Recently, Dan Volohov got the chance to speak with Spit Stix - legendary drummer, producer and engineer.  Spit tells us about his influences and LA-punk scene. About Nasalrod and new songs of from Fear, about his book - "Diffusion of Useful Beats" and teaching experience. 

Hope you'll enjoy! 

Punk Globe: Your drumming style attracted alot of attention in the  LA punk scene and punk-rock in general. So who were your first influences and what were the artists  who helped you develop your personal style ? 

Spit: When I was 12 I joined a private drum corp. And that was a big influence of discipline. Just learning to play with endurance and speed and accuracy. And having instructor breathing down my neck and make sure that I did that. That was a big influence. Just kind of set the bar high for me, competing with kids much older than me. But then, I started playing jazz, cause it was more interesting…My brothers were listening to The Stones and The Beatles. I could play that stuff but jazz and latin stuff was more interested rhythmically, to me. So I took an interest to that. And my father introduced me to some jazz records. My mom introduced me to some records from Brazil. And I still liked rock, most of time. I just like the challenge, of playing something more difficult. So I started listening to jazz. By the time I was 16 I was playing be-bop and fusion.. These were two big influences on me.  People like Joe Morello and Airto Moreira early and Sly Dunbar later.  As time progressed, I wanted something a little more aggressive. And when I heard The Sex Pistols in 1976, I got interested again in rock. I really wasn’t interesting in rock, up to that point. But I thought punk was interesting! It had sense of humor. So, I got into it. I co-formed the band in 76 called “Spit” with my brother. And it never happened but when I joined Fear in February of 78 I had a name already ( laughs ). A lot of people on a scene had a cool names like Cheetah Chrome. You know, a name that’s: “Oh, my God! I got to compete with that!” So Fear was a fit because of the energy level and punk really pushed my foot on the gas-pedal. Much like some furious fusion stuff like Chick Corea. Stuff that I liked. But I got a chance to bring my influences into that band. Nobody in the band was really telling me not to play things I was playing. So I was able to play more difficult with my phrases than I heard out there. I was very intimidated when I first heard bands like The Dils and The Ramones in Los-Angeles, when they played there. The energy level was so high so I thought: ‘I got to sharpen my axe!” when I started playing that stuff, I immediately kept that in mind when I was writing my drum-parts. And made sure that everything was up. That slowly made other drummers to kind of come to that. And some sort of unspoken competitiveness started among the punk-drummers. Like Robo, DJ Bonebreak, Don Bolles or friend of mine – Charlie from The Plugz. We all respected each other. And knew that we’re trying outdo each other in a way. So there was a nice, friendly competitiveness. That was like a nice  fertile ground to be a part of…And the scene in Los-Angeles in the late 80’s was very-very fertile…A lot of bands of all sorts and levels were trying to do something original. Having lived through the 70’s and enduring 70’s music. By time 80’s came – there was time for change. Bands like Pink Floyd were so low-energy. And, there was also a split between people who considered to be hippies. Punk musicians cut their hair and t-shirts up. They started coming to punk-shows. It’s kind of divided. Even you’re a metal dude, or you were a punk. So it was some sort of “You made your choice!” The same time disco was just kind of “these days”. So either you were in fancy gabardines and silk shirts and platform shoes and did your hair nice and had a nice jewelry and perfume and you went to that disco…Or you just went to a store and bought clothes for a dollar and when as you are drinking beer while watching punk-bands, you bumped into each other. So it was more appealing to me...that was happening at the same time. 

Punk Globe: I can’t help but notice – you’re not very big fan of breaks and fills as well as solo-parts played on tom-toms. But, with it, there is amazing dynamics you create playing.  Are there any specific elements you like to unite in your play ? 

