It is with a very heavy heart we share the unfortunate news of the passing of Sean Landon Reinert ~May 27th, 1971 – January 24th, 2020. A true legend in the drumming world, an inspiration, and a very good friend to all of us here at Sick Drummer Magazine… a Brother. Another one taken far too early.
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Sean Reinert was the drummer of the now-disbanded group Cynic. He is known for his technical and creative drumming.
In 1991, Reinert and Paul Masvidal (also of Cynic) joined the band Death to record the Human album. After touring with Death, he returned to Cynic. Because of time restraints, Sean could not commit to playing on the next Death album (leading to the famous collaboration of Chuck Shuldiner and new drummer Gene Hoglan which would last for through the next two Death albums).
Cynic released its only album ever in 1993, by the name of Focus. He was the drummer for the band Gordian Knot on its self-titled album, Gordian Knot, and half of its second album, Emergent. Gordian Knot was created by Cynic bass player Sean Malone.
Malone and Reinert also played together in the band Aghora, an experimental progressive/technical metal band. Reinert still continues to record with the band, though Malone has since left, after recording a single album. Reinert also continues as a member of Aeon Spoke.
“Well it’s official, I have the signed paperwork back from Sabian. I am now exclusively playing Sabian cymbals and I could not be happier! Man do they have some amazing cymbals. They have a line for every kind of drummer, style of music, and musical situation. Def. check out the Sabian website (www.sabian.com). They have a section called “soundcheck” where you can hear sound samples of every cymbal they make. Boy does that help steer you in the right direction when you want to get some new brass!” My set-up is as follows:
Cynic Set-Up:
1.) 13 Manhattan Jazz Hats (HHX)
2.) 12 V-FX Mini Hats (Signature)
3.) 18 Evolution Crash (HHX)
4.) 20 Duo Ride (Hand Hammered)
5.) 16 Legacy Crash (HHX)
6.) 10 Paragon Splash (Signature)
7.) 21 Dry Ride (HHX)
8.) 14 Encore Hi-Hats (Signature)
9.) 19 Plosion Crash (HHX)
10.) 18 Legacy Crash (HHX)
11.) 20 Thin Chinese (Hand Hammered)
Aeon Spoke Set-Up:
1.) 14 Evolution Hats (HHX)
2.) 20 Chinese (HHX)
3.) 18 Legacy Crash (HHX)
4.) 12 Evolution Splash (HHX)
5.) 22 Legacy Ride (HHX)
6.) 20 Studio Crash (HHX)
7.) 18 Evolution O-Zone Crash (HHX)
Sean Reinert Interview:
SDM: How old were you when you started playing?
Sean: I started playing drums when I was 10. I had been playing piano since I was 7 and wanted to switch over to the drums after seeing Terry Bozzio play his roto-tom drum set in a missing persons video in 1981. At first, my mom bought me a snare drum and had me take lessons. She said that if I progressed in my studies and stuck with it, she would buy me a used drum set. 4 months later I had my first hodge-podge kit (part Slingerland, part Ludwig).
SDM: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Sean: When I went to New World School of the Arts (junior & senior year of high school), I had a curriculum of private lessons, wind ensemble (playing legit percussion), percussion ensemble, piano lessons, ear training, and sight-singing, music theory, computers, and music class as well as playing in various combos and performances. In the percussion ensemble, we played a lot of “drum corps” style compositions, and when I went to the band competitions I would be playing snare etudes chock full of rudiments, but I was never in marching band or drum corps.
SDM: Ever take any lessons?
Sean: I studied privately with a great drummer and musician by the name of David Toledo from the time I was 10 until I was 13. When I met Paul Masvidal at the prep school we both went to, I stopped taking lessons and put all of my practice time towards the band Paul and I had when we were 13 (KOBOLD). 3 months before my audition for the New World School of the Arts (NWSA) I went back to David Toledo to brush up on my reading and to prep for the humbling experience that is an audition. While at NWSA I studied with Pete Webster as well as learned quite a bit from the other drummers at the school.
When I went to Miami Dade Community College (MDCC) I continued my studies with Pete as he was head of the drum department at MDCC. I had a dual major in Music Performance and Sound Engineering. At this time I was jumping back and forth between CYNIC, DEATH, and my studies. There were many occasions where I had to drop my classes or take them for no credit because of the time I missed due to rehearsal, recording and touring schedules. When I finally got my AA degree, I transferred to the University Of Miami School of Music. There my major was Music Theory/Composition with a minor in Performance. My drum teachers there were Lou Abbot, Harry Hawthorne, and Fred Wickstrom.
