Name: Melissa Jane York
Age: 32
Birthday: 02.22.69
Sign: Pisces
Bands: The Butchies, Team Dresch, Vitapup, the Rings, Sugar Shock
Been Playing: 10, maybe 11 years
Place of Residence: Durham, NC
First Gig: ABC No Rio with my first band, The Manacled
First Concert Experience: Allman Brothers
What's in the CD Player?: New Order - Get Ready, Peace Orchestra, Fugu, Spearhead's latest release, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Turn-ons: Sweet Talk or Bossy Talk
Turn-offs: Crankiness

Honing her skills through air-drumming, Melissa York is now the drummer for the explosive North Carolina-based power-punk trio The Butchies. The Butchies have put out three studio albums on the Mr. Lady record label, and are the backing band for Indigo Girl Amy Ray with her latest, "Stag". Just home after a day of graphic design work, Melissa put down the can of EZ-Cheeze for Drummergirl's phone call.

MELISSA'S SOUND

DG: You've gone through a few different noises lately. What's your favorite kind of set up - kit wise, and extra percussion elements that you bring in?
MY: My drum set right now is a Pearl Export - Chrome - put a magnet on it, it'll stick. I love the drums. They sound great - they're like my baby. And then I have a 12" rack tom, 16 " floor tom, and a 22" bass drum, my snare is a Pearl 5 1/4, maple. Free floating, Love it. Loud.

DG: Hi-hat? Cymbals?
MY: Well, I'm different with brands on those. My ride is a Zildjan rock ride, 20"; crash - it varies. But right now, I'm into the K Zildjian series. And I like 16" and I play 14" Sabian hi-hats. AA hats. I've had 'em for a while. During Vitapup, I was breaking them every 2 months, and when I sat down in the store, I really liked the way these sounded.

DG: Accents? Extra percussion things?
MY: Well, I really like cowbell when we record. I love tambourine, I love the egg. I have another weird snare, one of the Remo Mondo drums, sort of a hybrid between a djembe and a regular drum-set drum. A bongo-type head with snares on the bottom. And I love anything that I can grab that makes noise. Even Jiffy-pop popcorn and stuff.

DG: When you tune - what do you tune to?
MY: Pretty much what I like at the moment. No chords or anything. It was something I taught myself. When I first started tuning the kit that I have now, these guys I would see at shows would come up to me and tell me how I was tuning them too low, always criticizing me. But I was like "Dude, it's my sound!" It's not like it's flappy, they're fucking booming. It's not like a Neil Peart boo boo booo booo. It's got...phatness to it. That's what I like. So even now, when we're at different rock clubs, the sound guys'll say to me, "You have some great-sounding drums."

DG: So how do you transport your gear?
MY: The band has a van, its name is Suzanne. She's an '84 Dodge Ram.

DG: When on tour, how do you plan for replacing gear? Not every town has a drum store.
MY: Well, usually when I'm on tour, I'll go out with a case of sticks, a couple boxes, 'cuz I'm breaking 2 sticks a night. Those are Vic Firth 5As, with a wood tip, since I can't handle the nylon tip. I hit so hard that those tips'll just fly right off, which is pretty annoying. I started (giggle) really heavy when I was younger. But I got lighter and lighter. I actually like Vaters better, but they're pretty expensive.

TECHNIQUE
Learning and Practice

Melissa plays righty, but she's switched sides on occasion to build her left.
MY: "Every now and then I try to do that as far as practice goes for me. I try to build my left more by playing an open hi-hat like that. But I remember, I think driving a car forces you to do lefty. Since when you're driving, you have to use your left foot as the bass-drum pedal. Well, if you're on the highway, you can't very well use your right one, now can you? I haven't done it full-on Phil Collins, where the bass drum is on the left, but I have done the open hi-hat thing. Open arms-type thing.

DG: Did you ever take lessons?
MY: No. When I first started out, I never took lessons. I had my first lesson a year ago (summer 2000). I got to the point where I just felt like I wanted to do it. And I was like - #@%* it. I wanna do it now. And I did it for like - a month. But it's something that I want to do more. Because I think I've taught myself everything that I can. It's also cool to drum with someone else too. My drum teacher (Robert Shi - Drum Lab) - he was the one who said - "hey let's play where you're playing lefty on the hi-hat." He really wanted to have it be hard for me. More on Drum Lab - "It's pretty advanced. He's got a bunch of people working for him there in Raleigh, NC. He's doing a summer drum camp...and he does lessons on a month-to-month basis. It was really hard for me, being on tour to commit to a month. But it's something that I need to talk to him about arranging further. He does these 2-hour sessions and you can pay for just the two hours. He's really into ostinatos [repeating rhythmic patterns]. He wants to build the drummer's ambidextrial - he wants to make you be more ambidextrous. Not to have one foot always following a hand...

DG: So, when you are building your drum skills, what do you do? Are there certain things that you'll learn and listen to?
MY: I'll definitely air-drum stuff. The last thing was Missy Eliot - something from Supa Dupa Fly. That song "Beep me 911" or whatever... (demonstrates with mouth drum) That was the freshest thing. I'm all about bass drum. I love John Bonham, with all those bottom -heavy things.

