From Indie Studio Drummer’s Dylan Wissing:

Drums have been in my family’s blood for over a century. My great-grandfather Clarence Stout played them in the circus and vaudeville, writing hit songs from 1919 through the Fifties. My earliest musical memory is fascination with a set of drums that my uncles owned (although I wasn’t allowed anywhere near them at the time). A very healthy diet of Motown and Soul, Stones and Zeppelin, Reggae and Rock Steady, and way-out jazz from Sun Ra and Pharaoh Sanders (all on vinyl, of course) informed my musical tastes from an impressionable age. And growing up in a vibrant college town provided me with a very international outlook on the world of music and culture.

My first recording was in the eighth grade, at drum legend Kenny Aronoff’s studio in my home town of Bloomington, Indiana. Back in the mostly-analog 80’s, hearing a cowbell part I recorded coming back from the monitors was pretty eye-opening, as was hearing tracks Kenny recorded coming out of the radio and television. The experience set me on a lifelong path defined by a love of drums and drumming, with a strong fascination for the recording process.

Growing up in Bloomington, in the shadow of the world renowned Indiana University School of Music, proved to be a huge influence on my musical education. For three years in high school and college I studied with Shawn Pelton, before he went on to become the house drummer for Saturday Night Live and one of the world’s first-call session players. A spot on the Indiana All-State Jazz Band in high school led to time as a Jazz Studies major at IU (eventually graduating with a degree in French). Exposure to an intense classical and jazz education was invaluable, as was a two-year stint as conguero with Grammy-nominee Mariano Morales’ eleven-piece Salsa Orchestra.

From 1990 until 2004 I toured and recorded relentlessly as a founder of rock/funk/ska/reggae band Johnny Socko. The band played something like 2,300 shows coast to coast in that time, releasing five studio discs and a triple-live album, and sharing the stage with such acts as Kid Rock (who opened for Socko!), the Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Fishbone, and Maceo Parker. Johnny Socko independently sold over twenty-six thousand records and charted nationally with five studio albums. Music from the band appeared on MTV and in theaters nationwide, and was heard globally by millions of listeners daily as the theme song to the “Bubba the Love Sponge” show.

Since 2003 I’ve called Hoboken, New Jersey home, and have established a very healthy performing and recording career in New York City.

Living one subway stop away from Manhattan brings me in daily contact with an amazing group of musicians from all over the world (see my Credits for a complete list).  I’ve toured the US and Europe, recorded all kinds of music with all kinds of musicians and producers, and soaked in some serious art and culture from the greatest city in the world!

Recording for independent and major label artists with Grammy-winning producer/mixer Ken Lewis has taught me engineering skills from one of the absolute best in the business. And twenty non-stop years on the road (over three thousand shows at this point) and in the studio have taught me the skills to handle and embrace just about any situation I come across, musical or otherwise.

With Indie Studio Drummer, I bring a lifetime’s experience in recording and performing to YOUR tracks, using a world-class collection of modern and vintage instruments and recording gear. Please contact me for a quote on your project!