Interview: Joe Stickney of Bear In Heaven @ Pitchfork Music Festival
One of my drum students alerted me to Bear In Heaven‘s intriguing sound and layered grooves after stumbling upon them at a bar. Less than a year later, they’re playing a great set at Pitchfork Music Festival. Particularly impressive is the way Joe Stickney keeps the band lock-and-step with solid time, intricate coordination, and dropping in with drum fills at just the right time.
Listening to the records, I assumed that those layered drum parts were programmed – I was wrong. Joe is a great drummer, coordinating different parts on each limb. Passionately pushing the music forward while complementing synth-based music, you might say he’s sort of like the beating heart of the Tin Man. -Paul Goodenough
and here’s recent performance of theirs where you can witness Joe in action. Watch it, then make sure you catch Bear In Heaven’s next show near you:
August 26, 2010
glad to see you are doing good joe. your mom keeps me updated. good luck with your music and i am so glad it is important to you. tell frank hello. come visit when you are in town. the band sounds great and my daughter loves the bands music and has her friends listening.
see you
steve sims
fairhope, al