Spit: My whole thing – keeping the groove edged in my mind. I don’t falter up with that picture I have in my mind of how it should feel. So my body has to come up to that. If I’m just playing a continuous groove, a repetition – it’s still my focus of keeping the groove. First of all. Secondly – If I can play something without falling of that narrow train of groove. I make sure that I work in longer phrases or 8 bar-phrases before they repeat. Maybe it’s just a little embellishment. But I try to not just repeat one bar if I can help it. And it came…something from my jazz-trainings. I studied composition with jazz-saxophonist, Art Pepper. One of the things he’d told me, amongst many was when you write a melody and you perform it – make it slightly different every time. Just one note different. And I said: “Well, I’m a drummer!” then he answered: “Well, then make everyone you feel slightly different! Don’t repeat! When you play a long phrase – don’t play the same the second time!” Knowing very well and having a picture in my mind of what I want to play, I can make sure that’s something non-repetitive within and 8-bar phrase. And I have to repeat that 8-bar phrase again. That’s how I make it original and stay creative, also staying a drum-machine. Just staying locked on a feel. And not try to interfere with the song. A lot of punk-rock is like that. Because playing beats behind the track and maybe my feels is the chance for me to shine. So I do.

Punk Globe: Speaking of  Los-Angeles in those days. You grew up in a musical family. You had been playing jazz since an early age. And then you started playing clubs like The Masque, where people were full of energy and pretty fucking rowdy. Give us your thoughts on that time in Los Angeles punk? 

Spit: I remember seeing The Ramones at the Whiskey [Go-Go], in Los-Angeles. It’s probably very-very first part of 78, when I saw them. And what I liked – they had two seconds between songs. It was like: “Ta-da-da-da-da! Two-three-four! Pump!” – and they were jumping to the next song! I was jumping in the audience. So I was like: “I'm worn out! More ?!”. Every song ended and another one started. And they ALL downstrokes.  Basic downstroking parts! As a drummer…drummer’s down stroke on hi-hats – well, it’s downstroke. But to see guitarist and bass-player doing that with slight air between every note…It’s something I wanted to do. I thought: “I want to do that!” and then I heard The Vibrators. I hadn’t seen them live at that time, but I had their first record. And the way Eddie played on those records reminded me of myself.A kind of goosing the beat. Just not rushing. But not on the beat. Just slightly ahead of not rushing. But keeping ahead of where you are. Keeping it exciting. That’s something I still like to do. I still like to do it! It’s really fun! You just get an extra excitement. And bands like The Dils. When I saw them live – they were just such…high energy. And they drove the audience into a friendzy. And I loved that! It was the way most entertaining thing going having seen most of the bands I’d seen. If you ever seen The Cars…They’re statues! And they just staring straight ahead. I thought they needed dancer or something. So In contrast all the bands at that time that were super big at the time – in the late 70’s, were just boring and tired, too. There was a need for a change. And that became one of the elements. The audience, their heart beats and their energy level driven up by the band’s energy. Punk was giving 200% and driving it. That was something really exciting. There was an athleticism in music that I appreciated. I’m not athlete other than I like to run…I’m not a sports person, I guess. I’m athlete in a sense of a drummer. But I didn’t think of myself in that way at that time. Now I do! But at that time – I wanted to be a part of that jam, whatever it was. 

Punk Globe: Listening to your drum parts on “The Record”, I can’t help but notice the general feel of it. It sounds like a certain high standard of drumming. Like: this is how punk-rock drumming should sound like. What was the thing that helped you to form your unique drumming style with Fear? 

