You should definitely remember drummer Jon Cole from his work with Psyopus. Jon is a killer player, and we are very excited to be releasing these play-through videos.
Jon spent his youth tapping on desks at school and rewinding his “and Justice for All” cassette in his Walkman to hear double bass drum breaks over and over. This fascination continued over the years, and when he turned 18, he got his first drum kit. He always strived to be diverse in his playing, but metal has always played a prominent role.
After years of playing in local bands and taking lessons on and off, Jon answered an ad for a drummer on the Return To The Pit forum, where Chris Arp had posted Psyopus was looking for a drummer. After a few emails with Chris and a phone call with Adam (where Jon later found out he saved his contact as “Jon the brutal,” a name that stuck in that time period), the next thing he knew, he was picking up Chris at the greyhound station in Boston and back at his house learning what was to become the song “Insects.”
After three months of cramming, Jon made the move to Rochester, NY, and spent months with Chris in the practice space creating “Our Puzzling Encounters Considered,” released in 2007. Jon toured with Psyopus alongside such acts as Cephalic Carnage, Cannibal Corpse, The Red Chord, The Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza, See You Next Tuesday, Jon For A Cowboy, and more.
Jon Cole – Psyopus – Death I
Jon Cole – Psyopus – Insects
Recorded by: Brian Dinovan
IG: @malachoraudio
Jon’s Links:
IG: jonthebrutaldrums
YouTube: Jon The Brutal
TikTok: jonthebrutal
Jon’s Gear:
Drums: Gretsch Renown Maple Autumn Burst
Toms: 8”, 10″, 16”
Snare: Orange County Percussion 14″
Cymbals Left to Right:
14″ Zildjian Hi-Hats
16” Zildjian A Custom Crash
9” Zildjian Zil Bel
8” Sabian AAX Splash
8” Paiste 2002 Bell
18” Zildjian A Custom
6” Zildjian Zil Bel
9” Ictus Ice Bell
22” Paiste Dimensions Medium Heavy Wild Ride
18” Zildjian A Custom China
Pearl Eliminator Pedals
Jon’s Links:
instagram.com/jonthebrutaldrums
Formed in 2002, the band is noted for the unorthodox and extremely technical guitar techniques of Christopher Arp because he mainly uses one technique, tapping.
In 2004 the band released their debut album on black market activities titled “Ideas of Reference.”
The band released their 2nd album, Our Puzzling Encounters Considered, in February 2007. The techniques Arp uses have made it even more difficult to receive any endorsement. Arp himself said, “Mesa Boogie has not done very much to sponsor me because I do too much of this,” as he raised his guitar by the whammy bar shaking it up and down. The band released their third studio album, Odd Senses, on February 17, 2009.
The band entered an extended hiatus in 2010. In 2011, Christopher Arp posted several videos of himself on YouTube explaining the history and eventual hiatus of Psyopus.
