When I was in profiled in the February 2000 issue of Modern Drummer magazine, I was in a band in Seattle called Saqqara, which was doing quite well opening for numerous national acts in the Seattle area, such as B.Ö.C., Great White, Warrant, and Sebastian Bach (twice). I played in numerous other local bands over the next decade, doing the local circuit.

Fast forward to August 2010. I got a call from my bro, Fall From Grace singer Tryg Littlefield, and we got to BS’n about things. The question was posed about me auditioning for FFG. I obviously was floored and accepted. As they say, the rest is history. The audition really wasn’t that at all, it was more longtime friends jamming and just never stopping.

Pretty amazing things have happened for FFG in the last year and a half. We released a new CD, The Romance Years, and the video for our single “18 & Out.” Now we’re on a full U.S. tour with Eve 6 and the Audition (for one month) and with Saving Abel, Redlight King, and Aranda (for two months). Advertisement

The live rig I’m playing on tour is a Tama birch/bubinga kit with 8×10, 9×12, 12×14, and 14×16 toms and a 16×24 bass drum. My snares are a 6¹/₂x14 Dunnett titanium, a Ludwig Black Beauty, and a carbon-fiber that I built by myself. Cymbals are all Paiste 2002s—17″, 18″, 19″, and 20″ crashes, a 22″ Heavy ride, 14″ or 15″ Sound Edge hats, and a 16″ China. I also use Fidelity custom molded in-ears.

I’m still proudly endorsing Aquarian drumheads, Slug percussion products, Straightsticks drumsticks, and Kelly SHU mic mounts.

 

For more on Jesse Smith and Fall From Grace, go to fallfromgrace.us  or facebook.com/fallfromgracemusic.