Gojira drummer overlord Mario Duplantier recently sat down with Metal Hammer to discuss the 10 drummers that changed his life. Right up front, Duplantier discusses Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and how he was the first drummer that ever caught Duplantier's ear. Duplantier of course touches on Ulrich's earlier drumming, but says he still really enjoys what Ulrich does behind the kit.
“Lars Ulrich was probably the first drummer that really made me pay attention. I was maybe ten or eleven years old and my brother had received the Metallica Live Shit: Binge & Purge video boxset for Christmas. We were sat watching it and I couldn’t take my eyes off of Lars; the way he was playing, the colour of the drum-heads, the movement… it was all so badass. Right away I was telling my brother, ‘That drummer is the best in the world!’ That was when I decided I wanted to play drums.
“Lars is a genius; if you listen to the first five Metallica albums, the drumming is so special, particularly the way he writes those patterns. Even now I think he’s the best showman drummer in the world. Its not about the tempo or technicality – it’s something else. Nobody could imagine Metallica with another drummer.”
Read the full article here. You can also catch Gojira at one of the dates below.
w/ Deftones & Poppy
August 12 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory [Tickets]
August 14 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom [Tickets]
August 15 – Sterling Heights, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill [Tickets]
August 17 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion [Tickets]
August 19 – Toronto, ON, Canada @ RBC Echo Beach [Tickets]
August 20 – Laval, QC, Canada @ Place Bell [Tickets]
August 21 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena [Tickets]
August 23 – Boston, MA @ Agganis Arena [Tickets]
August 24 – New York, NY @ The Rooftop at Pier 17 [Tickets]
August 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia [Tickets]
August 28 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony Summerstage [Tickets]
August 29 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem [Tickets]
August 31 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Petersen Events Center, University of Pittsburgh [Tickets]
September 2 – Indianapolis, IN @ Amphitheater at White River State Park [Tickets]
w/ Knocked Loose & Alien Weaponry
September 3 – Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal^ [Tickets]
September 4 – Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park [Tickets]
September 6 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory [Tickets]
September 7 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall [Tickets]
September 8 – San Antonio, TX @ AT&T Center [Tickets]
September 10 – Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center [Tickets]
September 11 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre [Tickets]
September 14 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre [Tickets]
September 17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre [Tickets]
September 18 – San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium [Tickets]
September 20 – Boise, ID @ Revolution Center^ [Tickets]
September 21 – Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theater [Tickets]
September 22 – Portland, OR @ Theatre of the Clouds at Moda Center [Tickets]
October 9 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock* [Tickets]
October 11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union [Tickets]
October 13 – Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland [Tickets]
October 14 – Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion [Tickets]
October 15 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom [Tickets]
October 17 – New Orleans, LA @ Civic Theatre [Tickets]
October 19 – Tampa, FL @ Jannus Live [Tickets]
October 20 – Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live [Tickets]
October 22 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works [Tickets]
October 23 – Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium [Tickets]
October 25 – Albany, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall [Tickets]
October 27 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre [Tickets]
October 28 – Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory [Tickets]
October 29 – Cleveland, OH @ The Agora [Tickets]
^= denotes festival
