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Sam Fogarino

Interpol

Artist Bio

Photo by: @photopixie1

Philly-born Sam Fogarino is the drummer of the band Interpol. He has played in bands such as the Holy Terrors, Gus, the Ton-ups, and the Last Night.

Fogarino began to play the drums at the age of 13. In the early 1990s he played with the south Florida act, The Holy Terrors, as part of a music scene that also produced Marilyn Manson, Jack Off Jill, Saigon Kick and the Mavericks. Manson asked him to join his band at one point, but Fogarino turned him down.

In 1996, Fogarino left south Florida to move to Gainesville (played in a band called Gus, replacing Jason Lederman), then finally settled in New York City in 1997. He first met guitarist Daniel Kessler in 1998 when he was selling vinyl in Beacon’s Closet, a clothing store in Brooklyn. With more than 10 years playing experience, he joined Interpol in 2000 after original drummer Greg Drudy left the band. Fogarino played his first show for Interpol on May 20, 2000 at the Mercury Lounge.

Photo by: @ruth.matass

In early 2006, Fogarino joined with former Swervedriver frontman Adam Franklin to form a side-project band called the Setting Suns. Since then, the duo have changed their name to Magnetic Morning and released a six-track, self-titled EP. In 2008 a full-length LP A.M. was released.

In May 2010, Fogarino composed an accompanying soundtrack to Athens, GA Canopy Studio’s Fractured Fairy Tales aerial dance performance.

On April 2, 2013, Fogarino released his debut side project EmptyMansions snakes/vulture/sulfate via Riot House Records. He enlisted Brandon Curtis (the Secret Machines, Interpol) to produce the record and Duane Denison (the Jesus Lizard, Tomahawk) to play lead guitars.

Fogarino and Interpol are on tour now. Check their website for dates.

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Essentials

Advice to Aspiring Musicians: "Ego is awful, overly confident is transparent. Self confidence is amplified by action. Don’t say what you can do, just do it. If it’s good, words are obsolete. Being a member of a band is just that, you are part of a sum, and it’s not about being equal—it’s about being massively effective—playing as much or as little—as needed, to make an arrangement a song. That said, master simplicity first. Play that disco beat, 4-on-the-floor, non-stop, as if you were the first ever to do so. At every dynamic, tempo—shifts the accents. Now to a click until you no longer hear it. Next, jerk back on the beat. Then forward. Push, but don’t rush. Now, go and do what feels right. You’ll have timing with you."

Current Kit Setup

Broadkaster in Crème Oyster Nitron 9x13 Rack Tom, 14x14 Floor Tom, 16x16 Floor Tom, 14x24 Bass Drum, 6.5x14 USA Bronze Snare Drum

We asked...Why Gretsch?

"Isn’t Charlie Watts reason enough? Youthful fascination with rock music and its myths aside, it was seeing Bill Rieflin with REM at Brixton Academy, in London. Regardless of the fact, that Bill could be hitting wet cardboard, and it would still sound compelling—his kit sounded like a drum kit—a truly amazing-sounding drum kit. The rack and floor toms had this musical envelope to them—a lot of natural tone, that didn’t overstay its welcome, and the kick was bombastic! It seemed apparent to my ears, that the drum mix was not being heavily processed at FOH. Bill’s drums simply sounded too big, naturally open, to be slamming some limiter. A quick glance at the front kick drum head told me the rest."

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