Journey with Drummer Joey

   I was first interested in playing drums as a child. My mother would save empty food containers and I would play drums on them with pencils. I attended a Christian Academy where I took guitar lessons. It took me a while to learn, which led me to become bored and frustrated. I began to watch and study the drummer in the church I attended with my parents. This inspired me to become a drummer. 

   At age 13, my grandfather gave me a drum kit that previously belonged to my cousin. It was an interesting kit. The kit was comprised of two different brands: Reuther and Tempro. It contained two kick drums, one snare, and three toms. My other grandfather worked at a steel plant. He would find cymbals and would save them for me, so I never ran out.  I had a lot of cymbals, but not enough stands. In place of cymbal stands, I would use hooks and bailing twine to hang some of the cymbals from the garage ceiling. It was a hit and duck situation.

    A few years later, my parents bought me a new drum kit and cymbals for my birthday. Too much vibration from being a heavy hitter caused the hardware to break. I was determined to become a better drummer and I’d play for hours in my spare time; mainly on weekends and after school. I am a self-taught drummer, but took lessons on learning paradiddles. I was in a few bands (Christian and secular) as a young adult. I have also played drums in a few local churches over the years. I’ve owned various drum kits, such as Pearl, Tama, and currently a Sound Percussion kit. I found this kit at the curb and picked it up. I used my carpentry skills to refinish it. I currently play drums at Connect Church, where I attend with my wonderful wife and daughter. I am pleased to be endorsed by a great cymbal company, Soultone, and I look forward to playing more music in the future. 

My musical influences are Lars Ulrich, Matt Sorum, John Bonham, Chad Smith, Mike Portnoy and Kenny Arnoff.