Steve Shalaty

Keep up with Steve here:

http://www.facebook.com/immolation

http://www.last.fm/music/Immolation

I started playing drums in school in 6th grade. Soon after I began private lessons with an old jazz instructor named Buddy Brasky. Throughout junior high school my metal playing and my jazz training developed alongside each other. Buddy passed away when I was in 9th grade at which time I was involved in concert band and jazz band at school. In high school I was in concert band, jazz band, marching band, pep band and also the local college jazz band as well as playing drums for a jazz band made up of local school music instructors. I had also started jamming with other students outside of school in the hopes of starting my own band.

I was heavily into thrash and early death metal and soon put together a line up of players from my town and nearby Cleveland. We started playing shows under the name Gutted which was eventually changed to Odious Sanction. After recording three demos we were picked up by Unique Leader and released “Psychotically Enraged”. I started receiving offers to join other bands, but my faith in my band was very strong so I stuck with them.

Finally in 2003 I was offered a touring gig with Immolation and with no touring plans for O.S. lined up, I accepted. This led to a permanent seat with Immolation as well as more offers from bands in need. Unfortunately my schedule was completely full with obligations to Odious Sanction, Immolation, and a few other local acts, so I was unable to accept. I immediately recorded “Harnessing Ruin” for Immo. and “No Motivation to Live” for O.S. I continued to play with O.S. between Immolation tours and albums until about 2007 at which time we permanently disbanded. Currently I have also recorded and toured for “Shadows in the Light”, “Hope and Horror”, “Majesty and Decay” and the new EP “Providence”.

Steve Shalaty Interview:

SDM: How old were you when you started playing?

Steve: I believe I was twelve.

SDM: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?

Steve: Yes. Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band and Marching Band.

SDM: Who are your top 5 metal influences?

Steve: Alex Marquez, Stephane Provencher, Steve Asheim, George Kollias and Craig Smilowski

SDM: Who are some other of your favorites?

Steve: Pete Sandoval, Lille Gruber, Dave Weckyl, Alex Pelletier, Craig Nunenmacher, Buddy Rich, Mike Smith, Chris Coleman, Derek Roddy, Brad Wilk, Igor Cavalera, Ken Schalk, John Longstreth, Thomas Haake, Max Kolesne, Stewart Copeland, Marco Minneman, Mike Hamilton, John Bonham, Joey Heaslet, Virgil Donati, Dave Lombardo, Glen Evans, Tim Alexander, Andols Herrick, Will Scharf, Jean Paul Gaster, Neil Peart, Bobby Jarzombek, Charlie Benante, Gar Samuelson, Lyle Cooper.

SDM: Let us know 5 CD's that are in your current rotation

Steve: Defeated Sanity-“Chapters of Repugnance”, Defeated Sanity- “Psalms of the Moribund”, Despised Icon-“Day of Mourning”, Deeds of Flesh-“Of What’s to Come”, Nile-“Those Whom The Gods Detest”

SDM: What do you do to warm up before a show?

Steve: I do hamstring, quadricep, hip flexor and calf stretches and ankle circling for my legs. I do shoulder circles and elbow circles and bicep and tricep stretches as well as shaking out my hands and wrists for my upper body. Single strokes and alternating single strokes on a pad or whatever is around is usually the extent of my actual warmup.

SDM: Do you read music? Regardless of answering yes or no, please tell us how it might have effected your playing?

Steve: Yes. I think it was very important in my early development. I’ve used reading for learning and practicing rudiments, reading jazz charts and other instrument parts, communicating ideas with other musicians and keeping track of ideas and exercises for myself. No one in my current bands can read and it makes it difficult to express ideas and musical nuances without humming and “dadada” type baby talk.

SDM: Can you tell us about the gear you use?

Steve: I play a 7 piece Mapex Orion kit with 22×18 kicks and 12,13,14, 16" toms. My snare is a 6.5×14 steel Mapex Black Panther. I’ve been running a Kevlar head on the snare and Remo Pinstripes on the toms and kicks. My cymbals are all Sabian. Right now they consist of an 18" APX china, 14" main hats, 16" AAX Dark crash, 18" AAX Dark crash, 14" HHX Evolution china, 18" HHX Xtreme crash, 15" Groove hats, 14" AAX Xtreme china, 22" HH thin china, and a 22" HH Rock ride. That’s from left to right across the kit. I use Iron Cobra pedals and Pro Mark hickory 2B Naturals with wood tips. I also use a Roland TD6-V module with Roland RT10-K acoustic kick triggers.

SDM: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…

Steve: Apply the teachings of Bruce Lee to your practice regimen, your learning and your playing.

SDM: Who gave the best live performance you've ever seen?

Steve: George Kollias. Immolation toured with Nile and I watched him every night for 4 weeks. Consummate professional and very consistent. Truly inspiring.

SDM: Aside from drumming, what else do you like to do?

Steve: I’m a fight fanatic. I’ve been training, studying and teaching mixed martial arts for over twenty years. I also love riding offroad. Dirtbikes, quads, motocross, cross country, hill climbs, you name it. Biology is also a lifelong interest of mine. Studying the natural world is an endless and constantly unfolding endeavor. All this aside though, I think my family, friends and the Love of my life are the most important things for me.

Video Links:

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> Immolation – Steve Shalaty – A Gloriuos Epoch filmed in October 2010

> Morgan Zembower, Steve Shalaty, Aaron King Side Project rehearsal Song 5

> Immolation – Majesty and Decay Drumcam

> Immolation – Once Ordained – Live in France

> Immolation – Headliners, Louisville, KY, 2/13/2010