Keep up with Dan here:
www.myspace.com/drummerdanwilding
Born in 1989 in England, Dan grew up in a very musical family. Sisters playing piano, mother and uncle playing guitar, at the age of 10 Dan discovered drums. In the beginning he received formal lessons learning how to read music and learning and perform various different styles such as Latin, Rock and Jazz. After 4 years of lessons Dan discovered metal music and double bass drumming, after not being able to find a teacher that could teach him the art of double bass drumming he decided to take it on himself and learn from listening to CD’s, watching videos and constant practice.
After just over a year of double bass drumming Dan joined his first proper band at the tender age of 16. Previously signed to Peaceville records, Killing Mode were a legendary underground UK death metal band. Learning 6 years of previously recorded material, Dan found a band that was really pushing his abilities as a drummer. After just over a year of playing in Killing Mode, playing large shows supporting the likes of Vader, Napalm Death, Behemoth, Nile and Cannibal Corpse playing such festivals as the UK Harvest Festival and touring with Krisiun and a number of headline shows, the band disbanded due to many different issues.
After this, Dan co founded what was to become very popular UK Black/Death metal band Misery, after demo recordings lead them to be signed to famous UK metalcore label Thirty Days Of Night (Bring Me The Horizon, Azriel and Misericordiam). Proving himself as both a competent drummer and gifted song writer, Misery’s debut EP ‘A State of Suffering’ was released in all major UK and European record shops selling just under 2000 copies all over Europe. This lead to numerous tours with Abigail Williams and Suicide Silence and shows with the likes of Necrophagist and Eternal Lord. At the age of 17 Dan decided to move his career forward once again, after noticing that Belgian death/grind legends Aborted needed a drummer, Dan stepped up and got in contact with them. After a few short conversations between Dan and singer Sven DeCaluwe and Dan sending a video of his playing to the band, an audition was made and Dan was recruited as full time drummer of Aborted.
Currently at the age of 18, Dan has already played major festivals such as Hellfest, Metal Camp and Brutal Assault, toured with Hatesphere, Behemoth and Kataklysm, a YouTube video series, receiving over 35,000 views after the first few months of airing and with many other plans lined up in the very near future, such as new tours, more videos and the next Aborted album in ’08, Dan is setting up to be a drumming force to be reckoned with.
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Daniel Wilding Interview:
SD.com: When did you start playing drums?
Daniel: I started playing at the age of 10 when one of my best friends got a drum kit and i was just fascinated with it, he taught me some basic stuff and the obsession started from there.
SD.com: Do you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Daniel: I used to play in a school orchestra. Nothing complex, just putting some basic beats over some classical music, pretty pointless really.
SD.com: Have you ever taken any lessons?
Daniel: I took lessons for the first 3 years, learning rudiments, how to read and a few different styles. I then discovered double bass drum playing, after not being able to find a teacher who could teach me anything on it I bought a double pedal and continued to teach myself.
SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?
Daniel: The people who have shaped my playing most are Travis Barker, Andols Herrick, Joey Jordison, Lars Ulrich and Dave Grohl
SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Daniel: Too many to name, but a few favs include, Dirk Verbeuren, Gil Sharone, Brann Dailor, Kevin Talley, Kai Hahto, Taylor Hawkins, Benny Grebb and John Boecklin.
SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation
Daniel: A CD that has been in my car stereo constantly for about 3 weeks now is Hatesphere – ‘The Sickness Within’, it’s absolutely awesome. A few others are: The Bronx – ‘The Bronx’, The Black Dahlia Murder – ‘Miasma’, Mastodon – ‘Blood Mountain’ and +44 – ‘When Your Heart Stops Beating’.
SD.com: Do you practice any specific rudiments or combo’s regularly?
Daniel: I have recently been playing alot of doubles both on hands and feet. I used to play only singles to a metronome for hours on end. I have now realised the importance of being able to play more than just singles. I like to jam along to funk and rock songs playing some paradiddle and paradiddle based grooves moving accents all around the kit.
SD.com: What is your favorite part of your drum kit?
Daniel: The things I couldnt play without are my Balbex 2b’s, my Pearl Eliminator’s and my Sabian AAX metal ride.
SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to younger drummers, it would be…
Daniel: Practice as much as you can. Come to terms with the fact that nothing is gonna happen fast, slow things down, get to grips with it then gradually speed it up, that’s the only way to get this solid and fluent. Also, enjoy it! Playing drums, especially to an audience should be the best experience of your life every time, if it’s not then your playing the wrong instrument hehe.
SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Daniel: The best performance I have ever seen was Shannon Lucas with The Black Dahlia Murder. It was without a doubt the tightest drumming I have ever seen. He was also really ill so pulling it off that well whilst being sick shows how talented the guy really is. The band as a whole were incredible to watch aswell.
SD.com: Tell us how you came to be the drummer of Aborted?
Daniel: I took some videos of myself playing, originally for self use and to show some people what I could do. I then saw that Aborted were looking for a drummer. I then sent my videos to Sven, we talked for abit and sorted out an audition. I went over to Belgium, auditioned for those guys and now the rest is history.
SD.com: What is your favorite song to play with them? What’s the hardest?
Daniel: My favourite song to play is probably ‘Meticulous Invagination’ from the ‘Goremageddon’ album, this is because it’s not too fast and the structure is pretty simple, so i get to kind of relax on this one and enjoy myself abit more. The hardest song we play is ‘Ingenuity In Genocide’ from the new album ‘Slaughter & Apparatus’. This is because the structure is very progressive and there are some real sudden changes. There is also some really intricate double bass parts. So on this one i really have to step up
my game.
SD.com: Aside from drumming, what else do you do with your life?
Daniel: When im home, im pretty much just waiting round for the next shows. I work part time in a drum shop both to keep myself busy and to pay the bills. Other than that i just relax with friends and family and practice as much as i can.
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