KENNY ARONOFF

“The Alchemy of Rhythmic Development”

“The passion for techno is older than that now itself. The passion for drums is older than their invention. And the time will come when the reason for both surpasses them”....DAN Van Casteele

An animated avalanche faster than God on a skateboard, loud is the tsunami with the power of a nuclear blast, but with the dazzle, blaze and sparkle of fireworks on the Fourth of July, master drummer Kenny Aronoff is the backbone of any band or artist he performs with....and there have been many.

Celebrated as one of the planet’s most influential rock drummers and dubbed one of the top hundred drummers by “Rolling Stone”, superstar Kenny Aronoff has enjoyed a riveting, larger than life orbit through the time and space of music. Recognized for providing John Mellencamp with 17 years of success, Aronoff has also been responsible for contributing his rhythms to more than 60 Grammy nominated recordings and over 300 million records sold worldwide. He has also worked with artists including: Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, Jon Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond, Stevie Nicks, Brian Wilson, Kelly Clarkson, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan, Alicia Keys, John legend, Pharrell Williams, Stevie Wonder, David Grohl, Dionne Warwick, Johnny Cash, Celine Dion, Eddie Money, Mick Jagger, Smashing Pumpkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lady Gaga, and countless others, too vast to mention.

Aside from keeping the beat, Aronoff has also penned his best-selling book, “Sex, Drums, Rock n’ Roll! The Hardest Hitting Man in Show Business.” He is also a well- respected corporate inspirational speaker.

Providing integrity and sparkle to the global soundscape, Aronoff continues to relentlessly bedazzle audiences. He is a free spirit with a wild heart.......

What inspired you to become the drummer and the person that you are?

First of all, the drums picked me. I was born a hyper, super energetic kid who was drawn to sports, drawn to action, drawn to adrenaline, serotonin, things that would make me feel good. I grew up in Boston Mass. in a beautiful little town with 2000 people. There was nothing on TV to watch, so my twin brother and I were always outside playing. On one particular day when we were outside playing my mom screamed from the porch, “boys you’ve got to come in right now.” We froze in our tracks. It sounded like we were in trouble, which was usually the case. We ran across our big lawn that looked like an NFL football field, and we get into the family room where my mother was pointing to our RCA, black-andwhite TV set, with the rabbit ears. There were these four guys on TV with suits, long hair, guitars, bass, drums and they happen to be playing music. The lead singer was singing “She loves you yeah, yeah, yeah”...WOW...who the hell were these guys? I was electrified! I’ve never seen anything like that before. At that very moment I realized what my purpose in life was going to be, before I even know what those words meant. I wanted to be a part of it. Not knowing how to do that I asked my mom who those guys were. She answered, “The Beatles.” I asked her to call them up and get me in that band. Basically, I told her that I wasn’t going to play piano anymore, and I was going to play the drums. She didn’t call the Beatles up...I wonder why? She didn’t get me a drum set... so I decided to start my own band. Two weeks later I started my own band called “The Alley Cats”, and of course we played Beatles music. The amazing thing about this is 50 years later I got called to do a CBS show called, “The Night That Changed America”, a show honoring The Beatles. I then got to perform with the two remaining Beatles, 50 years later, after that famous Ed Sullivan Show. I played with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr along with many other amazing celebrities including Stevie Wonder, Joe Walsh, and on and on.

So, I can tell you that at that moment when I was 10 years old, I was smitten with passion, truth, and my deepest desires, and I followed my heart, not just my brain. That’s what has given me this amazing career where I record it over 300 million records. I’ve had four decades of recording and touring with everybody.

What was your most triumphant moment in your very decadent and extraordinary career?

I’ve had a lot, but I would say the biggest one was when I exploded John Mellencamp’s career and launched my own career which was when “Jack and Diane” (one of the most aired drum solos) went to number 1. That album “American Fool” won 2 Grammys. That was like hitting a homerun and winning the World Series. You’re waiting for success to land in your lap, it isn’t going to happen. If you are waiting for it and I am around you, I’m going to take it. I am going after it. I’m not trying to take it from you, but if I see it and I want it I go after it.

What was the moment that changed the trajectory of your life?

At 10 years old I started a band and played in bands until I was 18 years old. I decided to go to college but there was no School of Rock back then. I spent the next five years studying classical music in the number one music school in the country, Indiana University School of Music. It was the number one school of classical music and very difficult to get in, and very difficult to stay in. One summer I went to the Aspen School of Music, run by Juilliard which I auditioned for. Then I spent four consecutive years trying to get into the number one student orchestra in America, if not the world, called Tanglewood, and it was run by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It took me four consecutive auditions over four years and I eventually got in. I eventually graduated and then got into the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. My pivotal moment was when I turned it down! People’s mouths dropped including mine. Here I had been working and practicing 365 days a year, nonstop studying, working, conducting, playing the piano, learning music history, music literature, music theory, for four years. I was in recitals, orchestras, big bands, small ensembles, large ensembles, operas,....it was full on. I worked with Leonard Bernstein, one of the greatest conductors, Aaron Copeland, and to get into the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra was a big deal! What an honor...and I turned it down.

