Drummer Loren Weisman on Music, Humility, and Messaging in a blog slideshow from Brand Communications & Optics Strategist Loren Weisman.
Drummer Loren Weisman on Music, Humility, and Messaging.
Drummer Loren Weisman on…
Early Dreams and Drum Fails
Sitting behind the drum kit, Loren thought it would boost his confidence and maybe score him lunch with a cute girl. Instead, it mostly led to sweaty arms and blisters in awkward places. Picture young Loren deciding that the family law tradition wasn’t for him because legal pads were nowhere near as exciting as snare pads. When he played the drums, all the homework stress, heartbreaks, and existential dread just faded away. Not that it made him cool; it was just loud.
Drummer Loren Weisman and Ghost Drumming: Spooky and Unpaid (Sort Of)
Ghost drumming sounds all mysterious, but the only spooky part is how often you end up playing without getting credit, kind of like a musical witness protection program. Loren remembers recording for bands that wanted their own drummer’s name on the album, even though their drummer’s groove came with a side of “totally lost the tempo.” Loren’s gig was to play perfectly and then disappear, usually before the drummer got jealous. Once, he even had to teach the official drummer the parts he’d played on the album… which were played by Loren. You know you’re expendable when your job description is “drum, vanish, and deny it all.”
Tour Life with Drummer Loren Weisman:
Black T-Shirts, Band Vans, and Snack Tragedy
Spinal Tap taught us that drummers can spontaneously combust. Loren never blew up from pyrotechnics, but he did almost choke in band vans that smelled like old gym socks. Touring is awesome; unless you’re the drummer. Packing up means carrying twelve cases up stairs to the so-called green room, which is really just a supply closet. The fanciest snack on his rider? Once, it was a granola bar that hadn’t melted. True success isn’t a gold record; it’s crunchy snacks in summer.
Drummer Loren Weisman and Mess-Ups in the Studio and Unlikely Wisdom
Studio wisdom says you’re only as good as your last take. Loren’s last take was usually “Hey, who hit that tom early?” No one suspects the ghost drummer; especially when the real drummer is still lost in the bathroom. But through it all, Loren picked up some valuable lessons. Every mistake and off-beat came with its own punchline and a reminder: in music, humility is key.
Drumming: The Business and The Zen Philosophy
While most musicians crave the spotlight, Loren was cool with chilling in the shadows. Not every beat needs your name on it; sometimes, nailing the groove for someone else is the real art. Humility and silence (literally) became his thing. For Loren, “ghost drumming” meant keeping secrets, earning respect from producers, and improvising when the official drummer of some certain band started freaking out and calling his yoga coach.
Great Wisdom from the Sidelines
Loren loves to share his advice: being steady and invisible is what makes the music… and the business, work. He often quotes his classics: “Do your morals, honor, and ethics only come across in your words? Or do they also show up in your works, your actions, and your deeds?” While Spinal Tap had Stonehenge, Loren has metaphors about messaging strategy, humility, and drumming with gloves on (don’t ask).
If Ghosts Could Boast…
If Loren’s drumsticks could talk, they’d tell stories of late-night dance-offs with vacuum cleaners and notes scribbled on pizza boxes. Every ghost drummer’s motto: “Stay humble, keep the beat, and sneak out before the smoke machine starts.” Like Spinal Tap’s famous dial, Loren knows when to turn life up to eleven; just not his ego.