Washington, DC’s The Grey Area are on one of those career highs at the moment. Jason and TJ, guitarist and drummer respectively, debuted their new video with us in June and headline Vienna, VA’s Jammin Java next Tuesday night, July 19.
Today, TJ takes us back to where it all began.
Music for me started at Emanuel Temple Pentacostal Church in Rochester, NY, where I was raised. I spent every Sunday surrounded by talented musicians, especially the gospel drummers. That’s where I first learned to rock out—praise and worship music could last a long time with such songs as “Jesus Will Work It Out” or “We’re Blessed” by Fred Hammond. There was always room for improvisation.
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As I got older, hip hop, R&B, and popular music began to influence my drumming and how I felt about music. I stayed after school in the band room for hours trying to play what I had in my mind.
The biggest influence was Carter Beauford and Dave Matthews Band. #36 off of Live at Red Rocks has sick drum solos that I have emulated and learned from time and again. Another album that shaped me is the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Maroon 5 has also been an influence. I grew up with them, and saw them as evidence of what a group of guys could do with a band. I had been a solo drummer, but hearing how drums could influence a band’s dynamic continues to inspire me.
We have a song Jason wrote called “Hurricane” — on that you can hear evidence of what I love about the drums and how I play. The changes in the pre-chorus are dynamic, and the song allows me to be in-the-pocket, then shift to dramatic, hard-hitting fills, and then back to the steady beat. And it’s a really likable song.
