Name: Sigmund Vestrheim aka DUMMY THICC
Nationality: Norwegian
Occupation: Drummer, percussionist, producer
Current release: DUMMY THICC's debut album DUMMY THICC & FRIENDS is out via Mutual Intentions.
Pure drum recording recommendations: Karriem Riggings recently released a fantastic drums only album called To The Jungle.
Recommendations for Øystese, Hardanger, Norway: If you’re ever in my Hometown, we have a permanent piece by James Turrell called «skyspace». A realtime light art installation. Cool experience.

If you enjoyed this DUMMY THICC interview and would like to stay up to date with his music and upcoming live dates, visit Sigmund Vestrheim on Instagram. There is also a DUMMY THICC Soundcloud page. 



It seems as though most aspiring artists are drawn to the drums and percussion for one of two reasons: Creating sound/noise and creating rhythm. What captivated you?

In the beginning, as a kid, I just thought that the drums were the coolest instrument haha!

A bit of both I would say? Creating sound and noise, but also creating grooves and music is what I love to do. It’s fun to make people move and groove haha!

Everything around drums is based on touch, vibration, and movement. Does this mean that your own perception as a listener is also more connected to touch, vibration, and movement? What happens in your body when you're listening?

It very much depends on what type of music I’m listening to. When I hear something I find funky and groovy, it makes me move my body and for some reason I feel like the music grooves harder when I follow the rhythm with my body haha!

Mostly what I look for when listening to music is energy and emotion. Whatever shape or form that comes in. It’s all connected I think as you say with touch/feel/vibrations.

What was your first drum set like and what are you using today? What, to you personally, are factors in terms of build and design that you appreciate in drums and percussion instruments?

My first kit was a Pearl export I think haha! My mum and dad got it for me for Christmas when I was 5 (lucky me). That’s when I started to play drums.

I do not own a lot of drum kits as many drummers do haha. Actually I don’t own one complete kit haha. But I have a few different kicks and toms. And more snares. Mostly I use my 60s Ludwigs and those sound good for most of the music I do!

For me it is more about sounds. And if that is a 18” kick from a cheap kit paired with a super old “shitty” cymbal, I don't care haha! As long as my musical ideas come through I’m happy!

Late Rush-drummer Neil Peart said: “The equipment is not an influence. It doesn't affect the way I play. It's an expression of the way I play.” What's your take on that?

It’s a cool quote but not entirely true in my opinion haha. Of course the music is not in the gear itself. It’s in your body and in the craft that you’ve learned over the years.

But I do actually find I play very differently on different drums, or even the same drums tuned differently. The same goes for bass or synths or whatever.

Of course I’m still limited to my skills and my ideas. I think that is why musicians want multiple instruments. To express an idea, as Neil said. But I feel influenced by different musical gear of all sorts, really.

The drums and percussive instruments are an integral part of many cultures, and traditions. Which of these do you draw from in your playing – and why?

Most of the music I love comes from African and American traditions. Especially funk, soul, jazz and hip-hop! I guess that I’m more drawn to that type of music because it’s very spiritual, emotional and rhythmic.

It makes me feel uplifted with the grooves and makes me move even though the topic or the emotion of the music can be very real.

What were some of the main challenges in your development as a drummer / percussionist? Which practices, exercises, or experiences were most helpful in reaching your goals?

A main challenge for me was to sit down alone and practice haha! I really found it hard to concentrate on playing drums alone without a musical context. This was more in my younger days of learning how to play at all. But it kind of stuck with me. I always want to practice with someone else through playing music rather than practicing alone.

For me the best way to learn something musically is through listening over and over. So much that whatever you hear is in your body and you can play what you hear inside your head.

And also do research. Say if you like James Brown, trying to find out what James brown listened to and try to figure out and understand what made him sound the way he did. That’s something I’ve done a lot. It’s quite nerdy but very ear opening and sometimes pretty surprising.

Also you end up finding and checking out a lot of music you wouldn’t necessarily find yourself.

How would you describe the physical sensation of playing the drums? [Where do you feel the resonances/pulse/groove, what are emotional  sensations, is there a sense of release or tension etc …]

It depends on the music. When I play for Aurora it’s raw energy coming out through my body. Very energetic and loud. Feels like a workout haha.

When I play my own music, for example with GiddyGang & Vuyo, I try to listen and lock in with the group and reach a feeling of flow and interaction.

The best feeling is when I feel like we’re one unit conveying the energy and emotion of the music. Kind of like a braid, one by one we’re individual strands of thread or hair but braided together we’re more like one unit.

What is the relationship between harmony, rhythm and melody? How do non-percussion instruments contribute to the overall rhythmic texture of a piece?

It's everything!

Every instrument can be percussive and groovy! It’s the interplay that’s interesting and beautiful!

Do you feel that honing your compositional / songwriting skills has an effect on your drumming skills?  

Yes, very much. I’ve spent countless hours in the studio searching for new sounds and textures. And through doing that I find that I play much softer in the studio for example. And also composing wise you learn more and more what works to record and what doesn’t.

Playing so much drums in the studio definitely makes me play differently. It’s all a part of learning more and more about music!

I've long been intrigued by bands or ensembles where the drummer is the leader and/or main composer. In as far as it is possible to generalise, what do you think changes in terms of the music or performance in these situations?

I think it makes the band feel safe as long as the band leader is good haha and the band too of course!

And I also think that that can make the crowd feel more safe too. Not like the crowd is thinking about it during a show but the whole experience is good. Just look at The Roots with Questlove.

But I don’t necessarily think that a band where the drummer is the band leader is better!

How are you making use of the timbral and textural potentials/possibilities of your drums and percussion instruments when making music?

I prepare my drums a lot with tape/cloth or whatever I have lying around. Stuffing a pillow in my kick. Putting chimes on my snare. It alternates the sound and can help me achieve and adjust the sounds I’m looking for.

Also I mix my drums quite aggressively and this is also a big part of the sound and textures.

How has technology, such as drum machines and sequencers, impacted the way rhythm is created and perceived? Has it been a concrete influence on your own approach?

My answer to that is J Dilla. (Yes). May his legacy last forever.

Physical strain is a particularly serious issue for many drummers. How does it manifest itself, how do you deal with it and in how far does it affect your creativity?

I guess it's the same as for every profession. I don’t have any routine on warming up and stuff like that, but if I hurt somewhere I’ll try to take a break and not push myself beyond what feels reasonable.

If it should affect my creativity I would take it as a challenge. If that was that I couldn’t play drums or whatever. Just try to create something in a different way.

Many recording engineers have remarked that the drums can be particularly hard to capture. What makes drums sound great on record and in a live setting?

A good drummer. Good ideas.

Drums and percussion are remarkably often used for physical therapy / healing. What, from your point of view, makes them particularly suitable tools for this?

I don’t know much about this at all, but I guess as you said earlier, it’s vibrations.

And also it’s pretty easy to make sounds with drums. You don’t have to know how to play to make sounds?