Poni of The Ettes

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The Ettes firecracker on the skins “Poni” Silver will not only shake up your soul with some mean rock and roll but she’ll look hot doing it. She is a storm behind the kit – a perfect combination of power, grace and fierce determination and she took a couple of moments to talk with us. We also put her in our print issue number 6 of Tom Tom Magazine. Check it out if you haven’t yet.

Tom Tom Magazine: I hear that you worked in a little clothing store on Melrose in Hollywood with fellow band mate Coco where you two played around with the idea of creating a band. How did you go from “air drumming” to getting behind a real kit and forming The Ettes?
Poni: It all happened pretty fast. I don’t remember ever questioning ourselves. We just decided that this was what needed to happen. I was going to learn to play the drums and we were going to start a band and tour the world. It seems insane not but we were so adamant and strangely logical about it at the time.

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Did you feel a natural attraction to the drums? If so, why?
It certainly did. There was an instant response to how tribal and rhythmic it all is. I was a dancer for about 15 years so, in the beginning, I looked at the kit from that perspective. In a way, I was really just dancing while hitting things at the same time. Which I found extremely fun and therapeutic.

Your stage presence is very strong and you pack a powerful punch behind the kit. Did you always have that confidence and stamina or did it take you some time to come out of your shell?
I think I’ve always had fun playing and the audience can always read when you’re having a good time. But as I got more comfortable, it definitely gave me more leeway to get creative.

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I understand you learned the drums in a pretty short period of time. Did you teach yourself or did you take lessons?
Funny story. I took 3 lessons from a nice man in the Los Feliz hills. He lived at the top of the hill and I didn’t have a car. I had to walk a hilly mile and by the time I would get there I would be drenched in sweat and panting for air. When I showed up for practice, we went into his garage and he closed the door behind us in the dark and I thought, “Well, I guess this is how it ends.” I really thought he was going to kill me and wear my skin! Luckily that wasn’t the case. I left after those with clearly so much to learn but he did give me some solid lessons and advice that I still use. The rest, I guess I learned on the job.

Does drumming tame the beast inside you?
Maybe. Or maybe drumming entices the beast? Either way, I am having a good time.

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You’ve credited Animal from the Muppets as one of your favorite drummers. What do you think it is about Animal that makes him great?
He just makes me smile so big! Anyone that can make you do that (even if it’s a Muppet) is pretty great in my book.

In early fall of 2011 The Ettes were on the road in support of your new album Wicked Will. What do you enjoy about touring and what do you hate about it?
The traveling is what I love the most. Being to see cities I normally wouldn’t have been able to see is quite priceless. Getting there, on the other hand can sometimes be a bitch . Those long drives! Ouch.

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What are your bare essentials that you take with you on the road?
MAC makeup remover wipes (traveling can get dirty), SIMS game (kills so much time), and it I can, my dog (she’s my best friend).

What exciting things can we expect to see from The Ettes this Spring/Summer?
More rockin’ n rollin’ into a city near you! It’s all we know!

Tell us about your kit:
Kirchoff Shlagwerk kit
24’ kick drum
18’ floor tom
14’ snare
Sabian cymbals
Vic Firth 5b sticks
Remo heads
Iron Cobra kick pedal

Interview by: Jenifer Ruano

Photos courtesy of the artist

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