WILLIAM ELLIS INTERVIEW - EMP PROJECT DRUMMER:
Q. What inspired you to first pick up drumsticks and what were your first attempts at playing the drums like?
A. Music was all around my house as a kid. My grandfather played piano, my brother; piano, trombone, bass guitar, and my uncle has his Masters in Music Education. All kinds of music was prevelant as well. It wasn't until I started watching drummers on TV around the age 4 or 5 to try and figure out what limb did what. Then I would grab one of my brother's rock albums, specifically Kiss, and play with either pot/pans, bed spreads, pillows, car seats, etc. My mother finally bought me a drum-set with just a kick drum, snare and a tom. My rims were my cymbals and everyday I would play to rock records or FM/AM radio for about an hour. When I got the drum-set I could already play a straight 8th groove. It seemed natural but my technique obviously was not there. I was a beginner.
Q. Did you take lessons or are you self-taught?
A. I didn't start taking lessons until I was 9 years old. So, up until that point I would just play to records or radioover and over again. My middle school instructor Rick Simerly, an accomplished trombonist and educator, came to elementary school one day to offer school band to 5th graders. He stuck a trombone mouthpiece to my mouth thinking I was going to play trombone. I said quickly, " I want to play drums as I have been playing since 5." He agreed to let me try them out. Around the same time, my brother was good friends with a good drummer in town as I was in awe of him. His name is Mark Little. The first thing I learned from him was Molly Hatchet's, "Flirtin' with Disaster." Also, he had an incredible right foot on the kick drum, ala Bonham which I knew I wanted to learn that technique from him.
From there middle school band and high school band followed. During my 8th grade year I met Jerry "Skip" Campbell. He had marched drum and bugle corps and began teaching hand technique for the high school drum line at Elizabethton High School. I was drum captain for the drum-line for 3 out of 4 years. We competed in competitions and placed 1st in drums from the second competiton of my sophomore year until I finished high school.
Towards the end of high school I also studied with ETSU drum instuctor Rande Sanderbek. Rande had these systems a la, Gary Chester, to build independence on kit. These systems were based on rock, funk, or fusion grooves. It was Rande and Skip that turned me on to the music of Zappa which introduced to me drummers such as Vinnie Colaiuta and Terry Bozzio
From there I enrolled in the Studio Music and Jazz program at UTK. Keith Brown is the drum-set instructor and we hit it off right away. I had hardly any knowledge about jazz and that's why I wanted to study with him. He is a true be-bop drummer. So, I spent 5 to 6 years with him and finished my degree. Also, I spent alot of playing time with bass instuctor Rusty Holloway. He was a major influence on me too!
Q. Who inspired you to learn the drums?
A. My first inspiration was Kiss. Everybody in my family new I was a KISS freak! They were my Beatles! Then one night my grandfather said, "I want you to stay up late tonight and watch this drummer who will be on the Tonight Show. It was Buddy Rich ! I felt like quitting after the show. I had never seen nor heard anybody play drums like that before I saw him.
Q. What is your practice regimen like?
A. I played so much as a kid. Then when school band followed, I studied everything from reading, rudiments, grooves, fills, licks, hand/foot technique, independence, etc. In high school and college I practiced all the time. Even when I moved to Nashville I practiced all I could. Today, I don't have as much time as I did. So, today I basically work on things I can't do very well to better myself in the weak areas.
Q.How would you define your style of playing?
A. Modern
Q. Tell us about the EMP Project and how it was formed?
A. Joseph Patrick Moore and I had been talking about a project for a long time. Then, in the spring of 2002 we contacted Shawn Perkinson about doing the project in late summer. All of us had worked together at UTK. We began writing on our own and passing charts back and forth through the mail. We booked a studio in Atlanta with Vic Stafford, an accomplished drummer as well, and Jay Ackerman to engineer. Two days of tracking ensued and what you hear is the final result.
Q. What can we expect from the new EMP Project release (spring/summer 2005)
A. Similar yet different. This CD was done in Nashville at Imagine That Music with my dear friend Anita Walls at the controls. The second CD has a looser vibe and structure to it with more vamps. The writing was inspired from the 60's to present. This is a special group-we have such a great chemisty in that we understand each other so well yet we rarely ever get the opportunity to play live together!
Q. Lets talk about your creative process. How do you approach writing an original song - do you compose from the drums or do you use a piano?
