Dobber is currently focused on Oceans of Slumber! Keep up with Dobber here:
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I was born in Texas. December 10th the day and 1978 the year. I would say I began my foray into drums a little late. Not to late though. After trying to secure a gig as a guitarist in many bands, I found many of them had drummer problems. So I decided to learn to drum.
I joined a band out of Lufkin, TX named Viral Load. Played some high profile shows with them, which prompted me to move to Houston. After living there for a while I met up with the guys formerly of Imprecation. Who were a legendary brutal satanic death metal band from back in the day. That meeting would eventually lead to the forming of Infernal Dominion. Which I would consider my first “real band”. We did a lot in the short time we were around. Appealing to the old schoolers and the new American Brutal Death movement. After countless small tours and the making of tens of dollars that band ceased to exist.
Dobber Beverly Interview:
SDM: How old were you when you started playing?
Dobber: I was 17 or 18 when I first considered drumming. It was actually after I saw Doc drumming with Vader on the Broken Hope tour they did many years ago. Amazing.
SDM: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Dobber: Nah. No corps or any of the like. I played guitar in a few crude doom bands though. Haha. They were terrible.
SDM: Ever take any lessons?
Dobber: No formal training. Did the video thing. Picked up some solid advice from that. Essentially learned that if you land on or know where 1 is, you’ll be alright.
SDM: Who are your top 5 influences?
Dobber: Ken Schalk, Craig Smilowski, Jim Roe, Xytras, and Gene Hoglan. The drummers named would probably sum me up pretty well. I love either the music they created or the boundaries they have explored and destroyed.
SDM: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Dobber: Other than the drummers above? Doug Bohn on Pierced from Within probably nails it for the more “modern” American Death Metal. Mike Andrejko would be right there with him. Sermon of Mockery was definitely a special drumming record for me. Nick Barker on the first 3 Cradle records really had some things going. He is also such a phenomenal drummer. Morth from Niden, Dawn, and Thy Prymordial was and has always been a high ranking drummer in my book. It’s more of a what they played thing for me. A feel or an atmosphere that those drummers brought. Kind of like Bonham and Ian Paice.
SDM: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation
Dobber: Ulver-Perdition City, Scattered Remnants-Procreating Mass Carnage, Tom Waits-Everything, Evergrey-Monday Morning Apocalypse, and Samael-Ceremony of Opposites.
SDM: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Dobber: Not that I can remember. I don’t think I’ll ever be at my best.
SDM: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Dobber: I play for a custom company in Houston called ModernClassics. They make some of the most beautiful drums around. As for cymbals, I use Zildjians and Sabians. Sabians live and Zildjians in the studio.
SDM: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Dobber: Warm up on the practice pad. Talk to the other drummers. See how damn hot it’s going to be and if the side fills are working. Monitoring is always questionable at this level. You know, standard drummer bitching.
SDM: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Dobber: Use big sticks and hit hard. All the things you hear and see came from regimented and constant practice, and that takes time. Let speed develop out of your technique. Don’t develop your technique for speed. If you can’t do it, you just don’t know how yet.
SDM: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Dobber: A three way tie. Alsvid, formerly of Seth, toured with Enthroned in 2001. He was the most barbaric and technically competent drummer I had seen up to that point. Flawless speed. Everything was executed with surgical precision. Seeing that guy play live was like the day None So Vile came out. If you can understand that.
That aforementioned Vader show with Doc. They were opening the show, which meant that the drum kit had to be set up in front of Broken Hope’s kit. So it was 1997 and they were touring America for De Profundis. Arguably their best record. All they had to do was open with Silent Empire and I was floored. I even beat up some Skin Heads that night. I was amped.
Ken Schalk on Candiria’s tour with the Dillinger Escape Plan. We pal’ d up with those guys for 3 days of that tour in Texas. All kinds of backstage footage of those guys throwing down some breathtaking improv jazz. If you’ve never seen the dude play live you’re missing out. Plays so hard, you felt bad for his drums afterwards.
SDM: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?
Dobber: Who knows? I write all kinds of other music and play a few different instruments, so the music thing would still be there. “If drumming in underground bands wasn’t taking up all your time, what would you do?” was the question it would be answered: Who knows? I guess I would be more concerned with the impending doom that is adulthood. That or take up some other hobby/infatuation.
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