I Am Byron: The Drummer
I Am Byron
I Am Byron is a poetic series inspired by the unique personalities who live and breathe Byron Shire values, either residing here or holding it strong in their hearts. Get to know the quirky, down-to-earth and inspiring humans ditching the nine-to-five and exploring a new way of being. Our in-house storytellers share tales straight from the lives of quintessential Byronites, be they long-time locals, new residents or those simply passing through.
I Am Byron: The Drummer
Story by Rebekah Reeve with Jamie Pattugalan
Some of the best moments I’ve had with music have been at festivals. I’ve played 10,000 festivals, literally. All over the world, I’ve travelled all over Europe, New Zealand and North America and Canada. I’ve been all around Asia, you know; Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia. I’ve been to Vanuatu and New Caledonia, even Russia - I’ve been to Russia too! All through music, and I haven’t had to pay for most of it either.
Being on tour for me is the most fun thing about being a musician because it gives you a sense of freedom and a real sense of joy. When you’re on tour, you don’t have to wash up or do those mundane things you do at home and when you’re on the road, all these amazing, creative and romantic thoughts come into your head. Thoughts about how you can change the world, like, say if you wrote a song that helped to destabilise a government that was really oppressive; you know, things like that.
I ended up in Byron Bay through touring. I was drumming for Lisa Hunt, and I fell in love with a local girl and decided to stay. Surviving financially here was tough though and playing a gig or two every week just wasn’t enough. My friend told me about a job going at a car rental place and it sounded good at the time. The money was shit but it was stable, I got more money from it than doing music, plus, it was consistent, and I knew I was going to get the money every week.
The money allowed me to do things, I thought it gave me freedom at first. If I wanted extra cheese on my hamburger, I could get it and not worry about it, if I wanted to go for a trip to the Philippines I could do it without thinking - ‘oh, have I got enough money?’ I could easily just do it. I realised though, later, that it gave me freedom but at the same time it imprisoned me as well; I couldn’t go on tour because I had a job.
The working environment there wasn’t the best either. Sometimes when I was at work I had to put on a fake face, and it felt toxic - I just don’t like being fake. I was also partying a lot just to cope with it. It’s ironic because I was working so much to make money but then I was spending it just to cope with working there. I was buying things I didn’t need just because I could, shouting friends’ meals and I realised, where’s all my money gone?
After ten years there I just wanted to kill somebody, I felt like I was going to punch someone in the face and I’m not a violent person at all. I still feel angry and the reason I feel angry is that I didn’t say what I really wanted to say at the time thinking that I’d lose my job, or I’d get penalised. I probably didn’t leave out of fear, I didn’t want to be in the position that I’d be poor. I’ve been poor quite a few times in my life and I’ve been secure, I like the feeling of being secure.
For a couple of years, I’d been thinking, I’ve gotta get out, I’ve gotta get out, and then I lost my job. In a strange, beautiful twist the universe nudged me along, the universe made it happen. I’m so grateful now that I can do music again. As soon as the music community heard that I wasn’t working at the car place anymore I started getting all this really great work. I just felt joy.
People regard my drumming as really good. I’ve played in so many bands I’ve been described as a ‘band slut.’ I suppose I’m good but not fantastic the way people describe it.
I was watching some amazing drummers on YouTube the other night; I can’t do any of that stuff they’re doing, but then, I heard a recording of myself and I thought, wow that’s actually really nice, really simple but it sounds beautiful.
I think it’s more of the emotional side; that’s what people are talking about, it’s the emotion not the technique. It’s like when someone cooks spaghetti bolognaise, it can be cooked so many different ways but my mum, when she cooked spaghetti bolognaise it was so simple, but just so tasty, you know just tasty. My drumming is like that, simple but tasty.