Mark Cesario: Kick ass drummer, loyal friend and harbinger of groove.Easy Way Out was a 3 piece instrumental group for a long time before forming the current line up in 2006. What we're the biggest challenges trying to make a go of it instrumentally?
Oh yes, the good old days (sigh)... I'm just kidding. For the record we never consciously made the decision to be an instrumental band. We had been looking for a singer ever since day 1 and had always wrote our songs with the intention of vocals being sung on top however we were never able to find anyone that we gelled with until Jay came along. We really just jammed as much as possible and tried to come up with cool stuff and ended up cutting an EP more for ourselves than anything. So I guess the biggest challenge with being an instrumental band was trying to find a singer that would compliment our sound.
George Reefah appeared on your first EP, how did that come about?
Being one of our good friends, Reefah, would come by the unit occasionally to get drunk and jam it out with us. It was awesome!!! We were all lovers of hip-hop and thought that it would be fun to incorporate a rock feel to it. Anytime an artist can work with another artist who brings talent and experience to the table it allows everyone to get better so it was only natural that we write a few tunes for the EP.
Well the new lineup certainly seems to be working out well for Easy Way Out. The EWO bio says that you and guitarist Mauro Cecchi we’re childhood friends. How did you two meet?
Definitely, the new line up is a powerhouse and has been great to work with. It was a long time coming but worth the wait. Mauro and I actually met in Junior kindergarten and we were good friends up until my parents decided to move out of the area when I was in grade 5. Turns out that I ended up meeting another friend of ours from that same elementary school again in high school so by chance I think I might have seen Mauro at a couple of parties over the years. It was not until Mauro was hit by a car and bed ridden, for like 6 months, that we started hanging out more. It's unfortunate but that's what happened. I had just started fooling around on the drums and had told him that when he got back out of his bed that we would jam together. I never knew he even played the guitar. So we started jamming it out just the 2 of us for fun.
But the Drums were not your first instrument were they?
Nope, I started with the saxophone when I was 10 and played it for a long time. I've been thinking of picking it up again.
What drew you to the drums?
I've always loved the drums. The fact that it acts as the glue in the band and that their sound has the immense power to make your body move is what drew me to them. There is nothing like the sound of a fat kick and a warm snare. Another thing that really drives me is the emotion that it can bring to a song. I feel that when I play with emotion I'm at my best. It's also a good way to let out some aggression too!
Weather it’s TV, live, radio or just walkin’ by some kid playin’ the buckets on the street, what is the first memory you have of drums?
My cousin used to play the drums and he had this really shitty kit that he had set up at his house. Every time I was over I always used to play the only beat I knew. DOO-DOO-DA-BOO-DA-BOO-DA-BOO-DA
Sounds like something Fred Flintstone would have played. On average, how many hours a week would you say you spend playing the drums?
40 or so, I try to play for at least an hour a day weather it be on the kit or just practicing rudiments on my practice pad but sometimes I'll play upwards of 5 hours plus on any given day. It's all about discipline, like going to the gym, you have to keep it up on a regular basis to see results.
What’s next for Easy Way Out?
We'll be releasing, what I consider, our debut album in January so keep an eye out for that. The album is called "Steal The Show". Currently we've been playing as much as possible, working on making our show one that will leave a lasting impression for everyone in the crowd. You never know who's out there listening. We also have been writing some new stuff to keep things fresh. We don't want to play the same songs all the time, it gets boring for us and our fans.
Next Blog: EWO finally get a spot on Shoeless Mondays, what the hell does that mean? And what doors could it potentially open for the indie stalwarts?
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