Stephen Perkins likes to keep busyand it shows. Somewhere betweenJane’s Addiction and Porno for

Pyros, Perkins conceived his current band –Banyan. Formed in 1997, Banyan servedPerkins as a way to feel music rather thansimply playing it. “Banyan is kind of areason to stay busy because it started duringPorno For Pyros in 1997,” Perkins says. “Wedidn’t work really hard and the work ethicsweren’t there, so I started Banyan. Alongwith guitarist Nels Cline, bassist Mike Watt,and Willie Waldman on trumpet, Live AtPerkins Palace is the band’s third releasefollowing Banyan in 1997, and Anytime AtAll in 1999. The new album touches on a

variety of musical styles and was recorded inPerkins’ home studio after the cancellationof the 2004 Lollapalooza tour.

Even before Jane’s left for rehab again,plans to record a third Banyan album werealready in place. “We had done many, manyshows since the second record,” he explains,“and we had a whole new sound and a wholenew set of songs – a new set of ideas – so weall met at my house when everyone had thetime. Mike Watt just joined The Stooges,Nels Cline joined Wilco, and Dave Navarro,Chris Chaney, and I were in Jane’s doingother things. I tried to get the timing rightas far as getting people over to the house,but the idea to make it was always there.

Later, Dave, Chris, and I broke up Jane’sAddiction and I went to work on the thirdBanyan recording immediately.”

Ideas Banyan came up with whileplaying around Los Angeles after the secondalbum were developed and turned into avariety of songs on the third release. “Thereare a couple of really upbeat, straight-forward rockers, and a couple of songs witha Latin feel,” Perkins says. “We had differentflavors that we were playing with on stage.We did maybe three versions of each tuneand listened to them. If everyone got to saysomething nice in the tune, we would pickit because we feel it is important thateveryone has a personality on these songs.

Drummers Making A Difference

VibeVibeMOVING ON (AGAIN!)

by Billy Ramirez

STEPHENPERKINS

WWW.DRUMMAGAZINE.COM | DRUM! 37

BANDS: BANYAN,

THE PANIC CHANNEL

AGE: 37

BIRTHPLACE:

WEST LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

BIGGEST INFLUENCE:

JOHN BONHAM, GENE KRUPA,

KEVIN HASKINS (BAUHAUS)

CURRENT RELEASE:

LIVE AT PERKINS PALACE

ALL GEARED UPDRUMS: DW

CYMBALS: ZILDJIAN

HARDWARE AND

PEDALS: DW

HEADS: REMO

STICKS: PRO-MARK STEPHEN

PERKINS MODEL

Photo by Chris Cuffaro

VITALS

13.9_perkins.qxp 10/25/04 6:21 PM Page 37

There’s a framework, but in the philosophyof jazz, everyone gets to pick a little bit of asolo. We like that philosophy.”

Unlike a perfect, radio-friendly record,Live At Perkins Palace allowed Perkins tobreathe and be creative. There was never theintention of creating the perfect song. “It’snot about that,” he adds. “I do that all daylong and I love it because there’s somethinggreat about carving the perfect song. There’snothing better than writing a tune and halfthe world likes it. That’s a great feeling, butI am usually in the creative mood and do alot of backyard jams.

“We’d have a discussion and sometimeswe’d have a little framework and sometimeswe wouldn’t. For example, ‘El Sexxo’ is anArabian jam with the bongos speeding upinto a punk thing. We planned on startingwith the bongos, then kind of go Middle-Eastern for a minute. Halfway through I’llgrab my sticks and drop the Hot Rods, andthen we’ll see what happens there. There wasa plan on what it would sound like, butreally it was just a feel thing.”

Even with the added room to jam,Perkins doesn’t overplay because it wouldcompromise the band’s music. “I’m not outfor chops because a guy who sits in his room

and practices all day and doesn’t go out andhang out and meet friends, or go out and gohiking, is just playing right out of the bookwhen he goes onstage. You need someonewho experiences life. Sometimes you have allthose crazy chops but they’re not necessarywhen you’re playing. That’s what’s excitingfor me – to have four really coolpersonalities. We’re all different people andlisten to different music.”

So you figure that seeing four talentedand accomplished musicians playingtogether live would be one heck of a show,but Banyan also has painter NortonWisdom perform on stage with the band.Perkins adds, “I’m with the drum set upfront where the singer would be and Nortongets up on the drum riser behind me. Whenhe paints at home or in the studio he usescanvas and oil, but on stage he uses a bigPlexiglas pane lit from behind. He uses hishands, sponges, water, and paint, and hispaintings are constantly morphing with themusic. The bass riff will be huge and I’lllook behind me and see a monster playing abass and morphing into a huge wavecrashing into an island and washing theisland away. Then the island rises up as theStatue Of Liberty. The paintings are

constantly morphing because he’ll take asqueegee and erase the whole thing. Everynight I have paint on my ride cymbal orfloor tom. As soon as you think it’ssomething beautiful, he’s ready to startsomething new. It’s an element just like themusic.”

Remember how we said Perkins likes tokeep busy? We weren’t kidding. In additionto Banyan, has been busy selling a musictherapy shaker product called a Go-Jo bagthrough the West Music catalog. But that’snot all. He has also started a new outfitcalled The Panic Channel with Navarro,Chaney, and Steve Isaacs (formerly ofSkycycle). While Banyan has been aroundfor seven years, The Panic Channel serves asa fresh start for Perkins and the band hasbeen busy recording. He adds, “Dave and Ihave been playing since we were 15 and it’sthe most fun we’ve had in a long time. It’s arebirth, and a new optimism. It’s a momentfor us to step into the next level and westretched out as musicians. Jane’s had acertain sound and idea but now we have anopen canvas to play. Any direction is theright direction because no one has heard us.We’re making music for the sake of music.It’s fresh and I feel like a teenager again.” �

38 DRUM! | WWW.DRUMMAGAZINE.COM

PERKINS CONTINUED

©2004 Yamaha Corporation of America. All right reserved.www.yamahadrums.com

©2004 Yamaha Corporation of America. All rights reserved.www.yamahadrums.com

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