***DAVE KRUSEN - Answering your questions! Here they are!***
LeatherMosquitoMan
Posts: 4,034
Here they are: Dave was gracious enough to get back to me with these almost immediately! Some interesting answers for sure, as we head further into 2011 and PJ20.
jjflash
- What’s your take on the evolution of Pearl Jam since the seminal sounds of ‘Ten’ that you helped create?
Great bands have to evolve, and i think pearl jam has done an awesome job of trying new things while staying true to the sound that made them so renown.
Given to... First off, tell the man "Thank You!" from me and a few million others...
- Did you have any vision past the next few months or were you so simply riding the wave that a lot of those were at the time?
I definitely was at least TRYING to ride the wave the band was on while i was in it. if i could have looked ahead a few months i would have tried much harder to quit drinking.
HeavyHands
- Do you know if there are any fully completed / near fully completed songs that have not been released yet? (Example: Brother)
As far as i know, the band does not have any other recordings to release from that time.
Kloddz
- Any thoughts on whether you will be guest starring at the PJ20 festival?
i would love to get up and jam on a tune with pearl jam, but haven't been asked, and doubt it will happen.
eyejacker
- What is your take on the remixed and remastered ‘Ten’ that was released not so long ago?
I love the re-released version of ten. O'Brien did a great job of getting to the sound that we created when we tracked those songs.
satansbed
- Out of the Pearl Jam drummers that followed you, who’s drum sound impressed you the most?
My favorite stuff the band did after me is no code and yield. not sure if it is the drumming or songs,..i guess it's both. I have been a HUGE fan of matt cameron since about 1988. anything he plays on sounds amazing!
electricxlovex
- What do you think of the later music and sound compared to when they started out?
I really like the way pearl jam has evolved. what i find impressive is that they know that no two drummers are exactly the same, and so you have to write and record with that in mind. if they had tried to just recreate the sound that the five of us had, they would have failed. they will never sound like that again. the fact that they are where they are, shows that they are a brilliant group.
CJMST3K Mr Krusen: Your time with the band has been the most mysterious, as it is the least documented. I'm glad you're participating in this!
- Do you currently listen to Pearl Jam’s music? If so, aside from ‘Ten’, what are your favourite albums?
i don't listen to much music, because i'm constantly learning new material from artists that i'm working with
- What have you been up to since 1991?
since '91 i have played in a number of bands, and worked with so many people, i can't recall off the top of my head. maybe, i think there's a wiki thing? most importantly, i have a wonderful family. i have a child who just turned 20, a 16 year old daughter who is currently applying to colleges, and a 12 year old son who is a far better drummer than me, and who loves skateboarding. my wife is an amazing person, i'm very lucky. music is a part of my life, but not in a huge way.
- Have you seen any Pearl Jam concerts since your departure? If so, and if multiple, what were your favourite?
i have seen PJ a few times. my favorite was last spring at madison square garden in new york city.
SavedFucker
- What was your drum setup like in the studio during the ‘Ten’ sessions? Cymbals, Brand of drums, etc.?
my set up for the demos and what remained the album versions of "Alive", "Wash", "Just a Girl",
"Yellow Ledbetter", was my Tama Swingstar kit, a cheap, wood/fiberglas kit that actually sounded pretty cool, 16x22, 13x14 floor tom,11x12 rack tom. 20" Zildjian Amir ride, 16" Sabian AA bright crash, 20" Sabian AA china, hats were 14" Paiste 505. (there is an article on Vater drumsticks website also). heads were all remo clear pinstripes on bass and toms, ambassadors on bottom, coated ambassador on a 60's Ludwig 5x14 supraphonic.
then, for the "ten" sessions i played a rented Ludwig maple kit classic kit 16x22 kick, 14x14 floor tom, 11x12 rack tom, a Noble and Cooley SS maple 5x14 snare, A metal crasher, 20" Sabian AA heavy ride, 18" AA thin crash, 18" HH thin crash, 20" AA china, 13" AA regular hats. same heads, except we used an ambassador coated on kick with a danmar plastic pad.
ziggy21
- What do you remember most about being in the studio and recording the album?
what i remember about being in the studio with pearl jam was, "it could not, does not, and probably will not, get better than this." it was a special experience.
Big Green Country
- Really enjoyed your drumming on ‘Happy Pills’ and the work on ‘Into The Sun’. Really talented bunch of musicians. How did working with them compare to working with Pearl Jam?
thanks, i really enjoyed working with Candlebox. I'm working with them right now. we just did a week of pre-production an are going into the studio April 18th. I would say the difference between the two bands in the studio, Candlebox is very detailed on what they want drum-wise, where as Pearl Jam, weather it was Stone, Jeff, or Eddie, was more about letting me do what i wanted as long as the feel was cool.
Red_Dot
- Did you ever try or were you asked to be back in the band? Maybe after Dave A left?