Spit: Well, my first time playing with Fear was playing some songs Lee had written. Lee and some other people before I joined the band. So with these songs, Lee had expectations of what he wanted me to play cause he felt safe having the drum parts he’d become accustomed to. But with new songs – Philo and I joined the band on the same time, the same day. Philo was writing things much more progy, much more odd-time-signatures and more edgy stuff. And that was something that was my language. I speak this language very well! And it made the whole lot of sense to me. And I love that fact that they were bringing prog into punk, which no one had really done. I think Minutemen might have done that later, and some other people…But no one had put in that element. And I didn’t think it’s jazz. But, I guess that there was that element. Not jazz in a bebop sense. But jazz in fusion sense. Straight, not swing. And that element, for me was permitted. I was able to bring my beats in, and my elements in. I was able to play all over the drums as I like to do. And that was encouraged by Philo who would push me further. I started something…kind of edgy. And he said: “Play more toms!” and I “Look!”. With the band’s encouragement I was able to keep going. Of course not with the encouragement on my peers, other drummers there that played the same time I do. Just getting recognition from them I knew I was on right track. So I was fortunate to go with the band were I wasn’t being told to play everything in a certain way. There’s a certain things I think Lee, is comfortable with – certain beats, when he writes a song. And he’d tell me so. But other things Philo would bring in, which was free-run for me to do. That’s what I wanted. I think I perform best when I'm let free. And as composer I know rhythmically not to step on the song. And that’s how “The Record” came out. Just a little flame from other drummers, other bands. And just practicing four-five nights a week makes you good at anything.  

Punk Globe: That record do you feel was your personal favorite and really showcased Fear?  Did you enjoy recording it?  

Spit: The recording at Sound City Studios cost us. I was happy getting to a good studio, tho! My brother had worked in Sound City, so I’d been there before. So I liked the fact that we’re going into a real studio with a full budget and Slash’s backing. We got there and spent a couple of weeks recording “The Record”. And we wood-shedded for a couple of weeks prior rehearsing to recording. Just rehearsing on our own. Then, we took two weeks to record, rehearse it and play any overdubs. We were able to spent a good amount of time with a really good studio. So that was something that a lot of punk-bands hadn’t done up to that point. Once a band got in, they just hadn’t done that extra cost to on real studio time and real engineers to get the sound we got.  

Punk Globe:Tell us about how shows have changed over the years?

Spit: Em…Money’s better! (laughs ). And Fear audience as well! People are really appreciate it on all levels. Young and old. And it’s nice to still influence people. And realize that they could play as fast as they could…Especially older dudes and women. I had someone in backstage, when we played in England, telling me that I saved his life. That was a nice complement! I’m 63. And I still have my chops. I play every day. That’s a part of it. Doing anything everyday you can become very good in it. Just remaining a positive influence for a drummers out there. Especially female drummers. I teach a lot of females. And I feel that sense of empowerment for people that are been discriminated all of their lives. Dudes are allowed to play drums. That’s kind of accepted. But a lot of women I know are just discouraged. “Your drums are too loud! We don’t need two drummers in a family! Drums aren’t for girls!” they’re just discouraged. By their parents, etc. And then, they come to me saying: “Do you think I can play drums ?” and I, of course I encourage and say: ‘Why couldn’t you ?!” My friend Cassie asked me if she could play drums. She’s very petite. I said: “Of course” – she’s very small. So I said then: ‘Have you ever seen a chipmunk or humming bird?See how fast they move!” So there’s no limitations on what anyone who is healthy can do. It’s just the matter – one can do a better enough putting a time to do it. I think originality is one thing that I try encourage. You spent some time putting on a record. You can get very good! But you don’t know the heart of that person. So the heart of that person…Our creativity comes from ourselves. And we need to pool things to draw from. By exercising, or not playing songs your band is usually playing. But finding new stuff all the time to play that and challenging yourself, getting away from your comfort zone. So you can cut new ground with some new tools. You just learnt how to do therefore. So you wanna use them. It becomes a pool of creative ideas. So that’s one of the things I teach people to do – just get with new stuff, getting out of your comfort zone. That would give you a creative pool and give you originality and put you in top 10%, cause 90% of drummers are kind of doing something that’s already being done. And it’s hard to do something outside of that box. Get some confidence, I guess. Even if you could play on your own - jams or something. Just experiment, getting outside of your comfort zone. That’s my advice! I just put out a book – “Diffusion of Useful Beats” – it’s on my site spitstix.com. I’ve been teaching drums for 13 years. And that book is kind of accumulation of my own exercises and beats. I couple of things I modified. There are just a few things that I think are important for drum corp. I modified them for a kit. That book is full of things free creativity. Just that! I encourage people, whether they could or not, weather they could ready music or not, to read things of people that are long past. Or write down things for yourself to share. So reading music is crucial. If you’re a drummer and you don’t read, it’s not the hardest thing. The notes don’t change. They just stay on the same drum. But that’s kind of my encouragement for people. Learn new stuff so you could be an original drummer. 

