn (Ringo Deathstarr)

Long have I had a thing for drummers. Something about the way they sit, mysterious and enigmatic, behind their varying configurations of drums and cymbals, keeping time in a myriad of drummerly ways. Oftentimes, too, it seems that drummers are the forgotten member of the band, garnering less press than perhaps their bandmates do. But those intrepid keepers of the beat need love, too. In this series I want to fix this egregious, yet probably accidental, oversight, and bring to your attention some of my favorite keepers of the beat. And so, inspired by a line in the Dylan classic “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall,” I present to you, friends, 100 Drummers.

My next guest is not only one of my favorite drummers, but one of my favorite of all band folk. Y'all know how much I love me some Ringo Deathstarr, and drum delinquent Daniel Coborn is a big reason why. Just listen to some of his fancy stick work on any song on the new record and you'll begin to understand why Daniel is so rad. We also share a keen love of mocking, but that's another story. The objects of our mutual derision shall never be revealed. Below, Daniel gets drummerizational. Enjoy.


Fuzzy Logic: How old were you when you first picked up the drumsticks?
Daniel Coborn: I guess I was 14.

FL: Which drum is the best drum and why?
DC: The snare drum? It sounds cool?

FL: Who's your favorite drummer of all time?
DC: I like the original Devo drummer Alan Myers and a lot old dead Jazz guys.

FL: Singing drummers: On the cool side like Levon Helm or on the questionable side like Phil Collins?
DC: I wouldn't do it but if you can, I don't think there's anything necessarily uncool about it.

FL: Say you break a stick during a show and you have no spares. What do you do?
DC: Probably do a crappy job with one stick...but it's always important to have spares handy! I'm more of a stick dropper though, not a stick breaker...

mp3: Imagine Hearts (Ringo Deathstarr from Colour Trip)

[photo of Daniel Coborn by Megan Petty]