BATTERY DRUMMER INTERVIEW : Darrin Yardley / Kayotik

1.What is your name and what band do you play for?

My name is Darrin Yardley. I play drums for Kayotik, Continuum and Joetown. I also play in a Swedish Death metal tribute band called Stockholm Syndrome.

 

2.Who made you want to play drums and why?

Peter Criss. I was a huge Kiss fan when I was a little kid.



3.When did you get your first kit? Tell us about it…

I got my first kit when I was 15. It was a 5 pc Ludwig Rocker 2 series kit. Red. No bottom heads, used cymbals and no bass drum pedal! Dude wouldn’t sell it to me. It had entry level Zildjian and Camber cymbals. I loved it! I eventually got a second bass drum and a set of roto toms. I wanted Dave Lombardo’s set!



4.Where your parents supportive of you and your loud / expensive new habit?

Yes and no. They liked the fact that I had an interest in music, but not the drums. I was playing guitar and bass before I got my drums. Those instruments have volume knobs….



5.What drum performance on an album is perfection to you?

Cryptopsy, None So Vile. It’s got everything I like in extreme metal. Fast double bass, slayer beats and blasting!





6.Tell us about your current kit and set up in DETAIL.

 

I play an old Pearl Export kit. 10,12,13,16 toms. Two 22” kicks. I have several different snares I like. There’s a Mapex 14 SS, a 13” Porkpie, A 14 x 10” Slingerland, and I still have the Ludwig snare from my very first kit. I use 14” Zildjian new beat high hats, a 22” Zildjian ping ride. Crashes are all Meinl Custom Classic Extreme Metal. 6”, 8”,16”, 17”, 18”. 16” and 18” China’s. I use Pearl Eliminators. Recently I started using the Footblaster Triggers, but I also use the Roland RT10k or Ddrum triggers. Most of the hardware is either Tama or Pearl with some SPL and Gibraltar.

I have 2 identical sets. One for rehearsal and one that is always packed and ready to go out to a gig. I also have an older Tama Rockstar from the late 80” that I have set up at home. 8,10,12,13,16 two 22” kicks. For the Joetwon gigs, it’s a 3 pc kit with Sabian, Paiste and Zildjian cymbals. I use my Pearl eliminator double pedal. It’s got a 28” x 14 kick, 14 and 18 toms. Mostly Slinglerland with Pearl.

  

7.If you could have a dream kit tell us about it in DETAIL

Basically, the same as above, but in Reference with an 8” tom, and all new hardware! And while we’re dreaming, lets put it all on an Icon rack!



8.Name your top 5 drummers excluding Neil Peart and Mike Portnoy

Clive Burr/Nicko McBrain

Dave Lombardo

Pete Sandoval

Bill Ward

Flo Mounier

It’s hard to narrow it down to these guys, there are so many drummers I like.

  

9. Do you prefer Live or Studio?

I like both very much, but definitely live! There’s nothing better than seeing people getting into what your doing!



10.Do drummers really get all the chicks and if so how do we convince the guitarist?

Wouldn’t know. I was never concerned about that. Now I have a beautiful wife and two awesome kids!