Joey Kramer Live Chat
April 5, 2007
(Photo Courtesy Aero Force One)
The transcript...
Thanks to: Dr J Jones
Moderator
Zildjian would like to once again welcome all of our Z Club members to our chat session with Joey Kramer today starting at 8 PM, Eastern Daylight Time. For those of you that would like to submit questions you may start doing that up to one half hour before the start of the session. We do ask that you try to keep your questions brief to allow for as many questions as possible in the time that we have available. Zildjian monitors all chats and cannot guarantee that every question will be answered during the time allotted. Joey will begin to respond to your questions promptly at 8 PM and we hope that you will enjoy the session that follows.
Joey Kramer is simply one of the most influential drummers ever. Anyone involved in rock music today would be hard pressed to say they weren't, in some way, influenced by Aerosmith; one of the most popular bands of all time.
Joey's playing defines what rock drumming is all about; a deep, solid groove, tasteful fills and rock solid time. Coming from the school of "less is more", Joey's drumming is as much a part of Aerosmith's sound as Steven Tyler's voice, and Joe Perry's guitar.
Moderator
Joey, thank you for being with us tonight.
It's good to be here.
Moderator
Joey, before we start can you tell us what you have been doing lately?
A lot of rehearsing for the upcoming tour (right around the corner from the Zildjian Factory), a lot of recording and a lot of driving.
knjw
Why don't you still do solos during Aerosmith shows?
Drum solos are boring.
knjw
Any plans at all for a solo project?
Yes, but I'm not at liberty to discuss it. It is not musical and will be out in a year's time or so.
Alexandria
I'm reading your autobiography, personally what memory sticks out the most for you and the band?
My first drum solo at Pontiac Stadium in Detroit in 1974. 80,000 people - sold out.
ami_wicca
How do you feel when you're on stage? (to me you look very happy and concentrated)
Happy, snappy and bursting with love!
kramers girl
What album has been your favorite to drum on and why
"Rocks" and "Honkin' On Bobo".
knjw
What new drummers are impressing you?
Taylor Hawkins, Tre Cool and Adrian Young, and Jesse Kramer to name a few.
Tyler17
Mike from Phila. Thanks for 30 yrs of enjoyment. What are your top 5 Aerosmith songs from a drummer's view point?
Lord of the Thighs, Last Child, Nobody's Fault, Round and Round, Lick and a Promise.
ami_wicca
What kind of music are you currently listening to?
Tower of Power, Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown, Green Day, Jet, Velvet Revolver...
knjw
any hobbies besides the beautiful cars?
I now own a car dealership, so buying and selling cars is a hobby.
knjw
We've seen Steven in a few movies. Any desire to act?
No acting here - just the real deal.
knjw
What do you think you'd be doing today if you weren't a drummer?
I'd be an archaelogist.
cruehead1991
There were rumors going around that Aerosmith was going to play a couple shows with the Rolling Stones, is this true?
No, this is not true. No dates with the Stones are planned.
cindi
What is the key to staying focused - you never seem to stray, and Lord knows, there are distractions during a concert !
There's no thinking involved. Being focused is from the heart. If you're coming from the heart, you can never lose or stray.
cruehead1991
who influenced you to play the drums?
Dino Dinelli, Clive Bunker, Mitch Mitchell, Clyde Stubblefield, John Bonham...
Fletcher from Please Select a State
Hi...i wanted to ask u what kind of practices do u do before every jam session ?....thanks for your time..
Isometrics and a little bit of stretching.
leo.slima from
Joey, im from Sao Paulo. You are coming here soon. Did you like your first time here? What do you expect for this gig?
Loved our first time in Brazil! Can you tell me which songs we should play?
knjw
What are your biggest regrets?
I didn't finish school, and not discovering Lamborghini's until later in life.
thereasonadog
Hi Joey. I see drum intros like walk this way, rock candy, and poor tom, seem to be a lost art form. What do you think?
I think much of drumming is a lost art form and it's not what it used to be in the old days...
Fletcher from Please Select a State
What is your favourite cymbal...that zildjian manufactures of course ?
The Z Mega Bell Ride. It's an amazing cymbal.
knjw
What advice would you give to asspiring musicians?
Chase the passion.
NYaerofan
What is your least favorite song to play?
Even after all these years, I love them all.
cindi
Jesse was spectacular sitting in for you on a few songs. He seemed to slide right in - had he played with Aerosmith before?
Yes, when I had my shoulder surgery he did a lot of rehearsing with the guys, so he was familiar with the material. It was a proud moment for me.
cruehead1991
is their any non aerosmith songs that you just love playing?
Yes.
knjw
What do you like to do in your free time?
My favorite thing is to chill with my wife April and lots of recreational driving.
cindi
Do you play any other instruments?
Bits and pieces of bass and guitar.
knjw
Aerosmith live is sounding better every year. How much longer do you want to continue touring?
