BATTER DRUMMER INTERVIEW : Dustin Cates / John Woodson’s Leg

My name is Dustin Cates and I play for John Woodson’s Leg.
  

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

Alex Van Halen!
Roth AND Hagar era!
His drum style caught my attention because it’s was straight forward, yet more musical than his contemporaries.
Then, I found Lars!
His timing and sense of groove is what made me feel like I could play the drums.
People give me shit, but I’m not ashamed!


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

I was playing guitar back in those days with a friend of mine on bass... We were probably 15 years old or so.
Another friend of ours found an old trap set somehow and we commenced the jamage!
Eventually, due to my curiosity and my friend’s lack of interest, I adopted those drums and painted them black!
Over the next few years I Frankensteined my setup with whatever I could find.
Eventually I found a 5-piece Pearl Export and used it for ages before I finally started upgrading my kit.


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

Yes, my mom has always been supportive.
The jam room used to be in her basement for years!
We could jam until all hours. We just couldn’t START late. That was the only real stipulation.

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

Everything Gojira has ever done.

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

Now I play a 14x6.5 Ludwig Black Beauty snare with Pearl Reference Drums (12x9, 13x10, 16x16, 22x18) and Zildjian A Custom’s. (14” hi hats, 17”, 18”, 18”, 18” heavy crashes and a 20” ride)
  

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

My dream kit is basically my current kit with two kick drums instead of the double pedal. Maybe with a rack instead of stands...

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

Alex Van Halen
Lars Ulrich
Vinnie Paul Abbott
Mario Duplantier
Dave Lombardo


9. Do you prefer Live or Studio?
  

 Live! The work in the studio is important, but we record and release music for an excuse to go out and play that music live for people.

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

Wait, drummers get chicks???!!! wtf