A. It depends on my mood and what inspires me at that moment. It could be drums or keys or both. It could be that I hear a melody or chord changes then start singing a drum groove to it. It could be what I'm listening to at the time as well.
Q. Tell us about your acoustic rock group Blue Merle?
A. Blue Merle was formed about 3 years ago. Luke Reynolds and Jason Oettel met when Jason moved back to Nashville. Jason and I had met in 1990 at UTK and played be-bop for almost 3 years with a great pianist named Matt Fries who now backs up Curtis Stigers in NYC. Mr. Oettel called me one day and said he had met Luke and I should check out what they were doing. Blue Merle started out without a drummer and had this incredible buzz around Nashville with all the major labels watching and wanting to sign them. Then in the summer of 2002 around the same time of the first E.M.P. Project, they asked me to join. Our major label debut CD on Island records entitled, BURNING IN THE SUN, will be available Feb. 15th, 2005. Check it out!
Q. What challenges do you face when switching from different styles of music?
A. The style of music one is involved with should dictate how one approaches it. If one wants to be able to play alot of styles, one has to listen and play alot of styles to grasp the authentic nature of that particular style of music. Moreover, sound, dynamics, equipment choices, experience, etc., all play an important role in sounding authentic to the music being played.
Q. What other types of music or artists do you derive inspiration from?
A. I get inspired by a myriad of things. The music of Miles Davis holds a special place in my heart. He was a genius in that he always had incredible talent around him to feed his inspiration. And the drummers in his band are/were some of the best! Although, it could be seeing a new city for the first time or seeing a new piece of art or eating a great meal with friends and having great conversations. It depends on what ignites that fire at that point in time.
Q. What's the most important bit of advice you were given by another musician?
A. Always listen to what is going on around you when you play. You will react better and play more musical.
Q. What equipment do you use live and in the studio and why?
A. I've been playing Yamaha Drums and hardware since I was 12 years old. Right now with Blue Merle I use Yamaha Recording Custom toms-10,12,14, Maple Custom kick drum-20, and the snare is up for grabs. Lately, I have been using a standard chrome 5 x 14 Yamaha snare. With E.M.P.. I use all Maple Custom Drums-10,12,14,18 kick with the chrome snare. Cymbals are Zildjian. The ride is a 20 K Custom Left Side Ride. Crashes are a 15 A Custom, 17 K Med. Thin, 18 Oriental China, and 14 A Custom Hats. Harware and pedals are Yamaha. The kick drum pedal is an old 7 series Yamaha strap drive. I've had it for almost 20 years! I prefer strap drives to chain drives. They just feel better to me. I endorse Promark drumsticks and played a lot of their products. The sticks are either Evelyn Glennie 739s or 740s. Also, used are Hot Rods, T5 and T6 brushes, mallets, and broomsticks.
Q. What one piece of equipment would you advise all drummers to own?
A. A metronome-good time and feel is the drummer's primary function.
Q. What's been your proudest playing moment?
A. There have been so many over my 20 year professional experience. Working with Anthony Jackson, Rusty Holloway , E.M.P. Project , Blue Merle , sessions in Nashville, etc. But, as strange as it sounds, I was fortunate to jam with Bill Monroe in a club in Nashville before he passed. Bluegrass music hardly ever uses drummers, so when he got on stage, I was nervous. He said, "Let's do Blue Moon From Kentucky." After we played he turned to me, shook my hand and said, "great job!"
Q. What's the biggest disaster you've ever had onstage, and how did you cope with it?
A. I was playing with Jimmy Johnson in Chicago one night when my snare stand broke. I had to balance the drum between my legs and play 3 hours of music! Needless to say, it wasn't easy and very frustating but I got through it.
Q. Do you warm up before a concert and if so how?
A. Sometimes-it depends on if I have time. Basic hand and foot exercises get the blood going and loosen me up. Stretches also help.
Q. What's the most important bit of advice you could give to new drummers?
A. Always use your ears to what is going on around you. There are so many tools now to become a great drummer; videos, CDs, DVDs, etc. But a regular practice regimen and playing experience will be the most informative way to become a better player. Take as many gigs as you can get and try! to learn something from every gig. Moreover, tape yourself as much as possible! Always be on time, have a great attitude, and be professional.
Q. Thanks for your time and consideration for this interview. Any last thoughts for our readers?
A. Thanks for the interview!