The point is I turned down certainty for complete uncertainty. But I followed my heart to be a part of the rock ‘n’ roll music business. It goes back to realizing what your purpose in life is. That’s the magic... right there. My brain said go to Jerusalem, but my The point is I turned down certainty for complete uncertainty. But I followed my heart to be a part of the rock ‘n’ roll music business. It goes back to realizing what your purpose in life is. That’s the magic... right there. My brain said go to Jerusalem, but my heart said play rock ‘n’ roll. I had nothing on the table. So I started studying. I went back to Boston and started studying with two real Drum teachers. At Indiana University there was no drum instructor. It was all classical, so I was on my own. This was the first time I really had lessons. I had been self-taught before this on the drum set. I spent four years busting my ass and trying to make it until I got a break with John Mellencamp.

I was in that band for five weeks and then making a record after two days I got fired from the record. John fired me, but the producer told him to. They needed a seasoned session drummer because they had to record the album in eight weeks. Back then there were no ProTools and you had to be able to play drums from beginning to end of a song with times, feel, sounds, parts. You had to be able to take instruction, all the skills that I had no experience in. The producer knew it, so he asked for another session guy to play. So, John told me to go home, I think he’s firing me, so I told him, “No, I’m not going anywhere.” The band was in shock. That’s like your boss saying “you’re fired”, and you saying, “no I’m not.” I then said to John, “Am I still your drummer or not?” This was not calculated. This came from a place of fear and being overwhelmed, and feeling failure. I didn’t want to go home and tell everybody that I wasn’t going to be on the record after I told everybody that I was. I told everybody that I finally got my big break. John was trying to take away my purpose in life and there was no fucking way. So, I went to the studio and watched these guys play my drum parts. I was going to learn, observe and get better. And then I told John that he was going to get better because I was his drummer...and there was silence. It was the most awkward silence. Then I told him that he didn’t have to pay me and that I’d sleep on the couch. He said....”Well alright.”

That was a pivotal moment because if I had gone home who knows what would’ve happened. I did stay and I did learn. I had felt all these negative thoughts, but by the time I went home four weeks later with all the drum tracks I had already started to reshape my business model and how I was going to serve John Cougar’s music, how was I going to get songs on the radio, and what do I need to do to be a better drummer for his style of music. That was the beginning of 17 years making records and touring and being very instrumental in coming up with the direction and the beats that were impactful to everybody in the band and make those songs what they were.

What is your ultimate stage fantasy?

Me with a power trio including Sting, singing and playing bass, and Jeff Beck the guitar player. Look at all the power trios, Cream, Police, Hendrix.... all power trios.

Do you have an idol?

I have people that I look up to tremendously. Guys like Winston Churchill. He was the type of guy that could take diversity and make a negative thing into a positive thing. He was brilliant. He was an artist and a visionary.

You’re in the coffee business as well....

KA-BAM! So, I can stay awake when I play the drums. Someone sent me some coffee and it was great. They asked me if I wanted my own coffee. I told him if it was that one then yes. I thought it was a cool thing because I drink a lot of coffee. So, I am endorsing something that I drink every day. I was going to call it KA-BOOM, but it was already taken. It was a toilet bowl cleaner.

If you could help me ask you any question on the planet what would it be?

People ask “you played on 300 million records sold, you’ve broken all the rules of performing in different genres.... usually the rock drummer gets the rock gigs, the blues drummer gets the blues gigs....but I play all genres including Symphony Orchestra’s. I have my own studio where people send me music and files and I send it out, so what is my next step?

Well I’ve already started my next step. I’ve been an inspirational speaker. The reason that serves me well is that all I am doing is taking the things that I’ve learned from being a great communicator, a great connector, collaborator, creative person, team player, always trying to get better by working hard, adapting, adjusting, staying relevant in my career..... those skills are all action items that I have learned and then have made me successful. Now I’m sharing those ideas with people and inspiring people. The nugget that drives those action items is realizing what is your truth and what’s your purpose in life? Simply if you operate from a place in your heart and your passion and what you really want to be, you become unstoppable like me. You will be undeniable and authentic, because you are being what you are. That is the thing that I enjoy speaking about when I give my lectures to corporations because I believe in it. It’s what I’ve been doing, what I’m still doing, and I’m getting better at it. Now that I have a better understanding of it, I love sharing it and inspiring people. The greatest compliment when I give a speech for a corporation is not man you played great but instead damn you’ve inspired me so much. That’s what I like. So, I perform and inspire people as a drummer with music, but now I inspire people with words and I love it.