"The Jerry Lee Lewis of Drumming" - Davey Calabrese

After band practice the other night, I took out the hand held recorder and cornered "The Jerry Lee Lewis of Drumming," my brother Davey Calabrese and hit him with some hard questions. Here's that ambush interview, transcribed word for word, enjoy....

Jimmy - I'm sitting here with my brother Davey Calabrese, and I have a few questions for you, you dirt bag. I know when you started playing drums, but when did you first stand on your drums?

Davey - I did it at the Clubhouse with the 3 Bad Jacks, do you remember that? A long time ago, I did that.

J - Did you practice that move?

D - Two times with Bobby.

J - Why don't you just sit behind the drums? Why do you feel you have to dance and interact with the audience?

D - It's fun-er that way. (Laughs)

J - What's "fun-er" about it?

D - It's less boring, I like to see the reactions of people.

J - What kind of reactions?

D - The good reactions of, like, excitement. I like excitement.

J - What do you do to make them excited?

D - Rock out. Which means a lot of head banging and singing along. High fives and a lot of devil horns. That's what I do.


J - When did you first start painting?

D - My senior year of high school, in my art class.


J - Why do you like painting?

D - Because I like having a goal, putting it down and seeing something awesome. Does that make sense? Having an idea, laying it down on the canvas and doing it until you feel it's great. And then you're done.


J - Does painting relate to drumming at all?

D - Yeah, you have to have a lot of practice in order to be great. With recording and live you have to give your best performance you can give.


J - What's it like playing music with your brothers?

D - It's cool.

J - Why am I cool?

D - 'Cause you're funny. (Laughs)

J- I'm funny, how am I funny? Do you think I'm funny like a clown?

D - Yeah. (Laughs)

J - Do you think I'm a joke to you?

D - (Laughs)

J - Bobby and I like to tell people that you learned to play drums by us yelling at you. Is this true?

D - Yeah (Laughs)


J - What was the early days like playing drums?

D - Hard, 'cause it was confusing on how to do things.

J - Who was more mean to you, Bobby or me?

D - It's 50/50. (Laughs)

J - What do you remember that we did to you?

D - Trying to get me to play slower and yelling at me. (Laughs)

J - Why do you think people enjoy music and art?

D - Because it's beautiful. It's an expression of one being.

J - Wrong.

D - What? (Laughs)

J - No, I don't know. Why do you like music and art?

D - Because it makes me feel good.

J - Seeing someone else's self expression makes you feel good?

D - Yes.

J - So what kind of music are you listening to now?

D - Danzig and Tiger Army, a lot of rockabilly. A variety of things.

J - What do you like about Danzig's self expression?

D - I like his toughness.

J - You like how he takes his shirt off to show you his muscles?

D - Yeah (Laughs)

J - So are you really into all this horror stuff? Are you really into it or are you just doing it 'cause me and Bobby are into it and you want to be like us because we are awesome?

D - (Laughs) It started off like that but then I started watching and listening and then I liked it.

J - Why did you like it?

D - Because it made me feel good. (Laughs)


J - What about horror and mutilation and monsters and scaring people make you feel good? Do you have some type of psychological damage?

D - (Laughs) Possibly. I like monsters. (Laughs) Yeah, I like monsters.

J - Do you feel like a monster Davey?

D - Yeah (Laughs)


J - So tell me how else Bobby and myself have influenced you?

D - Clothing and hair. Leather jackets and your hair.


J - What did you use to do, before you became cool?

D - (Laughs) Um, a lot of nothing. (Laughs)

J - Why do you wear sunglasses at night? While you are driving a car? It seems like some sort of hazard.

D- (Laughs) I don't.