I never asked to be back in the band, other than when i went and jammed with Eddie and his then-wife Beth, and he told me they just fired dave a, i think i asked what they were going to do. he said he didn't know yet. i was still drinking and drugging at that time in the summer of '94, I finally got sober in Sept. '94. Perhaps he wanted to see how i was doing, saw that i was still fucked up and didn't ask me back. My guess is that it wasn't so much that, because they probably wanted Jack in the band after dave a. What Eddie wanted me to do was Hovercraft, which i did.
Go Beavers
- Describe the vibe / memories you experience when you hear the songs from ‘Ten’
when i hear the music from ten, i feel extremely lucky to have been a part of such a great band that made some awesome music, and had a sound that will never happen again. it's definitely bittersweet.
LukinFan
- What’s your favourite project that you have been a part of?
Pearl Jam. Hovercraft. Candlebox. Unified Theory. Too may to list. I did a thing with Chris Robinson that was amazing. i don't play in bands anymore. too much drama. I work with people, i move on, they move on, maybe we work again, maybe not. I'm also working with John Pringle right now, and a band called Lowlight. both are great. The good thing about the constant change is, it's made me a better drummer dealing with all of the different styles.
pjfan021
- The music that was there was obviously pretty solid, but what was it like when you guys got to jam together with a vocalist?
when we started, Eddie wasn't up yet. I was blown away by the songs the guys had, and was totally diggin jammin. I didn't know anything about a singer, but Eddie showed up a week later and BLEW MY MIND.
rjwhite19
- At what moment during the recording process did you realize that this was something monumental?
as soon as we went in to start even the demo recordings, i felt it was special. When we started tracking ten, i told my friends that this was something extraordinary. i wasn't bragging, i was just feeling like the music we were making was very unique and exciting.
Cameron4President
- Will Unified Theory ever put another album out?
I don't think Unified Theory will record again.
smanchac
- What is your rarest or most unique piece of memorabilia from your time with the band?
the thing that i still hang onto from back thenis a long sleeve white t-shirt with mookie blaylock on the back. there are some shirts with mookie on them but not not like this. we had 5 shirts made. one for each band member.
thanks for setting this up Chris! i really enjoyed the questions, and despite not still being a part of that band anymore, i always have fond memories when i think back.
jjflash
- What’s your take on the evolution of Pearl Jam since the seminal sounds of ‘Ten’ that you helped create?
Great bands have to evolve, and i think pearl jam has done an awesome job of trying new things while staying true to the sound that made them so renown.
Given to... First off, tell the man "Thank You!" from me and a few million others...
- Did you have any vision past the next few months or were you so simply riding the wave that a lot of those were at the time?
I definitely was at least TRYING to ride the wave the band was on while i was in it. if i could have looked ahead a few months i would have tried much harder to quit drinking.
HeavyHands
- Do you know if there are any fully completed / near fully completed songs that have not been released yet? (Example: Brother)
As far as i know, the band does not have any other recordings to release from that time.
Kloddz
- Any thoughts on whether you will be guest starring at the PJ20 festival?
i would love to get up and jam on a tune with pearl jam, but haven't been asked, and doubt it will happen.
eyejacker
- What is your take on the remixed and remastered ‘Ten’ that was released not so long ago?
I love the re-released version of ten. O'Brien did a great job of getting to the sound that we created when we tracked those songs.
satansbed
- Out of the Pearl Jam drummers that followed you, who’s drum sound impressed you the most?
My favorite stuff the band did after me is no code and yield. not sure if it is the drumming or songs,..i guess it's both. I have been a HUGE fan of matt cameron since about 1988. anything he plays on sounds amazing!
electricxlovex
- What do you think of the later music and sound compared to when they started out?
I really like the way pearl jam has evolved. what i find impressive is that they know that no two drummers are exactly the same, and so you have to write and record with that in mind. if they had tried to just recreate the sound that the five of us had, they would have failed. they will never sound like that again. the fact that they are where they are, shows that they are a brilliant group.
CJMST3K Mr Krusen: Your time with the band has been the most mysterious, as it is the least documented. I'm glad you're participating in this!
- Do you currently listen to Pearl Jam’s music? If so, aside from ‘Ten’, what are your favourite albums?
i don't listen to much music, because i'm constantly learning new material from artists that i'm working with
- What have you been up to since 1991?
since '91 i have played in a number of bands, and worked with so many people, i can't recall off the top of my head. maybe, i think there's a wiki thing? most importantly, i have a wonderful family. i have a child who just turned 20, a 16 year old daughter who is currently applying to colleges, and a 12 year old son who is a far better drummer than me, and who loves skateboarding. my wife is an amazing person, i'm very lucky. music is a part of my life, but not in a huge way.
