I had the honor of first meeting him in 2002. I was struck by how genuine and nice he was. He had already made a name for himself in the metal scene and in my mind he was eight two and three quarters French Viking. But actually, he was friendly, smiled a lot, and he wasn’t that big and mean at all! Never once did he try to consume my soul for Oden!
He took us right away to his table and treated us like the best of friends. I won’t ever forget it. Since then I have watched him and been a fan and my point here goes along with what I’ve been saying all along about these guys (PCS drummers): there is a certain type of drummer both using and supporting PCS that has come to define us. I mean really, really define us. Tommy and I clicked like Dave-O and I clicked. Often like two nice people will click. I mean, I guess we should have saw it, scooping up the coolest, best drummers in the biz, but we would have never guessed the support nor the power of their friendship and how that would shape our company. But, it did and they did and once again it is no surprise I’m struggling with words to praise a dude, who, in my opinion is one of the best, most worthy, notable drummers/people in this world.
Without going in circles let me open by first thanking you, Tommy, for taking the time to do this interview. I refuse to send a sheet of questions over because I want to talk to you and feel the heart of what you’re saying. I was overwhelmed again by your generosity and enjoyed fully our conversation. I wish I could write everything you said because throughout the conversation I found so much I would have loved to share outside the “marketing PCS”. But, what we cover here does nothing to limit the message: work hard, follow your dreams, treat people right, and you can do anything!
Author’s Note: It helps to imagine a rich, thick, New Or-linz accent when reading Tommy’s response. Dude is about as raw America as it gets. Much respect, Tommy, thanks again!
PCS Drumstick Blogger: How did you first find out about PCS?
Tommy Buckley: I met Dave-O back in 2002 when Soilent Green and Disarray were on tour with GWAR. We were both drummers and had a lot in common, we really hit it off. We’ve been close friends since.
PCS Drumstick Blogger: So in a way I guess you could say I’ve been there since the start?
Tommy Buckley: I remember back then Dave-O talking about his dreams of making the perfect drumstick. I’ve always believed everybody has to start with a dream, everyone has to start somewhere. I believe that and always had. And listening to Dave-O, his passion, well, I’m all about supporting the little guy because I’ve always been that guy. I understand it, I hold the same passion. In a way it’s like looking at yourself. We had always stayed in contact and he asked me right away to endorse his sticks. At the time I had never really thought of using my name to promote something, but thinking of Dave-O and his need, I figured why not? Plus, once I played the sticks I knew right away he was on to something. I felt like supporting it and putting my name behind it. I was one of the first people to try the prototype. I tried each variation, talked with him about the designs and consulted with the O-Ring placement. Dave eventually asked me to be the first person to endorse the sticks.
PCS Drumstick Blogger: Can you elaborate on your influence on the O-Ring placement?
Tommy Buckley: I think the O-Ring is different for each drummer, but Dave-O and I wanted to find a happy medium where to place it in a way that most drummers would be able to use it without needing much customization. I like my fingers to rest in a range between the top and middle rings so I can move to each one depending on how hard or light I need to hit. We found that drummers don’t need their finger on the O-Ring the whole time, in fact, for me it kind of got in the way. I like to move to it when I need it.
PCS Drumstick Blogger: That’s pretty freaking smart! I get it and I think the customer gets it too! Obviously you’re benefitting from the O-Ring, can you elaborate on how it helps?
Tommy Buckley: O ring helps by keeping the stick in my hand. Here’s my regiment: Before a show I tape my index fingers and thumbs with duct tape and then put on my leather gloves. This used to be my best shot at keeping the sticks in my hands. Now, because of the O-Ring I hardly ever drop a stick. I still wear the gloves, it’s just something I’m used to, but I can hold the sticks and play as fast as I want.
PCS Drumstick Blogger: Money question: how often do you break a PCS?
Tommy Buckley: Hardly ever. I can go two or four weeks of hard touring with regular shows before breaking one. And, you make a good point by asking that. How long these sticks last are very important. People think you’re rich, the tour bus, think you have sticks that are never ending, but that’s not the case. My drum heads, cymbals, and sticks are my tools and they are very expensive. As a touring drummer you will always sink money into these elements of your drums, always. Having something like a stick that lasts like a PCS is really incredible.
