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On The Beat with Solomon Radke
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Solomon Radke seems fairly shy and soft-spoken when you first meet him. He looks like any other 15-year-old kid, maybe with a bit more style. But then he takes the stage with his brothers Darrion and Isaiah of Radkey, and this is where his personality shines. He beats the skins mercilessly, boldly, and precisely while his brothers hammer the audience with rock n’ roll in the same spirit as The Ramones and the punk attitude of Bad Brains. We got to talk to Solomon and find a little bit more about his background.
The Deli: How did the drums find you?
Solomon Radke: I started playing two and a half years ago. Isaiah had the idea of starting a band so I just decided to play the drums.
The Deli: That’s pretty amazing, considering you’re already a very solid drummer. What has been your biggest musical accomplishment so far? Solomon: Playing the Afro-Punk Festival (in Brooklyn) and making a music video.
The Deli: Who are your biggest influences as a drummer? Solomon: Neil Peart, Ringo Starr, Pat Wilson, Keith Moon, Tre Cool, Taylor Hawkins, and John Bonham.
The Deli: Do you still see yourself playing drums in 10 years? Solomon: Yes. I want to do a national tour, and spend the rest of my life playing music.
The Deli: What have you been listening to lately? Solomon: Weezer, Green Day and The Foo Fighters.
The Deli: As the youngest musician I've interviewed, do you have any advice for other young musicians who want to begin a musical career? Solomon: Practice for at least 15 minutes every single day and play the kind of music that you want to play. Don't try to please anyone but yourself when writing music.
The Deli: What's next for Radkey? What are you most looking forward to? Solomon: Hopefully a full-length album and a national tour.
You can catch Solomon with his brothers tomorrow night, October 6, at The Brick. They’ll be performing alongside heavy hitters The Dead Girls and Sons of Great Dane. Also, see him in action below in Radkey’s first music video. This is “Cat and Mouse,” and it was recorded at Adrian Grenier’s Wreckroom in New York.
--Michelle Bacon
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