Keep up with Scott here:
www.deathevokation.com
www.myspace.com/deathevokation
Scott basically fell into drumming when he was 16 after many failed attempts as a guitarist to find a drummer that could play what he was looking for. The blastbeat just seemed to be a mystery. He decided to jump on the kit himself and learn the ropes. As time wore on, so did his love for drumming.
In 2001, he joined the brutal deathmetal band Warface and spent 5 years writing music as well as establishing his technique and style. Warface performed many shows and recorded two CD’s, the first being a self-titled demo and the second being the full-length album, “Insanity of the Obsessed”, for Deathquake Records.
In 2005, he parted ways with Warface and joined the old-schoolers in Deathevokation. After only a few months of playing with Deathevokation, they entered the studio and recorded the full-length album, “The Chalice of Ages”, for Xtreeme Music. Deathevokation’s musical style opened up many new doors for Scott that enabled him to not only adapt to the new style, but also add his own style that he had been developing with Warface into the music.
Scott’s passion for music and drumming keeps him motivated to continue practicing and open-minded to learn as much as he can so he can incorporate his knowledge into any musical project he gets involved in. At the end of the day though, it’s strictly about just having fun and making memories.
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Scott Ellis Interview:
SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?
Scott: I have always been interested in the drums and would jump on kits whenever I could, but I didn’t become a full-time drummer until I was 17. I was a guitarist prior to being a drummer. I could never seem to find anyone that could play the type of drumming that I needed so I just decided to do it myself. I officially went full time when I joined Warface.
SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Scott: Nope, I was just a garage musician. Now I wish I had.
SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?
Scott: Ricky Myers (Disgorge) has been my biggest influence because I would always hang out in his band’s practice room so I could watch them play. He was the person I learned the most from that really got me started down the path of deathmetal drumming. I love his style and the guy is a machine! George Kollias is another drummer that I am greatly influenced by. Not just his drumming but his personality and the way he contributes to the drumming community. My other three main influences would be John Longstreth, Pete Sandoval, and Alex Hernandez (formerly of Immolation).
SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Scott: My influences are definitely my all-time favorite drummers, but I also enjoy the work of other drummers, such as Tyson Jupin (Vile, Warface). Talk about a perfectly solid, fast drummer. I’m really into Tony Royster Jr., just for style’s sake. Another on my list would be Rory Packard (Under the Stone). You have to see him; he is absolutely insane on the kit. There’s just too many to list.
SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation
Scott:
Nile: Ithyphalic (AMAZING!!!)
Deathevokation: The Chalice of Ages
Disgorge: She Lay Gutted
Gojira: From Mars to Sirius
Immolation: Close to a world below
SD.com: What do you do to warm up before a show?
Scott: I stretch all the muscles in my arms, hands, and legs and then just warm up with singles. It’s all pretty normal really. Oh, and I have to get a beer or two with some friends. There’s nothing better than having a few laughs and then getting up on stage in a super good mood
SD.com: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Scott: Actually I can. There was a show a while back when I was playing in Warface. We got a last minute call to fill a timeslot for a show with Cattle Decapitation. We literally ran into the jam room, jammed half the set, and left for the show. We played so well and had such a good time. Everything was just solid and we were just on it. The NRW Deathfest was my Deathevokation highlight. Using another drummer’s kit was so weird, but even though I was missing almost everything on a kit I’m used to
having, we played really well and had the most amazing time.
SD.com: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Scott: For drums I would say Pearl or DW. For cymbals I am a huge fan of the Sabian AAX series and I have a few Zildjin’s on my kit. I love both brands; everything I’ve had has always been of super quality.
SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Scott: Well, obviously practice and learn as much as you can, whether it be from lessons, other drummers, books.whatever it takes for you to soak up as much knowledge as you can and then just sit on the kit and practice. The most important piece of advice I would give though would be to join a band! I’m sure every drummer on here in a band can say being in a band is essential. You can’t go wrong with a group of good friends having a ton of fun, but at the same time pushing each other’s skills and being in the environment where you can produce fresh, new material.
SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Scott: Despondency at the NRW Deathfest this year. My god, I’m still speechless from that performance. Those guys absolutely KILLED!!! To put it in perspective, my singer / guitarist is an old-school metal head to the bone and does not like brutal deathmetal, and yet he was still completely floored. We talked about it for days after the show.
SD.com: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?
Scott: My life wouldn’t be much different than it is now. I work for a civil engineering firm, enjoy spending time with my wife-to-be, hang out with my friends as much as possible and make stupid movies in the process, play video games, and am a computer geek. I am lucky that I am able to balance both worlds at the same time.
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