Linda Bracamonte & John Swanson Interview

the bo ely interview: with john swanson, drummer — the linda bracamonte band

What draws you to blues music?

I think the emotion. I think people connect with art or music when it expresses something that they have felt, in a way they can recognize and understand. Although blues music is not always “happy,” it’s almost always comforting; at least from the perspective that the listener who connects with it understands the message, and understands that they are not alone, and that’s a powerful feeling. I’ve always thought that blues was one of the easiest styles to play, but the hardest style to play “well,” simply because it demands honest, emotional expression, and expressing that publicly makes one vulnerable, which is scary. Linda, Lance and Ema are great at expressing themselves on stage, and that makes performing with them a wonderful thing.

Who is your favorite drummer and why?

I listened to a lot of them growing up, and was influenced by many, including Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, old Gene Krupa recordings, and the great rock drummers like Alex Van Halen and Neil Peart. But my favorite has always been Billy Cobham. His use of dynamics, rudimentary skills, and uncanny evenness, and the way he applies them, really inspired me.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

When people who know me well learn that I am a drummer, they are always surprised, because I am so quiet and reserved. They expect a drummer to be a little crazy, or at least outgoing. So for people who come to know me as a musician, they might be surprised to find out how quiet and reserved I am!

What are your other talents besides playing drums?

Ohhh. It’s bleak. I can juggle. I play around a little on other instruments: guitar, piano, mandolin. I could make a racy joke here, but I’ll pass.

How much time goes into learning a new song?

The drummer really does have it the easiest. Many songs that stick to a formula, really can be learned by an experienced drummer in minutes. The more sophisticated songs have changes, breaks, and accents that take longer to learn and memorize. Ema is a stickler for coordinating those aspects of a song, and we’re a better band for it. It sounds much more professional when the whole band is hitting all the nuances together. More detail (like fills) makes it more interesting, and those take a little work sometimes too. You might learn a song in an hour, but it’s always a work in progress. Perfecting it to your satisfaction can take a very long time.

What were the fist signs that you would become a drummer?

When I was about six, I got one of those toy drum sets as a gift. My mom even called the company and ordered new drum heads when I broke the first ones. I started playing along with some of my parents’ records, and I think they realized I had some natural ability. Since I had an interest, they started me on private lessons when I was seven.

What kind of music was played in your home growing up?

As a young child I heard mostly jazz, pop, and musicals. My parents did listen to the radio and record albums, and I got a lot from that. I didn’t really get exposed to rock music or traditional blues until later, like about age 12.

Any funny stories about band practice you can share?

Nope. Seriously, I feel like we are still relatively new at being a band, so we don’t have a lot of funny practice stories. We do laugh a lot at practice. It’s really nice, because we all genuinely enjoy each other’s company.

What’s the secret to moving your hands and feet in sync?

That is the tricky part. It’s mostly just practice. It’s hard to explain, but you start with each arm and leg individually, then put the pieces together. It can be frustrating when you’re learning, but once you have some basic patterns down, you can apply them in different ways.

What’s it like seeing only the backside of your bandmates all night?

That’s a funny question. A friend of mine who saw us play told me I should smile more when I play. I told him that I agreed, and he said I should just watch Linda’s “backside,” as she dances around the stage, and that would keep me smiling. I joked back that I intentionally set up my drums so that Linda’s “backside” is always in view. I honestly have no idea what Ema and Lance’s behinds look like; I’ve never thought to look. But seriously, it’s fun communicating with the band members through body language. We actually look at each other a lot, and cue each other with facial expressions, glances and movements. For example, when Ema closes his eyes during a solo, I know he’s “feeling it,” and I can sit back and just groove for a while, because he’s going to solo for another progression; when Lance turns to me and raises his eyebrows, I know he’s going to emphasize something musically, or wants me to. It’s actually a very cool form of nonverbal communication, because we learn it from each other as we go along.

linda bracamonte official website | www.lindabracamonte.com
ema roberts • lance davis • matt kaiser • john swanson

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