New CRADLE OF FILTH Drummer Loves His Job

CRADLE OF FILTH's official web site has been updated with a short interview with the band's new drummer, Martin Skaroupka. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

Q: Did you ever meet CRADLE OF FILTH before you played with them?

Martin: Yes, I saw them live in Prague when I was 16 years old ("Dusk" tour). I have always been a huge fan of them, so... Then they have signed my CDs like "Dusk" or "Vampire", now I'm the person who is signing those CDs. And I'm very proud of it! "Dusk And Her Embrace" changed my life and drumming on this CD has always been a big inspiration for me.

Q: You appeared in the "Temptation" video. How was that?

Martin: Actually, that was my first big video shooting, so it was very exciting and I've learned a lot of things. Altough it was a very long day, everybody was very professional and as you can see, the final version looks pretty good!

Q: Was it difficult learning all the drums for the tour set list?

Martin: Well, it depends. Some of the songs should be played as technical as it has been played before on the original album versions, so it was a bit harder, but not really — I have known all the songs for many years. But anyway, it's a big challenge for me to play all the songs after two monster killer drummers as Nicholas [Barker] and Adrian [Erlandsson] definitely are!

Q: Do you have a favorite song to play?

Martin: Yes, I love "Dusk", "Ebony", "Cruelty", "Cthulhu Dawn", "Born in a Burial Gown", "I am Thorn", "Under a Huntress Moon" and I would like to play "Funeral In Carpathia", "Haunted Shores", "Queen of Winter", "The Rape And Ruin Of Angels", "Gabrielle", "The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh", "An Enemy Led to Tempest"... Basically I love all the stuff.

Q: How do you find the travelling so far?

Martin: I'm alright, don't have any problems at all. I don't need a life of luxury, but our tour bus is like a hotel, though. So, I'm fine, I'm fine. I do enjoy all the time with CRADLE OF FILTH!

Q: How did you start drumming?

Martin: I started playing when I was a child (5 or 6 years old, I think),but you know, it wasn't too serious, I had beated all the stuff at home like chairs, plates, buckets... Later, when I was 12 years old, I started practice more seriously. Because there were no drums lessons at any of the music schools of that time available, I began to take private lessons from a professor Cupak (member of Janacek opera in Brno, Czech Republic). When I was 15 years old, I started to study at Leos Janacek Conservatory (which is basically classical music college),where I graduated in drums and as an additional instrument, piano (I have played piano since I was 7 years old and still playing).

Read the entire interview at this location.