Drummer of the Week: Matthias Böhm (d’Artagnan, Allen-Forrester Band) on Twenty Years, a Broken Snare Head, and Falling Off a Dark Stage

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Fourth entry of Drummer of the Week. This time we spoke with Mati, drummer of German band d’Artagnan and Allen-Forrester Band, with two decades of touring festivals across Europe. Among his answers: a fall off a pitch-black stage, a drumhead that gave out at the worst possible moment, and an unfiltered take on drummer recognition within a band.

How he ended up behind the kit: a giveaway his parents won

Like in previous entries of the series, there’s no early-vocation story here — this one starts with pure chance:

“Happy accident! Luckily, my parents entered a competition and won two vouchers for guitar and drum lessons. That’s how I started playing those two instruments. I love both, but I preferred the drums. So after a while, there was zero doubt.”

Influences: his second teacher and an underrated German name

“My second drum teacher, Christian Tournay.”

On who’s underrated today:

“Moritz Müller is an awesome drummer from Germany.”

His role in d’Artagnan: joy, hard work, and “that in-between feeling”

Asked what he brings that isn’t obvious on first listen, Mati answers with a wink:

“Joy, hard work, and a little bit of that inbetween felling.”

The setup: DS Drums, Istanbul Agop, and a Ludwig snare he’d never trade

Full gear detail for the site’s drummer audience:

• Kit: DS Drums — 22″x16″ bass drum, 10″x7.5″ tom 1, 12″x8″ tom 2, 14″x13″ floor tom, 16″x15″ floor tom, and a 14″x6.5″ aluminium snare.
• Cymbals: Istanbul Agop — 15″ Xist Hats Brilliant or 16″ 30th Anniversary hi-hats; crashes and effects: 21″ Xist Dry Dark Brilliant Crash, 19″ and 22″ Xist Brilliant Crashes, 20″ Traditional China; 20″ Xist Raw ride.

And the one piece he’d never trade:

“My Ludwig Raw Brass Snare, 14″ x 6.5″, is the one piece I would never trade.”

His first kit: a Mapex Tornado (and a lesson about drumheads)

“My first set was a Tornado by Mapex. Go for it! And after a while, change the drumheads!”

The fun fact attached to that answer deserves the full quote:

“Fun fact: I hit the shit out of the drums, and when the top head was done, I switched sides and played on the bottom head. So after a week there was zero tone.”

Tuning: nothing special, just cotton wool and leather strips

“Nothing special. I put some cotton wool in my floor toms, and I have some optional leather strips for the toms and snare.”

Worst live situation: a torn snare head and a fall into the dark

Mati offers two stories here, unprompted:

“I smashed a snare drum head live on stage in Cologne. It was at the beginning of the song — I think it was the second hit — and it tore right through. The song had no break, so I couldn’t change the snare during the song. I played the whole song with the broken head, but it was still okay. The crowd was rocking, and I’m not sure if anyone noticed.”

And the second, even riskier:

“Another time, I fell off the stage. It was the last song before the encore, and the stage was totally dark. I couldn’t see anything and stepped away from my drum riser into a long fall. I was totally confused about what had happened. Luckily, nothing bad happened to me.”

The story he always ends up telling: twenty years of festivals

“There are too many! I’ve had a lot of great and bad moments over the last 20 years. Playing all these awesome festivals around Europe and seeing so many great musicians is the best. And I’m grateful that I can do what I love.”

Recording: not technical, just energy

On which of the band’s songs was hardest to record:

“I mean, the songs overall aren’t technically complicated or tricky. It’s more about the energy that makes them hard to play, especially the faster ones.”

Why drummers are the least recognized: “Is that so?”

This might be the most direct answer in the series so far:

“Is that so? Hmm, maybe the drum castle is too big? Nobody can see you? I don’t know. For me personally, it’s clear: the first thing I check out is the drummer. And I would say a band is only as good as its drummer. From the middle seat on stage, you have a great view, and when you have good charisma, you can have a substantial effect on the sound of a band.”

Albums to study, advice, and closing thoughts

Three albums every metalhead should study for the drumming:

• Black Sabbath — Paranoid
• Led Zeppelin — Led Zeppelin II
• Tool — Lateralus

Advice for someone starting out on metal drums:

“Have fun! Don’t be afraid to try new things. Listen to all kinds of music and listen with your heart.”

FAQ: Mati (d’Artagnan)