Punk Globe:What prompted you to start giving lessons?

Spit:Well, I moved from the East Coast to Portland, Oregon in the Northwest. I lived in New York City for 13 years. I moved there in 92. I managed a music store and I worked with music software. I did music for documentaries and for TV and films. When my daughter was born in 2003, I wanted to get out of New York City before the economy dropped out. In Portland,  I didn’t have a job! I had my little royalty checks but I didn’t really have an income and no-one really wanted to pay $100 an hour for music software lessons. So I started teaching drums. That’s something I love doing. And I’ve already been a teacher since… I think I started teaching music software in 91. So I had some teaching experience. It was natural. And, there are plenty people in Portland who were interesting in taking lessons from me. So it started as a job. Just to support myself. It’s a lot less expensive in Portland. So I could work with it. So I started doing that playing some local bands as well. As time went on, I started noticing my chops are getting better. Because, I was playing all the time and constantly challenging myself. To keep my students interested, I was constantly learning new beats and exercises. And I shared those with my students. That’s what I was excited about. I accumulated more and more lessons and started getting to the things I’ve always thought I get to someday. Just an element I thought I’d get to some day. I felt like there is a certain drum things, left-handed stuff and rudiments. I played rudiments in drum corp but I hadn’t played them for years. I think I played paradiddle-diddles. Probably, the only rudiment I played during my entire Fear’ career. As I started teaching, I had some students that were in drumline so I started teaching rudiments again. Then I realized: “These are really useful!” In 1995 I started listening to Jungle, as it was called at that time. It became drum and bass later. I challenged myself to play these beats. Which was way sped up records!...I loved the challenge! That tempo is the same for punk, surf, drum and bass. All of them about 1605 BPM. So it really interested me. I started playing it live and in ‘ 98 put a 12" record out. I started reverse engineering drum machine beats, cause I found them fascinating. And ergonomically figured out the way they worked for me. And then I started using these things,  and now teach them to my students. Made my chops better. I have a full tool box of things to choose from. And my creative input started rising. It’s been the best thing I encourage everyone to teach to learn. But when you start teaching it – you become very good at it (laughs). And my chops are stronger then it was back in 90’s. Only because I got this job, where I get to play and I go to mach speed. All these things contribute to being a good drummer. Being solid, being fast, being slow.   

Punk Globe: After you left Fear. During that period of time you started getting into technological side of your work. And even before it, you did some engineering. Most notable – you did the first demo-recording for Red Hot Chili Peppers. What attracted you in technological side of recording ? 

