TAMA: When did you first begin playing drums and who or what was your main inspiration?
Gray: I've been playing my whole life. My mom told me as far back as I can remember that I've been playing with pots and pans. My mom and dad are into music, too. My mom's into country and my dad's into classic rock: Black Sabbath, Lynard Skynard, ZZ Top. And so I've been brought up with music my whole life. Probably the first one was Peter Criss; I said, 'this is the stuff I want to do'.
TAMA: What was your first professional gig?
Gray: Actually, it was probably doing the country music bar band. I was 16. My mom was the singer in the band. I shouldn't have even been in the place but I was working for the band so they let me in, doing all cover songs from Hank Williams to Garth Brooks, everything.
TAMA: You have played with many bands before Evanescence. Can you tell us about some of your more memorable experiences?
Gray: Most of the bands I've been in have been garage bands. I was in a band called Chalice, which was my first real band. We did original songs and cover songs. Then I played with a band called Six Shine. We were actually doing some things. We actually got a little demo going with Jon Bon Jovi in New York. We were shopping for labels but it just never happened. That was one of the last bands I played drums in. Then I played guitar for a long time with Living Sacrifice. That was the last thing I did before Evanescence.
TAMA: Have you ever had any formal training? If so, can you tell us a little about that?
Gray: The only training I really had was when I had lessons as a kid. That lasted about a week. Then I did the intermediate band in junior high. That lasted about a week. The paperwork is what got me. I was good at the actual playing, but I didn't want to have to do the homework and stuff like that. I'm one of those guys, I guess.
TAMA: Can you tell us a little on how you became the drummer for Evanescence?
Gray: I was hired to do a song for Evanescence in... I think it was '98 for the demo. I did that one song and became friends with Ben. And Ben was a big fan of Living Sacrifice, which was the band I was in at the time. I was doing studio drums for people at this one studio, just for fun really. Not a lot of money or anything like that. But I was doing that one song for Ben. I'd see him a lot around town. He would come to the Living Sacrifice shows. When it came time for them to go on the road, he always knew he could call me and I would go.
TAMA: How difficult did Evanescence find it to get noticed or get a record deal coming from Little Rock, Arkansas?
Gray: It might have been harder if they would have just stayed in Little Rock and tried to shop it. But they got out and went to Memphis or Nashville, something like that. They were doing some recording in the studio and there was an engineer or producer that helped them shop it. But I think it would have been harder for them to do it just out of Little Rock without having anyone to help them.
TAMA: How long did Evanescence spend writing "Fallen" (the album)?
Gray: Man, I think there are some songs on there that are five years old. Most of the album is old. There are probably only three or four new songs on the album. They'd been working on them for a while. They reworked some of the songs and sound better now than they had before.
TAMA: Are you surprised over the amount of success the band has achieved thus far? How do find the success has changed things for you?
Gray: Hasn't changed a lot except for me not being home. It's really not that different for me. I think since we're working so hard, it's hard for it to sink in that we're really doing it. But I think this tour has opened our eyes as to how it really is because we have this huge show with 5,000 people every night. But in that respect, yes, I can see the difference. Otherwise, we're the same people, same guys.
TAMA: When does the band plan on working on their next album?
Gray: As soon as possible. Ben's told me he's got ideas going on. He's got his Pro Tools rig that he's going to be writing on. I haven't heard any new things yet.
TAMA: What first interested you in Tama drums? Gray: My heroes: Lars Ulrich and Dave Lombardo. All those old school guys are all Tama guys. Where I'm from, if you're in the big time, you get a Tama drum set. You have to be good if you've got a Tama set.
TAMA: What do you like best about Tama? Gray: I like everything about them. The way they're built, the way they look, the way they sound, everything. Everything is top notch.
TAMA: What's your most memorable experience to date as a drummer?
Gray: Man, I don't know. There are always new ones. There's always this favorite new memory. These shows on this tour are probably the best for me, you know, playing drums for this band. And playing drums period is like wow, this is what I've been working for. It's right in front of my face with great lights and sound and equipment and everything. There are always going to be great new memories, but we're making great ones right now.
TAMA: What are your plans for the rest of the year?
Gray: We'll be touring the rest of the year and hopefully start writing for a new record.
TAMA: Would you like to add anything in closing?
Gray: Just that I appreciate everything Tama's doing for me. I appreciate it.
_______________________________________ Don't turn away Don't give in to the pain Don't try to hide Though they're screaming your name Don't close your eyes God knows what lies behind them Don't turn out the lightNever sleep never die
