Rich Redmond and Jim McCarthy sit down with drummer Sarah Tomek, who grew up in Asbury Park, NJ, and has called Nashville home since 2012. She has played with Steven Tyler, Maggie Rose, Samantha Fish, Andy Bell of Erasure, and Spanish rock star Manolo García, and she's about to hit the road with Ann Wilson.
Sarah talks about going from four-on-the-floor disco tracks to a gig with no click and no tracks. She also tells how Steven Tyler bought her the Black Beauty snare she still uses on almost every session, and why she thinks musicians need "something real" in the age of AI.
Highlights:
00:02:43 – AI as a tool, not the music
00:03:16 – Going from disco grids to no click and no tracks
00:13:14 – Them Vibes and why touring costs so much now
00:29:45 – Disappearing session work and bidding for gigs on Broadway
00:34:04 – Prepping for Ann Wilson and Heart's 50th
00:38:21 – Steven Tyler and the Black Beauty
00:42:06 – Why new Nashville players should learn the Number System
00:55:38 – The toughest songs in the Ann Wilson set
01:12:12 – Bringing the fire to the same songs every night
01:22:42 – Her love-hate relationship with Nashville
Connect with Sarah: www.sarahtomek.com
Instagram and Facebook: @sarahtomekdrums
Podcast Production: https://itsyourshow.co
Rich’s drum intensive: https://drumtensive.com
The Rich Redmond Show: https://richredmond.com/podcasts