Getting to know Vijesh

When did you start learning a music instrument?

It all began at the age of 10 when I started learning the guitar at first. A year after that, at the age of 11, I found my true love for drums.

Who or what inspired you to take up drumming and pursue a career in music?

Nobody really inspired me to take up drumming in the beginning. I remember going to a Yamaha store when I was about 11 years old and started hitting on the electric drums. It all felt very natural to me. Soon after that, I formed a band in which I was on drums and ever since, I've always wanted to pursue a career in music playing the drums.

Who/What are your main music influences?

I’d say there have been many music influences to me over the years. Drummers such as ‘Thomas Pridgen’, ‘Aaron Spears’, ‘Ken Bedene’, ‘Tony Williams’, ‘Billy Cobham’, ‘Vinnie Colaiuta’ etc really influenced me. The biggest influence would be my late father who was a great singer. He wanted to pursue music in his early years but did not get the opportunity to do so. Everything I accomplish is for him.

What is your drumming practice routine?

My day would start off with a ride on my bike for a few kilometers to get the body warmed up. I’d get into the routine of always working on rudiments for an hour first on my practice pad before getting behind the kit. On the kit, I like to break down my practice into a few parts and work on the things that are challenging. There are stamina and endurance practices I do on the kit along with playing to tracks of all genres and adding in my own style.

What keeps you motivated in your drumming routines?

Being a full-time musician, you are your own boss and your own efforts are what that pushes your career further to become better each day. I guess it is all about willpower and consistency when it comes to staying motivated to practice.

Being a full-time musician, you are your own boss and your own efforts are what that pushes your career further to become better each day. I guess it is all about willpower and consistency when it comes to staying motivated to practice.

It started in the year 2015 where I was done with serving the army. All I wanted to do was to play the drums and to practice all day every day. It all happens when I received a message from Arif stating that Wormrot’s old drummer is no longer in the band and he asked if I would like to try jamming a few tracks with them. After sending me a few tracks and we went jamming the week after and thankfully everything worked out well! I have learnt more values then anything from being in Wormrot. It has helped me to become a better person and to always be thankful for the things we have in life.

Having toured Europe and the United States, are there any unforgettable/memorable incidents that happened during your gigs?

There have been tons of unforgettable memories we have been through on the road. Every show had a unique memorable experience but the most recent story from our U.S tour was that we didn't have our luggage with us for about 5 days due to complications at the airport. We had to play 3-4 shows in the same pair of clothes we wore on our first day! We were so thankful for showers and fresh clothes after this incident. hahahah!

With your recent endorsement with Zildjian, would you like to share with us your thoughts on Zildjian cymbals? And why you would prefer Zildjian?

I’ve always been a huge fan of Zildjian cymbals as they were the first cymbals I had ever played and I fell in love with them the moment I played on them. There is something about the feel of playing Zildjian cymbals that sets it apart from the rest of the brands. I love the tone and how they have such a versatile range of selection which can cater to drummers of all genres.

What’s your take on the local scene on Grindcore music? How has the public receptiveness towards your band changes over time?

To be honest, there isn't much of a local Grindcore scene in Singapore. We do not play many shows in Singapore as the crowd tends to be the same. Through time, I guess the public has seen how dedicated we are to our music and people who do not listen to Grindcore have also started taking notice of us.

In your opinion, what do you think are the main attributes of a great drummer? How would you define success as a musician in Singapore?

A great drummer in my opinion would be someone who knows what to play and when to play as well as being able to cover up when he has made mistakes in playing with the band. Practicing with a metronome as well as understanding the other musicians in the band is also a plus. There are two types of musicians in my opinion, one is club musicians who play covers mostly and the other are musicians who wish to spread their original material. To me, success as a musician in Singapore is different for every individual and subjective.

What advices would you give to an aspiring musician in Singapore?

One advice I’d say is to be consistent in your efforts. Don’t give up practicing even when you're tired because you never know when an opportunity you worked hard for comes to you.

What/where would you see yourself in 5 years from now?

In 5 years, I hope I would still have the same amount of stamina or even more. Every day is another opportunity to improve on my craft and I will continue to play and practice on the drums till I am no longer able to.

Where would we be able to get your latest updates?