09/06/2025
Thank you to everyone that came out and watched Hottt Probs, Pink Frost and The Giraffes destroy the stage at Crucible.
Tonight is evening 2 @ Gamma Ray Bar!
Today we meet the man behind the drums, the most important part of the band imo. Dec and Madison Drum Makers - MDM are providing the backline drums for this year's fest. Dec kicks a lot of ass.
MADISON DRUM MAKERS
1) Where are you from, Dec?
Originally from Green Bay. Moved to West Bend after High School to go to MPTC for Screen Printing in 1995. The next year moved to Madison to go to MMI. Have been in Madison ever since.
2) What is the MDM origin story?
Andy Roemer had the idea of making drums for him and his bands. He was playing with a band that was playing FEST is Gainesville, FL so he asked if MDM could sponsor the FEST and they said yes. We needed to build 6 drum kits for them in about 6 months time. We ended up sponsoring FEST for 3 years.
3) How long have you played drums?
I have been playing drums since I was 10 when my Mom got me a drum kit for Christmas. She tried to keep it hidden in her room until Christmas, but I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and saw it in her room. When I woke up the next morning I asked if it was a dream seeing a drum kit in there. I ended up getting the kit earlier than Christmas Day.
4) How many bands have you played with throughout the years, and what bands are you in currently?
From High School I’ve pretty much always been in a band. Starting off with a band called Bee-Knees and Weenies, we did an unsuccessful midwest tour in which our van died and we had to rent a U-Haul to get home. Then was in a band called The Monos as well as a band called Lantz Lamour. Both bands did a short run out to California and back. On this run, we lost a wheel on the trailer and the driver kept driving with it gone. The hub ground down to nothing and we had to ditch the trailer and put everything into the van. After that I was in Things Fall Apart releasing 2 CD’s on Crustacean Records. We also did a few small tours. I am currently in the Warhaks, a working class punk band as well as Iron Metal Jackson, a Thrash Metal cover band.
5) You have a ton of live sound experience. Do you prefer indoor or outdoor venues for drums?
I would have to say I prefer indoor venues. There is no issue of weather, so the show should be able to go on. As far as sound, I think if you have a good sound engineer, they can make the drums sound good indoor or outdoor.
6) Why is the drummer the most important part of the band?
I have heard on multiple occasions that “Your band is only as good as your drummer.” If the band has a good drummer, everything else will fall into place. The backbone of music is the beat, if you have a bad backbone, it won’t stand up.
7) What's the best drummer joke you have ever heard?
What do you call a person that hangs out with a bunch of musicians? A drummer.
8) Are you prepared for a zombie apocalypse?
I am completely prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse, but I cannot disclose any further information.
9) Do drummers care about AI at all?
I asked the AI overlords what they thought and this is what they said. Drummers have complex and varied feelings about AI, ranging from concern about their future to using AI tools to enhance their practice and creativity. AI's effect on drummers is not a simple "care or don't care" issue but a nuanced mix of opportunities and threats. Overall, the drumming community views AI as a powerful tool for musical production and education, rather than a direct replacement for human talent. The general sentiment is that while AI can replicate patterns and enhance efficiency, it lacks the unique human elements of emotional depth, creative improvisation, and stage presence that define a real drummer's contribution to music. The most forward-thinking musicians will likely be those who embrace and adapt to these new technologies, using them to expand their creative toolkit rather than viewing them as a threat.
10) Give us a reason to have hope in these weird times?
A good reason to have hope in these unprecedented, crazy, hectic, exhausting, and frustrating times is to remember we are all community. Music brings all walks of life together, gives us a healthy outlet for emotional expression, and fosters resilience. Go see live music, talk to people, stop hate.
