Liam MacNaughton – MicLordz & Sauce Funky

Greetings Nate.  Thanks for the opportunity to be apart of online drummer.

OLD: Tell us a little about yourself. Why and when did you start drumming? When did you get your first kit? etc.

I grew up with a heavy big band jazz drumming influence and have been involved in numerous bands in my time ranging from styles from pop-punk, rock, metal, progressive, till currently fuck/rock/hip-hop. I started out setting up pots and pans and banging on them basically as soon as I could crawl. It wasn’t until I was 12 that I started drumming and got my first snare drum to practice on and following a kit that Christmas.

This is a tough one to answer as all of these things are very important, but I would have to say just the pure ability to gel with your band mates in any setting, as if you can read each others minds, which in a leads to the ability to have great timing, groove, improve and transitions as a whole. This is something that you simply cannot learn in a book, or by rudiments etc, only by time together as a group.

OLD: Do you have any good warm-up techniques to share?

I usually will do some double strokes, fast 16th note single strokes grouped as 4, moving the accents around, for a few minutes. I will always do some stretches, based around the torso, arms and wrists, and try to clear my head and mentally prepare.

OLD: Can you give us any advice for playing live? Anything we should focus on or pay attention to?

One thing I feel that often gets overlooked is how many drummers tend to just sit there like a robot and play. I like to be as much visually entertaining as musically, like the rest of the band. I also try to engage the fans as well when possible.

OLD: Can you give us any advice as far as recording in the studio? What do we need to know?

All I can say is change your skins maybe 3 practices prior to recording so there just right. The more you practice prior to being in the studio also means less takes, which saves you and the studio time, and of coarse saves you from wasting your money.

OLD: What do you consider your most memorable moment as a drummer?

Being Cypress Hill’s direct support for 2 recent shows this summer, those were huge shows that had some of the wildest fans. Even had people watching from near by parking garage that couldn’t get in.

OLD: Do you have any other good drumming stories that you like to share?

Only one comes to mind. I had the great opportunity to meet a long time influence of mine, Nicko McBrain from Iron Maiden 3 years ago when they flew Ed Force One( Iron Maidens own aircraft) into Toronto. When I met him I gave him a T-shirt of my band at the time (OLEO)… A few months later I came across a photo of Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden on Ed Force One, and he was wearing my bands T-shirt. Blew my mind.

OLD: With the upcoming release of your CD “My World”, what can we expect? How did you come up with that title?

The CD and Title track “My World” is more scaled-back from our previous albums in the way of being overall less complicated and easy to follow along song structure with more melodies. I can’t exactly say who came up with it but we all feel the same thing about the song, how this is our life and dream and what we as a band are about. How a lot of people can relate to our situation as a band out grinding on the road, and for anyone that’s going for their dream no matter what the odds or how long the road to success.

OLD: If you could only pass along 1 piece of advice (drumming related) to the next generation, what would it be?

Practice everyday, even if it’s only for 10 minutes or an hour. As well practice as if you’re playing live to 10,000 people.