The New Drummer

Today was my first day back from a year and half long tour and I was glad to be home. Being a successful and popular tour manager had it perks but I was glad that I had six months off before I even considered picking up another tour. I knew that I had the touring blood like my father has but I definitely needed a break. The first thing on my to do list was get some new drumsticks since I had managed to break my last pair when I was on tour with Of Mice and Men. I decided to skip the drive and enjoy the California rays. I had missed how the sun warmed up my skin since a majority of the time I spent my day in a tour bus with an AC or heater running constantly. On my walk down to the music store I smiled at a group of kids hanging out in someone’s garage wailing away on their instruments going over songs to play for a gig. Music has and always will be a huge part of my life since I was small and I always enjoyed seeing it in other people as I grew older. After a twenty-minute walk, I walked into the same music shop I had been in since I was five with my dad and smiled when I saw the Tommy, the owner’s his son behind the counter and the owner talking to some older gentlemen and a guy with sunglasses on.

“Hey Evie,” Tommy said grinning, “You’re back from tour!”

I always made my first stop when I got home from a tour at Vinyland to pick up new records or just to pick up something I needed for my drum kit I kept in my house since I usually never had time to on the road.

“First day back Tommy,” I grinned, “Do you guys have any new brands of sticks? Mine have officially been shot to hell since I’ve been on tour.”

“Sure but Dad just got a new kit in,” he grinned, “I set it up like you like it. Wanna play?”

“Are you asking me or do you want me to play?” I asked chuckling.

“Both?” Tommy asked and I just laughed.

I grew up watching Tommy grow from when he was younger to now, and now being him being a senior in high school. I could always bring up the many hours I had spent in this store showing Tommy how to play guitar, drums, and anything else that had strings that I knew how to play.

“Fine,” I teased, “Lead the way.”

Tommy’s face then lit up with excitement and then headed towards the kit. I smiled lightly when I saw it because I knew if I had the time I would trash my current kit I’ve had for a few years and buy this kit but I was away most of the year due to my job so I pushed the thought out of my head quickly.

“Any requests?” I asked pulling my phone out of my pockets and putting my headphones into the jack.

“Do an Avenged song,” he said, “I don’t care which one.”

“Alright,” I said smiling lightly and finding an old school song that meant something to me, “Since it’s Thursday why don’t I do an older song of theirs.”

I then hit play and started losing myself in the music. When I heard the “Beast and the Harlot” officially start I completely lost myself. Music while growing up for me was always my escape. I was always considered a bit odd because I never followed the trends fully or went with the crowd. When I wouldn’t go out on the weekends, my dad and I would always jam out in our garage, my dad on his guitar and me on the drums after he taught me everything I know. My father had started one the most successful tour companies ever and I knew that he instilled his love of his music in me. Ever since we started our jamming sessions when he was home from tours, I always continued playing. It was a part of me and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. I knew after this song I was going to be gross and I was hoping that Jeremy and Brad, my older brothers, wouldn’t mind when they got here. I was so engrossed while playing that I didn’t know I had created a big crowd until I pulled out my headphones and heard clapping and whistling.

“My fucking god Evie,” I heard Brad’s voice, “Did you freestyle in that too? It sounded different.”

“I might have,” I giggled as I was pulled into a tight hug by Brad then Jeremy.

“You’re a fucking beast,” Jeremy teased me and I just laughed.

Brad and Jeremy were both mechanics and were partners for a very successful garage here in Huntington Beach and today we were doing a sibling day that ended at our father’s house for dinner and jamming out. Brad and Jeremy were my older twin brothers and we were extremely close. While they became mechanics and didn’t follow in the family business, they were into music as I was. When I couldn’t get a hold of my father when I was on tour for advice, they were the next calls I always made. They were the only family I had left minus my father, and I was excited to see them in person since I hadn’t seen them in over three months.

“Evie come over here,” I heard the owner’s voice said, “I want you to meet a couple of people.”

“Sure thing Kevin,” I said leaving my brothers with Tommy as they talked about football or something, “Hi nice to meet you gentlemen Evelyn Mathers but call me Evie.”

