Romain Goulon

 

Keep up with Romain here:

www.myspace.com/disavoweddm

 

 

I was born in Cannes in 1981 in the French southern. When I was twelve, I decided to learn drums, so my parents inscribed me at the Cannes Musical conservatoire in 1993, soon I played with musicians in rock bands, with some grunge and metal influences. My first date was in a small pub in 1994 . It was the time with Metallica, Nirvana,Gun’s Roses… I had been improving my playing with two drums teachers, and too tonic solfa in a collective lesson every week during eight years. Later, in 1996, I joined my first serious band, named Leek Eyes,we recorded a demo in 1997 and used to play shows. We created Disharmony in 2000 with the ex guitar player and a new line up. In 2001, I joined Imperial Sodomy after the band had recorded their first full length album, and I started playing more shows, bigger gigs like festivals and other gigs in France and even in Netherlands and Belgium , we made our first tour for one week.

In 2003, we wrote the second Imperial Sodomy’s album, then in october 2004 “Demolished” was out for an international release on Diamond productions, it was my first official recording. (Imperial Sodomy : (Demolished/2004/Diamond Productions) In 2003, I also joined Agressor, one of the first european death metal band created in 1986,  I recorded drums in July 2004 for the next album which was out in november 2006 on Season of Mist : It is my second official recording. (Agressor : Deathreat/2006/SOM) In 2003, I joined Belef , the first full lenght album had been recorded in 2002, and released on February 2005 on the famous extreme metal english label Candlelight records, so I don’t feature on this album, but of course on the next one ! This band is only a studio purpose, not a live band, we will work on the new album later.(2007) In 2003, we also finished the composition of the first Disharmony ‘s album then we recorded it in 2004 and the old songs were left. So this album is one instrumental song during about 45 minutes with influences from metal progressive bands like Dream theater, Liquid Tension, Andromeda, and guitar heroes 80’s school like Cacophony and many others… Unfortunatly, this album was not officially released since the guitar player who composed it decided to stop… (Disharmony :”Reversed Involution”/2004/Autoproduction) On summer 2005,I decided to leave Imperial Sodomy for personal reasons.

In 2006, I joined the dutch band Arsebreed (features Disavowed and ex-Pyaemia members) who have just released their first album “Munching the rotten” in october 2005 on Neurotic records. I don’t feature on the recording but on the next one. In the same time, Disavowed asked me to join them , we recorded the new album that will be released in february 2007 with tours in the entire world. Disavowed  signed on the Neurotic Records. (Disavowed : “Stagnated Existence”/2007/Neurotic Records)

 

 

• More Sick Video From Romain

 

 

Metal Drumsolo (Part one)

Metal Drumsolo (Part two)

Metal Drumsolo (Part three)

These next video clips are explained in French:

Blast beat lesson by Romain Goulon (Part one) – (Part two) – (Part three) – (Part four)

 

 

Romain Goulon Interview:

 

 

SD.com: When did you start playing drums?

Romain: I started playing drums when I was around 12, I am now 25.

 

 

SD.com: Did you play in any school band or drum corps?

Romain: No, I have never played in a school band or things like that … I used to play with friends from the school but besides school.

 

 

SD.com: Have you ever taken any lessons?

Romain: Yes, I had been learning drums during 8 years in a Music School called Conservatoire in France, it helped me a lot to become open minded, and learn many different kinds of playing. Later , I have been working on my instrument watching jazz and groove videos, and also reading exercises on polyrythms, interdependance…

 

 

SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?

Romain: … always difficult to answer this question…  Let’s say : I use to split in two parts – Metal drummers : Derek Roddy (it was the first really fast double bass player I heard, of course, now there are George Kollias, and many others), Gene Hoglan, Dave Lombardo. Others : Virgil Donati, Dave Weckl

 

 

 

 

SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?

Romain: Sorry, but influence means favorite for me…lol. The reason is when I discover a new amazing drummer, I am interested in understanding what he plays, his skills, technics … Most of the time, then I am influenced by them.

 

 

SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation

Romain: Well, actually I play a lot myself, and apart the fact I like to be informed and listen to many new releases in order to know what’s going on and how bands sound nowadays, I don’t listen to a lot of cds, or only when I am with friends.

– Disavowed « Stagnated Existence » ( as we just finished the mix !)

– Slayer : « Christ illusion »

– Virgil Donati : « On the virg »

– Suffocation : « Suffocation »

– Psycroptic : « Symbols of Failure »

 

 

SD.com: Do you practice any specific rudiments or combo’s regularly?

Romain: I split my time in two parts : One working on my feet endurance, speed, tightness and songs of my bands. For the feet endurance, I do a long rehearsal (3 or 4 hours) a day per week to really force : I play with a click track, first 200 bpm 16 th notes, and keep it 5 minutes.Then, 210, 220, … Finally, I play songs or improvise without click, just with my feeling, play very fast double bass.

One other part working on groove drumming, polyrythms, technical exercises…  For polyrythms, I use to play an ostinato for exemple with left hand-left foot, and improvise right hand-right foot, I like to find new skills, that mean creative ideas,weird sounding and counting …

 

 

 

 

SD.com: What is your favorite part of your drum kit?

Romain: Cymbals … I love playing with different sounds, notes. I hear so many drummers hitting a crash just because it sounds powerfull, and use it just like a noise. I really enjoy playing melodies on cymbals, it adds something interesting to the music you play, weird atmospheres even when you play extreme metal.

 

 

SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to younger drummers, it would be…

Romain: Believe in what you do, be patient, it takes years to play comfortably, don’t be focused on how much you want to earn with music, it became  quite impossible to play in an extreme band and live by it nowadays, you have a find a job besides, that’s why take it first as a nice hobby, not as a professional purpose.

 

 

SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?

Romain: I never remember all the shows I ve seen… Perhaps it was Necrophagist one year ago in France., but I have seen many amazing performances…

 

 

SD.com: If you had to stop drumming, what else do you want to do with your life?

Romain: I prefer not to imagine that … I realized that I was too much obscessed by music, and now I try to focuse more on my personal life, that does not mean I spend less time to music !!! hahahahaha !