One of my oldest friends in the Mumbai metal scene, Mayank Sharma is the metronome behind some really kickass bands, one being one of India's biggest metal bands Zygnema! Playing different styles from power groove/heavy metal in Zygnema to death metal in Atmosfear and some fusion with Agnya, Mayank never fails to come across as one of the tightest and most accurate live drummers we've seen. Working on recording live drums for all of these bands, he is also now going to be an active part of Providence. Here's an interesting interview with Mayank!
Full name and age.
Mayank Sharma, 25
What is your favourite dish/cuisine?
My favorite would be Kheema that my mom makes. We have kheema parties at my place. :P
Kindly tell us about all your precious gear! (Sticks, cymbals, kit, skins, gear/bags)
Vater Drum Sticks, Sabian cymbals. I have a Gladnick (local manufacturer) Custom kit for home practice. I majorly use Evans Heads and a Tama Iron Cobra double-bass pedal.
How long have you been playing the drums?
9 Years
What got you into playing drums?
I got pulled in by Linkin Park. I really enjoyed the grooves that Rob (drummer) played and how different the patterns were in each song. My father, being a drummer who always wanted me to learn drums, forced me into learning instruments. I come from a family of musicians so every one wanted me to learn something and I acted like a rebel as they were all forcing me (WHAT A FOOL I WAS)
When I was in the 11th standard, a guy did a guitar solo performance at the Annual College Programme. He was Shrikant Sreenivasan (Coshish). I went back home and I thought “I have a drum kit, why can't I just start practicing and then call Shrikant over to jam with him?".. and that is how it all began!
Have you learned to read music as well, or do you just play by ear?
I do know to read and write music, but I only approach it when it's needed, but generally I play by ear. If I do not understand a part maybe I would check out its transcripts, but that hardly ever happens.
I started learning the drums on my own and after a year or so I realized that I need to learn the instrument properly from a good teacher and then I found the best set of teachers I could have and got myself enrolled in the classes. Gino Banks, Sandy, Vinayak Pol, Jai Row Kavi. It was compulsory to know to read and write music with the above mentioned teachers.
Loud and pounding | soft and accurate | the normal drummer. What do you prefer?
It's about the type of music that I am playing but my personal favorite is LOUD AND POUNDING!
What thought goes into the composing process?
I am a very groove and accent-oriented person, At times, I try and follow a riff with its own groove and accentuate according to the riff. At times if I feel a different rhythm and groove to a riff or a pattern can go well together, so I just try and apply that. At times it's as easy as something just popping up in your head or you feeling something perfectly fits in and you try it. It is easily executable but then there are times when you think of something and executing it takes days.
What other music projects are you currently a part of?
I am with a Death Metal Band - Atmosfear and a ambient fusion band – Agnya. I am also now helping Providence with the drummer duties.
Do you have a day job? What is it that you do?
Play Drums
Your favorite musicians (Indian)
Guitar: Prashant Shah, Sidharth Kadadi, Charan Singh Pathania, Bruce Mckoy
Bass: Roop Thomas, Sheldon Dsilva, Reuben Bhattacharya, Anish Nair, Leon Quadros
Drums: Gino Banks, Jai Row Kavi, Virendra Kaith, Nishant Hagjer, Tao Issrao, Rahul Hariharan, Hamza Kazi
Vocals:Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy, Jimmy, Siddharth Basrur, Sunneith Revankar
Your favourite musicians (international)
Guitar: Dimebag Darrell, Fredrik Thordendal, Marten Hagstorm, Mark Hosking, Andrew Goddard, Adam Jones, Devin Townsend, Vogg, Mattias IA Eklundh, Wes Borland
Bass: Jon Stockman, Sam Rivers, Dick Lövgren, Justin Chancellor
Drums: Morgan Agren, Thomas Haake, Gene Hoglan, Gavin Harrison, Danny Carey, Benny Greb, Jojo Mayer, Stef Broks, Chris Adler
Vocals: Devin Townsend, Randy Blythe, Phil Anselmo, Max Cavalera, Corey Taylor, Ian Kenny, Maynard James Keenan
Can we expect a release from your band(s) any time soon?
All the bands that I am with are working on albums.
I have already finished the drum tracking for Atmosfear and the bass is also done. After we finish tracking guitars and vocals, it'll be closer to seeing an end product.
Zygnema will be entering the studio in the first week of September to track the drums and follow on.
Agnya might also be entering the studio by mid September or early October to work on the full length album.
So yeah, there's a lot of stuff is happening in a span of two months and I will also be working with Providence on their album.
Whom do you look up to, as a musician and a band?
As a musician I look up to every other musician to gain knowledge from them. Every one teaches you something or the other. I have been learning so much from the drummers around me, like few simple fills and their application, which I might not have thought of. I keep me ears and eyes out to the musicians so that I can learn something new from them. As a drummer, I look up to all my favorite drummers.
A message to all your fans (hello ladies!)
