by Stella Kim
LINKS:
You most likely have heard of this new, exciting band called Army of Anyone by now, unless you have been living under a rock for the past year. If you have not, well, you are in for a treat. As cliché as it is, Army of Anyone is a supergroup, in deed, as well as in name. The DeLeo brothers from Stone Temple Pilots, Richard Patrick from Filter, and Ray Luzier formerly of David Lee Roth Band are the members of Army of Anyone, so you know these guys have got something marvelous up their sleeves and the result must be worth checking out. They do not disappoint.
The self-titled debut album, which received favorable reviews from critics everywhere, is solid and undeniably rocking, (many thanks to Ray Luzier’s untamed drumming), yet catchy and sweet enough to grant them some big-time airplay and screaming girl fans--not to mention they are incredibly personable and entertaining in addition to being talented musicians on stage. The chemistry between them is obvious, even as they explore each other’s musical repertoire such as Filter’s “Take A Picture” and Stone Temple Pilots hits. No, Richard Patrick does not sound exactly like Scott Weiland, but he is much more in key and stable, if you like that sort of thing. And if you are a Led Zep fan, you will love them even more for doing a great cover of “The Rain Song” as well as a prolonged Zep-influenced jam session. In the end, everyone comes out happy.
Here is the interview with Ray Luzier, the man behind the drums.
STELLA KIM: Members of Filter, Stone Temple Pilots, and David Lee Roth Band -- most certainly a formation of a supergroup. How did it come about?
RAY LUZIER: I got approached by the DeLeo brothers at a soundcheck for an event that we shared the same bill with. It was called Sabian Live at the NAMM Show (an annual music convention.) The Brothers were playing with Steve Ferrone that night. They asked if I would be interested in their new band. I’d been looking for a way out of the DLR Band-- it was a great 8 years, but I was looking to be a band member of something I’d be proud to be in. Dean and Robert had been writing with Richard Patrick and they had been looking for a drummer. I had met Rich at a Deftones show in Hollywood and had given him my phone number previously. So we all got together and jammed for about 8 hours... I went to the rest room and when I came back, they asked me to join! The great chemistry between us musically and personally was very obvious.
RL: One of the reasons I started to play drums is because of KISS’s Destroyer that Bob had produced. He has been a part of a lot of legendary CDs! Bob really has great ears and an understanding for what the songs need. He would make suggestions--some we would use, some we wouldn’t. I personally liked the way Bob would give me ideas on using different cymbals and drums for certain situations. For example, on the song “Nonstop” in the middle section breakdown, Bob thought it would be great to change all the cymbals to really old vintage sounding ones. We did it and it worked out great! I learned a lot from Bob.
SK: The band first released the first single “Goodbye”
on MySpace, if I remember correctly. Richard also mentioned iTunes at
the New York City show that I attended. So what do YOU think about the
impact of digital mediums like MySpace and iTunes on the current state
of music business?
RL: I think if people are downloading it legally, it’s a great way to instantly get your music. It’s all the people stealing music that’s ruining it for us. A lot of younger people don’t even think it’s a big deal to rip off a CD these days! But on the positive side, it’s just so great that you can release a tune and someone in Germany can listen to it 5 minutes later. I want to encourage people to buy the actual CD though. I’m a big fan of the artwork and credits. A lot of work goes into that, and to me it’s part of the whole CD-buying process.
SK: “Goodbye” is probably the first radio single I’ve heard in a long time that features a chunk of real, solid, beastly drumming. Whose idea was it?
RL: Well thanks! We just worked up the tunes in rehearsals and pre-production. I’m happy that my band wants me to be “me” in this band. I come from a very progressive, hard rock background. I did many CDs with a label called Shrapnel Records, which features a lot of progressive guitar players. I played with people like Billy Sheehan (DLR, Mr. Big, Talas) and David Lee Roth, that required me to have chops and versatility. When we were working on “Goodbye” in rehearsals, every time it would get to the end of the tune, the guys wanted me to play some fills and “go nuts” as Robert put it. What you hear on the CD is the first take. I wanted it to be spontaneous, that whole drum vamp was improvised. Thanks for the compliments!
SK: You have been described as an “animal” on stage, and after the show last night, I don’t disagree with the description. Admittedly most drummers don’t steal the show, but you certainly did. How do you do it, in your opinion? What’s your drumming philosophy? Have you got a word of advice for aspiring drummers out there?
RL: Haha... Animal rules! I just have always believed that if you’re performing live, that’s what it is- LIVE! When I go to see bands (which I do a lot) I want to see a show that gets me off. Especially if it’s a rock drummer, I don’t want to see the “waitin’ for the bus” look on his face the whole show... give it to me!! I go completely on what I feel. Music flows in my veins and I love expressing myself through music. I act how the music I’m playing is. My advice for drummers out there: Practice HARD and don’t limit yourself to one style of music. There’s a vast amount of great music out there. Check out past music from different eras and really listen to it and soak it in. Play in bands, don’t just practice by yourself. You have to get a grasp of musicianship by playing with bassists and guitarists, learning to play for the “song.” Get some lessons (maybe Ray Luzier’s instructional DVD... ha, cheap plug!) I taught at Musicians Institute for 9 years... it’s a great school. Check out mi.edu.
RL: We’re still figuring that out right now. I love playing “Father Figure” live... we’ll see.
SK: Where is Army of Anyone going from here? Tell me about future plans, in immediate and far-off future. Where are you going personally? Do you have any other surprises up your sleeve?
RL: AOA will continue to tour, we LOVE playing live. It’s a complete blast to play the AOA tunes as well as some Filter and STP in the set. I was a huge fan of both of those bands. Personally, I look forward to growing as a band even more with AOA and writing our 2nd and 3rd CDs! I’m very involved in the drumming community, so keep your eyes out for my drum clinics and events. I just want to be the best musician I can be and the best bandmate too.
SK: Final words?
RL: I’d like to invite people to check out our online community, there’s a lot of good peeps on there: ARMYOFANYONE.COM, myspace.com/armyofanyone and if you’re interested in my gear, past CDs, more info on me, check out RAYLUZIER.COM. Stay positive out there and help each other out…there’s enough crap goin’ on. LOVE one another!
Army of Anyone did end up releasing “Father Figure” as a single, so check it out on their MySpace. They are also still touring all over the country, so there is your opportunity to catch Lightnin’ Ray as well as the other superb musicians in Army of Anyone.
