KickActs interveiws Jeremiah “Trauma” Stratton of (Hed)p.e.

Welcome to Kick Acts. Tell us a little about yourself and were you can
be found online.

I am Jeremiah “Trauma” Stratton!  I can be found on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/jeremiah.stratton
https://www.facebook.com/jeremiah.stratton

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AoWRecruiting/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AoWRecruiting/

I’m born and raised in beautiful San Clemente, CA and currently reside in
Cleveland, OH.  I’ve been playing drums for about 16 years now and have no
intention of slowing any time soon!  Please review my Facebook for more
information!

Who are your musical heroes and influences? Why?

It’s a hard question…  There are so many!  But to name a few, Dave
Mustaine, Vinnie Paul, Donald Tardy, Donald Fagen, Nobuo Uematsu, Howard
Shore, Verdine and Maurice White…  The list just goes on and on.  Megadeth,
Earth, Wind, and Fire, and Steely Dan have always been a huge influence due
to great song writing and the musical talent to back it up.  My
appreciation for orchestral soundtracks have stuck with me since I was a
kid.  Beautiful moody melodies are still some of my favorite items to be in
my music player today.  And of course, groove!  Vinnie Paul, Donald Tardy
(Pantera and Obituary) have always had me bobbing my head with their heavy
grooves.

Do you have any advice for someone just getting started in the music
business?

Well, here’s the best thing I can say…  Constant and never ending
improvement!  That’s not just advice for Music Industry, that’s advice for
success across the board!

What piece of advice did you ignore that you wish you hadn’t?

SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!!

Do you have a greatest gig story or worst gig horror story you’d like to
share?

Hmm….  Well actually the story of how I got connected with (HED)P.E. is
pretty amazing…  I mean my cousin accidently called his friend one day who
worked at a studio across the alley from where (HED)P.E. was auditioning
drummers all week.  They weren’t happy with the drummers they had all week
and after my cousin accidently called his friend Mark, Jared randomly went
into this studio and asked if anyone there knew a drummer that could play!
Coincidentally, my cousin was coming to see my Metal band at the time
called “Bloodbath and Beyond” THAT NIGHT, so Mark and my cousin Joshua
“LOGIC” Harris just happened to talk about me and my band on that mistake
phone call.  I never met Mark before that day, but he said “Yeah my friend
has a cousin who plays and I can try him if you want?”.  So I played my
show, my cousin got word and that night I talked to Jared over the phone.
He emailed me 6 songs, I listened to them on the way up there to the
audition the following morning after RAGING all night (hahahaha), and now
about 6 years later here we are!  It’s been a heck of a ride, tell you
what!

Do you have any other hobbies other than playing music? Collect stamps?
Collect hats from off the side of the road? Draw pictures of peckers or
boobs? Make sock puppets? Sit in the dark and eat Cheetos?

I really enjoy Console Gaming (PS3, XBOX).  Also, I love flying remote
control helicopters!  I have a Hausler 450, and a Blade nanoCPX, both 6
channel full 3D flight helicopters!  Those are loads of fun, but quite
expensive if you crash, let me tell ya!

What do you think about the current music scene or lack of? Care to
address that?

Well, the industry certainly has changed quite a bit, but I’m sure people
have been saying that about it for years and years anyway.  Only certain
thing about life is change, so you either adapt or be left behind.  That’s
why I said earlier, constant and never ending improvement is so important
because there’s always someone more hungry than you and ready to take your
business, you know?

Do you think reality shows like American Idol, X factor and The Voice have
helped or hurt the music industry as a whole?

That’s hard to say…  Maybe it created a bigger market for sugar coated pop
music, but I don’t see it making a big impact on Metal or Rock markets at
all.  Shows like American Idol are only entertaining when the people suck
anyway…  hahahahaha

What is your opinion of unauthorized music downloads?

Personally, I know it can’t be avoided.  I wouldn’t care, so long as you
spread the word and come out to see us when we’re close!  BUY SOME T-SHIRTS
INSTEAD!

 Tell us something about each of your band members that we wouldn’t expect
to hear.

Hmm…  Mark Young is really into Bikram Yoga!  Jackson Benge has a Masters
degree in Graphic Design or something like that…  And Jared?  Totally
began his Musical Journey playing the piano as a kid.  That’s all I got!

Hypothetical situation. You’re on Gilligan’s island and you get to hook up
with only one of the survivors… Which one and why?

Not familiar with Giligan’s Island well enough to answer that one…

Do you know what a vinyl album is and have your ever purchased one? If so,
what was it?

Yes I know what it is, and the only vinyl I’ve ever purchased was
Mushroomhead’s latest record, “The Righteous and The Butterfly”.

You’re marooned on an island with Justin Bieber. Do you choke him out the
first night in his sleep or what?

Ah, Justin Bieber doesn’t matter enough to me to hate or like him…  Long
as he doesn’t act like a douche, as with anyone else, then maybe I won’t
knock him out… Maybe…

What is your opinion of Miley Cyrus?

Yikes…

Which would you rather hear in concert?* * Lip synching or real vocals?

Real vocals for sure!  I recently saw a show of a band I’ve been really
into lately, and was SO disappointed to see these clowns basically playing
along to their CD.  How embarrassing!  If I wanted to hear the CD version,
I’d enjoy it at home and hear whatever song I want to hear as many times as
I want to hear it.  A show should be something special every time you see
it, where that band is at THAT moment.  Ugh, I hate lip syncing…

Who, or what, is the next big thing?

If I knew the answer to that question, I would be WAY too busy to answer
you…  hahahahaha j/k

One artist you can’t get enough of and can’t live without is…

Nobuo Uematsu.  I know you may not know who he is, but he’s a Japanese
Soundtrack Composer who did most of the Final Fantasy Series music.  My
whole life his music has soothed my mind, and I still always listen daily
to ease my spirits.

Confession time. Share a secret about yourself.

Before my music career, I was an Executive VP of Sales at a lending
institution during the huge real estate boom in the early 2000’s.  Yep,
total corporate pig with a suit and tie on every day, waking up miserable
daily.  Money isn’t everything…

Favorite movie of all time and why.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy!  It’s got everything; laughter, courage,
struggle, companionship, romance, action, and inspiration.  I can watch any
of them at any time and be completely drawn in.

Our last question is called “Shout It Out Loud”. It’s were you get to talk
about whatever you want to talk about. So go ahead and “SHOUT IT OUT LOUD”!

LOVE!!!!  LOVE!!!!  Can’t say it enough, put a little LOVE in your heart
people!  I would be happy to see more people walking around with more LOVE
in their hearts.  In the great words of Abraham Lincoln in “Bill and Ted’s
Excellent Adventure”: Be excellent to each other…  AND PARTY ON DUDES!!!!