Dillinger Escape Plan sticksman Billy Rymer is a modern metal master, a king of odd time and a technical wizard. So it should come as little surprise that his drum hero is a prog icon.
"I grew up on '70s prog rock. As a child my favourite drummer was Carl Palmer, who is of course very technical, complex and had a huge drumset. Watching him play was like watching a fireworks show. For me, early on it had to be loud, fast, aggressive and powerful."
But, Palmer isn't Rymer's only drum hero, as he matures he admits that his love of groove has spawned some new idols.
"The older I'm getting, the more my taste is shifting towards groove and having appreciation for minimalist perfection and making the least amount of notes feel good. Questlove is a perfect example of that, Chad Smith as well amongst many others. It's like that old saying, you can play three chords for 3,000 people or 3,000 chords for three people."
“They all said he was crazy. The whole industry said he's going off the deep end. Who would even buy a guitar or a piano over the internet? And he just stuck to his guns. For him everything was doable": See behind the scenes as Thomann turns 70
Roland’s SPD-SX Pro electronic drum pad is an industry standard for hybrid drumming, and you can save $200 on one: but only if you’re quick!
