- Diego Fuchslocher, Chilean drummer from the Union, has been highlighted by TAMA, around the world recently, with the most famous brand of musical drums in the world, with whom he has been working for 5 years, having years of musical career both in bands and playing alongside the leader of the Bunkers, and even having his academy to teach drums. A student of the prominent conductor of the Viña del Mar Song Festival, Carlos Figueroa, he has learned about this instrument inspired by Nirvana, as well as meeting friends such as Pearl Jam’s drummer Abbruzzese, with whom he has maintained a friendship to this day. This is his story.
- INTERVIEW: Francisco Calderón M. – PHOTOGRAPHY: Diego Fuchslocher
- WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO GET INTO THE WORLD OF DRUMS?
- The album Nevermind, by Nirvana. I grew up in La Unión, in an environment where He greatly valued rock, national punk, members of bands like Pinochet Boys and Machuca came from La Unión, so they wanted to play rock or a instrument was something that could come naturally. But, without a doubt, when I heard the Nevermind album, something clicked in me. It was an absolute break. When I heard Dave Grohl’s drums it was something that changed me for always, because initially I was learning to play acoustic guitar. So I told my parents and they believed me, and gave me the opportunity to make the change. That was when I was 11 years old, and from then on it became a style of life.
- WE LEARNED THAT PEARL JAM’S DRUMMER, ABBRUZZESE, TOOK YOU YOU SHARED A MESSAGE BY EMAIL, CAN YOU TELL US HOW WAS THAT, WHAT YOU FELT AND IF THAT FRIENDSHIP HAS LASTED WITH HIM TIME?
- That’s how it is! It was motivating and inspiring, since he – as a drummer – is one of the most emblematic and representative of the 90s. In rock, it marked a entire generation and continues to influence musicians around the world. So the emphasis he placed on my work is inspiring and continues to be, and also the place that message came from, something that was generated purely from music. Now, currently, we have a friendly relationship. In fact in the Tomorrow we were talking, sharing music. He, in more than one occasion, he has sent me tracks, recordings of what he is doing that day, and we talked about it. I also send him some music, and I can say with joy, which has lasted over time. On the one hand, I can talk about drummer who marked me a lot, coming from a school band in the that we did Pearl Jam covers, when I was 13 or 14 years old; much of me adolescence we played that music. And on the other hand, I gained a friend, so pure happy accounts from that message.
WHAT DOES NIRVANA AND PEARL JAM MEAN TO YOU?
Nirvana is one of the biggest bands in history and, on the other hand, the I consider it part of my identity, because it has accompanied me in different moments of my life. In my beginnings, it encouraged me to be a musician, to want to pick up drumsticks, to be a drummer and that becomes my lifestyle; although my career profile has been totally different from being exclusively the drummer of a band. But It is part of my life, I listen to it to this day and every time I understand it a different way, the simplicity so well constructed, it is simply a part fundamental of my musical imagination, in different aspects, not only in the rudeness, also in the simplicity of some things, the criteria and the sophisticated which may be not wanting to be pretentious when arranging music, but rather put the song first.
OF COURSE, BECAUSE NIRVANA PLAY SIMPLER SONGS AND THEY ARE MORE AUTHENTIC AS A BAND, IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR? AUTHENTICITY? AND WHO ARE YOUR MENTORS ON THE DRUMS?
Look, I take simplicity as the type of chord, but not how they apply it. There I believe that it is very complex to occupy that level of creativity and take it to the point that Nirvana took it. What I apply is to put the song day by day in your totality, above what I would like to play as an instrumentalist, that is what I I mean. My teacher was Carlos Figueroa, today he is director of the Festival orchestra of the Song of Viña del Mar, and mentors and influences I could consider many, for example Dave Weckl, Elvin Jones, Steve Gradd, Terry Bozzio, musicians of different styles. But you know, one can be influenced by other instrumentalists with whom one is playing, but for the knowledge that one is acquiring, there are moments – given that we are talking about the influences – in which complexity is necessary, in terms of interpretation of an instrumentalist, as long as the song requires it, like Frank Zappa did with Terry Bozzio. Something more physical is required there, or something more sophisticated in terms of tools, but I think the Nirvana thing It also applies to that logic, in the end it is delivering what the song requires. And when I talk about my colleagues, I mean the different people I interact with. I have had to work in the rehearsal room, and take as reference certain decisions and contexts that occur in the workplace every day. What is your relationship with Carlos Figueroa like? What have you learned from him? Carlos was my teacher from the ages of 18 to 23. The preparation I had It was great with him. It was training thinking about having a work space, to develop myself in different styles, to have a solid preparation for work live, as a teacher, or also in a recording studio. with him I have a very close friendship relationship to this day, we talk a lot Following. He is a very important person in my career, he was the one who opened the doors for me. doors when I left in all this.
HOW DID YOU GET TO THE JAPANESE BRAND TAMA DRUMS? That DOES THIS RECOGNITION MEAN TO YOU?
