The Suicide File

Here's an interview I did with Jarrod Alexander in 2003? Maybe it was 2004. Jarrod played/plays drums for about a million bands (American Nightmare, Hope Con, The Bars, Adamantium, etc) but The Suicide File was his main project. I was gonna use this for a zine but it just ended up online and then the site it was on went down so here it is. A couple of years later I ended up touring the UK with Jarrod on The Suicide File's reunion tour.

Hey Jarrod... Could you just introduce who you are and what you do, just in case anyone doesn’t know already…
My name is Jarrod Alexander and I play drums.

Are you currently in any bands or planning to record drums for any records soon?
I'm currently playing drums for A Static Lullaby.

How did you end up in A Static Lullaby anyway...
My friend Terry, the drummer of Christiansen, told them about me when I was on tour with Christiansen.

How old were you and what made you start playing drums in the first place?
I was about 9 or 10 years old when I first started drumming. I had an uncle who had an old double bass Ludwig set from the late 60's. Watching him play when I was little made me want to start playing.

What equipment do you use?
I use Istanbul cymbals, Promark 808 oak wood tip sticks and Johnny Craviotto solid maple drums.

Do you play other instruments?
I play a little guitar.

Who were your early influences?
Stewart Copeland of The Police, Bill Stevenson of The Descendents, Dave Grohl and John Bonham.

What about now? Are there any drummers around now who you are into?
Hmmmm. Terry Bozio, Brooks Wackerman, Josh Freese, Derek Grant, Virgil D., too many too name.

Did you take drum lessons or teach yourself?
I took lessons from the start.

What bands have you played drums for?
Death By Stereo, Adamantium, Give up the Ghost, The Hope Conspiracy, The Suicide File, The Vandals, Throwdown, The Bars, A Static Lullaby.

What releases have you appeared on?
- Death By Stereo - "If Looks Could Kill I'd Watch You Die"
- Adamantium "When It Rains, It Pours"
- Suicide File - Every release
- Give Up The Ghost/American Nightmare - "Background Music"
- The Hope Conspiracy- "Endnote"
- Throwdown - "Haymaker"
- The Bars - TBA
- Parker Theory - "Can Anybody Hear Me"

What made you stick it out at Berklee College of music, instead of being in a touring band, full time?
Good Question. Half of the time I wanted to leave and go on tour. I think what made me want to stay was the fact that I moved all the way from California just to try something different. I wanted to see if I could stick it out and get a degree. I wanted to learn different styles of music and still continue to play hardcore and better myself at both.

How did you get involved in just stepping in for bands during the recording process?
When I moved to Boston I didn't really know anyone out there other than the Bane guys. One day I was walking to the record store and bumped into Jonas and Neeraj from the Hope Conspiracy. I started hanging out with them and when they were drummerless I stepped in to write and record with them. I could write a page on this one question man!

I think Give up the Ghost had been through like 10 drummers by the time they were set to record their album. It was pretty crazy. I learned most of those songs of a boom box recorded tape that Tim C. gave me before they left on tour. We probably only rehearsed half of the songs before entering the studio. They flew me out to do the album and the night I flew home, Death by Stereo picked me up from the Airport and I played a show with them in San Diego.

The Hope Conspiracy's drummer left to join the army and my friend, Aaron (guitarist of Hope Con) and I, had already written music together in Adamantium. I stepped in for that because they didn't have a drummer at the time for the recording. Throwdown are my friends and I love them. Dom called me up to do their record when I was home for the Holidays. Once again, they didn't have a drummer at the time. We ate burritos, hit Starbucks and recorded in Hollywood for a few days.

When you’re in the studio with a band, do you have 100% creative input when it comes to the drumming, or do bands try and explain how they want things to sound?
It totally depends on the project. With the Suicide File, I had 100 percent creative input. The same for Death By Stereo. Most of the other records I kind of played what I thought would fit the band's style.

What records would you recommend a young, upcoming, drummer to listen to and gain inspiration from?
The Foo Fighters - "Colour and the Shape"

Finally...What are your plans for the future?
Touring with A Static Lullaby and recording a project with my friend Neeraj from The Suicide File.

Thanks a lot Jarrod.

Check out Jarrod latest work involving members of The Hope Conspiracy and Give Up The Ghost online at;
www.thebarsrock.com