Today we’d like to introduce you to Brendan Peleo-lazar
Hi Brendan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and started playing drums at age 8, alongside my dad’s guitar playing. My early influences came from the music around me—John Carpenter’s eerie soundtracks, James Bond’s classical scores, Frank Zappa’s live albums, and the artful sounds of Roxy Music. From the start, music was always a part of who I was.
By age 13, I was already touring with bands, soaking in the influence of Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The White Stripes, and the dance-rock of the early 2000s. After several years working in recording studios playing drums for ads, I made the move to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue producing, acting, and working with tribute bands.
Now, I’m working with my partner Lejla Subasic in a project called SHEEPSPEAK. Our first single is coming out soon, and this marks a new direction in my writing—more electronic, with hints of hip-hop. It’s an exciting new chapter, and I can’t wait for people to hear what we’ve been working on.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Suffice to say that working in the music industry since the early 2000’s has had its struggles, especially being a drummer in a constantly changing industry including competitive sampled drums tracks, AI sequences, and musical trends changing all of the time- not to mention social medias rise in popularity. It is tiring!
Speaking of nightmares, Working with unstable or toxic personalities in a band can be a nightmare. There are plenty of musicians who think the world revolves around them, and that’s especially true in the psych rock scene in LA, where egos often run high. Getting caught up in a band where a member or two behave like they’re above everyone else, sabotaging group dynamics, —it can be draining. A sociopathic or manipulative member can make collaborations toxic, enough so to not make it worth it.
Working (and making money) in music is not easy. Finding the time to work on your own projects and make money at the same time is one of the biggest struggles I can imagine.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Although I may be known for my dead accurate drum covers of Ringo Starr on youtube, I like to think i specialize in musical versatility and adaptation across various genres and platforms. I’ve been deeply rooted in live performance, touring, and studio work, but I’ve also embraced the evolving music industry by moving into production, acting, and even tribute band work. While working in a studio environment, I am a different beast altogether. Mostly I am the “silent giant” in a recording studio situation but I like to work fast and accurately while retaining some improvisation in my work— much like some of my favorite artists have in the past. Mostly, I make people’s tracks sound great with my choice in drums, tuning, actual drum parts, dynamic performance, and my keen ear for arrangements.
Musically, i’m most proud of my evolution as an artist—from playing drums with my father at age 8 to building my own unique sound with SHEEPSPEAK. I’ve consistently pushed myself to adapt and evolve, whether that’s moving from playing in rock bands to working in the studio, or shifting into electronic music with a hip-hop twist. I am also proud of my steadfast learning skills by constantly striving to better my left handed bass guitar skills as well as piano writing.
What sets me apart from others is my flexibility and creativity i’ve shown in embracing both the art and the business sides of the industry (recording, producing, performing, writing) reflects my broad skill set. I make bands, better!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The most important quality to my success is adaptability. My ability to stay flexible, embrace new opportunities, and experiment with different styles has been key to my growth. This adaptability allows me to stay relevant, resilient, and creative, no matter what obstacles or changes come my way in the ever-shifting music world.
Pricing:
- recorded drum tracks are $400
- my pricing for performing live in your band fluctuates depending on the situation
- recording your band $400 a day
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lazerbrendan
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LazerBrendan
Image Credits
lejla subasic
doug moore
shawna sarnowski
