TFV Presents: The Human Drum Machine Interview

Savannah: Hey! It’s Savannah with the Festival Voice, and I am here with Jake, who is The Human Drum Machine. First off, tell us a little about how you got started in music and what inspired you to get going. You can also find the video here if the widget doesn’t work.

Jake: Well, the long answer is I’ve been playing drums since middle school, and The Human Drum Machine is built around being unique and bringing live instrumentation back into electronic music. Artists like GRiZ have shown how powerful live instruments can be in electronic music, but my larger vision is to use electronic drums to trigger sound-design elements and other inputs, creating a fully integrated live show.

S: Okay, and I think this is really cool because my family will say things like, “I don’t know how you listen to all of those noises. I need an instrument.” So I think that’s a really neat concept to kind of meld those together. You recently released a new EP. Tell us about that. Tell us what’s going on with that. 

J: I had only been producing for about a year when I created Bad Girl, so it was a major challenge. I had to translate 23 years of drumming and rhythm into finished electronic records and commit to releasing a cohesive project early in my production journey.

S: Looking back, it’s called Bad Girl, and it’s 3 tracks, but it does tell a story. Can you tell us the story? 

J: The three tracks reflect my first two years in Los Angeles. Bad Girl represents the rush and power of the party scene; Pogo Stick explores the darker and more complicated side of sex, drugs, and relationships; and The Party Song represents redemption—learning how to celebrate life and enjoy the moment sober. LA can chew people up and spit them out if they aren’t ready, and the EP reflects the ups, downs, and growth I experienced while finding my lane here.

S: Yeah, so tell us about a recent show or festival you attended and what made this experience special?

J: This is an easy one. I went to Subtronics at The Shrine here in LA, and he did 6 nights, and it was something so special because of not only the music, but the lighting show there; the lasers were absolutely incredible. And as someone who runs lighting for mentors and friends of mine when they need help at shows, I play drums, and when I play light shows, I play on a big push pad, which is basically drumming. You’re playing lights. And the lighting aspect of shows is really rhythmic and percussive. It shows that the music isn’t the only thing that is being performed. Sometimes it is lighting. Sometimes it is musicians. I mean, Odesza has the drum line. It is adding another element that really inspired me when I went to Subtronics.

S: That is really cool. You mentioned you are currently in LA. But you mentioned you’re originally from New York. Is that where you were born and raised? Or did you move here specifically for this project?

J: Yes, I was born and raised in Long Island. When I was 24, I moved off the island. I’ve had some other endeavors before coming to LA. I moved to LA specifically for this project and to integrate myself into the music industry out here.

S: That’s awesome. So this one goes way back. What was the first concert or festival you attended? 

J: This is going to be a two-part answer. So the first concert I attended was Foreigner when I was 10 or 12, with my father. And it was a circular, revolving stage, so it was very interesting. And I was just so blown away by the musicians, the lighting, and the stage revolving. It was a very, very cool concert and inspired me as I was drumming at the time. But the very first festival I attended was EDC New York or New Jersey or whatever it was, and that was incredible. Seeing the festival, exploring with my friends, seeing Laidback Luke- I remember that set being the most influential set on me. That was a very cool experience.

S: Definitely. So we know that the music we listen to as a child definitely has an influence on us now. So what was the first album you ever purchased?

J: So that’s a tough one, cause I can’t remember the 1st one I ever purchased. So there are three that really stand out to me. So my dad gave me this cassette tape when he was younger. He recorded a lot of cassettes off of the radio, because that’s the only way they could do it back then. So there was one cassette tape that he gave me that was, on one side, the Boston album with all of their hits on it, called Boston. And the other side was Van Halen’s 5150, and both of those albums just resonated with me so much. I was obsessed. And then later on, not too much later, I got, as a Christmas gift, the Aerosmith album. It had a bunch of Aerosmith hits, and I fell in love with the band. And soon after, another Christmas gift was the American Idiot album from Green Day. And I will say, those 3 tapes were really influential for me as a kid.

S: Yeah, makes sense. If you could play any festival in the world, what would be your bucket list festival?

J: That’s easy. TomorrowLand. That’s been one for a long time in my eyes.

S: Have you ever been to Tomorrowland?

J: No, not yet. I’ve watched probably every bit of snippets and live clips of it since 2015, going to my first festival.

S: No, that makes sense. I’ve always wanted to go there too. So if you could give advice to anyone starting in the music scene, what would you tell them?

J: Don’t be afraid to be different, and don’t ever stop. Whether you’re playing an instrument or making music, remember that it’s a long game, not a short game.

S: So, what’s next for you? More music, some shows, festivals?

J: More music, more shows, and more collaborations.

S: Awesome, is there anything else you’d like to share with our audiences before we go?

J: Yeah, so I kind of kept this one open. So, keep it different, be unique, have fun, enjoy the process of life and all there is in the music world.

S: So awesome, Jake. We appreciate you for your time today, and we look forward to seeing what you do next.

J: Thank you so much to those of you over at The Festival Voice.