Spit: In 1992 I was living in Los-Angeles. Friends of mine were working in some mastering labs and recording studios. So I had an access to some really nice recording studios in Los-Angeles. And growing up with my older brothers allowed me into studios and recording at early age, working with really good equipment. Working on consoles and 24-tracks. And this is like…70’s. So I got good exposure  to those. And no fear working with them. So I was constantly in the studio, bribing engineers - friends of mine. As they got out of work  I brought them beer and weed and I can recorded all night ( laughs ). So basically I was working in really nice studios. But got good at it! I really love experimentation of cutting tape and doing backwards stuff, and overdubbing and punching etc. So that was something that I do and I still love doing. But, I never had my own recording studio and wanted one. By the mid 80’s professional recording gears’ price was coming down and prices were more affordable to have recording gear on your own with digital technology just being born and getting more affordable. That was a promise of throwing away of noisy, hot 24-tracks. An exchange for digital gear that was recording far more frequencies than tape did without the same maintenance. So I got excited with that! In 92 I moved to New York city and I got a job in recording studio and started learning digital audio. People in Los-Angeles I knew seemed to be very stingy with their knowledge. I’d ask them: ‘What’s that ?” – “That’s a storage drive.” I was like: “What’s the storage drive ?” – and they say: “That’s optical.” – “It doesn’t tell me anything.” Things were really frustrated with the people that I was looking up to. So I got a studio-job in NYC and started learning. Sonic Solutions was the first system I learnt in 93. And then in 93 I started looking to learn Pro-Tools. It was called “Sound Tools” at that time. So I went to a place where you should pay 100$\hour for learning these things. One of the students I was talking there said that he works the music store the next door and he gets in there for free, cause he works in music the store. So I said: “How do I get a job in music store ?”.So I did! And my goal was to take a job in music store so I could get to Pro Tools, digi-audio classes free. And I did! But then I started making really good money in music store. And then, by 93 Fear broke up. Philo and I just left. We didn’t want to work with Lee at that point. So I needed a job anyway. So I took a full-time job in music store. And learned ProTools and other software and hardware combinations. As performer I knew what I was doing. I started selling systems to the studios in New York City making a really good money. It was the first time I had medical benefits and vocations. I’d been working about seven years 'till that drove me crazy. And then I went back working for myself. But having learned digital audio – was something that I learned there. So I spent two years just studying digital audio. From 93 to 97 was dedicated schooling for me. And then, eventually I quit the music store job and started doing on my own. Something that I’ve always loved and I still do! I’ve always loved recording bands and the whole process, soup to nuts. 

Punk Globe: Your current project – Nasalrod is quite interesting. How did ever Nasalrod happen? 

Spit: Originally, when I moved to Portland in 2005, I needed a musical outlet. And I started auditioning people to reform my drum and bass band, I had in New York City. I didn’t find the musicians I liked right away so I kept auditioning people. There were a lot of jazz-musicians. I didn’t really want to play jazz. I wanted to play drum and bass or punk and I met a bass-player – Tom Potts who was awesome player and he had really good attitude. Just super guy! I auditioned him for my band. It didn’t work out – he wasn’t really right for my drum and bass band but I wanted to do something with the kind of energy Tom had. So I started doing a project with him called Lickity. It was a two-piece kind of proggy drum and bass. But it was a good outlet for me. I just gone through divorce and I needed some cathartic element (laughs). And then we went to see Nasalrod. Seeing them I thought: “They are awesome!”And eventually the drummer from that band moved to Seattle and the band wasn’t working. At that time I was playing in…four bands in Portland. And I loved the fact that I was playing every day. That’s really helped my chops a made me feel good. So Nasalrod was kind of band I joined that was already formed. I loved them so much so I started working with them. And at first, I just learned the old drummers’ parts of course. Same as when I joined Fear, Lee had three or four songs that were written. So I knew the game. As we started writing new songs – it became really fun and creative for me. That’s where it stayed. It’s a great outlet! I love being in a band with really creative people. Working with and touring with. They’re just awesome people!  

Punk Globe: Listening to “Building Machines”, I can’t help but notice that in your creativity you united very different elements. Punk-rock, prog-rock, experimental music, jazz-coloring…This is probably the main thing that made this particular record so interesting to listen to. In what way has the sound changed since you hooked up with them ? 

