Hi, I’m Michael Martinez and I play in a pop-rock band called Allstar Weekend. I started playing drums when I was in fifth grade at the age of ten. I joined the concert band in elementary school and played clarinet, instantly hated the instrument, and started rocking out on my older brother’s drumkit. I grew up listening to a lot of Prince, which is what my dad listened to, so when it came to performing I knew I wanted to be just as cool as him. In high school I played in the marching band and began to take playing a drumkit more seriously. I listened to a lot of Saosin, Underoath, and Senses Fail in high school, so my style became technical very quickly. I then began listening to a lot of R&B and hip-hop and became interested in the styles of Aaron Spears and Michael Bland. Since then I’ve been trying to blend a lot of those styles into our songs.

Our group formed in 2008, and we began practicing in a garage and playing at local venues. We were handing out flyers at a Jonas Brothers movie premiere and a casting director from Disney got a hold of one of them and put us in a Radio Disney contest called “Next Big Thing.” We didn’t win the competition, but there was a lot more buzz about our band. We showcased for many labels and finally got signed to Hollywood Records.

Playing in a pop-rock band is a lot different from playing what I used to play in the past. The style of drumming in pop is a lot more stripped down. It has taught me how to stay technical in what seems like a laid-back drum rhythm. When I’m in the studio recording a song I try to play stuff that works best for the song and the listener. Advertisement

I play a blue glass–finish, all maple DW kit consisting of a 24″ bass drum, a 12″ rack tom, a 16″ floor tom, and a 6 1/2×14 snare, with Zildjian A Custom cymbals.

We’re currently on a summer tour promoting our debut album, Suddenly. We’ll be touring major cities all over the U.S. Thanks for reading!

For more on Michael Martinez and Allstar Weekend, go to www.allstarweekendrocks.com.