“Wait as in the tour manager Evelyn Mathers,” the older gentlemen said shocked.

“In the flesh,” I said smiling as I kept thinking the guy in aviators looked extremely familiar.

“It’s a pleasure to meet someone so popular with people like me,” the older man said, “I’m Larry a manager for the band that this guy is in.

He then pointed to the tattooed covered giant standing in front of me.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Matt,” the younger guy said.

I responded to Matt with a similar greeting but I was still trying to figure it out in my head where I had seen him as they continued talking to me.

“You play the drums really well,” Larry said.

“It’s a fucking understatement,” Matt mumbled, “I haven’t seen someone play like that in years. Reminds me of our old drummer.”

“Your band looking for a new drummer?” I asked being polite and Matt shook his head yes.

“We are,” he said, “We’re holding auditions here and I personally want you to come by. I think you will be a perfect addition to the band.”

“Seriously?” I asked making sure no one was playing a joke on me, “You want me to audition for your band? Which is what band?”

“Yeah,” Matt said, “You’re really good Evie and I’m not one to candy coat shit. You remind me a lot of our old drummer and I would really appreciate if you would consider it. Unfortunately due to contacts I’m not at liberty to say who the audition is for but if you come tomorrow you will not be disappointed. I promise we’re not some small band trying to look for members.”

I turned to look to see that Brad and Jeremy were standing behind me and they were smirking which only meant that they had some kind of scheme going on. I then turned back to Larry and Matt and was about to kindly decline since I was about to sign a contract to be a tour manager for Slipknot’s up and coming tour when Larry handed me a card.

“Here,” Larry said as I took his card, “Give this number a call if you decided to come back tomorrow. We’ll be here from 10am until 5pm.”

“Alright,” I said, “I’ll think about it since the auditions are tomorrow.”

“Perfect,” both Larry and Matt grinned along with Kevin, “We look forward to hearing from you.”

“Sticks are on me today Evie,” he said, “It’s not every day that someone I know is asked to audition for a pretty well-known band.”

“Thanks Kevin,” I said looking at him weirdly, “I’ll make sure I have Dad add it to his tab when he comes in next week for his guitar.”

Kevin just laughed and hugged me and nodded his head at my brothers, “Make sure you get her to come.”

“On it,” Brad saluted and I just rolled my eyes.

I then started my way back to the parking lot where I knew Brad had parked his car.

“Sarah and Kaylie go to the spa?” I asked as we headed towards my car.

“Evie you have to try out for them,” Brad said the minute we walked out of the store, “You have no idea how important this is.”

“Why should I?” I asked, “I have a pretty good paying job that I actually enjoy.”

“Evie you’ve wanted to play music for a living since you picked up drum sticks,” Jeremy said as we headed back towards my house so we could get our surfing gear, “This is God telling you it’s time to do what you’ve wanted to for years.”

“Look I get the fact that I not playing music but I have a job where I get to be around it basically 24/7. What more could I ask for?” I asked being honest, “I haven’t played live in years. I just mess around. . .”

“And look how fucking good you still are,” Brad said, “You and I both know Mom would want you to do this. She wouldn’t want you to hold back because she’s gone.”

Of course my brothers would bring up my mom in this conversation. My mother died from her fight of cancer when I was sixteen and my brothers were in college. I was very close to my mother since my father still did some occasional touring when she was going through chemo. I was her caregiver when my father wasn’t around and it was something I think that brought us closer while I was growing up. I remember that my mother made me promise her that I would never live my life in fear. If there was something that I wanted to do it, then I would do it not contemplate it for months before coming to a decision. She always used to tell me that life was too short to contemplate the fun things in life. This promise was always brought up by my brothers in every discussion we had when I was hesitant to do something and today was nothing different.

“Why because you two want me to famous musician instead of a famous roadie?” I asked taking the higher road rather than chew them out and they both laughed.

“That’d be kick ass and I’m pretty sure Ellie would think that would be awesome that her auntie is a drummer for a kickass rock band,” Jeremy stated and I gave him a really look.

“Don’t use the three-year-old against me,” I said, “Besides I’m thirty-one. I’m kind of old.”