SDM: Who are your top 5 influences?
Sean: Hmmm, I’m going to name the drummers that I learned a lot from early on by either playing to their records or from transcribing their playing. JOHN BONHAM – I played to all of Zeppelins’ records for countless hours when I first started playing. You talk about ‘locking it down’, Bonzo was the king of feel and pocket. ALEX VAN HALEN – one of my earliest influences. I saw them play for the 1984 record when I was 13. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Alex had such an amazing feel, total power while swinging his ass off. NEIL PEART – I practically wore out my record player playing to RUSH records. I always thought Neil’s playing was the benchmark of what a good progressive rock drummer should have under his belt. TERRY BOZZIO – what can I say, from Zappa to Missing Persons to the Brecker Bros, this cat changed my viewpoint of what a REAL versatile drummer should and could be. DAVE WECKL – My first drum teacher turned me on to the Chick Corea electric band when I was 15. We went to see Dave in a clinic that year and from then on I was a convert. Weckl was the first electric jazz/fusion drummer I was exposed to. (you could say he was the gateway drug to my jazz/fusion addiction I developed in my late teens)
SDM: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Sean: There are so many really, so I will name some favorites besides the influences listed in the above question. VINNIE COLAIUTA, GARY HUSBAND, BILL BERG, RAYFORD GRIFFIN, TRILOK GIRTU, PAUL WERTICO, ELVIN JONES, JOEY BARON, PETER ERSKINE, BILL STWEART, OMAR HAKIM, MANU KATCHE, JOEY HERREDIA to name a few.
SDM: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation
Sean: My favorite CD right now is the KOTIKOSKI/KLEUTGENS/COLAIUAT/TAVAGLIONE- “Cave Men”. It is the craziest drumming by Vinnie I have heard since ALLAN HOLDSWORTH’s – “Secrets”. A MUST for any Vinnie Coliauta fan and or fusion head. It’s chock full of mind-blowing compositions and blistering chops!!!! It makes me want to quit!!! I suck!
Also: M83 – “Before The Dawn Heals Us”, The Bird & The Bee (self-titled), Steve Topping – “Late Flower,” Led Zeppelin – Complete Box Set. That’s a hard question as I have about 40 gigs of music on my iPod ☺.
SDM: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Sean: I remember the night we played Princes’ club in Minneapolis (First Avenue & 7th Street Entry). I remember that night being a really good show for me, that and some of the California shows (we played 2 in Berkley that were standouts in my recollection).
SDM: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Sean: I really love my Spaun drum kit. I’ve had it for 7 years now and they still not only look brand new, but they also have never let me down in the studio. I love my Sabian cymbals. I just signed an endorsement deal with them and could not be happier! They have such a wide variety of cymbals for every kind of player and style of music.
SDM: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Sean: I don’t know about ‘rituals’ per se. I do stretch my arms, legs, and back as well as warm-up my hands on a practice pad so I don’t go on stage totally cold and tight.
SDM: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Sean: Use your ears! Don’t just get caught up in what you are playing. Listen to the other musicians and or group as a whole and don’t overplay! Focus on supporting the music and keeping time. That’s is really the most important function of a drummer. I would also say listen to as much music as you can and put yourself in as many different musical situations as possible. It is the unfamiliar and unknown that makes us grow and learn.
SDM: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Sean: Now that’s a tough question. The Van Halen show I saw in 1984 when I was 13 was so larger than life. I saw Bella Fleck & the Flecktones in a small club on South Beach in 1991 on their first tour, which was pretty special. The drum clinic with Trilok Girtu, Joey Herredia, and Paul Wertico was pretty insane. But I think the standout performance for me was when I saw Allan Holdsworth play at City Limits in Ft. Lauderdale in 1992. It was Gary Husband on drums, Steve Hunt on keys, and Skulie Sverrisson on bass. Gary was absolutely on fire that night. We had a table reserved literally 1 foot away from the tiny stage. I was so close I could have tuned Gary’s front bass drum head. So for an hour ½ I sat drinking my pitcher of beer in sheer awe.
SDM: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?
Sean: Wow, that’s a scary thought. I think I would probably segue into something creative be it producing, engineering, or even video editing. But if I had to pursue a completely unrelated field I would go to culinary school and become a chef. I LOVE to cook, and am addicted to the food network.
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