Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Hilzinger.
Hi Ben, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Redmond, WA, but spent most of my childhood in small-town-USA just north of Spokane. Having attended a tiny school, I was one of the only drummers and gained personal confidence at a young age. Playing and touring in band throughout my early twenties burnt me out rather quickly (you can only sleep on floors for so many nights in a row) and I decided to head back to college for a career in winemaking. I know. Quite the pivot. Despite my best efforts to keep a career in music in my rearview mirror, one of my childhood idols (Mike Herrera of MXPX), reached out and needed a drummer for some studio work. Long story short, I realized I wasn’t quite done with music. Eventually, I joined a band in Seattle and we collectively decided to move to Los Angeles in 2016. Once there, I did the freelance drummer thing and fell in love with that lifestyle. Being that my band (the one from Seattle) deserved a drummer dedicated solely to them, we mutually decided to part ways which lit the fire under my bum to figure something out. In walks Kenny Carkeet, an original member of AWOLnation and amazing producer. I met him at a session for which he was producing and we knew we had to keep working together. Jump to a few months later where Kenny’s duo project at the time, Fitness (yeah that’s the name), needed a drummer for a radio festival and he decided to give me a call. The other member of Fitness was/is Max Collins of Eve 6.
A few years into my joining Fitness full-time, the original drummer for Eve 6 decided to leave the group and I was asked to join THAT band as well. As Fitness played less and less shows, Eve 6 became busier and busier. Then comes the pandemic. Everything stopped…especially live music. But, a group I had played with JUST before the world shut down, called Cannons, had a hit on the show “Never Have I Ever” in the first few weeks of lockdown and they BLEW UP. Jon, the guitarist for Eve 6 also happens to be the manager for Cannons. So, when they started to tour after the pandemic, I was called to help out. Fast forward two years later and both Eve 6 and Cannons are going strong and keeping me busy! In my downtime from the road, I also help run a drum accessory company called Big Fat Snare Drum, teach drum lessons, and host a weekly drumming podcast called Big Fat Five. I’m actually writing this from my hotel room in New Orleans on tour with Silversun Pickups covering as drum/keys/playback tech for a friend of mine. You never know what this industry will ask of you!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The freelance musician is not for the faint of heart. Inconsistency is the name of the game and I’ve needed to learn the best ways to manage both my expectations and finances. The high from the freedom I get also brings the lows of wondering what is next and waiting for booking agents/managers to email back. Imposter syndrome is a constant struggle, but it keeps me practicing. It’s that annoying friend that ultimately knows what’s good for you…while still not being a good influence.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a drummer. Too many of my peers tend to shove the word aside and prefer to say ‘musician’, but I’m proud to be a drummer. I want to be a cog in the wheel of a song. I want to make it FEEL good, but I don’t need to be noticed. A drummer is like a great costume designer, if their contribution stands out, they’ve done something wrong. We are the ambassadors of rhythm and integral to the song…even when we aren’t playing anything at all.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Every musician I’ve ever met in my life deserves equal credit and I’ve lifted at least one thing from each performance I’ve seen or colleague with whom I’ve worked. It’s all a river.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benhilzinger/