I don't really see an end in sight. We still love performing live.
Hanimal from
with what kind of drumsticks do you play?
Zildjian's Joey Kramer model of course!
Aerofan32
What are you most looking forward to on your world tour 07 and what are you guys gonna play?
Looking forward to going to Russia, India and Dubai, and we're going to play everything you love.
cindi
We loved HOB tour with the drumset at the end of the catwalk. How was that experience for you? Consider doing it again?
It was a great experience - I loved being so close to you guys, but I wouldn't consider doing it again.
Dr J Jones
Is driving the Aerosmith machine anything like driving your Lambo?
Yes, it's more powerful, but doesn't handle quite as well
spinnin
Are the band aerosmith really coming to the country India?
Positively. Looking forward to it.
NYaerofan
Who came up with the name KrameDog? Did you like that image in the video "Pink"?
A high school friend came up with it, and yes, I liked the image in the video.
Aero Rocker
who has influenced you most in life?
Muhammad Ali, Sidney Poitier, my dad, to name a few...
Dr J Jones
Carl From Vegas..Your kit has shrunk to a 3 piece on the past few tours. when and why did you decide that less is more?
All my heros used smaller kits, and as far as I'm concerned, that's all you need.
Teri Troub
Have U Ever Broken One of those Zildjian's When U R Rockin Out a Live Performance?
Yes, but overall my cymbals hold up well and I can always count on Zildjians.
cindi
How do keep in shape? What's the regimen?
Plenty of exercise and sex.
ami_wicca
Favorite sport besides "Girl Watching"?
Boxing.
Moderator
Do you have a collection of drum kits or just a few that you use on tour?
My drum kits that I've used on tour are on display at various Hard Rock Cafes around the world. I do keep a few kits at home.
snapplecrapple
mr kramer, your majesty, has the fact that steven started as a drummer affected you in any way?
Yes, it's helped make me a better drummer.
NYaerofan
What exactly IS it that Steven comes over and says to you, when he comes up to your drum set during a concert?
He says "I love you"...
Comment from Joey Kramer
Zildjian has just informed me that there are so many questions the server is unable to handle them all. I'm sorry if I couldn't answer your question, but I will do this again when we get back from South America.
Comment from Joey Kramer
I also want to tell you to visit www.joeykramer.com for details on a chance to talk with me live on the telephone and win some cool prizes from Zildjian and DW. I want to thank you all for being here tonight - I've had a great time.
(Photo Courtesy Aero Force One)
The transcript...
Thanks to: Dr J Jones
Moderator
Zildjian would like to once again welcome all of our Z Club members to our chat session with Joey Kramer today starting at 8 PM, Eastern Daylight Time. For those of you that would like to submit questions you may start doing that up to one half hour before the start of the session. We do ask that you try to keep your questions brief to allow for as many questions as possible in the time that we have available. Zildjian monitors all chats and cannot guarantee that every question will be answered during the time allotted. Joey will begin to respond to your questions promptly at 8 PM and we hope that you will enjoy the session that follows.
Joey Kramer is simply one of the most influential drummers ever. Anyone involved in rock music today would be hard pressed to say they weren't, in some way, influenced by Aerosmith; one of the most popular bands of all time.
Joey's playing defines what rock drumming is all about; a deep, solid groove, tasteful fills and rock solid time. Coming from the school of "less is more", Joey's drumming is as much a part of Aerosmith's sound as Steven Tyler's voice, and Joe Perry's guitar.
Moderator
Joey, thank you for being with us tonight.
It's good to be here.
Moderator
Joey, before we start can you tell us what you have been doing lately?
A lot of rehearsing for the upcoming tour (right around the corner from the Zildjian Factory), a lot of recording and a lot of driving.
knjw
Why don't you still do solos during Aerosmith shows?
Drum solos are boring.
knjw
Any plans at all for a solo project?
Yes, but I'm not at liberty to discuss it. It is not musical and will be out in a year's time or so.
Alexandria
I'm reading your autobiography, personally what memory sticks out the most for you and the band?
My first drum solo at Pontiac Stadium in Detroit in 1974. 80,000 people - sold out.
ami_wicca
How do you feel when you're on stage? (to me you look very happy and concentrated)
Happy, snappy and bursting with love!
kramers girl
What album has been your favorite to drum on and why
"Rocks" and "Honkin' On Bobo".
knjw
What new drummers are impressing you?
Taylor Hawkins, Tre Cool and Adrian Young, and Jesse Kramer to name a few.
Tyler17
Mike from Phila. Thanks for 30 yrs of enjoyment. What are your top 5 Aerosmith songs from a drummer's view point?
Lord of the Thighs, Last Child, Nobody's Fault, Round and Round, Lick and a Promise.
ami_wicca
What kind of music are you currently listening to?
