Keep up with Shawn here:
I started playing drums 12 years ago. I actually started playing guitar 13 years ago but I ended up being the drummer because everyone else sucked. Once I got going it quickly became my favorite instrument. I remember the first song I learned was ‘killing in the name of’ by Rage Against The Machine. The beats on that album were simple enough that I could figure
them out on my own.
The first band I was in I played guitar for, but about a year after that I was playing drums for some gutter punk garage band. I always loved heavy music. The problem I had is finding musicians that wanted to play the same kind of music as I did. It took me ten years to find the right people. Until then, I watched dvds and asked other drummers questions to help
myself progress to the drummer I am today.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=18194697
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=17850369
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=14151780
Shawn Cameron Interview:
SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?
Shawn: I was 15 when I started dabbling with the drums. I bought my first drum set when I was 17. It was a Frankenstein drum set. They were all different drums from different sets.
SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Shawn: Nope. Never had one lesson.
SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?
Shawn: Joey Jordison(Slipknot), David Silvera(Korn), Nicholas Barker(Ex Dimmu Borgir etc), Cory Grady(Original Black Dahlia Murder Drummer), Shannon Lucas(Current Black Dahlia Murder Drummer)
SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Shawn: Joey Jordison(Slipknot), Lech(Through The Eyes of The Dead), Elliott Sellers(Former Job For A Cowboy), Tim Yeung(Divine Heresy)
SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation
Shawn: I listen to whatever the rest of the guys in the band are playing on the stereo in the van but when I drive it’s Aborted, The Black Dahlia Murder. When I drive believe it or not Incubus is playing a lot. Old Korn is a favorite to jam out to. The fifth spot is open for all the cds that I see in the cd case but never listened to.
SD.com: What do you do to warm up before a show?
Shawn: I generally sit with my kick pad and drum pads and warm my feet up first. After that I warm up my hands and play our set about 5 or 6 times. When I’m done playing a song I’ll work on whatever part I feel I don’t play well enough. Every show has to be the best I’ve ever played.
SD.com: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Shawn: When we toured with MyChildren MyBride and With Blood Comes Cleansing we played this place called Vito’s Pizzeria in Georgia. We played upstairs in this tiny little room with about 150 kids packed in like sardines. I was stoked about how I played that night. Another night would be when we showcased for Victory Records in Chicago. Perfect set!
SD.com: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Shawn: I play Zildjian A Custom cymbals. It’s plain and simple, I love how they sound. I would play Sabian Vault cymbals as well because they are almost identical. I don’t care what kind of drums I play as long as they have Evans heads on them. I play a Pearl Export drum set though.
SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Shawn: Practice til you die !!!!!! OR Practice your technique. It’s so important that you learn how to play properly. I waisted so much time practicing the wrong things. I would be so much further along if I would’ve learned the proper technique first.
SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Shawn: Joey Jordison hands down. That dude is amazing live. Played everything perfectly.
SD.com: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?
Shawn: What I’d want to do and what I could do are different. I’d like to start a recording studio and produce bands but if I were to quit drumming right now then I would bartend and figure it out from there. who knows, maybe I’d get there eventually.
SD.com Do you have any hobbies or other interests outside of drumming?
Shawn: Flair Bartending. Juggling bottles of alcohol and raking in the dough is a good time!
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