Spotlight: John T. Drake '06

Blanks., the popular Freshman Arts Project (FAP)-born band recently selected to play Harvard’s Springfest and the Holyoke Stage at Arts First, features drummer John T. Drake ’06. The multi-talented musician has previously played for Chess, Ex-Rated, and is a member of the innovative interdisciplinary art group, “Thirteen.” Drake is also music director for Richard III, which opens next weekend on the Loeb Mainstage.

How did you get started on the drums?

“I played cello in a school orchestra in fourth grade, but then in fifth grade, they switched orchestra to the recess period. So I switched to band to save my recess and started playing drums. I got a set of drums for Christmas the next year and it was all downhill from there. So I’ve been making noise for eight years or so now.”

How is Harvard as a community for musicians and artists?

“As a musician, the community is not that great. There isn’t a lot of unity; there are some disparate opportunities, but they’re very individualized, whereas, as an artist, I’ve been able to work with dancers in Ex-Rated and collaborate with so many different people. So, I’m friends with more dancers and actors than musicians. I’ve just had more opportunity to meet them here.”

What has been your most exciting project?

“The most exciting project is clearly ‘the Blanks.’ Just happening to meet three other people through FAP who cared about music as much as I did was really cool. We learned “When Doves Cry” by Prince for the Freshman Talent Show and I didn’t think it would continue, but then we decided we wanted to be a band and started writing music. And by the time we had ten songs we went to Vermont to record a demo. It’s fun because we’ve gotten to the point now where we can go in a different direction with our music. Now writing is much more of a group effort. It’s really collaborative and they’re legitimately some of my best friends.”

Describe yourself in three words:

“Bangs on drums.”

What’s your most embarrassing moment?

“I had a really sore throat before playing during Fiddler on the Roof, so I ran to C’est Bon and bought a gallon of water. I drank the entire gallon in twenty-five minutes, forgetting exactly how long the first act of Fiddler on the Roof is. I had to actually jump out of the pit during the show to go to the bathroom and barely made it back in time to play.”

Where will you be in ten years?

“I’ll hopefully still be making music and doing something wildly entertaining with my life.”

What is one moment you would like to relive from the past year?

“‘The Blanks’ played the Collective at Quincy House, and we opened up the show dressed up as Alvin and the Chipmunks and playing the Chipmunks’ theme song to seventy quasi-drunk students. It was really gross and sweaty and fun.”

What would you consider to be your biggest quirk?

One quirk is that I exist basically on a strict diet of Pinnochio’s pizza.

Do you have any heroes?

“Is it bad to say no? Because I kind of don’t. I fear that makes me a bad person. As far as influences, there’s Keith Moon and Mitch Mitchell. People are cool. I like people. I’ve always been a big fan of Batman as well.”

What is the most inspiring locale on campus?

“I write a lot of music just walking through Cambridge. My favorite is Brattle Street, because it’s kind of empty and you can sing out loud to yourself and work things out in your head. But I try not to be that guy with the acoustic guitar who sits in front of the MAC crooning angsty love songs. I hate that guy.”