Tower of Power, Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown, Green Day, Jet, Velvet Revolver...
knjw
any hobbies besides the beautiful cars?
I now own a car dealership, so buying and selling cars is a hobby.
knjw
We've seen Steven in a few movies. Any desire to act?
No acting here - just the real deal.
knjw
What do you think you'd be doing today if you weren't a drummer?
I'd be an archaelogist.
cruehead1991
There were rumors going around that Aerosmith was going to play a couple shows with the Rolling Stones, is this true?
No, this is not true. No dates with the Stones are planned.
cindi
What is the key to staying focused - you never seem to stray, and Lord knows, there are distractions during a concert !
There's no thinking involved. Being focused is from the heart. If you're coming from the heart, you can never lose or stray.
cruehead1991
who influenced you to play the drums?
Dino Dinelli, Clive Bunker, Mitch Mitchell, Clyde Stubblefield, John Bonham...
Fletcher from Please Select a State
Hi...i wanted to ask u what kind of practices do u do before every jam session ?....thanks for your time..
Isometrics and a little bit of stretching.
leo.slima from
Joey, im from Sao Paulo. You are coming here soon. Did you like your first time here? What do you expect for this gig?
Loved our first time in Brazil! Can you tell me which songs we should play?
knjw
What are your biggest regrets?
I didn't finish school, and not discovering Lamborghini's until later in life.
thereasonadog
Hi Joey. I see drum intros like walk this way, rock candy, and poor tom, seem to be a lost art form. What do you think?
I think much of drumming is a lost art form and it's not what it used to be in the old days...
Fletcher from Please Select a State
What is your favourite cymbal...that zildjian manufactures of course ?
The Z Mega Bell Ride. It's an amazing cymbal.
knjw
What advice would you give to asspiring musicians?
Chase the passion.
NYaerofan
What is your least favorite song to play?
Even after all these years, I love them all.
cindi
Jesse was spectacular sitting in for you on a few songs. He seemed to slide right in - had he played with Aerosmith before?
Yes, when I had my shoulder surgery he did a lot of rehearsing with the guys, so he was familiar with the material. It was a proud moment for me.
cruehead1991
is their any non aerosmith songs that you just love playing?
Yes.
knjw
What do you like to do in your free time?
My favorite thing is to chill with my wife April and lots of recreational driving.
cindi
Do you play any other instruments?
Bits and pieces of bass and guitar.
knjw
Aerosmith live is sounding better every year. How much longer do you want to continue touring?
I don't really see an end in sight. We still love performing live.
Hanimal from
with what kind of drumsticks do you play?
Zildjian's Joey Kramer model of course!
Aerofan32
What are you most looking forward to on your world tour 07 and what are you guys gonna play?
Looking forward to going to Russia, India and Dubai, and we're going to play everything you love.
cindi
We loved HOB tour with the drumset at the end of the catwalk. How was that experience for you? Consider doing it again?
It was a great experience - I loved being so close to you guys, but I wouldn't consider doing it again.
Dr J Jones
Is driving the Aerosmith machine anything like driving your Lambo?
Yes, it's more powerful, but doesn't handle quite as well
spinnin
Are the band aerosmith really coming to the country India?
Positively. Looking forward to it.
NYaerofan
Who came up with the name KrameDog? Did you like that image in the video "Pink"?
A high school friend came up with it, and yes, I liked the image in the video.
Aero Rocker
who has influenced you most in life?
Muhammad Ali, Sidney Poitier, my dad, to name a few...
Dr J Jones
Carl From Vegas..Your kit has shrunk to a 3 piece on the past few tours. when and why did you decide that less is more?
All my heros used smaller kits, and as far as I'm concerned, that's all you need.
Teri Troub
Have U Ever Broken One of those Zildjian's When U R Rockin Out a Live Performance?
Yes, but overall my cymbals hold up well and I can always count on Zildjians.
cindi
How do keep in shape? What's the regimen?
Plenty of exercise and sex.
ami_wicca
Favorite sport besides "Girl Watching"?
Boxing.
Moderator
Do you have a collection of drum kits or just a few that you use on tour?
My drum kits that I've used on tour are on display at various Hard Rock Cafes around the world. I do keep a few kits at home.
snapplecrapple
mr kramer, your majesty, has the fact that steven started as a drummer affected you in any way?
Yes, it's helped make me a better drummer.
NYaerofan
What exactly IS it that Steven comes over and says to you, when he comes up to your drum set during a concert?
He says "I love you"...
Comment from Joey Kramer
Zildjian has just informed me that there are so many questions the server is unable to handle them all. I'm sorry if I couldn't answer your question, but I will do this again when we get back from South America.
Comment from Joey Kramer
I also want to tell you to visit www.joeykramer.com for details on a chance to talk with me live on the telephone and win some cool prizes from Zildjian and DW. I want to thank you all for being here tonight - I've had a great time.
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