Episode 55 | Aric Improta
Welcome to another episode of the DrumGAB podcast. This week we are taking a close look into the life of Aric Improta. Aric is the drummer his long time passion project band Night Verses and more recently has taken the throne for Goldfinger and is also the drummer for The Fever 333. This conversation takes a deep look into his highly diversified year in 2017, his philosophies on his approach to drumming and many stories about his journey over the years and what inspires him.
Who is Aric?
I feel that a lot of people found Aric through his viral Guitar Centre Drum Off video, where he placed second to the incredible Juan Carlito Mendoza (which for the record is probably the most incredible champion solo from that event). Beyond that, people will know him for his video series ADD (Attention Deficit Drumming) that has had well over 100K views in total and then of course he is the drummer for Night Verses.
Aric’s style of play is rather extreme in every aspect. He mixes his love for skateboarding and free running/athleticism with drumming, LIKE NO ONE ELSE. Aric is a one of a kind player. He has made headlines with being the drummer to backflip from one drum set to another during a solo and soon to come Meinl will be releasing a 40 minute drum solo of Aric pulling ideas from his six month creative binge that lead to the ADD video series. All in all, Aric is ALWAYS pushing the boundaries of what is possible on a drum set.
Key Moments in this episode
- Before we even really “begin” the interview we talk about the major changes for him in 2017. He joined two bands, Goldfinger and The Fever 333 and he talks about how a Night Verses had to cancel a tour, which resulted in a six month creative binge. This was the time that he released the ADD videos and a slew of other creative projects. We also talk about how these additions to his work schedule has forced him to be more focused with his time and how he utilizes it to ensure that he is always prepared for gigs, recording, practice and illustrative work.
- Because Aric has such a unique approach and sound, I ask about how much time he invests in discovering new techniques and the development of his sound. Basically his point to the question of discovering “your sound” is about the importance of finding a unique way to blend in. How can you be “you” and still remain inclusive to others and to be an adaptive musician. That is difficult to pull off I think but Aric has some great thoughts on this that listeners can apply to their mental game.
- The next section was an activity that we have never done on the podcast and it may be interesting for you to give this thought as well. I had Aric organize the following components in order of most important to least important - Creativity, Time keeping, Endurance, Independence, Coordination, Groove, Chops, Technique - This is a killer part of the episode.
- Along with drumming, Aric also draws a lot. Something that you often see in his drawings is the “Eye of Providence.” We talk about why he draws this symbol so often and we also explore the three common meanings to the symbol and what it means to Aric. Long story short, Aric will tell me a few years from now. It spirals into a deeper conversation about “creating your own world”. Brian Eno references and the discussion of science vs art for example.
- We wind down by talking about the effect of music. How music can transform your perspectives and how people click with music in their own personal way. At this point great moments were captured and there was weight to this part of the conversation.
- Recapping 2017 and how Aric’s 2018 is looking.
Concluding Thoughts
There are times when I speak with a guest and there is just undeniable synergy. For me, it is tough to relate to most people because I tend to have unpopular tastes and I am very personal with how I feel about most things. So it is rare when I sense someone else comes from a similar place. What this synergy created was a very spontaneous and free flowing conversation that is packed with good vibes. Great points were touched upon and there is a very unique angle to a lot of Aric’s thoughts and I really enjoyed listening to his reasonings.
Another fun aspect of this show was the editing of it. I am a very big fan of abrupt and “vibey” production. I enjoy Aric’s approach with his ADD videos. There is an intangible grime to those videos and I really wanted to model this podcast after that “vibe” and so I used a lot of clips from the ADD videos and they will abruptly come in and partition the conversation at key points that were very intentional and there was an effect I was looking for with each one. Overall, I spent more time on this episode than most because I related to it a lot and it was very fulfilling to make. This is one of my favourite shows I have made so far, Top pick.
Music by: Night Verses
Song: Introducing: The Rot Under The Sun
Album: Lift Your Existence (2013)
Aric’s Bands (Soundcloud links)
Aric’s Socials
Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Night Verses Website
DrumGAB Socials