Yamaha Switzerland 09
  Original German interview is here

  "Reduction. Groove." 
  In an interview on studio drumming and applied psychology in the record space, it is almost forgotten that rock
  rock drummer Mickey Curry with Bryan Adams has sold more than 40 million albums and played on dozens on
  dozens of hit productions. The Cult "Sonic Temple", Tom Waits' "Rain Dogs," Alice Cooper " Hey Stoopid and
  Los Lobos "By the light of the moon" all bear the signature of this modest star. The Secret behind Mickey's 
  success is as simple as it is tricky: Reduction in the correct dose.

  Mickey, the home recording revolution of the last decade, and the professional recording studios, 
  have also added massively.
  What is the life as a studio drummer today?

  The market for studio drummer is markedly shrunken, and the budgets are usually small. 
  The first step in a production order is to save costs, the drum parts to be programmed. Since, the costs for 
  musicians, studio hire, recording equipment and sound engineer away.
  On the other side there is still a traditional manner, method, producing albums, and the drummer comes in to 
  play again. A rhythm section which plays right instruments in a good studio, lends to the music a liveliness 
  which is not to be reached digitally. Music lovers will always appreciate this quality.
 
  You mention in your musical influences eccentric drummer's John Bonham, Keith Moon and Ringo. 
  This is in regards to your reduced drum style, is interesting ...

  As a child I was there and away from these drummers. Bonham, Moon and Stiffly were such shrill figures, 
  thus high-powered and incredibly in the way as they played percussion. 
  This has influenced me very much, even if my own percussion style moved in quite an other direction.
  My aim was from childhood to work as a drummer in the studio and to play on songs.
  An important requirement in studio drumming is the reduction the drumming work in the studio deals for me, a
  lot with the tension between the marks and the architecture of the songs. 
  I am technically not an experienced musician, thus, therefore, I try to use my abilities in the best possible 
  manner. My drumming is focused on the groove and the song.

  As a studio drummer has to deal with the metronome, either. How did your career form in order?
  
  As a teenager, I got calls from time to time, small parts for TV spots or radio jingles myself. Because I always 
  had to play to a click track. It made me mad, because it was not easy. The click track was my enemy. 
  But over the years I am accustomed to it, and the click track became an indispensable part of my work.
  What has helped me, it was terrible, replace the"Tick-tock-tock-tock" with a percussive, organic sound, or 
  a sample sequence.
  The best one considering the click track as a co musician. That helps.

  Studio work has a strong psychological component. You are responsible for an important session 
  booked and want to in the given time, get it in the box. 
  To much self-imposed pressure is counter-productive, and to little tension also.

  It is always healthy, remember to keep that what you're doing in the studio, it's not of fundamental importance for 
  mankind. Your work does not feed hungry children, you do not defuse biological weapons and stop no natural
  disasters. This insight puts much pressure and takes it away. 
  Your drumtracks is your little self. That's all. Most people care little whether your snare hit in the 57th Bar is a 
  few milliseconds too late or not played. 

 There are sessions where you try to make everything perfect, and it simply does not work. Then again, there are
 sessions where you just do your job, and know that the track is not perfect, but he has a good feeling. If the
 the producer is satisfied, go to the next track. Recording sessions are a kind of Zen meditation. 
 Let things happen. You've played, what you've played. If it is unsatisfactory, correct it, . If not, let it stand. 
A recording session is a snapshot. That is a performance.