Josh Merhar

What do you teach at Loudlands?

Drums

When did you start playing?

2001

What's your favorite aspect of music or your instrument?

I get a lot of satisfaction from gaining a higher level of control over my body and through pushing myself to execute whatever ideas pop into my head. It's incredibly cathartic to be able to sit down at the drums and be loud through the relatively aggressive act of hitting things with sticks.

I also love creating music with close friends of mine, both in terms of composing and improvising. I'm incredibly grateful to play with musicians that thrive on facilitating truly free expression through sound.

Who are some of your favorite bands/musicians and why?

Too many to list! But a few of my all-time favorite bands are The Mars Volta, Blotted Science, and Meshuggah. Each group pushes the boundaries of technical ability and, at times, challenges the listener to hang in there with them. Not all music sounds pleasant!

Some of my current favorite drummers are Nate Wood, Maison Guidry, and Chris Paprota. They each have an extremely unique sound and possess a seemingly limitless technical faculty on the drums. Their creativity is astounding - it sounds like they never do the same thing twice.I currently play in two original bands: Vitamin Sun and Clamb.

What are some of your current and/or past music projects?

I currently play in two original bands: Vitamin Sun and Clamb. Vitamin Sun formed back in 2011. Our music features lots of odd time signatures, metric modulation, and other nerdy music concepts. But making grooves feel organic despite their technicality has always been a central focus of the group. The group consists of two guitars, bass, drums, and vocals. Clamb formed in 2019. Our music is entirely instrumental and relies heavily on improvisation and spontaneity - no two performances sound the same! The group consists of synth, electric guitar, fretless electric bass, and drums. I used to play in another group called GEPH. Formed in 2014, the group consisted of two Chapman Sticks (google it) and drums. Our music was all instrumental and featured complex arrangements. Despite being a trio, each Chapman Stick was capable of creating two distinct sound profiles at once, allowing us to sound more like a 5-piece band. Back in high school, I played in a blues-rock group called Bizarre Silence (later renamed to Amenti Rover). Some of our music is still floating around out there!

How would you describe your music and playing style?

I would describe my style as confident, conscious, and laced with calculated chaos. I know when to hold back, and when it's appropriate to become unleashed.

Can you please describe your gear of choice?

I like big, wobbly crash cymbals, an articulate ride cymbal with a hint of wash, a snare drum that cracks like a gunshot, and a deep, punchy bass drum that feels like a kick to the chest when I hit it. I can live without rack toms, but I also love a low-tuned floor tom.

Any general advice you'd like to give to beginner musicians or someone looking to get started?

Learn to be patient and persistent. The hardest part of learning any instrument is the very beginning. Don't get discouraged by comparing yourself to others that are further along in their journey. When we see top-tier professionals shredding on their instrument, we're observing the end result of thousands of hours of practice over a span of many years. What we don't see is all of the frustration and challenges they worked through to get to that point. Your favorite musician was a total beginner at some point, too!

Aside from playing/making music, what are some of your other interests and hobbies?

I enjoy solving Rubik's cubes and other kinds of twisty puzzles, learning computer programming, and playing with my extremely friendly cat, Go-Gurt.

If you were battling a physically identical but evil android version of yourself on top of a skyscraper during a thunderstorm and someone miraculously intervened, how would they know which one was the real you?

Have us play blast beats at 300 bpm. My flimsy meat suit isn't capable of moving that fast, but I bet the android would have no trouble.