20 August 17-23, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents “I think it was pretty much over at that point,” Schwartz says. “That kind of put us on hiatus, and I told him to run with that be- cause that was definitely a way better gig than local bands at the time. It’s always one of those bittersweet things — we’re losing our best member of the band, but also, this is a great friend of mine, a great musical col- laborator of mine, and so I really was just ex- tremely happy that he finally got an opportunity to be going into a world where he deserves to be.” After touring with Black Flag, Pertzborn found his way into LA band With Our Arms to the Sun, but he didn’t stay with them long after the band opened for Doyle from The Misfits and John 5 of Marilyn Manson. Pertzborn went on to tour with Doyle and play on Doyle II: As We Die in 2017. This was in between recording and touring with rap punk band Ho99o9 (pronounced “horror”). And in 2019, John 5 called Pertzborn to let him know that Manson was looking for a new drummer for his tour. Pertzborn not only got the gig, he also recorded on Manson’s We Are Chaos in 2020 after the tour. He’s also played with Limp Bizkit, Corey Taylor and Suicidal Tendencies — each one navigated through word of mouth and video evidence of his drumming chops. Watching Pertzborn is hypnotic. While many drummers approach their equipment with stoic control, Pertzborn throws his whole body into it, striking the drums by in- stinct rather than coordination, disconnect- ing his mind from his body and letting the back beat take control. “That’s how I feel the emotion of the mu- sic,” he says. “When I see anyone play, I want to see them convey the emotion. That’s how I just convey the emotion of the song. It’s not something I really think about.” Since the beginning of his life on the road, Pertzborn has spent some of his free time uploading drum covers onto YouTube and Instagram as a way to learn more about the craft from other artists’ material — typi- cally from bands that he grew up with. In January 2023, Pertzborn posted a drum cover of The Offspring song “Hammerhead” on YouTube. “I really didn’t think anything of it, but then, in the very beginning of March, I get a call from The Offspring’s manager,” he says. “They gave me probably four songs to learn, and I went [to the audition] having learned almost the whole set so I would be prepared if they threw anything out at me, I could say, yep, I know it. Got it.” By late April, Pertzborn was attending his first rehearsal with his new band getting ready for a European tour. It’s all a little unbelievable, isn’t it? “Believe me, that’s still how I feel about it,” Pertzborn says. “It still doesn’t make any sense to me. I just went from a completely normal high schooler in Grapevine to … is this real?” he says laughing. “How did this happen?” One reason may be Pertzborn’s abso- lutely fearless approach to taking the stage with so many well-established bands. “I love the pressure,” he says. “I love the responsibility. I love the time crunch. I love when I get the call, I have to learn X amount of songs in X amount of days. And I love the adrenaline of stepping on stage for the first time.” That kind of confidence can only come through dedicated practice and a deep appre- ciation for the responsibility he is taking on. “They are established bands and you need to play the parts a certain way, but I think most of that is just respecting the parts,” Pertzborn says. “Growing up, I lis- tened to every style of music from rock to punk, to metal to jazz, to reggae, to anything in between. So, anytime I’m jumping from one project to another — whether it’s Man- son or Suicidal Tendencies or Offspring or anything in between — my approach isn’t much different at all because I’ve grown up listening to all styles of music.” It’s having this wide-open ear to all genres that Pertzborn credits with his ability to move through all of these bands with ease, and it’s his first bit of advice for aspir- ing drummers. “In the very early stages, and this sounds so cliché, but just play as much as possible, play as many styles of music as possible, “ he says. “And even if you don’t like particular styles or genres of music, try to find some- thing about those styles that you can take from.” Pertzborn also stresses the importance of playing with as many people as possible. “That was huge for me,” he says. “You can play in your room all day long. You can be the best drummer in the world in your room. All of that goes out the window when you start playing with other musicians.” Pertzborn has also proven that a drum- mer can move to the front of the stage and expand their audience in many ways inside and outside of the performance space. “Just put yourself out there,” he says. “For me, that was finding kids at school