The truth is that I have had relationships with brands for more than 12 years. I have worked with different internationally recognized firms, and with TAMA, We have been working for approximately 5 years. This through Audiomusica, since they were the ones who invited me to be part of Zildjian, and join Tama after finalizing my entry into Zildjian, which is the company largest dish in the world. We have been doing impactful work for a long time, to social networks, but what happened with this last video we made is that it had a much greater impact with TAMA, because it was featured on the cover of Instagram and Facebook worldwide. It is a milestone because it is a very important, and they had never published a Chilean on the cover, simultaneously throughout this network. Tama is one of the most important drum brands in the world, it is present in the history of music with different bands and artists, such as example, The Police, Metallica, Nirvana, or also other drummers genres, in jazz like Peter Erskine and Ellvin Jones.
HOW HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN PLAYING IN BANDS?
Very good, I have very good memories of López, we played at Lollapalooza twice, at the Cumbre del Rock, we played throughout Chile, we played in Chile and in Mexico. I have done a lot of band work, I have also been a stable musician in the solo project of Piero Duhart for several years (vocalist of De Saloon), those have been some of the bands I’ve been a part of. On the other hand, I have been a session musician, in which one records for certain artists, which is a different job than working from a studio, and is a part of the race. I believe that one can develop an independent career as musician and instrumentalist without depending on more members. That does not mean that I also like to work collectively, but I think there is also a richness in the diversity of artists with whom one can work. Every time I play with an artist I like to feel like it’s a band, be it with Colombina Parra, María Colores or Max Vivar. This is only for record on a song, as was the case with Max, or to do shows, as was the case of Colombina, with whom we played in Cosquin Rock, being a absolutely collective experience, or for the show we did with María a few months ago, for his return to the stage. There are many artists with whom I have had the fortune of feeling in harmony. band, I could go on for the entire interview talking about that.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DRUMS AND THE SONG THAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT FOR YOU? HAS IT TOUCHED AND WHY?
One of the inputs and drums that I really like is one by Led Zeppelin, Bad Times Good Times, is one of the favorite drum intros, Although I would have a hard time choosing one. And the most difficult thing, I don’t remember exactly one situation, but I think what is more complex is gender adaptability, is to play different styles when interpreting them, to notice the subtleties that requires style, that does not sound forced, I think it is one of the most complex. And this considering it in a context of pressure, of playing music in live, which sometimes is not with much rehearsal, in a recording in which the changes must be immediate, but also as a profession that goes away developing.
WHAT IS THE STYLE YOU ARE MOST COMFORTABLE TO PLAY?
I really like pop, rock, and I also love to make my own music from the drums, with more jazz influences, experimental music, which It is the type of material that I am generating with my sponsors. But the I really prefer not to define myself, because comfort will not depend only on style, It depends on many factors, for example, the quality or type of composition, Also the musicians with whom you have to experience this.
WHAT CONDITIONS AND SKILLS SHOULD A DRUMMER HAVE TO TAP?
The fundamental thing to play the drums is to be perseverant and disciplined, and from That place greatly reduces the percentage of people who could not do it. I believe that everyone can learn. It is different from outlining a professional career because there are many factors, but perseverance and having the intention and the humility to learn, and be guided by a teacher, that is very important on the day from today. The other thing, a simple battery, an economical one, that has the essential elements, a snare, a bass drum and with that you can start building. But with a couple of drumsticks and a cushion you can also advance in the first instance. No would limit the battery you have, if you can have a basic or complete set, but not be limited by contexts. I believe that he who seeks can achieve things, what is important is to be patient, persevering, disciplined. If you want to dedicate yourself as a profession be it because you love music, as you probably will all your life.
DOES TECHNOLOGY EXIST IN MUSIC, DO YOU THINK THE DRUMMER CAN IT BE REPLACED?
I don’t think that AI is going to replace musicians, I believe that AI used well It has a lot of potential, and what will never be replaceable is the interaction human, the magic that happens when human beings stand on stage, They interact, they transmit emotions, that is not going to be replaceable. There are probably going to be people who, if they didn’t have AI tools, would never I could have played making music, for not having any preparation, but still An instance will be generated among the people who have the tools as musicians, and obviously that is also going to weigh, but it does not mean that also begin to generate spaces for other ways of facing the job. No I think it is exclusive. And when I say distance, it is the power of the intelligence in the hands of those who have knowledge, in someone who does not has, that’s what I mean. I am always working, from using batteries with the latest technologies, in manufacturing, stability, tuning, etc. I am always linked to that, and since the sound side, I am always updating with my partner Leo Cáceres, iconic Chilean sound engineer, with whom we make recordings and who is always working with cutting-edge technology in our Caja Negra studio.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MOST SUBLIMATE THINGS IN THE BATTERY?
I always talk about this with my students, I think that one of the moments magical is when one can play an instrument, close one’s eyes, and become abstracted of reality, and travel through a parallel world, which is not thought about too much, which It flows and is like an internal conversation, in which you already have a language, then once you have that fluidity of the instrument, you can close your eyes and travel, and develop worlds through sound. It can also be done at a level basic, but it is the connection and the journey that the instrument can give you.
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