JOHN OTTO

When I was young, I had one of those Yamaha drum machines, and I used to practice to that quite a bit, just to practice soloing and being in time and completing all my phrases.

I'd take the syncopation and play swing, and then read the syncopation lines with my left hand.

I've always liked funk and rock and everything.

It's all about theme and development anyway. That's what music is about.

I really just wanted to play the drum set and match that. I was never really into the percussion thing.

We've got many different sides of music to us.

I was really conscious of that when I went in because I felt that I was pretty solid on the first one, but I didn't have the groove exactly where I wanted it.

I think jazz is a wonderful learning tool.

We knew we wanted to put a lot of melody into it - a lot more than what we did on our first album.

Even on the drum level, it's all about stating your theme, going back to certain things that need to be emphasized, not doing fills for the sake of doing fills.

I was really conscious of that when I went in because I felt that I was pretty solid on the first one, but I didn't have the groove exactly where I wanted it.

I've always liked funk and rock and everything.

Onstage, it's more of a momentary pressure.

I usually go with the first instinct, and then build upon that.

Jazz was more of a tool for me to use to enhance my musicality.

I think jazz is a wonderful learning tool.

When the songs pop out, that's like the climax of us building.

We knew we wanted to put a lot of melody into it - a lot more than what we did on our first album.

Even on the drum level, it's all about stating your theme, going back to certain things that need to be emphasized, not doing fills for the sake of doing fills.

It's all about theme and development anyway. That's what music is about.

When I was young, I had one of those Yamaha drum machines, and I used to practice to that quite a bit, just to practice soloing and being in time and completing all my phrases.

When the snares don't hit together, it's just the most awful thing to hear.

We've got many different sides of music to us.

I'd take the syncopation and play swing, and then read the syncopation lines with my left hand.

But I've gravitated more towards the drum set.

I really just wanted to play the drum set and match that. I was never really into the percussion thing.

Sometimes the band can't fully hear your fill, so they come in differently. So I've also learned not to really step out too much, because you sacrifice the band when you do that.