Playing the Drums, Inspiring Others, and Fighting for What You Want with Kenny Aronoff

No one gets to be a world-famous musician overnight. You need to be dedicated to your craft, open to learning new things, and willing to collaborate with others.

Kenny Aronoff, world-class drummer, influential keynote speaker, and best-selling author joins us in this episode. Kenny shares his journey from growing up in a small town to playing the drums for big names in the music industry. He also talks about his numerous ventures and how he stays on top of it all. We hear some great stories about music legends, learn what it takes to be at the top of your game, and get inspired to fight for what we want.

Tune in to this episode and get inspired by Kenny’s colorful life! 

Three Reasons Why You Should Listen to This Episode:

1. Discover what it’s like to work with several major figures in the music industry!
2. Kenny shares his experiences playing the drums for John Mellencamp, the BoDeans, and many more.
3. Learn the importance of understanding who you are and why you are here.

Resources

• Grady Restoration — When your home suffers serious structural damage because of water, fire, storm, or some other ‘act of God’ the feeling of uncertainty can be overwhelming. Let us help you restore your sense of normalcy!
• Wiser Insurance Agency — Do you want to grow and preserve your wealth? We’re fully equipped to help you do so! Whatever your insurance needs are, we got you covered.
• Connect with Kenny: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
• Uncommon Studios LA
• Sex, Drums, Rock 'n' Roll!: The Hardest Hitting Man in Show Business by Kenny Aronoff: Hardcover | Audiobook
• RockD' Coffee — Premium Roast Blends
• Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
• Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood by Danny Trejo and Donal Logue

Episode Highlights

[02:50] How Kenny Started Playing the Drums

• Kenny grew up in a small rural town in Massachusetts. When he was 10 years old, he saw The Beatles on TV.
• This experience showed Kenny the purpose of his life: he wanted to play music in a band.  
• 50 years later, Kenny gets called to do a CBS show honoring The Beatles.
• He was able to perform with many major celebrities like Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Stevie Wonder, and more.
• Kenny also got the opportunity to thank Ringo for inspiring him to start playing the drums.

[06:20] Who’s Better at Playing the Drums?

• Comparing who’s better at playing the drums is like trying to pick between apples or oranges; they're both great.
• Kenny shares that Ringo has a special way of playing the drums. He and his bandmates are so in sync with each other.

[07:49] Cut From the Same Cloth

• Kenny comments that the Beatles were tight, had a great fee,l and had perfect timing.
• Back then, they recorded on four tracks, meaning you couldn’t change anything.
• You’re making commitments with sound, time, and everything.
• Everybody gave Ringo a hard time, but he was able to come up with parts that Kenny would never in his wildest dreams come up with.

[10:20] Do Drummers Write Their Parts? 

• When Kenny was playing the drums with John Mellencamp’s band, he had to come up with and polish songs. 
• Back in the day, there were only two music charts. You competed against bigs names like Zeppelin, The Beatles, and Elton John.

[12:14] Playing the Drums with Mellencamp

• Kenny said every time Mellencamp would play a song, he wanted to come up with a beat that would direct that song.
• It was a lot of pressure. Solving problems takes creativity.
• There was also a lot of teamwork and creativity involved when working with Mellencamp. 

[16:38] Uncommon Studios LA

• When downloading started, record sales went down. 
• And so, Kenny moved to LA and put up a studio.
• People would send Kenny files of their songs. Kenny would then ask them to send a demo of the song with the drum part.
• Kenny writes every single note down and sends back a couple of takes that he feels would make the song better.
• Technology is changing the way we do things, and it’s no different for recording music. Tune in to the full episode to learn how Kenny uses Pro Tools in his studio!  

[21:42] Adapt or Die

• Kenny observes that humankind has adapted and survived with the help of tools and technology.
• With COVID, Kenny adapted his recording studio into a TV studio to do virtual speaking.

