Former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo was recently interviewed by Cyclic Defrost and was asked a lot about working with artists like Mike Patton and John Zorn, noted avant-garde performers in some capacities. Lombardo's responses were really interesting, given he's made a career off playing fast, loud and heavy. Could this be the new direction Lombardo goes in with his drumming career?
"I get the chance to play drums without limits. Believe it or not, metal has a lot of boundaries. When I play with these artists, the intensity and dynamics are so great because we're tapping into so many genres. Quite honestly, most music, in comparison, feels less exciting for me."
And:
"I've always been a fan of music that is left of center. It wasn't until I started to work with Patton that I realized I had the instinctual ability to play avant-garde style of music. When Patton introduced me to the first Fantomas demos, I felt very comfortable and connected with the music. When I performed 'Xu Feng' for the first time with John Zorn and his ensemble, I was comfortable and uninhibited. This is the most pure form of musical self expression."
Interesting. This almost gives me hope he'll work with one of these two artists in the near future for something new, beit an ensemble-type thing or just a one-off little whatever project. I want to hear Lombardo get weird behind the kit!
