By Nadia Sobehart
Drummer and musician, Nick Sanderson, plans to drop his new single, “Perseverance,” on August 31 to fans of heavy rock everywhere.
The versatile drummer demonstrates his talent and energy in the track, which features his drumming skills over a track he co-wrote with his friend and co-writer, Chris. “The song has synths in it, as well as some other electronic ideas,” adds Nick Sanderson of why his recent track doesn’t fall entirely into one category. “I wanted to come out with something original for people to see me play drums to that’s not a cover track.”
While his talent and experience span genres and styles, it’s heavy rock that draws Sanderson in. Rock empowers the drummer to deliver raw energy on and off stage. “This is who I am and how I want to leave my mark,” shares the drummer. “I want people to think—whenever they see what band I’m playing in—‘who’s that?’ Not because I want attention but that’s who I am. That’s how I play.”
“If you were to come to one of my shows and see me play as a drummer, you’d think, ‘damn, that’s a high-energy, heavy-hitting rock guy. Not a quiet, low-energy person,” jokes Sanderson. He goes on to add, “Although, I do play for the gig. If I get hired for a gig (and this goes across the board for professionals), I might do a one-off gig and play that style of music. I’ll do what’s required. I’ve done gigs like that, but my passion and preferred genre is high energy rock and roll.”
Nick Sanderson grew up on a diet of heavy rock from an early age. “I would listen to it with my dad. My parents introduced heavy rock to me at an early age. I listened to other stuff, and my dad and uncle showed me stuff they liked. But heavy rock was what my soul wanted. It comes from my heart.”
“My uncle would gift me his most recent CDs he would buy. After he wore them out and was finished enjoying them, he would hand me one, every month or so, and say, ‘here, you’ll probably like this one.’ I attribute a lot of my musical taste to this experience, because he was a huge reason why I was so hip with the new music at the time. Between that, spending my mornings jamming with my mom on the way to school, going to concerts/festivals with my parents and family…all these things are major factors and influences on my musicality,” adds Sanderson.
Playing instruments was also a family affair for Nick Sanderson—his father played drums and his uncle is an accomplished guitarist. His mother is also an accomplished pianist. “When I was 12, I got my first drum kit. I had a guitar at first, but my hands weren’t big enough to play at that age, so I asked for drums and it stuck.” Sanderson went on to take lessons at a local drum shop—Drum Headquarters with instruction from Kevin Bowers and Dave Sweet, two phenomenal drummers—and developed a solid foundation. In due time, he developed his personal style through practice and learning from his favorite bands.
While many parents panic at the idea of listening to an adolescent figuring out a new instrument all day long, Nick Sanderson’s were supportive from the start. “My parents understood it was something I loved to do. At the beginning stages of playing for hours and hours, they were super cool. When I was in my first band in high school, we even practiced in the basement. They always gave me the green light and had faith in me,” shares Sanderson.
Sanderson began touring more than a decade ago and finally returned to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. For twelve years, Sanderson toured over 25 states, played in multiple bands, and wrote music with fellow musicians. He developed an expansive resume from playing in the studio as well as on stage. Great at both improvising and playing on demand, Sanderson became a reliable, multitalented drummer within the industry. Samples of his recorded work are available on his website under “Selected Discography V1.”
After some time on the road, Sanderson felt his hometown calling him back. “I missed my home. I just wanted to bring back everything I’ve learned to where I came from. I needed to go back to my roots and continue growing,” tells the drummer, who was looking forward to reconnecting with fellow musicians he played with years prior.
“My heavy background in touring has given me a lot of drive and inspiration, and I look forward to every situation, because there’s no better feeling than helping to bring people together to enjoy themselves and build amazing memories with each other,” shares the drummer. “It’s all about connection, and music helps connect people through its powerful vibrations. This is a very gratifying feeling to bring people close to each other and enjoy themselves.”
During his free time, Nick Sanderson is writing a full-length album for an original project with a few friends. He’s also continuously writing and producing his songs. “I write my own stuff, too,” adds the artist. “I have a studio that I write my own material in. Then other musicians hop on with me.”
At the end of the day, Sanderson hopes his talent doesn’t go unnoticed. “I hope this track grabs the attention of someone looking for a drummer who is passionate, has a lot of experience playing, and has the drive to work hard.” He looks forward to sharing more music over the next year. Eventually, he hopes to connect with a group (or multiple groups) and leave his mark on the heavy rock world.
“I think that it’s important for people who are aspiring musicians to have a clear definition of what success is for them. It could be something different for everyone. To me, ‘making it’ is being on the road with projects and musicians that can rely on me to bring the best version of myself to them as possible, on and off stage. And, also, to be writing and producing and recording drums during the time when I am not touring. Define your success. It’ll get you where you want to go faster.”
Make sure to stay connected to Nick Sanderson on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