Kenny: “​​I adapted. I adjusted to the system, to the environment I was in. You have to [roll with it]; I call it adapt or die.”

[22:52] The Secret to Kenny’s Youthfulness

• Kenny has been putting cream every day, shaving, and applying sunblock. He has kept this routine since 1994.
• He is incredibly health-conscious. Kenny’s morning usually starts with water, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar.
• Tune in to the full episode to find out the foods that Kenny consumes to keep healthy.

[25:10] How Kenny Keeps Up When Playing the Drums in a Concert

• Since high school, Kenny has always been into being fit and staying in shape.
• In 1994, his trainer introduced him to diet and supplements. Since then, he’s maintained this lifestyle.
• Every day, he gets an hour of practice playing the drums. 
• Kenny keeps up with his endurance and cardio, believing that you always have to stay in shape.

[26:43] On Playing the Drums with the BoDeans

• Kenny keeps a chart for every song on his iPad.
• For his latest collaboration with the BoDeans, Kenny had to learn 15 songs. They will also cover songs by other legendary bands. 
• Kenny prides himself on always being well-prepared for performances.

[28:56] On Playing the Drums with Other Artists 

• Kenny has worked with many notable artists in the music industry. He would also go on tour with some.
• In a day, Kenny can record several songs for different artists. Find out how he manages to do this when you tune in to the full episode.

[31:44] Kenny’s Audiobook

• Kenny’s audiobook was recorded without his voice, much to his disappointment.
• And so, Kenny recorded his book with his own voice. 
• Kenny paid an engineer to assist him in his studio.
• They took a while to go through the whole book because they had to redo and edit several times.

• Kenny reflects that writing and recording his book was a painstaking process that compelled him to slow down. 

[39:10] Rock’D Coffee

• Kenny’s brand was supposed to be ‘Kaboom’, but it turned out it was already a name for a toilet bowl cleaner.
• They offer an Italian roast espresso. It’s dark, full-body, and strong.
• The brand has been around a couple of years, but Kenny hasn’t promoted it as much.
• Tune in to the full episode to learn about Kenny’s other ventures!

[43:57] Public Speaking

• Kenny says putting together a 45-minute show isn’t as easy as people think.
• His overall takeaway is being a team player; you need to connect and collaborate with people.
• You also need to be creative, innovative, and make efforts to stay relevant.
• Life is short. It's crucial for you to understand who you are and why you’re here.
• He shares his story with others to inspire them.

Kenny: “Feelings are the truth or your soul, your being. That's who you are. And when you act on that, you'll be unstoppable, undeniable, and authentic.”

[47:36] What’s Next for Kenny 

• Kenny is currently working on a beginner-intermediate drum book. He’s recorded 12 songs with 12 different styles of drumming.
• The book’s idea is to show people that he is playing the drums like how a method actor performs. 

[50:10] What Kenny Learned from Mellencamp

• Laziness does not teach you to be great at what you do. You need to overcome this and learn to go after what you want.
• Go through life thinking you’re on your own, don’t go looking for handouts.
• Be accountable for your actions.
• Fight for what you want. Sometimes, you strike out, but that’s all part of the learning process.

Kenny: “If everybody could take care of themselves, the world would be amazing. Now, not everybody can take care of themselves. But when they're teaching people to not take care of themselves, that's bringing the world down.”

About Kenny

Kenny Aronoff, a world-class drummer who has been the sideman of many great bands for decades. He is also an influential public speaker, and now a best-selling author. He has sold over 300 million records with his talent. Most notably, Kenny Aronoff has been voted Rolling Stone’s top 100 greatest drummers of all time.

He currently owns Uncommon Studios in Los Angeles, CA where he records high-quality, professional drum tracks with past sessions including BoDeans, John Fogerty, Rod Stewart, and many more.

To know more about Kenny and what he does, check out his website! You can also reach out to him on Instagram,  LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

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To more real conversations, 

Darren