FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH Drummer On Performing Live: 'We Are Kind Of Like Athletes'

Amy Harris recently conducted an interview with drummer Jeremy Spencer of Las Vegas metallers FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Amy Harris: You guys just made another trip to Kuwait as well. I know it is really important to the band to support the troops. What was your most memorable experience this time around?

Jeremy: We got to hang out with the troops a lot during the day and talk to people and we do extensive signings for them. The shows were pretty crazy. They don't get a lot of entertainment over there so they are really excited when we get to come and play. And it is exciting for us too because they are such huge supporters of the band so it is the least we can do to give back to them because they sacrifice so much to be away from their families. It was very cool. The only thing that wasn't cool is that there is an 18-hour plane flight to and from Kuwait. That is the only brutal part, but the rest of it was incredible.

Amy Harris: I have listened to the [latest FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH] album ["American Capitalist"] since it came out, but in a lot of the recent songs there is serious hardcore drumming action. How do you stay in shape and how do you condition for that kind of hitting?

Jeremy: I do a lot of stretching. That is the thing I didn't do much growing up, but now as I am getting older, I have realized that stretching is vital. It is almost like doing yoga, really. I use hard-foam rollers to roll out my muscles and get the knots out. Stretching is key; any drummers that are doing this, I would recommend doing that starting as young as you can. I also don't party anymore. I try to take care of myself. I try to eat things that are relatively healthy. So that is pretty much what I do.

Amy Harris: I think that is a misconception for a lot of people. I talk to a lot of bands from a lot of different genres and I think people think the road is a continuous party, and for some bands it is, but for a lot of bands it is about having a healthy lifestyle, because it is so grueling.

Jeremy: It really is. We are kind of like athletes. We have to get up there and perform for 75 minutes, sometimes for 90 minutes, and it takes a toll on you physically. We are not playing pop music. It is pretty aggressive. It is physically demanding. When we started out, we definitely participated in that party lifestyle. I am one to try it, but if you are going to be successful and have a long career, then you can't get wrapped up in that stuff. Rarely does it work, so I figured it was time to treat this like a job. It is a job, but it is a great job.

Read the entire interview from Amy Harris.