Interview • Morgan Wright, I The Breather

Originally Posted: October 8, 2013

Who or what inspired you to begin drumming? What was your first introduction to the metal/metalcore style?

“My biggest inspiration to begin playing the drums was definitely my family. Without them I wouldn’t have ever gotten involved with music or known I was even capable of playing. When I was 3 years old I received my first drum kit as a birthday present from my parents. I took it seriously when I was 11 & my big brother Mychael asked me to play in his cover band! My first introduction to heavier music was actually because of him as well. He got me into Deftones, Sevendust, Incubus… it wasn’t until I saw Chevelle live that I realized I wanted to do this drumming thing for real; they seemed so heavy at such a young age.”

What was it like working on the music videos for ‘False Profit’ & ‘Forgiven’?

“Music videos are intense; any drummer who has done them before will tell you the same. As the drummer you’re required to be in every take and go as hard as you can in every take. To be honest, in ‘Forgiven’ I had no clue what I was doing/still had no sense of who I was as a drummer at that point. If I could change that video, I would. I’d say it wasn’t until ‘False Profit’ that I started to develop who I was behind the kit and cut loose.”

Who are four of your biggest musical influences?

“My four biggest musical influences are as follows: 1) Travis Barker. I was (and still am) a HUGE Blink fan and Travis is a monster behind the kit! 2) Aaron Gillespie of Underoath, who intrigued me with his whole style; there was a point where I was obsessed with that band because of him. 3) Ilan Rubin, who is just a PHENOMENAL drummer and is definitely the most influential in my drumming as of now. 4) Karnivool, an amazing band from Perth, Australia. I’m absolutely blown away by them.”

How did your relationship with Battlefield Drums transpire? What’s the best part about playing under the Battlefield name?

“The relationship with Battlefield came about when my good friend and Battlefield A&R Nash Nardone got in touch with me & told me I had to play their drums. They offered me a great deal, and the rest is history. The best part about playing for the company was it was a big name brand, so I was at the forefront of pushing that brand. I enjoyed the fact that I got to spread the word about their drums every night on tour.” 

You are one of the founding members of I The Breather, correct? Could you give us some background history regarding the band’s formation?

“Yes, I was an original founding member of I The Breather. Justin, Shawn, and I started it all in my little basement in Hagerstown, Maryland. Justin & I were best friends through our high school/college days and we were always playing/producing music together, which led us to wanting something more. We formed ITB in my basement jamming out tunes like ‘Allspark’, ‘Crown Me King’, ‘Doomsday’, and ‘High Rise’. We cranked those out and brought on Shawn & the rest of the group to form ITB. MySpace was key in finding legit members!”

When the band was not touring/writing/recording how did you spend your time?

“The things I enjoyed most about coming home from tour was catching up with my girlfriend, family, and friends. Having cookouts, golfing, not much to it other than finding relaxation and rest.”

What piece of advice can you impart to aspiring drummers/musicians who seek a career within the music industry?

“Follow your dreams & invest in yourself. If there’s a will, there’s a way. But you have to put in the work; nothing will be handed to you. Do yourself a favor and strive to be better than you already are.”