“Bull-fucking-shit,” Brad stated, “You’re four years younger than us. You’re not old. The Rolling Stones are fucking old and they still tour and make music.”

“If I say yes will you two get off my fucking back?” I asked rubbing my temples, “I get it you want me to try out. Jesus Christ I’m home for a day and the nagging starts.”

“Yes,” they both said grinning and I just rolled my eyes.



Instead of enjoying the beach and waves like we had planned to do. My brothers spent the rest of the day giving me pros as to why trying out for this band would be a good career move in between waves. I spent the rest of the day hitting my head against my surfboard praying for a wave to knock both of them off their boards while we waited. After four hours of hanging out on the waves, we had just pulled up into the driveway of dad’s house and I turned to look at my brothers praying they would keep the information they had just learned hours before to themselves.

“Please don’t bring up the audition okay,” I said, “I don’t know if I’m going to and I don’t need added pressure from Dad or Ellie or Jakob.”

“Can’t promise,” Brad and Jeremy said as they got out of the car and headed straight through the front door and I sighed putting my head on the passenger seat headrest.

Did I honestly want to try out for the band? In some ways yes. The thoughts holding me back were that I didn’t know what band it was for and I didn’t know what I would do about managing tours. I have been a roadie and managed tours for years and it was a good calling for me. Playing music was a serious thing for me too but would happen if I made the band and then a few years later the band disbanded? Would I go back to managing tours or would I become homeless or something. Those fears were what was keeping me back from fully committing to the idea. I let a deep breath and was about to head into the house when I looked over on my seat and saw something that I thought I had lost a few months prior. Sitting on the seat next to me was a mix taped of my mother’s favorite songs. I always had a tape in my car when she was alive because we would always drive to clear our heads when we needed to get out of the house. I had kept the last tape she made because I could never throw it away. I remember I couldn’t find it after the move I had and I was severely pissed because it was the only physical thing of my mom I had. I smiled lightly grabbing them and looking up at the sky.

“Thanks Mom,” I said, “Thanks for putting in your two sense.”

I then put the tape in my purse and headed into the house to hear my brothers finishing up telling my dad, niece, nephew, and brother’s wives about my opportunity.

“So are you going to try out?” my dad asked me as I sat down next to him.

“I don’t know,” I said, “I might. I just have some apprehensions about it.”

“What do you mean Evie?” Sarah, Jeremy’s wife, said, “You’re going to try out for some famous band. You’re going to get the part and then become fucking famous. That’s awesome.”

“Sarah!” Kaylie, Brad’s wife and Jakob’s mother, scolded, “Language. They are listening.”

I laughed lightly as Kaylie pointed to Jakob and Ellie sitting on the ground playing with toys and I watched Brad, Sarah, and Jeremy roll their eyes.

“I think it would be cool,” Kaylie said, “I mean what if it was Avenged Sevenfold Evie. You already know all the old stuff. You just need to learn the new stuff.”

“That thought never even crossed my mind,” I stated being honest but then a new thought crossed my mind, “What if it’s not Avenged though. What if it’s a different band?”

“Would you play for another band?” my dad asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

“I really don’t know,” I said being honest, “God this should be an easy decision.”

“It shouldn’t babe,” my dad said, “You’ve been a tour manager for years. You’ve made a life for yourself and now here’s this opportunity that allows you to change your life all together and you’re not sure if you want to make that leap or not. I understand but I would ask yourself if you didn’t would you regret not auditioning.”

“Probably,” I said without thinking about my answer.

“Then just go,” my dad said, “Do the song that means the most to you.”

“Yeah I could,” I said absentmindedly as I thought about how much I did enjoying playing drums and getting lost in music.

“See,” my dad said, “So you’re going then I take it?”

“Fine,” I said giving up my eternal battle and deciding that I was just going to go for it. If I got the part great, if not who cares I still had my career to fall back on.

“Yes!” my brothers exclaimed.

I just rolled my eyes and looked at my dad who was giving me a small that meant he was okay with that decision. Tomorrow I was going to try out for a band I didn’t know anything about and I was going to kick ass. I always knew that there would be a job for me with my father’s business but I needed to see if being in the spotlight was the thing for me.