floor when I was getting something else. As it hit the floor, it made the tone that the cymbal makes, and I couldn’t make that tone happen with my hands. So I figured out how to get that sound, and it’s one of my favorite cymbals to this day. It has this weird harmonic quality. I’m open to that, I pay attention to that. When the cymbal falls, I’m listening.
With music, there shouldn’t be any rules. I left school because there were too many rules about music and I became impatient.
DH: You don’t do many interviews. JB: When I was younger, I needed to know what the drummers I was listening to were inspired by, what their lives were like. I needed to get any clue that this could be possible for me as a career. So I started reading the magazines. Now I still feel very choosy about whom I talk to. I’m very skeptical about interviews. I can almost tell immediately if it’s not working, and I’m always prepared to walk out of the room if a person doesn’t get what I’m talking about and won’t portray it correctly. That’s important to me, because
I put a lot of thought into what I do as a musician and it’s nice to be understood.
DH: Who has been the most influential drummer to you thus far? JB: For any given day, I could give you a different name. There are so many styles and so many ways of drumming. Some of my biggest inspirations, drumming-wise, have been watching street drummers play. They may never be famous, but they have that moment of connecting with you that stays with you forever.
I listen to everything, too. I listened to Gene Krupa, Louie Bellson and Sandy
GEARBOX Drums Slingerland “Rolling Bombers” Early ‘40s Era 26” Kick 13” Rack 14” Rack 16” Floor 14” X 7” Snare Cymbals Zildjian / Spizzichino 8” Vintage Zildjian 10” Vintage Zildjian Vertically Mounted 24” Roberto Spizzichino Ride Hardware Gibraltar Heads Aquarian Racks & Floors — American Vintage Snare — American Vintage Kick — Remo Fiberskin / Original Calf Skin Front Sticks Vic Firth Percussion 2 Ludwig Vintage Tambourines 3 Vintage Temple Blocks
Nelson. That got me started. The beautiful thing about growing up in my household was that depending on what bedroom I walked into I would be getting a different musical experience.
DH: Sounds a little like Berklee. JB: Yeah, but the food was much better at home (laughs). I’d walk into one brother’s room, and I’d hear Zeppelin. I’d walk into my sister’s room, and she’d be playing Joni Mitchell. My other brother would be playing Booker T and the MG’s. My mom would be listening to crazy polka music, while my dad was in love with Hawaii, so he’d bring home a stack of Hawaiian records when he’d go there on business. From reading things like Downbeat, I started listening to jazz. I got into Gil Evans and Bill Evans. I was into Steve Gadd who would talk about Elvin Jones, so I’d listen to Elvin and I’d be curious about what Elvin would listen to. So I’d find out. My whole life has been like that: I get turned on to something and just delve deeper, and deeper into it.
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