From around 1996-2002 (when I was 12/13 years old), I started playing in a Canadian band called Serial joe. We were buddies from school and started out covering No Doubt and Rage Against the Machine songs,  eventually writing originals (but mostly ripping off Rage Against the Machine). We lived and performed in Newmarket, Ontario, just outside Toronto. 

 

I started playing the drums because of this band...most of us in the group probably had about a year of playing under our belts until local news, youth media (aka YTV), and Much Music took notice. I made a lot of mistakes on stage.

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My cousin Warren P. Sonoda, an exceptionally talented and successful director and screenwriter, shot and edited most of our videos. He helped us win craploads of Much Music awards (which aren't really 'my' awards, but I put them in my CV as if I made them).

 

We were signed to Aquarius Records, had a short-lived stint with Epic in the US (but I think were dropped/replaced by Good Charlotte [remember them?]), and managed to travel/play across the country multiple times. I even got to record on Dave Grohl's snare from Nevermind in Los Angeles on a kit prepared by the infamous 'Drum Doctor.' 

 

Fact: this was pre-Napster and Internet record label days. Lots of money was spent on records and music videos. I had no idea how to save money.  

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Our first demo was a cassette and designed around skateboarding--something I still love to this day. Our first single 'Skid Row' was also about skateboarding. Most of those lyrics were actually written by the singer's mom/our manager. That was sometimes weird to process as an angsty teen. 

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Our debut major label record was produced by a guy who worked with Marilyn Mason, or maybe he worked with Nine Inch Nails...I forget. He was kind of useless, in retrospect. Probably not that into it, tbh.

 

Fact: teenagers made the record themselves on a ridiculous budget at Metalworks Studios in Toronto.

 

I mostly used an inexpensive entry kit by Yamaha (a Stage Custom) and had no idea how to tune drums. For a while, I was also sponsored by Yamaha and Sabian Cymbals. That was slick.

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Our biggest fan base was in Quebec. I really loved playing in Quebec. Lots of people from Quebec still post cover versions of our songs. 

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Enjoy!