- Have you seen any Pearl Jam concerts since your departure? If so, and if multiple, what were your favourite?
i have seen PJ a few times. my favorite was last spring at madison square garden in new york city.
SavedFucker
- What was your drum setup like in the studio during the ‘Ten’ sessions? Cymbals, Brand of drums, etc.?
my set up for the demos and what remained the album versions of "Alive", "Wash", "Just a Girl",
"Yellow Ledbetter", was my Tama Swingstar kit, a cheap, wood/fiberglas kit that actually sounded pretty cool, 16x22, 13x14 floor tom,11x12 rack tom. 20" Zildjian Amir ride, 16" Sabian AA bright crash, 20" Sabian AA china, hats were 14" Paiste 505. (there is an article on Vater drumsticks website also). heads were all remo clear pinstripes on bass and toms, ambassadors on bottom, coated ambassador on a 60's Ludwig 5x14 supraphonic.
then, for the "ten" sessions i played a rented Ludwig maple kit classic kit 16x22 kick, 14x14 floor tom, 11x12 rack tom, a Noble and Cooley SS maple 5x14 snare, A metal crasher, 20" Sabian AA heavy ride, 18" AA thin crash, 18" HH thin crash, 20" AA china, 13" AA regular hats. same heads, except we used an ambassador coated on kick with a danmar plastic pad.
ziggy21
- What do you remember most about being in the studio and recording the album?
what i remember about being in the studio with pearl jam was, "it could not, does not, and probably will not, get better than this." it was a special experience.
Big Green Country
- Really enjoyed your drumming on ‘Happy Pills’ and the work on ‘Into The Sun’. Really talented bunch of musicians. How did working with them compare to working with Pearl Jam?
thanks, i really enjoyed working with Candlebox. I'm working with them right now. we just did a week of pre-production an are going into the studio April 18th. I would say the difference between the two bands in the studio, Candlebox is very detailed on what they want drum-wise, where as Pearl Jam, weather it was Stone, Jeff, or Eddie, was more about letting me do what i wanted as long as the feel was cool.
Red_Dot
- Did you ever try or were you asked to be back in the band? Maybe after Dave A left?
I never asked to be back in the band, other than when i went and jammed with Eddie and his then-wife Beth, and he told me they just fired dave a, i think i asked what they were going to do. he said he didn't know yet. i was still drinking and drugging at that time in the summer of '94, I finally got sober in Sept. '94. Perhaps he wanted to see how i was doing, saw that i was still fucked up and didn't ask me back. My guess is that it wasn't so much that, because they probably wanted Jack in the band after dave a. What Eddie wanted me to do was Hovercraft, which i did.
Go Beavers
- Describe the vibe / memories you experience when you hear the songs from ‘Ten’
when i hear the music from ten, i feel extremely lucky to have been a part of such a great band that made some awesome music, and had a sound that will never happen again. it's definitely bittersweet.
LukinFan
- What’s your favourite project that you have been a part of?
Pearl Jam. Hovercraft. Candlebox. Unified Theory. Too may to list. I did a thing with Chris Robinson that was amazing. i don't play in bands anymore. too much drama. I work with people, i move on, they move on, maybe we work again, maybe not. I'm also working with John Pringle right now, and a band called Lowlight. both are great. The good thing about the constant change is, it's made me a better drummer dealing with all of the different styles.
pjfan021
- The music that was there was obviously pretty solid, but what was it like when you guys got to jam together with a vocalist?
when we started, Eddie wasn't up yet. I was blown away by the songs the guys had, and was totally diggin jammin. I didn't know anything about a singer, but Eddie showed up a week later and BLEW MY MIND.
rjwhite19
- At what moment during the recording process did you realize that this was something monumental?
as soon as we went in to start even the demo recordings, i felt it was special. When we started tracking ten, i told my friends that this was something extraordinary. i wasn't bragging, i was just feeling like the music we were making was very unique and exciting.
Cameron4President
- Will Unified Theory ever put another album out?
I don't think Unified Theory will record again.
smanchac
- What is your rarest or most unique piece of memorabilia from your time with the band?
the thing that i still hang onto from back thenis a long sleeve white t-shirt with mookie blaylock on the back. there are some shirts with mookie on them but not not like this. we had 5 shirts made. one for each band member.
thanks for setting this up Chris! i really enjoyed the questions, and despite not still being a part of that band anymore, i always have fond memories when i think back.
-Chris
Male, 34
I'm on Facebook - facebook.com/christopher.leesye1
1998 Brisbane 2
2003 Brisbane 1
2006 LA 1 & 2
2008 LA 2, San Diego 1 (EV)
2009 LA 1, 2, 3 & 4, San Diego
2011 St. Louis (EV)
2012 Tulsa 1 & 2 (EV)
2013 Chicago, Dallas & OKC
Male, 34
I'm on Facebook - facebook.com/christopher.leesye1
1998 Brisbane 2
2003 Brisbane 1
2006 LA 1 & 2
2008 LA 2, San Diego 1 (EV)
2009 LA 1, 2, 3 & 4, San Diego
2011 St. Louis (EV)
2012 Tulsa 1 & 2 (EV)
2013 Chicago, Dallas & OKC
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Great to get some insight! :-)
Dave's the man!!
eV: 8/4/08, 8/5/08, 6/21/11
SG: 10/4/08<-- MET STONE!!!
