Josh Villalta

Off-Beat Interview with Josh Villalta of Choleric & Three 6 Maffia – August 2009
By: Craig Sternberg

SDM: Tell us about your band Choleric. What does it sound like? Where can we hear Choleric?

Josh: Choleric is a band I’ve been putting together for a looooooong ass time now. Why has it taken so long? Well Craig you know this answer and what I’ve dealt with are lots of lazy and empty promising musicians. Choleric is a mix of everything I’ve really liked over the years. I always like heavy grooves,but yet with a melodic edge. I want to be a band the can bridge gaps from heavy music to mainstream. Thats why I throw in blast beats and double bass fury in there every so often, to let people know, "hey, heavy music is alive and strong and we are influenced by that." It’s been taking forever to figure out the best way to release this thing, since the music industry is changing so rapidly, it’s hard to focus on exactly what to do because there is no right way anymore. We will be releasing songs to buy on our site and iTunes very shortyly. Every month we will release some tracks for a 5 month run or so.

SDM: What’s it like playing live with Three Six Mafia? How did you get involved in hip hop drumming?

Josh: I got involved sorta as a fluke. I made friends with them in November of 2008 and we hit it off really well. DJ Paul saw us playing at the key club and afterwards was blown away by my performance, and was like "man you are amazing… you gotta do stuff with us!" First time we played together was in New Orleans. I just happened to be in town when they were playing a show. I talked to them and said, "fuck it, lets jam". They said bring the drums, I had no rehearsal at all, got up there and nailed 3 songs with them. It was great! Most metal or hard rock bands would be like, "oh I don’t know… this could be good, this could be bad, how would we look" (blah blah blah). These guys are like, we know you’re good so lets just have fun! Playing with Three 6 made me really remember why I got into playing music for a couple reasons. Live, if you go to many rock/metal shows and your backstage, there’s so much tension and people running around freaking out. They make things bigger than what they are. People are freaking out like, "oh my god stay away from the artist" or "everyone has to clear and get away from the artist, they are about to go on". Now, to an extent I understand that, but so many of them are so over dramatic about it. With Three 6, these are multi- platinum artists, have won tons of awards including an oscar, they are so humble and laid-back, and just like to have fun at their shows. There’s no ego, no pushing everyone out… Man a couple shows I didn’t know we were about to play until literally about 2 minutes before we started. It made me remember… "Hey this can be fun, so let’s have fun as people". For so many years I’ve always been "the guy" in Choleric… you know, making all the stuff happen and always in the driver’s seat. I don’t usually mind, but at times its stressful. Especially when you deal with people who don’t offer to help, could care less about what you have done for them, don’t care how much sleep you have, it’s always give me more, more, more. The people who want it all, but do NOTHING to get it. I’ve always been un-appreciated. With these guys, they are proud to have me around and they make me feel really good about my playing and what I bring. It’s very, very cool.

SDM: Any other hip hop acts you are planning on playing with?

Josh: Actually playing with Three 6 has opened a lot of doors. I got a lot of rappers interested in doing stuff with me, like: Gorilla Zoe and Lil Boosie, but we will see how things go. If things are right, I’ll do it. I’ve turned down a bunch of stuff before, rap and rock, so it’s just gotta be right.

SDM: Tell us what it’s like to have played with metal greats such as Andreas from Sepultura/Soulfly, and anyone else you may have played with?

Josh: Man, I can go into a lot here… Hmm… Jamming with Andreas was a pure "improv" moment. I actually hooked him up to see a show the night before at The House of Blues and he invited me to his guitar clinic. I saw a drumset and I was joking with him "hey lets jam" and he responded "you know sepultura?" I was like "pleeeease… of course" (being jokingly cocky). Then he’s like "ok we’ll see" I was like, shit I don’t listen to them everyday… what if he really calls me up? Well he did and we nailed 3 1/2 songs. It was very, very cool! The Soulfly jam thing is something I’ve ALWAYS wanted to as a kid seeing Sepultura do it. I’ve known the current Soulfly line-up for many years. Joe for about 6 years, Bobby 14 years and Marc for 7 years, so when they come in town they invite me up to do it. This was the first one that was recorded… it was very fun! I’ve jammed with some cool people. Let me think… Prong! I got to jam with prong at their rehearsal space! (I’ve always loved the cleansing) I got to jam 3 songs off that record with them. I got to jam with Scott Stapp of Creed too. I know some people are like "oh that guy sucks… blah blah" Listen, the dude flew me out, took me in and we jammed for 5 days. I decided to pursue Choleric. I have nothing but great things to say about the guy, he’s a really nice guy and has a great family.

SDM: How did working for Kat Von D ultimately effect your music career? How did it help your networking relationships?

