Andy Prado on The Case for Chops, The "Why" Behind Drumming, and The Importance of Authenticity

Andy Prado is a drummer’s drummer.

Talk to practically anyone you’ve heard of about who their favorite drummers are, and Andy is likely to be in that sentence.

He’s one of a small list of drummers you could call “elite choppers” - a list that includes people like Ron Bruner, Mike Mitchell, and not too many others.

As such he’s in both an enviable, and an unenviable position. And you better believe we dig into the multi-edged sword of “chops”. (It’s way harder than you think to get them, you don’t have anything to “hide behind” like groove drummers, and when you reach the top of your profession everybody either wants to be you, hates you, or both.)

Andy touches a bit on the unhuman work ethic necessary to reach the level he’s reached. We also get into:

• Huey Lewis and The News - based or cringe

• Andy’s weekly routine and current projects

• The importance of being authentic

• Whether drummers’ outward personalities match their music

• How Andy is also an elite groove player

• and much more

I know you’ll enjoy this light-hearted convo with one of the LA OGs, the GOAT, as Forrest Rice calls him.

Andy's Links

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andypradojr/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@andypradojr6186 Coevality Band - https://www.instagram.com/coevalityband/ The Golden Age by Wires - https://wirestheband.bandcamp.com/album/the-golden-age Scarypoolparty - Sun Moon Earth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvO39Y2692M