Damien Ellis is a testament to the power of passion and dedication to practice and drumming. From modest beginnings, where he honed his skills by drumming on his knees, Ellis has become a remarkable and highly regarded musician. His exceptional discipline in his craft led him to be crowned Australia's Best Up and Coming Drummer at renowned Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend in 2009.
Alongside this achievement, he pursued his studies at the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts, expanding his horizons by travelling, jamming and learning from world-class renowned musicians in the vibrant hub of New York. Damien Ellis is a Rockschool examiner and teacher who embodies music's boundless opportunities.
Key themes: practice, passion, listening, music, friendship, music teachers, great players, drums, travel, jam sessions, competitions, dedication, dicipline
When did you start playing music, and were drums the first instrument you liked or were interested in?
I started playing drums, guitar and bass around the same time but was mainly interested in the drums. I remember I was probably around thirteen, in Wagga [Wagga Wagga, NSW], where I grew up. I had a mate that played the drums, and I'd seen a couple of gigs at that stage and realised that when I was watching the gigs, I'd be fixated on the drummer. I never thought it would lead to anything, but I was always interested when I saw gigs.
I had a mate who played the drums. And I just went and stayed over at his place once, and he said, "I'll show you some things on the drums." And I thought I'd just be terrible and uncoordinated. He showed me some things and said, "You picked that up quickly. You should think about learning drums." I put it to my mum, and she laughed it off. So, I just started playing drums on my knees. I'd tap my knees, and that's how I learnt to play. I'd listen to heaps of records, mostly rock music like Led Zepplin and Jimi Hendrix. I'd listen to them over and over, tapping my knees and stomping the ground for the bass drum. I did that for ages before I got a drum kit.
I now teach many students; some beginners don't have a drum kit and think they can't practice. I tell them how I started and that they can always practise by tapping on their legs or knees.
What was your first drum kit?
I bought my first drum kit off my first drum teacher, who sold it to me cheaply. It was a Tama Swingstar Then I got a Pearl Export kit, the style at the time, and a pretty good kit. It was a rock set-up. Then I got into jazz, became interested in different sounds, and ended up with a Gretsch, and a Gretsch endorsement. That was handy and lucky as well.
How did the transition from rock to jazz come about?
My second drum teacher in Wagga was in the army band there, and he got me into jazz. I was new to jazz music then, and he introduced me to all these records and got me playing jazz. So, he had me listening, familiarising and learning jazz music simultaneously. I loved it. I went to VCA (Victorian College of the Arts), and my teacher, Graham Morgan, helped me to develop my playing further.
Did you go straight to VCA, or was that something you looked into after playing for a few years?
I was learning to play bass from a guy in Wagga who went to VCA [Victorian College of the Arts], and he was the one who told me about it at the time. He was pretty into jazz and was one of the few people I played and learned more jazz music with at that point.
I first did the foundation course at VCA, which was great because it allowed me to play with many people and gain more experience. I met amazing players Sarah Holmes (bassist) and Glen Bailey (guitarist), who are also great friends. That got my chops up regarding playing experience because even though I played a lot in Wagga, there were few jazz musicians to play with.
When I auditioned for VCA, I had Glen Bailey in my ensemble and others who I was familiar with. At that point, the foundation course also provided me with first-hand experience with the VCA institution, so the degree course felt more familiar too.
Can you tell me about the competition you won while still studying?
Yeah, I won Australia's Best Up and Coming Drummer in 2009.
What was that experience like?
It was something that I wanted to do and had been thinking about for a while. I had to submit a video that met their specific criteria of two set pieces and one piece of my choice. At Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend (one of the biggest drumming events in the southern hemisphere), I and two other finalists performed for nine judges.
After I won, in 2010, I had the opportunity to perform with my friends Olaf Scott (piano), Adam Spiegl (bass) and Ben Harrison (trumpet) at Australia's Ultimate Drummers Weekend. I also had the opportunity to hang out with some great drummers, Steve Smith, Rick Latham and Graham Morgan.
What happened after you won Australia's Best Up and Coming Drummer?
After that, I studied Honours at VCA, and in 2011, I went on my first trip to New York for a few months. Then, in 2012, I moved to New York for a year. I hung out and had lessons with some great players during that time. That was a massive step for me because I learnt so much.
How do you connect with people in the music community when travelling to a new place?
It was easy in New York because everyone (in my experience) was keen to hang out. I had a friend who had gone through VCA and then moved to New York. I hung out and played with him and his wife, but there's a big community over there and having jam sessions is a thing that happens in New York that we only have a few of or a scene in the same way here in Australia.
In the span of a night, I would start at one place at 8pm, catch the subway to Smalls and end up at the Fat Cat around the corner. I met a lot of musicians through that and suss-out who I'd want to connect with and swap contacts. It was pretty organic. I played with Roy Hargrove [1969-2018; two-time Grammy winner and premier jazz trumpeter] on three separate occasions. it was a great experience overall.
Have you always been a confident musician, or is that something you've grown into?
It goes up and down, but I mostly don't see it. I just try to stay on top of things.
When I play with others, I ensure that I have the basis of what is needed and what makes me reliable, so everything else I do is a bonus. But, I don't think in terms of confidence, more so, getting the job done while having my own voice or expression.
How did you get involved with Rockschool?
I started at AMEB back in the day when there was CPM for drums, bass and guitar as opposed to classical styles. Then, I got introduced to Rockschool, and I got involved because I was already involved in AMEB. I found Rockschool to be an excellent resource, and I actually teach it to my students because it's an excellent syllabus. You can see the benefits immediately because its syllabuses are well-designed and take on all aspects of technical work. They're constantly updating their syllabuses and making them relevant for contemporary music, and I love that.
Going back to having no kit and drumming on yourself, I am interested in how you understand/feel rhythm. What lessons have stuck with you through your education and musical journey?
One thing I did, and continue to do in my practice, is focus on the things I can't do. It's very tempting to sit down on the drumkit, sound amazing, and play the things you already know you can do. It's always bugged me when I can't do something. Mentally, when I can't do something, I can't stop thinking about it until I achieve it. When I practice, I practice what I can't do - it's a simple concept, but many people need reminding when they step into a practice room.
Even when I didn't have a structured process, I would listen to an album and replay two bars on repeat, to figure out what the drummer was doing. Back when I used to listen to CDs, or even cassettes on my stereo, I'd listen for hours, and that one concept stayed with me even before I identified it as a kind of discipline.