DG: When you practice, what's your regimen like?
MY: The whole thing for me, when I first started to play, when I first had the desire to play, I was in a one-bedroom apartment with my mother and my two brothers [in New Jersey]. So there was absolutely no room for drums. So I would air drum to Donna Summer, Haircut 100, all these different groups that I was into at the time. I always had this dream that I wanted to play drums and I would mention it to my mom. And my mom was like "Good luck".

DG: But it wasn't just a fad with you.
MY: As I got old enough, and started having more friends who were musicians, I would just end up playing the drums there. But still...learning everything by air-drumming. When I tried out for Born Again, the first time, I had air drummed their songs. So actually getting behind a kit, I was pretty lousy, because I wasn't used to it. But at least I knew where everything was. Eventually, I played with a couple of bands and got involved with this band called Sugar Shock, from Hoboken, NJ. They only had drums in rehearsal, so they needed a drum set. That was the first kit I had to buy, and it's the kit I play now. My Pearl Export. Well, being in New York, it's really hard to practice your drums. Having to deal with a set studio time that was just set up for the band...that's kind of how I stayed in that way. I didn't really sit behind the drums and practice.

DG: Yeah that's rough. It'd be ideal to have your own space and your own time, in an insulated room so that you don't feel stupid trying stuff out.
MY: That's true. For a while though, I was like - well it's kinda boring to play drums on your own. But now I've realized that's not true. But it's also a time issue - and when I do have the time, I'd much rather practice with the Butchies and have us write songs and stuff like that. So as far as practicing, it's something that I want to do more of, but I really do it with the band.

PLAYING WITH THE BAND

DG: Currently you're playing drums for the Butchies, and you've recorded and toured with Amy Ray. So when you guys are writing songs, how does that happen?
MY: Well, we do it in a bunch of different ways. Sometimes I'll have an idea for a drum beat that I really want to be in a song and I'll play it over and over until Alison [Martlew] comes up with a bass line that works with it. Or Kaia [Wilson] (guitar). Or sometimes we'll just jam and I'll stick with a groove and I'll have them come to me and work around me and we'll end up making a song. And I love that - that hippy jam type thing. But sometimes - it just really doesn't work out at all. You know how that is. The other way is when Kaia comes in with a song laid out and she'll come to both of us to play the song. We'll pick at it and cut and paste things, all three of us will make it better. Sometimes Kaia will come in with something that needs no work at all. Before the Butchies, I was working with Kaia, who would give me a tape of something she'd done on a 4-track, and I'd come up with a drum part. Then we'd later bring in Alison. So it was kind of a process where the drums and guitar were really tight and then the bass player has to come in and make something fit.

DG: You were a drummer for Team Dresch. How did you hook up with them?
MY: Well, I got a call from Kaia, her band was touring, and she'd heard about Vitapup doing a lot of homocore in the area and wanted to book a show with us and have it be a queer show. So we developed a friendship over those two shows that Vitapup played in Philly and New York. Apparently, and I found this out later, when they saw me play, they were like, "We have to have her." Things weren't working out with their current drummer Marcie. Later on when they got back from that tour, I'd heard that they'd kicked Marcie out of the band. So then Kaia calls me up and says, "Do you wanna join Team Dresch?" I was in shock, like "wow..." It wasn't like a Bob Barker thing, (SCREAM) though. I wasn't sure what to do, cuz they're on the west coast, I'm on the east coast. So I thought about it and I looked to the sky - I didn't want to leave New York, but it all worked out. I lived on the west coast for 4 months out of the year, and then it worked out real good, that band breaking up...(laughing) - but Kaia and I knew that we wanted to play music together. We knew that we had a connection. When the European tour was over, we stayed in touch and I drummed on her second solo record. Eventually I moved to Durham, NC, we found Alison, and we formed a band.

DG: So back when you were with Vitapup, you were collaborating with men-folk. What was that like as opposed to the sisterhood now?
MY: Vitapup was a great experience. There are definitely parts of Vitapup that I try to bring into the Butchies. As far as the whole vibe thing goes, we were punk, but...we would do these stage jams and we were pretty comfortable with ourselves and some people get pretty scared of that - "when are they gonna stop?" But we would never do it for too long. It's those groove things that I try to bring to the Butchies - we all have our tangents.

DG: Yeah, that disco thing pops up now and then.
MY: Well, I love the groove. I love the dance beat. It probably has something to do with me air-drumming to Donna Summer. The four on the floor thing. I love that s***.

DG: How about drum n' bass licks?
MY: Well, in Vitapup I would do stuff like that. And I bring it in with the Butchies - like on "Wedding Disaster". I like a lot of 16th note on the hi-hat, and ...triplets. I loooove triplets. So pretty much on every record, I try to incorporate triplets somewhere. But sometimes you get to the point where you say, "maybe a standard rock beat is best for this song." When I was younger, with Vitapup, even in the beginning of the Butchies, conflicting about how I would try so hard to be different - to think of something totally different for the drum part, change the beats and whatnot. Now, as I'm getting older, I stop and think about what's best for the song. There has to be a groove, and there has to be headbanging in parts. If you're constantly changing the beat around, people lose their rhythm. And it's all about the energy. What we try, what I strive for is making it powerful and having people feel you.

