#175 Oskar Haggdahl- Drummer for Mark Hudson, Nat & Alex Wolff, Marc Martel, & Earl Slick!
Oskar Haggdahl is a drummer from Vasa, Finland. Currently based in New York City since 2009. I studied music at a college in Finland before in 2009 moving to NYC to study at The Drummers Collective. Since graduating in 2011, I've worked professionally in NYC and around the world.
Some artists that he has worked and/or played with are: Mark Hudson (producer/songwriter; Ringo Starr, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne), Earl Slick (John Lennon, David Bowie), Marc Martel (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Queen Extravaganza), Joey Molland (Badfinger), Corey Glover (Living Colour), David Johansen (New York Dolls), Kip Winger (Winger, Alice Cooper), Nat & Alex Wolff (Nickelodeon), Ramy Essam (Sweden/Egypt), Mamma Mia! - Broadway Musical (Official North American Tour), Randy Jones (The Village People), Sepideh (Iranian singer), Michael Ciro (Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross), Johan Carlberg (Britney Spears), Joshua Valleau (Kanye West, John Legend), Cat Pierce (The Pierces), Demir Demirkan (Sertab Erener), Miles Garber, Abigail Breslin, Boris Pelekh (Gogol Bordello), Matt Katz-Bohen (Blondie), Wilson Jaramillo (Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean), Mario J. McNulty (David Bowie, Prince), Rie Tsuji (Beyonce), Jesse Malin (D Generation), David Gagliardi (Trash Talk, Swimsuit Issue), Steve Kortyka (Lady Gaga), Peppina, Kris Gruen, Joseph Ruddleston (UK), Elijah Ford, Mike Greco, Krista Siegfrids (Finnish pop icon), Sophie Madeleine (UK), Chase Cohl, Brian Sperber (Moby, Feeder, Three Doors Down), Jamie Siegel (Producer/Engineer), David Malachowski (Shania Twain, Savoy Brown), Kim Thompson (Beyonce, Mike Stern), Benedetto Nino Caccavale (Maxwell, Eagle Eye Cherry), Kat Auster (MTV), Tony Gillis (Prince, Jay-Z), Tony Verderosa (producer/drummer), Craig Bonich (Head Automatica), Jay Shepard (Leisure Cruise), Joe Young (Gene Ween), Brian Holtz (Debbie Gibson) and many more.
R.I.P Tony Allen
Drummer Tony Allen has died at age 79. He is widely hailed as one of the founders of Afrobeat alongside his longtime musical partner Fela Kuti, with whom he played for 15 years.
Allen died Wednesday evening in Paris of a heart attack, his manager, Eric Trosset, told NPR. Trosset told Agence France-Presse that Allen took ill in the afternoon and was taken to the Hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, where he died.
Behind the kit, Allen used his whole body — laying out intricate polyrhythms with all four limbs. (He was so dexterous, it often seemed like he had more than four.) "Without Tony Allen," Kuti famously remarked, "there would be no Afrobeat."
Happy Cinco De Mayo!
Here is the Horchata Recipe mentioned in the episode!
Educational Spotlight
PAS Presents
An online series featuring world-class artists, educators, composers, and more. Join us for live conversations, workshops, select performances, and Q&A.
Social Soundbyte
Pop Percussion Iconic Tracks
Damon put together this playlist to complement the article that him and Marcos wrote for Modern Drummer Magazine.
Iconic Recording
This week’s iconic recording was chosen by our guest Oskar Haggdahl. it is Burn by Deep Purple.
Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer and only constant original member of the English rock band Deep Purple.
David Coverdale – vocals
Ritchie Blackmore – lead guitar
Jon Lord – keyboards, synthesizers
Glenn Hughes – bass guitar, vocals
Ian Paice – drums
Music News
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Support Artists Impacted By the Covid-19 Pandemic - Read More
U.S. Library of Congress builds royalty-free hip-hop sampling site - Will Betts - Article
How to be an online musician and work from home - David Taylor - Article
The song leading into the interview is “Every Turn” - by Hey Guy.
Oskar Interview
Some of the preamps, discussed at the beginning of the interview are the Presonus Firestudio (discontinued), the newer version, the Presonus Quantum 2626 and the Focusrite Clarett. There’s also this article with some other options. Oskar mentions the Universal Audio as a more high end option. Some of the cables that are also high end are by Mogami. Damon happens to be endorsed by Sennheiser microphones, but here are some that won’t break the bank…..
Here’s a great article on setting up your home studio, including acoustic treatment (towards the end).
Oskar talks about growing up in a small town in Finland, getting his first drumset when he was 5 and being in a band with his dad as a kid.
After high school and one year of college in Finland, Oskar made the trek to NYC and attended the Drummer’s Collective.
To go to school in the USA from another country (as Oskar did), you will need to fill out a student visa.
Here are two websites to help fund your USA studies with grants and more! Website 1 - Website 2.
One of the drumkits Oskar sold, that was special to him was a Ludwig Green Vistalite kit.
Oskar did pack a few snare drums he wanted to keep in a Protection Racket hardware bag and brought those across the Atlantic.
Oskar arrived in NYC, passed the Green-Wood Cemetery on his way from JFK airport and weaved through the San Gennaro Feast before reaching his apartment.
Here’s a website to help you find an apartment in the USA if you’re coming from abroad.
Oskar talks about his relationship with the late great Kim Plainfield while studying at the Collective.
There is no shortage of “entertainment” in the NYC subway system. You can see some of that HERE.
Oskar talks about seeing Shawn Pelton perform at Nublu as well as the Modern Drummer Festival.
One of the many interesting gigs you can have in NYC is playing in the house band for the Live Band Karaoke.
Oskar mentions the Sweetwater Covid-19 deals and discounts going on right now. Damon mentions Reverb (dot) com.
Oskar uses Paiste Cymbals, and Maelo Drums.
Damon and Oskar both recorded for the Stuck at Home Records Collaborative Recording Project, started by Isamu McGregor.
You can follow Oskar on his Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube.
The song leading out of the interview is: “Free Like” - by Thurston Ray.
