A few weeks ago I caught up with my new friend Calvin, from High Fade and his solo project Perry Dimension.
If the latter rings a bell, it’s because the instagram account associated with it had some viral memes. In a manner of speaking, Calvin represents exactly what social media has “done to drums”. That’s why I wanted to dig deeper.
Calvin and I first connected late last year when I saw him doing an exercises that reminded me of a tom flow thing I’d been practicing at the time. (A lesson that ended up earning me a rare reaction video.) I’d already seen the Instagram account loaded with drum comedy - covering Beatles songs with over-the-top drum fills with captions like “Ringo shoulda cooked here”.
If you’ve seen this meme, you can thank Calvin for its origin. It simultaneously participates in “everything that’s wrong with drums on social media” and critiques it. As do Calvin’s comically over-the-top out-of-context drum solos from live shows.
Anyway, after our initial conversation, I’d wanted to get Calvin back on, because behind the memes, he’s deeply dedicated to real, live music. (Unlike, I suppose, Yours Truly. I’m working on it, you guys;) As the drummer for High Fade, Calvin has tasted the tour life, and has thoughts on touring and record labels, and an ongoing inside joke about pink yachts. When I asked him to choose between “internet famous” with zero label interest and label interest but zero followers, he actually chose the latter. (The faster path to the pink yacht, to explain the yacht thing just a little more.)
And despite his theatrics and memes, if you peep Calvin’s solo project, Perry Dimension, it’s thoughtful and analog, and the songwriting and music video are clever.
Finally, as with all of my guests, I wanted to know how Calvin had become this good at drums by this point in his life. (22 years old as I write this.) His uncomplicated relationship with the drums reminds me a bit of Chris Turner’s. Calvin’s only known high standards for himself, so it wouldn’t even occur to him that there were people putting in less time on the instrument.
I hope you enjoy this light-hearted chat with Instagram’s funniest memer, who, under the surface, is so much more.