Spit: I didn’t think anything changed. I think…when we cut “Building Machines” , we spent a little more time choosing a studio for recording it. And the recording with Nasalrod or with my band – Lickity, which is done in a basement. So I just bought my mobile gear. 8-channels. And recorded that in that way. Choosing the room and setting up the mics everywhere with “Building Machines”, we choose a very nice room that was a venue and has a really nice high ceiling and a good-size room. So we were able to get much better recording. After recording that record and mixing it, I realized that I could have spent more time on mic placement. I think I spent most of the time getting levels. Rather then mic placement. Having done that and seeing little technical errors I could avoid with my drum-kit. I think I’m most excited about recording things in the present and the future. As I learnt some lessons with these last couple of projects, locally.

Punk Globe: As far as I know you’ve been working on that record for a year. Cause most punk-rock records and some post-punk records are recorded and released in a few month's time And for Fear in particular. So how it was for you to work on that record without any limitations ? Or there were some of them ? 

Spit: I think it was good as far as end result we got. It was bad because there was no deadline, there was no studio time to pay for. Mix and edit time were up to me! So I just spent all my free time on it. And then, I would mix something and I’d send the mix to everyone. And everyone would make his or her notes on this mix. What they thought it needed. Or didn’t need. So I would go back making some modifications and send it back. So there is a lot of sending back between the band, waiting for everyone’s approval before the things would came out. That was time consuming. There was no outside pressure. So I was able to spend my time on mixes up to 50 mixes before I was happy with it. And catch things to. When you listen to something for thousands of times and could miss things. So having other people in the band listening to each song and catching things I’d miss was good kind of community and participation. It was really helpful! So I understand why bands like Tool take a lot of time to put something they’re doing out. Taking their creative time for the songwriting and recording. There is some creative work that could be made at the mix stage. Little subtle things, no one else may even notice. I think, it may stand out when you listen in a car, listen through big Hi-Fi, in your friends’ house, and suddenly you notice something that you didn’t noticed before. So having and taking the time to manicure those little rough edges, so to speak. Or just bring things out that had gotten buried   It was a really luxury, I love working in that way, I’m sure that there are no artists who love having short time limits. When you are doing something creative there is no pressure. Like when a producer is telling you to "make it pretty" while he points a gun to your head to make you hurry. I can work that way! And any composer that’s done any commissioned  work knows exactly what I’m talking about. It’s just a part of a game! You just need to please your client, do a few versions and drink a lot of coffee. 

Punk Globe: What can you say about your future plans ? Are there any releases that you’re working at the moment ? 

Spit: Well, Fear just recorded…I guess I’m about to get back some recordings of Fear songs that Cheech and Chong asked us to play. We recording “Earache My Eye” and “Rubber Biscuit”. I just sent the drum-tracks to Los-Angeles. So I hope to get the rest back and I can mix those two songs. So there are two brand new Fear recordings. Philo did play a couple of dope riffs. Hopefully those will get worked on and turned into songs. Nasalrod has a bunch of new songs. It’s just a constant churning out of new material! We jam it at rehearsal and work together and presto. That band is writing all the time! I look forward to going to practice just because of the new material. So by next year, Nasalrod will definitely put out another record! 

Punk Globe: Was there ever any competitiveness Between Lucky and you, Robo and you ?

Spit:Yeah. I mean, we would all were looking at what bands had already done. Of course, I look at The Sex Pistols. Prior to them were The Stranglers. But Sex Pistols were more high energy. The Vibrators had high energy. I think, high energy really attracted all the drummers we talked about. We all wanted to contribute this giving 200% and it was just a friendly competitiveness. For me, it was competitiveness and a way to express myself. Use my creative ideas in a new format that really wasn’t set in stone yet. So I was allowed to do what I did. And of course, playing by the rules. There are a certain punk-beats that changed a little bit becoming rock-beats. There are certain things and ways of playing punk-rock drummers do, that kind of differentiate themselves from rock-drummers. Classic rock-drummers. I see people crossing that line now. I see some punk-rock drummers playing a fast-rock beat, instead of a thrash-beat which is way harder to play. But it’s forgivable when you’re giving up so much energy. That’s part of it. So I have to appreciate anyone playing 200 beats per minute.