Story by Steven Douglas Losey
Photos by Rick Malkin Page 5

MD: You've really defined diversity for drummers.
David: You have to have a genuine love for music. I love my gig with Travis, and one of the reasons I've been with him for so long is that I love his music. He's got a lot of integrity as an artist, and his music rocks every night. But I'm also lucky that, to feed my musical spirit, I have the chance to stay busy outside of the Travis gig. I guess I make it a priority searching for different opportunities, not only because I love it but because it pushes me.
MD: Speaking of Travis, why don't you play on his records?
David: That's a good question. I've been with Travis since 2000, and he's co-produced all the records in that time. I think if he truly wanted to utilize me, he'd probably just have to say, "Make it so, bring Northrup in and play on some tracks." He's the producer. However, Travis makes great records and the players he's used are guys like Greg Morrow, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Kenny Aronoff, and they've performed incredible tracks. Also, I could be totally wrong on this, but I think Travis is the type of artist who really loves and respects his band. He would not want to discredit anyone in the band by using one or two guys and not the entire group. He's very much that kind of guy.
MD: Even though you don't appeared on Tritt's records, you do quite a bit of session work. You're even involved with the television program The Session Players. [Check out www.thesessionplayers.com] What's the key to being a go-to guy in the studio?
David: There are so many important elements to that. There's the obvious: being able to play with a click, being well - versed in many styles, having great - sounding gear, being able to read, being reliable, having a good feel and great groove.... I also think one of the keys is having big ears and really paying attention to the details of the song the phrasing of the vocals, the dynamic of the different sections - and trying to understand what the producer, writer, or artist is trying to do.
   I once read a quote from Vinnie Colaiuta in Modern Drummer that has always stayed with me. He said something like, "Ninety percent of the studio is psychology." You have to know how to read people and deal with different personalities, and also be accommodating. And, of course, you always have to serve the song.
MD: Over the years, what have you learned the most out of session work?
David: I'm my own worst critic, and I'm generally not satisfied with my performance. I always feel that I can do better. I think I have a good ear for feel and groove, but there's always a little something I'll hear in a track that'll bug me. If it's not a major issue - if the producer digs it, if the client digs it, if it's musical and captures the essence of the song - then the little thing your tripping about, you gotta let go.
   I like going the extra mile for the client. I love exploring new options for a song and experimenting with different grooves and feels. Sometimes that's cool, but not always. You have to know when to let things go. Studio time is expensive, and most producers expect you to make a good track happen in a reasonable amount of time.

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