Question: How much time do you spend practicing?
Mark Zonder:
"Sometimes it is 6-8 hours if I am trying to get something done, but I do not keep track of the time. I like to practice when I feel like it. If I am not in the mood for working on something, I work on basics........stickings, rolls, 16th notes with my right foot etc....strenght type stuff.
Sort of the physical side of drumming."
Question: What inspired you to start drumming?
Mark Zonder:
"Not really sure except at a young age I like beating on things. Used to line up a couple small suitcases and play on them with wooden spoons."
Question: I heard you guys are currently working on the new FW album. Would you give us any hint on this forthcoming release? Any new influence during the pre-production sessions? Any guest musicians? What's the new album oriented for? Any large songs? Is the FW's site admin dead? Any info is highly appreciated (it's been hard to stand the hiatus...). Thanks for reading and congratulations for your website, it looks great.
Mark Zonder:
"As far as the Fates stuff I am currently working on the songs and should hopefully be recording drums end of March or beginning of April. I am not sure about the guest musicians and you will have to
wait for the release. But I guarantee you will not be disappointed."
Question: I noticed you've gone to a four-piece (plus) kit from your 6 piece double-bass kit from the APSOG tour. Why the switch & do you lose any of the dynamics utilizing 2 toms instead of 3 or 4?
Mark Zonder:
"I just felt that I wasn't playing two bass drums that much and a double pedal would work just as well. As far as the toms, I wasn't really using all three for any particular reason. I was thinking more along the lines of high-mid-low. So I use the 10" for high, the 13" floor tom for mid and the kick for low. Also when I went to a single bass I was not comfortable with two toms over the kick. Actually I think it makes me a bit more melodic and creative with less drums. I was never a big roll around the toms type player."
Question: One of my favorite aspects of your playing is the tasteful use of electronics that helped to color many FW songs in a unique way. I've noticed on much of Disconnected, as well as in the photos of your kit, that they are conspicuously absent. Have you stopped using them, and if so, why? Also, any chance of an instructional DVD in the future?
Mark Zonder: "No I have not stopped using the electronics. On Disconnected the song "One" has drum electronics during the verses, but not much more. The electronics are more of a tool that I use when I feel it adds to the music. I do use them some on the ALFA DOG material. I would love to do an instructional video but they are pretty tough to put together."
Question: How do you come up with your drum parts? Can you describe the process and explain your approach to composing a drum part for a song?
Mark Zonder: "When I am playing in a situation where I am going to create the parts myself, I usually will start playing around with ideas that are fairly simple. Then I will try and take them out a bit. Also I am very aware of the stucture of the song and where the dynamics of the parts occur. This is very important to create the mood and flow of the song. There have been several parts over the years that I have come up with that will cause the writer to change parts or take the song in a different direction as the drum part has moved them. This is where the best stuff usually comes from as it turns into a group effort."
Question: What is the most technically challenging Fates song to play?
Mark Zonder: "As far as Fates goes, some of the parts in APSOG were pretty crazy. Serious time jumps and also some parts where the various instruments were playing off of each other and if you listened to other parts, you would get completely lost."
Question:What is your favorite Fates Warning song? Favorite Fates Warning song to play live
?
Mark Zonder: "Some of the stuff from APSOG as well as 'Eye to Eye' and 'Face the Fear'. But I enjoyed them all."
