Marci Martinez

Interview by Chaia Milstein, a bass girl in SF.

She's been drumming for over 80% of her life. She can sing and play at the same time. She's friendly and sweet, and her dynamic rock-steady human-metronome playing will definitely crush your mind. Marci Martinez is best known for her drumming with the lesbionic Team Dresch on their 1995 album, Personal Best, but she also plays with The Vegas Beat -- a band named after a friend's van -- and tours around the country with the current version of the Team. In this interview, Marci answers various questions via email about her life and times as one of the musicians on the drummergirl MVP list.

DG:How long have you been playing? (You mentioned elementary school on the phone, so it sounds like a long time.) What inspired you to start?
MM: I have been playing for about 20 years now! I got my first kit when I was 6, but didn't know how to play, just pounded a lot and made a lot of noise every day for hours. I think I was inspired by seeing KC and the Sunshine Band when I was about 5. I liked the drums and how shiny & loud & rhythmic they were.

DG: What was your beginning learning process like? Did you take lessons? Do you do "continuing ed" classes, go to seminars and workshops now? Would you recommend lessons/classes to other women?
MM: When I first started playing, I just practiced A LOT, for hours. I listened to songs that I liked and copied what the drums were doing. I took lessons for about 9 months when I was 9 years old, and played in high school band and marching band. I haven't done any other classes or anything since high school. I think that lessons are a good starting point, but drumming is about getting to know the kit, how it sounds, how loud, beats, and just getting comfortable with the equipment. Nothing can replace just practicing for hours and developing skills.

Name: Marci Y. Martinez
Age: 26
Sign: Gemini
Home: Portland, OR
Current Bands: The Vegas Beat, Team Dresch, solo projects
Previous Bands: Random high school bands, Pimp Slap, Calamity Jane, La Grenuda (with Amanda Kelly and Joanna Bolme)
Day Job: Coffee People
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Discography: Calamity Jane, Pimp Slap, La Grenuda 7"s; various Team Dresch comps, Personal Best (full length); Marigold 7", Longstocking & Team Dresch split 7" (Sub Pop); Vegas Beat (full-length on Candy Ass/Live Transmission)

DG: I saw a videotape of a Portland Girl Convention, and it had clips of you teaching a drum workshop. Right on!! What was that experience like? Have you done anything else like that? On the phone yesterday you said that you're considering teaching more frequently -- I just wanted to encourage you in that because I bet there are tons of women who'd love to have a woman drum teacher, especially for the beginning high learning-curve time.
MM: The Portland Girl Convention drum workshop was scary -- I didn't really know where to start. But once I got into it, I had fun.
DG: Could you share some favorite drum care/tuning tips?
MM: Drum tuning… I always put the heads on, tighten fairly tight, stretch them out, and tune one key to the opposite lug all the way around the head. (Does that make sense?)

DG: Do you read music? Do you play by ear, or do you prefer to go more by the book? How do you signal changes?
MM: I don't read music, and I play by ear. I signal changes by the guitar rhythm or vocal changes.

DG: Do you have a favorite drummer? If so, what are the qualities that you admire most about them?
MM: My favorite drummers would be old John Bonham (Led Zep), Neil Peart (Rush) -- for the speed, accuracy, and wacky offbeat timing. Nowadays I love Ed from Versus -- very straightforward and intricate. And, of course, Janet Weiss for her skill and speed. [Editor's note: see drummergirl's interview with Janet.]

DG: What's the greatest compliment you've been given about your drumming?
MM: I've had comments that I never get off beat, like when Jody Bleyle said, "'Tinez, you're like a fucking drum machine!" That was a nice compliment.

DG: What do you do if a guy condescends to you (asks if you need help carrying your drums, etc.)? What was your best comeback to an ignorant comment about your drumming?
MM: I used to carry my drums by myself, but these days if someone wants to help me, I say KNOCK YOURSELF OUT! Just that much less work for me!

DG: Do you think being a woman in a male-dominated profession is a help, a hindrance, or something else? (Or D, All of the above.) Why? Do you find differences between playing with males and females?
MM: Women in rock is not such a novelty (where being a woman musician was at the same time a help and a hindrance) as it was when I was 18 or 19 and in all-women bands. The male dominance affected me more then because I was young, shy, non-confrontational, and had little self-confidence. Ahhh, how a few years can build a spine! Women in the rock world have figured out that it is not going to be THE MAN who gets their music out there -- it is the support network of other women. As it has to do with whether I prefer to play music with boys or girls, I don't play music with boys (unless his name is Richard and he plays with Versus).

DG: What do you believe a drummer's role is in a band?
MM: A drummer's role is to keep the BEAT. Also to contribute to the ensemble and the creative process.

DG: When you close the door and rock out, what's on your stereo? What bands do you play along to?
MM: Usually I listen to Versus, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson (pre-Bad era), Motown, soul, Culture Club, George Michael, & dance music. In the privacy of my room I play an excellent air keyboard.

DG: What drumming resources (stores, books, teachers, magazines, etc.) do you recommend?
MM: This site will probably go far to inspire other women to get out there and learn drumming!

DG: Any tour tales you'd like to share?
MM: No tour tales...

DG: Do you have any general advice for aspiring drummergirls?
MM: My advice is to get some sticks and play loud!

Martinez on the Web
Sound clip
"She's Crushing My Mind" from Team Dresch's Personal Best
(44khz) http://www.chainsaw.com/audio/clip1_a.wav
(22khz) http://www.chainsaw/com/audio/clip1_b.wav

Team Dresch pom-pom squad http://www.chainsaw.com/docs/dresch.html (official) http://members.aol.com/Ringard/team.htm (unofficial)

Vegas Beat pit stop (Marci is the one being nuzzled on the ear) http://www.monsterbit.com/candyass/vegasbeat.html