PCS Drumstick Blogger: I know you’re hitting them as hard as anyone else on the PCS roster. Knowing now your background and influence on PCS development, let’s put our cards on the table. All good things start out with this notion that we are creating something to make something better than we already have. What did you and PCS set out to fix and what were some early struggles with development? I think it’s important for our customers to know what exactly makes us better. I know like you do that Dave-O just didn’t throw out the first stick and you were like, perfect! Can you give some feedback on what development was like?
Tommy Buckley: Dave-O’s prior experience in wood working really lent to how well he made his first stick. And, don’t get me wrong, you can catch a grain just right, just barely in the lathe that completely flaws the stick. This happened even with the first few runs. I remember they were a little top heavy too, but I kind of liked that, it gave me balance and I could really hit them, and they don’t kill the cymbals either. And, just because they seemed awkward at first, what you have to understand is that’s how we were trained. You just attuned to the stick. It never dawned on me that making the stick a little top heavy was an improvement, but it was. Suddenly this little backwoods stick was a premium size stick. I really like how many grams each stick weighs too. That was something Dave-O thought up and I was totally impressed. I now know or can gauge if I need a heavier stick or lighter stick based on the song. This was all stuff that never played into the equation before. PCS has added so much more depth to what a drummer can do. Overall PSC has great grip, balance, they last long, are durable, really fit my hands. I’ve never really had any problems with them.
PCS Drumstick Blogger: I always like to share the PCS artist expertise with the customer in a way that relates to the quality of PCS. How long have you been playing drums and how has your style and influences affected your interaction with PCS?
Tommy Buckley: I got my first drum kit when I was 3 years old. Years later I tried guitar, I never really got it, sold the stuff and bought another kit. One-day mom and dad left, my uncle was watching me, I was ten, I kept bugging him to get the drums out. I knew he would spoil me and let me do whatever I wanted. From that point on there was no looking back. I played an old trap kit for a couple years, started taking drum classes in the fifth grade and eventually earned first chair. Marched in parades, Mardi Gras, half time shows (7-8 grade), I had five years of private lessons by Ray Franson a well-known New Orleans jazz fusion drummer from 13-18 years old. Eventually I got tired of the lessons, by 18 I was ready to go out into the real world and really throw down. It was then right out of high school that I joined Soilent Green.
Eventually, I landed a gig playing with Crowbar, man it was all like a blur looking back, but I was following my dreams. All of that completely shaped how and why I consulted with PCS. I mentioned Dave-O having a dream and how he shared that with me. It wasn’t just Dave-O saying the words once or twice, “I wanna make drumsticks.” It was this dude taking it and living it every day. Every time we talked Dave-O was going on about the sticks. He could see in me and my experience that I would be not only someone to put a name behind his sticks, but someone to truly help him in the deep technical aspects and I could really put them to the test.
PCS Drumstick Blogger: Last question, can you elaborate on the abuse your PCS take using a beaver analogy?
Tommy Buckley: Man, I beat the heck out them sticks. And, I keep stressing how they last, well I’m not rich either, so I really take advantage of the whole stick. For example, I tend to wear the stick in my left hand in a different spot in my right hand. I wear them down from rim shots with my left hand and the hi hat with my right to the point it looks like a beaver chewed them up. I mean, think of the cartoon tree where the beaver eats it to the point where it’s just ready to fall, it looks like that. To make them last I will let them wear until they are almost worn through and switch hands and wear them at the different spots. Once they break, I give them out to fans. I give out broken sticks like business cards. I promote the hell out of them, I tell everyone, I wear the shirts on stage, I still have the first shirt.
I was hoping there was going to be more with the beaver analogy, but eh. Anyway, once again, I am honored and thank you for taking the time to do this interview. All of us here at PCS appreciate all you have done and continue to do. Without people like you and all the drummers on the PCS roster this would be not be possible. Furthermore, without people like you in this world, it would just suck. Thanks for that and thanks being an example for all of us to follow. I must have heard you say “follow your dreams” half a dozen times in our call, rest assured, brother, I am and we will. Smile on.