Do you become frustrated at the lack of opportunity to improvise?

"I’ve graduated to a position where I don’t need to play the same way each night, as long as I don’t surprise her with some displaced linear rhythm that’s going to throw her off. In rehearsal I still play the same way all the time because she’s working on her choreography, she wants to sing in tune and if she’s playing guitar she wants to feel comfortable.

"The idea is to get her into a comfort zone and when she’s on the road killing it night after night I make changes in the fills, add more ghost notes or mess with the kick patterns a little bit. The lengths and tempos are set, the freedom I have is in the subtleties. She doesn’t dictate the fills or beats I have to play.

"I guess part of the psychology of being a freelance is you have to find out what makes the singer comfortable."

Liked this? Now read: Drum kits of the pros: stars' live and studio drum setups in pictures

Connect with MusicRadar: via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

Get MusicRadar straight to your inbox: Sign up for the free weekly newsletter