Keep up with Martin here:
I started my first band with a few friends who lived nearby at the age of 15. We played mostly cover songs at that time (nirvana etc…) I quit the band after 2 years and started to rehearse on my own to become a better player. At the age of 18 I joined my first metal band. We played a couple of gigs, but nothing serious was happening. I wanted to move forward with my career, joined 2 other bands and was constantly rehearsing to become a better player.
At the age of 22 things took off for me. I joined the Austrian Black/Death Metal band Belphegor as a session drummer. I’ve played tours in the States, Canada, South and Middle America, Russia and Europe with them. Besides being a live drummer for Belphegor I also recorded the drums for their upcoming album Blood Magick Necromance. When I don’t hit the stage with Belphegor, I’m playing as much as possible with my own band Bled Dry.
Martin "Marthyn" Jovanovic Interview:
SDM: How old were you when you started playing?
Marthyn: I started playing drums at the age of 10. My parents bought me a small Dixon kit. Today I really regret that I sold this kit when I was 14 years old.
SDM: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Marthyn: I started to play in a marching band when I was 12 years old, but quit after 2 years because I didn’t like it that much. At the age of 14 I was intrested in bands like Metallica and Sepultura- that’s the reason why I joined my first band some months later.
SDM: Who are your top 5 metal influences?
Marthyn: Back in the days it was Lars Ulrich and Igor Cavalera. Later I was listening a lot to Pete Sandoval, Derek Roddy and Gene Hoglan.
SDM: Who are some other of your favorites?
Marthyn: Romain Goulon has to be on top of this list for me. I saw him playing with Necrophagist in Istanbul- we played there together at the Unirock-Festival. He’s a down to earth guy and one of the most creative- if not THE most creative and well rounded metal player today- in my opinion. Of course others like George Kollias, Derek Roddy and Inferno are always killer to watch.
SDM: Let us know 5 CD's that are in your current rotation
Marthyn:
Gojira: The Way of all flesh
Cannibal Corpse: Eaten back to life
Led Zeppelin: Mothership
Nile: Those whom the gods detest
Bohren und der Club of Gore: Black Earth
SDM: What do you do to warm up before a show?
Marthyn: I start off with single strokes for the hands @ 140bpm and I increase the tempo every minute… at the end of my warmup I top out at 260 bpm. A red-bull during the warm up always helps. If I got my pedals set up backstage I’m also working on some singles with the feet…I start off by playing time tables @ 90 bpm.(16th notes, 16th note triplets and 32nd notes.) Here I also increase the tempo every minute and top out at 120bpm. After that I’m good to go.
SDM: Do you read music? Regardless of answering yes or no, please tell us how it might have effected your playing?
Marthyn: Yes I do. One thing I enjoy doing is to work out different drum fills and drum parts, transcribe them and then learn to play them. It really opens up your playing a lot, and you increase your drumming vocabulary tremendously.
SDM: Can you tell us about the gear you use?
Marthyn: I’ve been using Meinl Cymbals for quite some time now. I love their sound- perfect cymbals for live and studio playing. Currently I’m using 2 soundcaster medium crashes, 14” soundwave hihats, 20” bell blast ride and a 18” bycance dark china. I love to play fast blast-beats on the china- and the bycance dark china is just perfect for that.
Drumwise I enjoy playing on my TAMA Superstar Hyper Drive. Killer sound!
Regarding my pedals- I’ve been using Axis Pedals for quite some time now. I love their light feel and quick response and in combination with the ekit trigger the axis pedal is the perfect pedal for me.
SDM: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Marthyn: Practice a lot when you are young and have the time to do so. When you get older and start to work as a musician you don’t get that much quality time behind a drumkit. So work your ass off when you are young- it’s gonna pay off later. Try to listen to as much music as you can and stay open minded. Learn to play different styles of music and enjoy to do so. If you love what you are doing- you’re gonna be successful.
SDM: Who gave the best live performance you've ever seen?
Marthyn: Inferno of Behemoth. Really tight playing… amazing to watch.
SDM: Aside from drumming, what else do you like to do?
Marthyn: Everything I do has to do with music and drumming. I’m in the fortunate position to play tours and record albums constantly and make a living out of it. So besides drumming and music I don’t really have a life.
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