Keep up with Tom here:
www.myspace.com/theundercurrent
Tomasz Pilasiewicz was born in December of 1976, in Bialystok, Poland. His first contact with drums was when he was 11 years old, watching his older friends forming bands and jamming. Tomasz has moved with his whole family to Chicago at the age of 13 and lives there since, often visiting his Mother Land. He did not start drumming again until he was 15 and that was in a Thrash Metal band Cerebrum that basically got nowhere.
Sometime later he formed a band with real good friends, Ad Infinitum. Has recorded one demo, Dies Irae with the band and have disappeared from Metal Scene for some time to learn other styles and techniques of drumming. Death Metal band Disinter was what brought Tomasz back into the Death Metal drumming, but with slightly different approach and feel than before. Recorded four albums and two EP’s with the band, but after the second album another project was created, Corphagy, experimental Death/Jazz/Grind/Rock/PsychoSpaceMetal – or whatever Someone wants to call it. Wrote and recorded soon to full-length album named Pi, and one EP/Split. Again, after that Tomasz once again has left the Death Metal drumming aside to join Steve Tucker’s (ex-Morbid Angel) new band, UnderCurrent.
UnderCurrent was a total departure from anything Tomasz has done before. Pink Floyd and Tool inspired experimental musical journey. Then came Gorgasm. Many successful shows around the world in the past two years and one promo recording produced so far with the band. Tomasz is currently writing new Gorgasm album with the band, and in free time giving drum lessons and doing session recordings. After putting together a personal recording studio in his basement, Tomasz have also started working on new UnderCurrent and Corphagy material.
Tomasz Pilasiewicz Interview:
SD.com: How old were you when you started playing?
Tom: My first contact with drums was at age of 11, but I did not start playing “seriously” until I was 15.
SD.com: Did you play in a school band or any drum corps?
Tom: No I did not. My drumming experience in the early days was pretty much based on jamming with garage and basement bands.
SD.com: Ever take any lessons?
Tom: I did take a couple of jazz and drum&bass lessons in the past.
SD.com: Who are your top 5 influences?
Tom: Definitely Sean Reinert. When I have heard “Focus” and “Human” albums, my drumming life and the whole approach towards drumming have changed, Sean was the first to combine the aggression and fines, brutality and dynamics, metal drumming with jazz and fusion. Just an amazing drummer. Second would be Terry Bozzio – I think it is self explanatory… and since I have kept this one short, on the same place would be Krzysztof “Doc” Raczkowski of Vader. What a loss of a great musician and friend. After my first show with Disinter, Doc was the one that have shown me couple of different grind and warm-up techniques that I still use to this day, Third, I have to mention my “old” friend Andy Rusin, original drummer of Forest of Impaled, now drumming for Chicago based Rock band K.W.A. Fourth is Jan Axel Von Blomberg, also know as HellHammer- another drummer that have went outside of “normal” metal drumming and aerie, atmospheric, natural and processed sounds. Just listen to Mayhem’s “Grand Declaration of War” and then “The Sham Mirrors” and You will know exactly what I mean by that. I could still go on with couple more , but in my “top five” I have to mention Trym. What he did on all of his recordings was simply amazing, besides total energy and power, creative and “musical” arrangements.
SD.com: Assuming that influences doesn’t mean favorites, who are your favorites?
Tom: Besides all the ones that I have mentioned above – Dennis Chambers, Kevin Talley, Carter Beauford, Vinnie Colaiuta, Mike Portnoy, Danny Carrey, Gene Hoglan, Flo Mounier, Gene Krupa, Neil Peart, Thomas Lang, Dave Weckl just to name few.
SD.com: Let us know 5 CD’s that are in your current rotation
Tom: Arcturus – The Sham Mirrors, Napalm Death – Enemy of the Music Business, Cynic – Focus, The Dillinger Escape Plan- Miss Machine, Anathema – Judgment.
SD.com: Can you remember a night you think was your best playing ever? If yes, when and where?
Tom: There was probably a couple, most recent two would have to be two shows on Gorgasm’s last European tour, NRD Death Fest in Germany and at Purple Turtle in London.
SD.com: Do you have a favorite brand of drums or cymbals?
Tom: I like my Premier Drums, I have had them for about four years now and they have delivered exactly what I needed from them. I love Zildian A Custom Line, they are great for any type of music. I do like some Sabians as well, especially HHX series.
SD.com: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Tom: Short power nap, coffee and warm up for about half an hour.
SD.com: If you could give one piece of advice to young drummers, it would be…
Tom: Learn to listen, and practice Your ASS off!!! EVERYDAY!!!!!!!
SD.com: Who gave the best live performance you’ve ever seen?
Tom: That is a very tough question. In Death Metal I would have to say Trym, on the Equilibrium IX tour.
SD.com: If you had to stop drumming, what would you want to do with your life?
Tom: I would become a professional Chef. I love cooking… I just wish I had more time to learn everything about it.
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