Corey Pierce

Keep up with Corey here:

myspace.com/godforbid

 

I started playing about 16 years ago or so. It began with a friend of mine that played bongos actually, and I soon became entranced by the instrument. I got my first concert snare with attached low budget extra small cymbal. I thought it was the greatest thing ever! I ended up joining concert band in high school as weell as marching band, jazz ensemble and any other activity I could find involving playing drums. Fortunately for me the band director at my school was not only primarily a drummer, but also taught at 2 drum and bugle corps. Dutchboy, which was a DCI corp and Buschwhackers, which was a DCA corp. Through him I also got put into a position to not just learn alot from him, but meet a lot of guys who were really amazing players. They made me so much stronger, because they were so good that I couldn’t help but get better. Just as a sidenote Pat Petrillo also graduated from my high school and used to come to football games and stuff all the time.

I bounced around into a couple of different drum corps. It started with a very small and low budget corp called SPECTRA and then I bounced around to N.Y.Skyliners, The Boston Crusaders and a couple more down the line. I was also just at the begininng of this finding out about metal. The first metal record I heard was Sin After Sin, by Judas Priest, and that was like 1985 or 1986 I think. But the record that really landed me was MASTER OF PUPPETS. I had never heard anything like it and it just grabbed me right away. The record that actually got me into playing metal drums though, was Slayer “SOUTH OF HEAVEN”. I could not believe the stuff that Dave Lombardo was doing at that time. It was sooo amazing and all I knew was I wanted to play like that. As I got older I realized that it wasn’t enough to try and just play like him, I needed to incorporate everything I learned into my own style and develop as my own person. Something I am still working on today and I am sure will be for the rest of my life. . hahaha. .

Corey Pierce Interview:

SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?

Corey: Technically 14 but seriously 16

 

 

SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?

Corey:
Billy Cobbham
Dennis Chambers
Dave Lombardo
Vinnie Paul
Fred Oltarzewski

 

 

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

Corey: I have so many favorites including all the formentioned and Dave McClain(Machinehead), Chris Adler(Lamb of God), Van Williams(Nevermore), Matt Cameron(Soundgarden), John Bonham, Clyde Stubblefield, Steve Smith, JoJo Mayer, Sheila E. and so,so many more it’s ridiculous. I have a lot of favorites… haha

 

 

 

 

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

Corey:
Queens of the Stone Age-restricted
Beatles-Abbey Road
Opeth-Still Life
Meshuggah-Obzen
Amel Larieux-Bravebird

 

 

SD.com: What do you do to warm up before a show?

Corey:I mostly just stretch before a show and very short hand warm up.Using an old roll exercise called 3 camps it’s the best to get your hands movin and ready to rock!

 

 

SD.com: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?

Corey: I guess the night I most remember was an off date show from ozzfest in 2004. We were playing a show in Iowa with Slipknot and Slayer. I walked on stage, sat down behind my kit, looked over my shoulder and who is standing there but Dave Lombardo and Joey Jordison. I don’t know if it was my best playing night ever, but I can tell you this… I did have one hell of a playing night in front of 2 dudes that I respect immensely.

 

 

 

 

SD.com: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?

Corey: Premier and Meinl

 

 

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

Corey: Make sure you take your time when you practice and don’t rush things. It only makes for bad habits later that you have to correct. Learn how to really groove, because without that soul and heart in your playing, you will find that you just sound like a robot (and that’s when the machines take over)… haha

 

 

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

Corey: Dave Lombardo in Lubbock texas. Watching him play with Slayer in an honest to god lightining storm! It was awesome!

 

 

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

Corey: Cook, play guitar and be a Dad. I would like to be a master chef if you can believe that