Hello there, MD universe. My name is Konrad Commisso, and I play in a band called Poor Young Things from Toronto, Canada. We’re relatively new on the scene, having just released our first EP at the beginning of 2012, but we’ve toured Canada four times this year already (Fact: Canada is MASSIVE) and plan to hit the States for our first time in mid-August. To say we’re stoked would be an understatement.

My band plays a brand of rock ’n’ roll that’s rooted in a lot of the great acts from the last thirty years, like Petty and Springsteen, but we like to make a point to keep it fresh and also take influence from a lot of new artists out there that are really keeping rock and music in general exciting these days. We’re going to be doing our first full-length album in the fall (let’s get weird!), so be on the lookout for PYT in 2013!

I’ve got to start by thanking MD for having me out! I’ve been a long-time reader and now I’m one step closer to my plan for the cover in 2015 and subsequent World Drummer Dominance. In all seriousness, though, there’s definitely a stack of old MD issues back at my parents’ house that I can’t wait to ruffle through next time I’m home. Advertisement

My bandmates and I grew up in a town called Thunder Bay, eighteen hours north of Toronto, Canada’s epicenter. I started playing drums when I was in sixth grade, and at that age the TV station MuchMusic (Canada’s version of MTV) was every kid’s daily soundtrack. I ended up picking up the sticks because I wanted an outlet to channel what I was hearing and all the great ’90s rock that I was gravitating further towards. My parents got me started with a few lessons and a real basic starter kit, but I ended up quitting because my teacher wanted to teach me hand drumming instead. I wanted the kit! I stuck with it and basically taught myself the real basics: feel, groove, keeping time—all the essentials. I listened to guys like Phil Rudd of AC/DC and Steve Gorman of the Black Crowes, and I became obsessed with how they could keep their drumming so perfectly simple, yet at the same time exciting and infectious. Some people may knock a guy like Phil Rudd for playing grooves or fills that are “too easy,” but try showing me one person at an AC/DC show not tapping their foot. Impossible. My whole approach to drumming really boils down to that particular school of thought: playing for the song.

That’s all for this installment! Hopefully you’ll hear from me again!

 

For more on Konrad Commisso and Poor Young Things, go to pooryoungthings.com. Photo by Whitney Bragagnolo.