Joshua Crawford on Pocket, Influences, Efficiency in Drums

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Two years ago, I did a virtual drum shed with former podcast guest Raghav Mehrotra, the always-entertaining David Cola, and this week’s guest, Josh Crawford.

Josh, who rose to fame doing reaction videos to jaw-dropping drummers, is himself an elite player, and in this conversation I wanted to hear his opinions on both sides: becoming the player he is, and also influencer lyfe.

Josh is one of the most efficient players I’ve seen - he plays the most intricate stuff while expending a level of energy that looks more like he’s reading a newspaper. We get into some detail as I try to pick his brain about sticking and his approach to playing around the drums in general.

We also discuss the ever-present cold war of chops vs pocket, a subject on which Josh has dropped many-a-humorous-instagram voiceover - whether it’s Nick Canon footage from Drumline or Russell Croww and Denzel Washington - of famous movie characters “arguing” about pocket vs chops. When I pressed him on the subject, Josh had an unexpected take.

And of course we discuss the genesis of his internet fame, whether it was planned or serendipitous, and what he reckons he’d be doing if he hadn’t blown up on YouTube.

Joshua is both funny and insightful, which is why I have no double you’ll enjoy this little chat.

Chapters

0:00 - how does josh think of pocket vs chops? 5:00 - the best way to work on subdivision/placement 6:38 - how is josh so efficient? 10:54 - the Matrix/early influences 15:10 - what are the things josh has *passed* on learning for now 18:55 - estepario 21:33 - shed stories and the utility of sheds 27:58 - red light training 29:50 - how josh got started on youtube 33:55 - josh's non-drum youtube influences