The Jungle Drummer, aka Chris Polglase, has not only performed with groundbreaking live acts, including London Elektricity, DJ Fu, Shy FX, Dj Craze, Breakbeat pioneers Coldcut, Techno & Jungle legend A Guy Called Gerald, beatboxers Beardyman & Faith SFX, High Contrast and the fabulous Scratch Perverts amongst many others, but has also been featured on labels such as Hospital Recs, Metalheadz, Ninja Tune, Sony, EMI, and Valve Recordings.
How did you get into drumming, and who are your inspirations?
My first inspiration was my Dad, who was a jazz drummer. I learned about music being in the moment and improvisation. So, I've always had a jazz mentality, especially with Jungle, Dnb, and all forms of music.
My Dad loved Buddy Rich, Tony Williams, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Roland Kirk, and my mum got me into the Beatles, Led Zep, The Police and classical music. Drummer-wise, all the above, and then it was Dave Grohl, Matt Cameron, Brad Wilk, and a lot more rock and metal drummers.
Then along came The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, and Hip-Hop. Hip-hop was life-changing. Once I heard my mates DJ it, it changed my drumming. When Jungle came along, that was it—it was the next extension of hip-hop, as it was double time. And I wanted to make a career out of playing with DJs.
Jungle and DnB wise, for drums, my early inspirations are so many: Producers Photek, Dillinja, Lemon D, Dj Die, Roni Size, Goldie, Ed Rush, and Optical. Labels Metalheadz, Prototype, V Recordings, Function. DJ-wise, the King Randall is too hot to handle.
What advice can you give to aspiring drummers?
Listen to credible music, go out and listen to DJs/bands, and watch crowds react to specific parts of the tracks so you can understand what works on stage and why tunes become anthems. Also, learn any style that is programmed or has breaks; playing a beat or a break is how you get a crowd. Also, learning software and becoming multifaceted will give you more chances of getting work.
What can people expect from your sample pack?
They can expect unique, original beats. I approached this sample pack like playing at a rave, playing over the top of many records with interesting beats. Then, I use the beat as my click track and add to what's there using multi-pitch snare drums. I've always drummed in the moment, and the loops came from the heart with a lot of swing and feel.
The pack was recorded using vintage mics and old-school miking techniques. The producer, ZeroZero, then mixed it. Some of the loops have already appeared on DNB productions, which will be coming out on my record label, Drumlab. I've had great feedback on the pack so far.