Quinton Kuhfahl, a passionate drummer, is passionate about his instrument. As well as fronting the band IDOL and writing instrumental music, he is also the driving drummer for bands such as Halocene. In our interview, Quinton shares his unique approach to drumming, which aims to captivate the audience and put the drums in the spotlight. He talks about the changes in the music industry, the importance of social media in spreading his music and gives valuable advice to young musicians on their path in the industry.
As a drummer, you are usually the rhythmic backbone of the band. How would you describe your personal style or approach to drumming?
I want to bring the drums from the back of the stage, into the spotlight. I perhaps was intended to be a frontman, but became a drummer, and because of that, I show off behind the drumkit; whether stick tricks, over the top drum fills/patterns, or standing while playing, I try with every bone in my body to entertain everyone watching all of the way to the back of the room. At the end of a show, I hope people walk away remembering I was the crazy drummer at the show they just saw.
How do you experience the changes in the music industry, especially with regard to digitalisation and the rise of streaming services?
I’m honestly very unsure about it all. So much has changed in the past 10 years that it is really hard to keep up, I feel. It can get to be pretty overwhelming at times, and take a lot of the fun out of the art, in trying to keep up with twisting trends. So I do keep an ear open to friends in the business and informative interviews, but I usually follow what my favorite artists do, and how they roll their music out to the world, and think about what I think would be fun to see.
What role does social media and online presence play for you as a musician and how do you use these platforms to spread your music?
Social Media is a huge role, especially for IDOL as we are currently an online band exclusively. Social Media is a billboard to help spread my music and my craft. I usually post photos with captions about a new release or past show, or whatever is upcoming, in hopes that everyone is aware of what I’m up to and checks in. I try to think of different ways to post Stories that have my music in them. A lot of times, it’s throwing something out there and seeing how many eyes are caught.
What tips would you give to young musicians who are just starting out in the music industry?
I tell my drum students all of the time to practice! You won’t get very far in the music industry if you aren’t good at what you set out to do. Another thing is to seize opportunities, a lot of times you won’t get in your dream band from the start, or get to play an arena as your first show, so take each opportunity with stride, even if it’s different from what you had hoped for. Each gig is a chance for new people to see you, and a chance to meet new musicians, you never know who might be there! Just because you started in one spot, doesn’t mean you’ll stay there forever. Also meet new people and be nice and genuine to them, more is more!
As a drummer and bandleader, are there any specific goals or dreams you would like to achieve?
There are so many goals and dreams I have! I hope to be on the cover of a Drum or Music Magazine like Modern Drummer, or Rolling Stone. I hope to play on a real Late Night Talk Show, or be the featured drummer for a residency like on Seth Meyers’ Show. Playing Saturday Night Live would be incredible! Performing on a Theater tour, or Arena tour, and making it sweeter by having the tour be Sold Out. Winning a Grammy would be insane, or having a #1 Billboard charting song, or Album! I want it all, and some people may laugh at those goals, but it’s okay to dream and work hard, we should all do more of that.
