My name is Joshua Mathis. I’m a 33-year-old Progressive Metal drummer for the band Cyborg Octopus. I’m also the live drummer for Archaeologist, and I do fill-in work for bands whenever I’m asked. I’m currently located in Reno, Nevada, with my wife Melissa and our 4 fur babies: Moose, Winston, Ember, and Cannoli.
Joshua’s Links:
Cyborg Octopus Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@CyborgOctopus
Personal Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/justjoshinya14/
Tiktok
https://www.tiktok.com/@josh_mathis_music
Joshua Mathis Interview:
SDM: How old were you when you started playing?
Josh: I started playing drums in middle school, so either 11 or 12 years old. I signed up for percussion class when I was moving into middle school.
SDM: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Josh: Absolutely! I played in percussion and jazz bands in middle school. In high school, I started in the pit for the marching band, then moved into the drumline a few weeks in. I also did Percussion Ensemble traveling around playing Marimba and those fun jingly instruments.
SDM: Who are your top 5 metal influences?
Josh: Number one is easily my drum instructor Brian Boydstun’s band from Reno called Dorcia. Without that band, I never would’ve gotten into playing metal or any aggressive music, Between The Buried And Me, The Faceless, All Shall Perish, and The Black Dahlia Murder.
SDM: Who are some of your other favorites?
Josh: I’m a big 2000s metalcore guy, so Soilwork, Unearth, August Burns Red, Killswitch Engage, and Lamb Of God are some older bands but bands like Polaris, Silent Planet, and Spiritbox.
SDM: Let us know 5 bands in your current personal rotation.
Josh: Kublai Khan, Crystal Lake, Electric Callboy, Falling In Reverse, and BABYMETAL
SDM: What do you do to warm up before a show?
Josh: I’m big on stretching before shows. I mainly stretch my hips, lower back, Hamstrings, and Quads. I also use a Gyro ball to move my forearms before touching a stick. When I get to the pad, I generally like to get a good stretch at slow tempos but get really big heights playing 16th notes around 150 to 160 BPM, then I’ll move up 10 bpm every 2-3 minutes for about 15 minutes.
SDM: Do you read music? Whether you answered yes or no, please tell us how it might have affected your playing.
Josh: I do! I was a teacher at a music school for a year and a half, and then sadly, I had to step away because the music-playing schedule got so hectic. Reading music, in my opinion, is the most crucial part of playing drums. Without reading music, I wouldn’t be able to use Guitar Pro to learn other bands’ music and tour with them. While learning by ear is a great skill to have, it pales in comparison to being able to put your eyes on the notes.
SDM: Can you tell us about the gear you use?
Josh: I’m endorsed by Omete Cymbals and RLdrums. The partnership with them has been amazing, and they’re working-class people who still believe in a handshake meaning something, and that goes a long way with me.
Pedals: 2 Axis Longboards
Heads: I’m partial to Evans, but I’ve used many other heads.
Trigger Module: I use an SPDX for my trigger system
Sticks: 5B Freestyles. I’m a Vic-Firth guy who never got away from them after using Ralph Hardiman’s marching band.
SDM: If you could give one piece of advice to younger drummers, it would be…
Josh: Practicing alone is more important to your personal growth as a musician than playing your band’s set once and going home. Give yourself time to work on your technique. The not-so-fun things are the tools that will take you much farther in your music career than getting in a room and getting loud. Obviously, that’s important, too/ But, give yourself time to play on your own. Take it from a guy who didn’t learn that lesson until he was 25.
SDM: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Josh: The best live performance I’ve ever seen was Gojira. I saw them with one of my best friends, Kyle, in Pheonix with Slipknot, Behemoth, and Volbeat. Their sound and precision were just unmatched. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a band outdoors sound that huge. The kick drum sounded like a cannon going off, and the light show was unbelievable A+.
SDM: Aside from drumming, what else do you like to do?
Josh: I’m a Risk Grandmaster Online, totally random, but it’s a ton of fun, and they have a pretty cool competitive scene. I love to play video games from Age Of Empires 2, Metal Gear, Rust, Call Of Duty, Halo, and Elder Scrolls. I played baseball for 1 semester in college until I hurt my knee, and then my love for the game kinda died. But going to college to play is what got me into my first real band, so it all worked out in the end!
