EATS: "Just about anything."
DRINKS (N/A): "Just about anything with the exception of milk. Ugh."
DRINKS (ALCOHOLIC): "Whiskey and cold beer, dammit!"
DRIVES: "2000 Honda Civic Si."
FAVORITE SPORTS TEAMS: "None in particular..."
PERSONAL: Single.
NICKNAMES: Tommy, TJ, Little Bitch, Facker.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING DRUMS? 10 years.
WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE? I use Pearl Export Series drums, cymbal stands, and drum racks; Zildjian cymbals, Tama Iron Cobra kick drum pedals and hi-hat stands; LP timbalitos, Icebells, and cowbells; RhythmTech drum kit tambourines; Pro-Mark sticks; Vic Firth Mallets; and Audio-Technica and Shure mics.
HOW DID YOU FIRST START PLAYING DRUMS? When I was little, I was constantly beating on everything I came in contact with (no, not literally). When I was in fifth grade, I decided that I wanted to play drums. My parents made a deal with me that the only way I could get a drum kit would be if I took lessons, so taking lessons I did. I bought my first drum kit out of a JC Penney catalog for my 11th birthday. I don't remember having to try to learn how to play the damn thing--when I got it, I set it up and played it like I'd had a drum kit my whole life.
YOU PLAY GUITAR, TOO? Yeah, since I was fifteen. My dad had an old knock-off SG that he used to play when he was in a band. I took lessons and learned, then I finally bought my first guitar (see equipment page) several years later. I played bass for a year when I was in 11th grade for my high school jazz band. It was pretty cool! Later that year, Tim on guitar and vocals, myself on bass, and Brian Shrader, a guy I knew from high school drumline, played drums at North High's "Battle of the Bands" in '98. It was a cool departure from being behind the kit. I still noodle around a lot; I feel much more comfortable writing music with the rest of the band playing guitar along with them, rather than just hammering out beats.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF MUSIC TO LISTEN TO? Good old-school style heavy metal, progressive metal/rock, hard rock and alternative, the occasional gangsta rap, and to quote John, "anything on the radio that doesn't suck."
WHO ARE YOUR MAJOR INFLUENCES? DRUMS: Mike Portnoy, Lars Ulrich, Vinnie
Paul, Nick Menza, Jimmy DeGrasso, Gar Samuelson, Danny Carey, Matt Cameron, Alex Van Halen, Joey Kramer, Dave Abbruzzese, John Bonham, and Matt Sorum.
GUITAR: James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, John Petrucci, Dave Mustaine, Marty Friedman, Al Pitrelli, Randy Rhoads, Dimebag Darrell, Joe Perry, Slash, the list goes on...
WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE BANDS? First of all, THIS BAND!!! Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment, Metallica, Korn, Disturbed, Guns 'n' Roses, Megadeth, Pantera, Ozzy, Aerosmith, etc...
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BAND? My first band was Empty Space with Brian McClure & Steve Heverley (guitar), Tom Eberling (bass), and James Fisher (vocals). Steve eventually left the band, and Jon Herrera joined as a second vocalist. This ultimately caused the demise of Empty Space, as tensions between Jon and Brian grew and tore the band apart. We had fun, though.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST GIG? My first gig was with Empty Space on August 4, 1995 at a "Teen Night" dance at Northwood Club, a private pool that I used to belong to. We played pretty well, and we had the listeners' attention until the DJ started competing with us. I hate DJs.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE GIG? My most memorable gig was when Dissolution played Frederick Community College's "Spring Fling" in May, 2002. As seen on the news section, Tim was unable to play with us because he was doing his Marine thing, and we needed a bassist and vocalist! I was taking ear training and music theory classes at FCC at the time, and two of my classmates, Dave Swanson and Drew Wendt, fit the bill perfectly. We practiced intensely in John and Chris' basement for about two weeks before the gig, and in the end, our efforts paid off tremendously. This was the largest and most diverse audience I've ever played in front of, next to playing the last day of school when I was in high school.
OTHER BANDS YOU'VE PLAYED WITH?
ANY TATTOOS OR PIERCINGS? Both ear lobes pierced.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? Spare time? Is this a trick question? When I'm not at work or at school, I can be found playing my drums and/or guitars, mixing numerous recording projects and songs, eating, playing with computers, or tinkering with my car.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF? Spontaneous, obsessive, idealistic, anti-social, geeky.
Click a member for their bio page.
TIM STERLING - VOCALS & BARITONE
GUITAR
DREW WENDT - BASS
CHRIS SOUTH - GUITAR
JOHN SOUTH - GUITAR
TOM DEAN - DRUMS & VOCALS
E-MAIL THE BAND AT DISSOLUTIONTHEBAND@HOTMAIL.COM
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