Thank you to every one for the support and for appreciating my work. If you are a musician then keep practicing and you will achieve what you want. If you are not a musician, just enjoy the music and get drunk. And then drink again.
Zygnema on Facebook | Twitter | Reverbnation
Atmosfear on Facebook and Twitter
Agnya on Facebook
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 |
| Zygnema |
Full name and age.
Mayank Sharma, 25
What is your favourite dish/cuisine?
My favorite would be Kheema that my mom makes. We have kheema parties at my place. :P
Kindly tell us about all your precious gear! (Sticks, cymbals, kit, skins, gear/bags)
Vater Drum Sticks, Sabian cymbals. I have a Gladnick (local manufacturer) Custom kit for home practice. I majorly use Evans Heads and a Tama Iron Cobra double-bass pedal.
How long have you been playing the drums?
9 Years
What got you into playing drums?
I got pulled in by Linkin Park. I really enjoyed the grooves that Rob (drummer) played and how different the patterns were in each song. My father, being a drummer who always wanted me to learn drums, forced me into learning instruments. I come from a family of musicians so every one wanted me to learn something and I acted like a rebel as they were all forcing me (WHAT A FOOL I WAS)
When I was in the 11th standard, a guy did a guitar solo performance at the Annual College Programme. He was Shrikant Sreenivasan (Coshish). I went back home and I thought “I have a drum kit, why can't I just start practicing and then call Shrikant over to jam with him?".. and that is how it all began!
Have you learned to read music as well, or do you just play by ear?
I do know to read and write music, but I only approach it when it's needed, but generally I play by ear. If I do not understand a part maybe I would check out its transcripts, but that hardly ever happens.
I started learning the drums on my own and after a year or so I realized that I need to learn the instrument properly from a good teacher and then I found the best set of teachers I could have and got myself enrolled in the classes. Gino Banks, Sandy, Vinayak Pol, Jai Row Kavi. It was compulsory to know to read and write music with the above mentioned teachers.
Loud and pounding | soft and accurate | the normal drummer. What do you prefer?
It's about the type of music that I am playing but my personal favorite is LOUD AND POUNDING!
What thought goes into the composing process?
I am a very groove and accent-oriented person, At times, I try and follow a riff with its own groove and accentuate according to the riff. At times if I feel a different rhythm and groove to a riff or a pattern can go well together, so I just try and apply that. At times it's as easy as something just popping up in your head or you feeling something perfectly fits in and you try it. It is easily executable but then there are times when you think of something and executing it takes days.
What other music projects are you currently a part of?
I am with a Death Metal Band - Atmosfear and a ambient fusion band – Agnya. I am also now helping Providence with the drummer duties.
Do you have a day job? What is it that you do?
Play Drums
Your favorite musicians (Indian)
Guitar: Prashant Shah, Sidharth Kadadi, Charan Singh Pathania, Bruce Mckoy
Bass: Roop Thomas, Sheldon Dsilva, Reuben Bhattacharya, Anish Nair, Leon Quadros
Drums: Gino Banks, Jai Row Kavi, Virendra Kaith, Nishant Hagjer, Tao Issrao, Rahul Hariharan, Hamza Kazi
Vocals:Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy, Jimmy, Siddharth Basrur, Sunneith Revankar
Your favourite musicians (international)
Guitar: Dimebag Darrell, Fredrik Thordendal, Marten Hagstorm, Mark Hosking, Andrew Goddard, Adam Jones, Devin Townsend, Vogg, Mattias IA Eklundh, Wes Borland
Bass: Jon Stockman, Sam Rivers, Dick Lövgren, Justin Chancellor
Drums: Morgan Agren, Thomas Haake, Gene Hoglan, Gavin Harrison, Danny Carey, Benny Greb, Jojo Mayer, Stef Broks, Chris Adler
Vocals: Devin Townsend, Randy Blythe, Phil Anselmo, Max Cavalera, Corey Taylor, Ian Kenny, Maynard James Keenan
Can we expect a release from your band(s) any time soon?
All the bands that I am with are working on albums.
I have already finished the drum tracking for Atmosfear and the bass is also done. After we finish tracking guitars and vocals, it'll be closer to seeing an end product.
Zygnema will be entering the studio in the first week of September to track the drums and follow on.
Agnya might also be entering the studio by mid September or early October to work on the full length album.
So yeah, there's a lot of stuff is happening in a span of two months and I will also be working with Providence on their album.
Whom do you look up to, as a musician and a band?
As a musician I look up to every other musician to gain knowledge from them. Every one teaches you something or the other. I have been learning so much from the drummers around me, like few simple fills and their application, which I might not have thought of. I keep me ears and eyes out to the musicians so that I can learn something new from them. As a drummer, I look up to all my favorite drummers.
A message to all your fans (hello ladies!)
Thank you to every one for the support and for appreciating my work. If you are a musician then keep practicing and you will achieve what you want. If you are not a musician, just enjoy the music and get drunk. And then drink again.
Zygnema on Facebook | Twitter | Reverbnation
Atmosfear on Facebook and Twitter
Agnya on Facebook
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