Firstly, to the heads who dreamed this up, and then decided to make a reality.
To Editor, for editing out the redundant/irrelevent questions to ask.
To Dave K, for sharing our shit with us!
Give yourselves 10 pats on the back to ye all round, Well done.
If only more of us thusly motivated, wha?
And thanks to Dave for taking the time and being so honest
http://inthepresenttense.blogspot.com/
-00, Stockholm
-07, Copenhagen
-09, Berlin
-10, Berlin
-11, East Troy 1+2
-12, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, EV London 2
-13, London, Chicago
-14, Amsterdam 1+2, Berlin, Stockholm, Oslo
-16, TOTD San Francisco 1+2
-17, EV Amsterdam 2+3
-18, Amsterdam 1+2, London 1+(2), Barcelona, London 2
-19, EV Brussels
loved it though
Sammi: Wanna just break up?
That was a real window into the past, thank you. I enjoyed every word of it. Good work.
:thumbup:
Dave comes across as a really cool guy too.....no bitterness, no massive regret just holding onto special memories....perfect
lets hope he gets the nod for pj20.....
And thanks Dave, of course. Awesome of him to take the time and perspective it took to answer some of these.
Berlin - August 15, 2009
Lisbon - July 10, 2010
Berlin - June 26, 2014
Zurich - June 23, 2022
http://www.last.fm/user/Kloddz
thanksa bunch to Leathermosquitoman and Dave
Toronto 2011 1 & 2 London 2013. Quebec City 2016. Ottawa 2016
Fenway 2016 1 & 2
Wonder if the other guys have their shirts too. Hope they treasure them as much as it sounds like Dave does. Kinda sad it sounds like he might have messed the best time of his life and it's good he still seems to look on It with no anger or regret and treasures the time he did have.
No time to be void, or save up on life, you've got to spend it all
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
1998: Barrie
2000: Montreal, Toronto, Auburn Hills
2003: Cleveland, Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal
2004: Boston X2, Grand Rapids
2005: Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto
2006: Toronto X2
2009: Toronto
2011: PJ20, Montreal, Toronto X2, Hamilton
2012: Manchester X2, Amsterdam X2, Prague, Berlin X2, Philadelphia, Missoula
2013: Pittsburg, Buffalo
2014: Milan, Trieste, Vienna, Berlin, Stockholm, Oslo, Detroit
2016: Ottawa, Toronto X2
2018: Padova, Rome, Prague, Krakow, Berlin, Barcelona
2023: Chicago X2
2024: New York X2
+1
BRILLIANT STUFF!!
Send my credentials to the house of detention
This needs to be a sticky!
1996: Ft Lauderdale
1998: Birmingham
2000: Charlotte, Tampa
2003: Tampa, Atlanta, Phoenix
2004: Kissimmee
2008: West Palm Beach, Bonnaroo, Columbia
2010: MSG2
2012: Music Midtown
2014: Memphis
2018: Wrigley 1, Fenway 1
2022: Nashville
2023: Ft. Worth II
2024: Baltimore
Upcoming: 2025 Hollywood, FL Night 2
I mean... listen to this shit... he is a monster.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDdFzuDVdN8
BTW... even Dave knew MSG 2010 was the shit! Wonder if he had good 10c seats
- Have you seen any Pearl Jam concerts since your departure? If so, and if multiple, what were your favourite?
i have seen PJ a few times. my favorite was last spring at madison square garden in new york city.
17/08/2009
22/06/2010
23/06/2010
20/06/2012
21/06/2012
08/07/2014
*NYC 9/28/96 *NYC 9/29/96 *NJ 9/8/98 (front row "may i play drums with you")
*MSG 9/10/98 (backstage) *MSG 9/11/98 (backstage)
*Jones Beach 8/23/00 *Jones Beach 8/24/00 *Jones Beach 8/25/00
*Mansfield 8/29/00 *Mansfield 8/30/00 *Nassau 4/30/03 *Nissan VA 7/1/03
*Borgata 10/1/05 *Camden 5/27/06 *Camden 5/28/06 *DC 5/30/06
*VA Beach 6/17/08 *DC 6/22/08 *MSG 6/24/08 (backstage) *MSG 6/25/08
*EV DC 8/17/08 *EV Baltimore 6/15/09 *Philly 10/31/09
*Bristow VA 5/13/10 *MSG 5/20/10 *MSG 5/21/10