who played music, and then it was posting on Craigslist. It was putting up YouTube videos, just any medium to get yourself out there.” And it doesn’t require millions of follow- ers. Pertzborn’s YouTube shows just under 15,000, and just under 38,000 follow him on Instagram. Clearly, it’s about who you reach and not how many. Building that personal connection is Pertzborn’s final bit of advice. “What I always tell people when they get into the touring world is that it is just as im- portant to be a good musician as it is to be a cool person,” he says. “When you think about it, on tour, you’re only playing for an hour to 90 minutes a day. That leaves an- other 23 hours that you’re just hanging out with people and the guys in your band. Even if you’re the best drummer in the world, if it were to get around that you’re not cool to hang with, you’re not going to get any calls.” Former bandmates, like Suicidal Tenden- cies frontman Mike Muir, would agree. In April, when it was clear that Pertzborn would be leaving Suicidal Tendencies to join The Offspring, Muir took to the band’s offi- cial Facebook page writing, “Being in Sui- cidal I’ve had the honor of being on stage and recording with some absolutely amaz- ing musicians. Having Brandon Pertzborn on drums the last couple of years has been such a pleasure. ST has had so many incredi- ble drummers and he just STepped up and killed it behind the kit. But away from the drums he was such an absolute joy to work with and be around. Always a smile, no situ- ation every got him down, always up for ev- ery challenge. I will definitely miss touring with him, but I’m extremely happy for him as he goes off to a new challenge.” Pertzborn’s newest bandmate, Noodles, would agree. “We’ve played with a bunch of great drummers over the years, and Brandon in- corporates what was best about each one of them,” Noodles says via email. “He hits hard but can also bring it down when necessary, and every hit is consistent and powerful. He’s got a great sense of groove yet also brings some real punk rock energy. He’s just a super cool guy and a blast to play with.” While everyone in The Offspring was looking forward to the U.S. tour after tight- ening up together on the European tour, Pertzborn says Dallas “is the show I’m look- ing forward to the most.” The homecoming gives Pertzborn time to reflect on where he came from and how far he’s come since his high-school days attend- ing shows at The Door in Deep Ellum. “I think that’s where I went to one of my first shows, and I remember thinking when I was a teenager, if I could ever play The Door, I’ve made it,” he says. “Like there’s nothing bigger than this. This is it.” Though he can look back and explain how it happened to him, Pertzborn really has no explanation for why it all happened to him. “When I was spending most of my time in Dallas, my whole dream was just to be able to tour, but I didn’t know how to get into the world,” he says. “It’s kind of like the Wild West out here. There’s not a blueprint. The fact that somehow it worked out for me, and I’m coming back to Dallas and playing Dos Equis, I’m absolutely thrilled.” Pertzborn is sincere when he says that. Hearing him speak, one can easily sense the boyish excitement. He’s still filled with awe and immense gratitude for what he gets to do every day. “I don’t feel any different than I felt as a 19-year-old right out of high school from Col- leyville Heritage,” he says. “I’m still the same exact dude. Believe me, none of it’s lost on me.” Back at Dos Equis Pavilion, a clock counts down to The Offspring’s appearance on stage, but in the darkness Pertzborn can be seen be- ing led to his drum kit by flashlight. When the countdown ends, it’s Pertzborn who starts the set with the opening drum solo of The Offspring’s first single, “Come Out and Play,” from the band’s breakthrough album Smash. There is no doubt that Pertzborn feels the magnitude of returning to his hometown, bathing in the spotlight’s warmth as his solo is highlighted in “Want You Bad.” However, always the professional, the stoic Pertzborn doesn’t reveal his excite- ment to the audience. Even at the curtain call, he just smiles and waves to the audience after bowing with his bandmates as though it was any other night. The tour will go on through early Sep- tember, which will see a stop near Chicago where his old friend, Schwartz, works as a creative director at a marketing agency. “Whenever he rolls through on tour, I al- ways try to make an effort to hang out with him,” Schwartz says. “Every time I see Bran- don, he’s always the same personable guy who I remember. I really don’t think he’s changed much. Probably just gotten to be a better drummer.” Vera “Velma” Hernandez Lead singer Dexter Holland performs with Pertzborn on drums at Dos Equis Pavilion. The Kid is Alright from p19