PERSONAL BEST

DG: What's the best compliment you've ever received?
MY: One of the best ones I ever received - "You're awesome. Even if I was deaf, I'd know what you'd be playing. " That was a @$&*ing crazy compliment. Actually, the guy who does our website - he's deaf - and he lives in Oregon. He was at one of our shows, and had an interpreter with him. And well, as you know, I like to pick out people and talk to them from the stage at our shows. So I saw him there and I told that same story, and I looked at him after the "Even if I was deaf" line and he gave me a big thumbs-up! It was just so great. He was like "I can totally relate."

DG: Have you ever had anything on the opposite end of the spectrum happen to you, like the "I didn't know you were a chick" one?
MY: Yeah, my dad. I'm serious! My dad and I have had a really weird relationship. He's gay, and after 13 years of not speaking, I finally made an effort to see him again. We've kind of developed a relationship - he's cool. One time, he visited New York, and I brought him up to my apartment. And I was so proud of myself, I put in a videotape, and he didn't even know what was going on. I said, "look at the videotape. That's me on drums." He said, "That's you? Oh my god, I thought you were a man." That was in Vitapup times - '96 or '97.

DG: What would be your dream gig?
MY: Well, I love the Butchies, and I'm satisfied with the whole "Rock" aspect of my life with that band. Being a drummer with the Indigo Girls, now that'd be a cool thing to do. Although, I might be a little too punk for them.

DG: Well, I think you've got pretty good connections.
MY: I'd also love to do more of a groovy type band. Cuz I really feel that that's where my soul is. And I hope that comes out in the Butchies. I'd also like to do more sample/drumming. It's really fun playing to samples. I'm building my skills in that realm, as far as timing.

DG: Who are your idols - drum-wise?
MY: I love Timbaland -he writes Missy's beats. He has all these beats that I just have to rip off somehow. He's an influence. I think the drum machine is an influence to me. A lot of drummers might not be into that, but well... I also love John Bonham, a long time ago, I loved the drummer from Black Sabbath [Bill Ward] Um...you bring up Neil Peart, no -he's not one of my idols. I was always fascinated with his skills, but I wasn't really fascinated by what he did. I thought that sometimes he did a little too much. I think that John Bonham was definitely tasteful in a time of flashy drummers who did too much.

DG: Do you have any advice for the younger player just starting out?
MY: Well, drummergirl. I never was the sort of person who was into drum magazines, I was just "I - want - to - play - drums." And that's what I'd advise. If you want to play, play! No matter what you have to do -if you have to air drum - just play drums if that's what you really want to do. Don't get wrapped up in practice - practice - practice or it'll become like working out. Do it when you can, slowly but surely. Oh - and Always be open to learn. Now, there are people I'll be intimidated by, but you just have to prepare yourself to open up and learn from them. Fright only goes so far - you gotta #@%* that s***, man! I gotta learn that - that's a good beat!

DG: So when you're not drumming, what do you do?
MY: Well, I help out with the record label which is run by Kaia and her girlfriend, Tammy Rae (Mr. Lady.) I do design stuff for them; promo CDs, ads, overseeing the stuff that comes in from the other bands. I'm basically a friend, who gets paid for the work I do. Also, I'm a freelance graphic designer, which pays pretty well. I think that if I wasn't drumming, maybe I'd want to go to school - back to school. I don't really know what for, but, I'd figure it out. Right now, though, I've got bit with the bug, and it's kind of hard to shake it. Y'know, the music always come first.

Links:
Robert Shi: http://www.robertshi.com/drumlab/
The Butchies: http://www.thebutchies.com
Mr. Lady record label: http://www.mrlady.com
Vitapup: http://www.plump.com/vitapup.htm
A Team Dresch: http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/8426/team.htm

Many thanks to Melissa York for making time for our interview and Caryn Havlik for her volunteering her time and excellent interviewing, writing and editing skills!

About the interviewer: Caryn Havlik has been playing drums for about 8 years, unprofessionally, and in the NYC area for about 6 of those years. She's likely to be found in dank warehouse basements playing drums for projects that rarely, if ever, get off the ground. A self-taught player, Caryn has studied briefly with Mitch Gottlieb, (ABBA and Blondie cover-band guru), and Paul Chuffo, drummer for the mosh-able jazz quartet, Gutbucket (http://www.gutweb.com), and did time as the drummer for the now defunct cowpunk band Johnny Zhivago & the Near Death Experience (http://jzhivago.tripod.com/main.html). During her tender years, she was beaten into piano lessons, and served as a church organist in her teens, although drumming (kit and tabla) is her main musical focus right now. Caryn plans to open a bakery-café someday in a nice quiet college-town, and needs to know where to find economy-size pastry filling and a small business loan at a decent interest rate.

© January, 2002 Happy Mazza Media, LLC.
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