Pop Evil drummer Hayley Cramer recently spent a few minutes with Rock Confidential to talk about songwriting, her inspirations as an artist, and life on the road.
Pop Evil is right in the middle of yet another massive outing, this time with support from metal funnyman Don Jamieson, Them Evils, and Savage After Midnight. The 24-city tour will find the band performing at venues across the country including stops in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Baltimore, and Boston. The tour is in support of Pop Evil’s self-titled record that was released in February of 2018 through Entertainment One (eOne).
ROCK CONFIDENTIAL: You guys are definitely no strangers to the road. What part of touring is most comfortable, and what is the most challenging?
HAYLEY CRAMER: Yes, we are blessed to be on the road so much. Life on the road for me is amazingly fulfilling. I get to play my drums every day, travel and adventure whilst meeting lots of people. But it does come at the cost of missing out on home life. I find that after about two months it gets more difficult for me to fight the homesickness and guilt of being away and missing out on family/loved ones/friends time. I’m sure its different for everyone, this is just something that happens to me.
RC: You held a contest to give local bands a chance to win a slot on the bill on your tour. How does it feel to provide that kind of opportunity for up and coming talent?
HC: The idea to launch a competition and get a band to covering our song was really exciting to me. There has been some great twists and adaptations to our song “Be Legendary.” I’m looking forward to hearing all the bands we have chosen live. It will be fun to have an ever-changing opening act the entire tour. It will also be cool for our fans to hear our song in different ways, too.
RC: Pop Evil spent six weeks in Nashville recording the latest album. What do you think about Tennessee? What did you do on your time away from the studio?
HC: I always love being in Nashville, it’s a truly amazing place. The love of music emanating from all the bars and clubs is a great inspiration. I felt incredibly grateful to be making a record surrounded by such an atmosphere. As far as time off, well, we didn’t take much time off! Being in the studio all together was a big part of this record. No one was left on their own to track their parts, we all stayed together supporting each other through every step. Some finishing touches were added in LA but the core of the record was made in Nashville.
RC: Do you all write new material together or do you work individually and share ideas? Are you always writing?
HC: It’s a mixture of ways. Sometimes we write together and other times the idea comes from an individual. We all write, so there is no time frame for when that happens. If anyone has an idea they either work on it themselves on a laptop or share it immediately in a jam session or sound check. Every song has a different story.
RC: Besides drums and percussion, how else did you contribute in the studio? Did you do anything out of the ordinary to create textures or sounds that maybe you haven’t done before?
HC: I played drums, electric drums, percussion and keys on this album. Our producer Kato Khandwala was a key part to giving me free reign to experiment with new sounds and textures both acoustically and electronically. It is an experience I will never forget and always cherish in my heart.
RC: Kato sadly passed away last year. How did he influence you as a drummer and how did he impact you personally? What’s the biggest lesson you learned from him?
HC: Kato’s ear for interesting sounds was what really captured my imagination. We created a three kit set up in the studio. All kits were ready to be recorded at any moment of any day. We had a standard rock kit, a weirdly tuned one, and an electronic station. Each song was recorded with a mixture of all these kits. It was such a joy allowing ourselves to think outside the box and never be constrained to one particular sound.
He not only influenced my studio experience, however, because I have also now built a live kit incorporating all three of these kits.
RC: A lot of people have the dream to be a performer or a rock star, but never see it realized. What did you do differently to make it happen and do you remember the point you decided to pursue music as a career?
HC: I remember the moment I knew I was going to be a drummer. I was 12 years old and sat behind my older brothers drum kit. I got him to show me some beats and fills. It gave me such a buzz that I just knew it was what I was going to do for the rest of my life.
RC: What inspires you as an artist?
HC: My inspiration comes from many places. I can’t pinpoint one thing really. It could be a song I hear, a story someone tells me, the sound of a busy street filled with people and noises of life or one single chord change or guitar tone. I could go on and on. As an artist, you have to be your own boss, the one that drives and keeps yourself motivated. My ears, eyes, and heart are always open to take in new inspiration.
RC: Who are some of your professional influences? Was there a particular artist that had more of an impact?
HC: There’s no one particular artist that influenced me. As a kid, I was captured by whatever music was in my mum’s car. Lucky for me she had good taste! Queen, The Police and Phil Collins were both staple diets for car journeys. I am also very lucky that I come from a musical family. My father is a bass player, my older brother is a drummer and my sister a singer. Music was a very prominent part of my upbringing.
Catch Hayley Cramer and the rest of Pop Evil on tour – check here for dates.
ENCORE
RC: Top 5 Rock/Metal Songs
HC: That’s tough and near impossible to pick just five – here’s the first five that spring to mind today.
1. “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” – The Police
2. “Fat Bottomed Girls” – Queen
3. “Weak” – Skunk Anansie
4. “Tom Sawyer” – Rush
5. “Bat Country” – Avenged Sevenfold
L: Top 5 Rock/Metal Bands
1. Led Zeppelin
2. Queens Of The Stone Age
3. Avenged Sevenfold
4. The Police
5. Lower Than Atlantis (Sadly split up recently – Eddy Thrower is one of the best drummers out there at the moment!)
RC: The rock musician I would most like to meet is…
HC: Always – Freddie Mercury – not just because the movie is out at the moment. I’ve always had his poster up in my room and looked up to him both musically and as an artist. He was a perfect performer and vocalist. His passion, showmanship and vocal perfection still to this day have not been matched.
RC: Favorite Rock Concert/Experience
HC: The tour we did last year supporting Cheap Trick is one of the best tours I have ever experienced. Their musicality and performance inspired me every single night. Its gonna be a hard one to top.
RC: What was the first rock album you bought growing up?
HC: No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom and Soundgarden – Superunknown