Josh: Oh Kat… I met Kat a few years back through a mutual friend and she’s always been super cool! very down to earth. She needed security when her show first started and they called me up. Working with her was great! I worked the Guinness Book of World Records thing (stayed up 28 hours straight – that was intense) It didn’t really help me much with networking, as we have a lot of the same friends in the business. I met some really cool people working with her, but ultimately didn’t change much music wise.

SDM: Do you have any other metal or rock projects outside of Choleric lined up?

Josh: Not at the moment, but I definitely plan on it. I wanna do a project of all different styles and just have all my different friends play on it. I will do it one day… A drum/dj thing (that’s been in talks for years now) I want to do a death metal band. I want to also do a band where I play guitar! I will get to all these someday, but choleric comes first!

SDM: How old were you when you started playing?

Josh: I started playing around the age of 9. I had a vcr tape, stayed up all night and waited for all the cool metal videos to come on and hit record. I would play on the floor using peices of carboard as each drum and learn how to play watching Lars. When I finally jumped on a set it was very natural.

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

Josh: ha ha ha.. No. I laugh because I was in that anti-everything mode and that didn’t interest me then, I just sorta laughed at that stuff.

SDM: Who are your top 5 metal influences?

Josh: I will list in order they came into my life:

1.Lars Ulrich
2.Igor Cavalera
3.Pete Sandoval
4.Paul Bostaph
5.Raymond Herrera

SDM: Who are some other of your favorites?

Josh: Off the top of my head thinking randomly: Will Hunt, Brian "Brain" Mantia, Jimmy Bower, Mike Wengren, Abe Cunningham, Joey Jordison, Steve Asheim, José Pasillas, Peter Criss, Nick Menza, Derek Roddy, Morgan Rose, Tomas Haake, Joe Nunez, Vinnie Paul, Eddie Garcia, Chad Smith, Vitek, John Tempesta and Greg Gall to name a few.

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

Josh:

1.Sevendust-Hope and Sorrow
2.Metallica-Death Magnetic
3.Down-N.O.L.A
4.Disturbed-Indestructable
5.Soulfly-Conquer

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

Josh: I usually play along to something on my iPod, like Morbid Angel Rapture, Metallica’s Battery or something random. I also Stretch because of lifting weights and Muay Thai training takes a beating to my body. I have to really loosen everything up, especially my neck and rotator cuffs, due to my crazy playing and exaggerated movements.

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

Josh: Well… I’m pretty much self taught. I took maybe 3 drum lessons when I was younger. He was like "man… how do you know how to do all this? you’re a real natural." So I just never went back, even the way I hold my sticks is unorthodox. It would have helped Im sure, but I was also in that stubborn stage at this point. Now I’m too busy to even think about it.

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

Josh: I just got an acrylic kit from a horrible company called C&C Drums. Don’t do business with them. I ordered a set, it’s going on 11 months now and I still don’t have the kit complete. Anyway, I have weird sizes too.. 10", 13", 16" and a 6" x 14" snare. The snare I had made is from a GREAT company called Fortune Drums. Dale really talks to you about what you want out of the drum and makes it to your likeness. If you don’t like it, he’ll take it back. When I saw/heard my friend Will Hunt using it on the Evanescence tour, I fell in love… it’s a great snare drum! Axis longboard bass pedals. The people there have taken care of me! Karen and everyone there have taken me in with open arms (thanks to Pete Sandoval). My stick taste varies… it has to be a longer stick and 2b or thicker. In rehearsal I go through roughly a pair a song. I’m an extremely hard hitter. Cymbals: Zildjian only. I have to use the Projection line mainly cause they are thicker than most, yet they don’t last more than a month and a half, but they sound awesome. I also use some A customs. Another weird thing about me is I hear high-end mainly in my left ear and low-end mainly in my right ear, so I set up my cymbals accordingly. 18" and under on the left side and 19" or over on my right side. My cymbals are mirrored. Each side has a ride, 2 crashes, a china and hi-hat. Splashes and zil bells dead center, but smaller to largest, left to right.

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

Josh: I would say don’t listen to anyone, learn your own way. Meaning what’s best for you. Don’t compare yourself to other drummers, just do what you do and be the best you can at it. Eventually you will become really good, just don’t give up. Biggest piece of advice would be to PLAY ALONG TO YOUR FAVORITE RECORDS! You learn so many little things from different drummers, it helps out a ton!

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

Josh: hmmm… tough one. Not sure, I guess my first show watching Lars at 9 years old on the GNR tour. That’s the day I knew this was what I wanted to do… life changing.

SDM: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?

Josh: hmmm… another tough one. Something music related; manager, producer etc. I’m already a concert promoter as well. That or an MMA fighter. When I was a kid I wanted to be a pro football kicker. I used to be able to kick off 45 yards in 8th grade.