THE METAL TIMES: BATTERY DRUM INTERVIEW Thibaud / Swarmageddon

Friday, October 30, 2020

BATTERY DRUM INTERVIEW Thibaud / Swarmageddon

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

Hi. My name is Thibaud and I play drums for Swarmageddon (Besançon, France).

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

I entered the world of music playing very young, as a saxophonist. I started drums in parallel, in a music school, when I was in college, mainly because of three things : the metal music I was listening to (and my fascination for this instrument I could hear), the opportunity of beeing in a band (punk one at the time), and because I always wanted to play this instrument (didn’t have the space for at first, and chose saxophon... what I absolutely don’t regret). But if I’ve to answer to the question « who », I can just say : my dad.

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

Wow, that was a very simple, basic and cheap one (from the « Deep » brand) I got from my parents when beginning learning drums at the music school, with just a hi-hat, a crash and a ride. Basic and cheap, but it did the job for many years... notably including a heavy brass Mapex snare and my first double pedal.

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

It took years, but they finally accepted my new habit. For this, my dad built me a small drum studio in my parent’s house basement. I could this way play at a bearable volume for their ears and brains (especially when playing along some System of a Down... and even more, Cryptopsy stuff).

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

I would say Alex Rudinger on « Conquering Dystopia » eponym album. Just listen and drool... no need to say more.

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

I often change my kit configuration, trying new options, from small kits to bigger ones (I’m currently tending to reduce my drumkit). My latest kit consists of a Pearl Master Custom MMX (08’’, 10’’, 12’’, 16’’, 22’’), with Meinl cymbals (mainly Byzance Serie), mounted on a Pearl DR502 C rack (or DW boomstands, depending on the stage configuration), DW hardware, Axis Longboard Double Pedal with Footblaster triggers (they are just awesome), and a Roland TM-2 module. I recently switched my deep Vinnie Paul signature snare for a Van Kleef Custom « 7empest » full bronze 14’’x8’’ one.

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

I’ve to much type of dream kit and configurations in mind to just choose one at that time. But Alan (Van Kleef), if you hear me, a full custom aluminium drum kit would be more than a dream (keep in touch again with you in the future... not too far I hope).

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

If I’ve to choose (and it’s quite a hard thing), I would say : Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy - For introducing me to Extreme Drumming), Danny Carey (Tool - For his recognizable and creative polyrhythmic fills, acoustic/electronic mixing), Matt Garstka (Animals As Leaders - For his amazing ghost notes and chops grooves), Travis Orbin (Darkest Hour - This man is just a freaking beast... a machine) and Chris Coleman (Independent - Groove, feeling and power united).