Clayton "Goose" Holyoak on ETID
Saturday October 14, 2017 - Clayton "Goose" Holyoak on his recent joining of Every Time I Die, and experience with SJC Drums.
Got to catch up with Clayton "Goose" Holyoak from Every Time I Die! He shares his story on teaming up with the band and discusses his experience with SJC thus far. Goose chose a Tour Series kit and Foundation hardware for his run with ETID, check out his testimonial at the end of the blog and read the story in his own words below!
Flashback to the morning of September 18. I woke up on a couch in Oceanside, California where I was stationed writing with some good friends of mine Igor Efimov and Mitchel Stark (Silent Planet). I had quit my band (Norma Jean) a couple of months earlier. I got up and stretched thinking about what the best plan of attack was for getting some more work done for the last three days I had in Oceanside. I checked my phone to a surprise text. It was Andy from Every Time I Die. He told me they were possibly looking for a new drummer on their upcoming Canadian tour in a week and asked if I was interested. I immediately text him back and told him I was their guy. I've been listening to ETID for years and they've definitely had an influence on the way I play. At this point, it had started to get pretty stressful. Mitch, Igor, and I had been pumping out some amazing music and I didn't want this opportunity with ETID to interfere with the wave we had been riding. I was reaching out to all of my endorsements to try to sort things out in case ETID decided to pull the trigger on me. That night they had decided to roll with me.
SJC has absolutely been my favorite endorsement I have ever come across. They have always been in immediate contact with me and have pushed and supported me since day one. From making sure I have kits in other countries to ask for my suggestions and opinions on their crafts. Their team has never left me hanging when I've been in need or have had small or large questions; incredible group of people! This time around I needed a big favor. I needed a kit in less than a week for the tour. I called Zach Matook and told him my situation. He immediately got the ball rolling and I had a full kit and hardware by the night I arrived in Buffalo, NY.
By that time on September 22nd I had four days of practice by myself and five hours of practice with the full band to sit down behind the kit and hammer 17 songs down. I was stressed, excited, and very nervous on such short notice. There was a part of me that was saying I couldn't do it with the time I had, but also another part of me that wouldn't let me give up. My girlfriend, my mother, and my close friends were all sending supportive messages to me and I couldn't let them down. I couldn't let myself down. I sat in Andy's basement the first couple of days playing along to my iPhone headphones until the practice space was open for the last two days. I then spent the last two days for 9 to 10 hours a day playing along to all of the songs by myself before I could confidently bring everyone in the last 5 hours before we had to pack up. It came together. I did it! This quite possibly could have been the hardest challenge I had ever accepted. I was relieved. I could finally loosen the tension that had been punishing me the past five days.
I'll admit. The first show in Portland, Maine was probably the most nervous I've ever been before a show EVER. With only five hours of full practice with the band, my confidence was teetering. I'm feeling better every day though. The shows have been incredible! We've played both intimate and large and some in between size shows. ETID fans are die hard and so much fun to play to. The guys in this band are hilarious, very sharp, and all around great people. I feel like this experience has really leveled up my game. I'm still continuing to learn songs in the van. I'm currently working on song 20 driving through isolated mid-Canada.
We'll be hitting up U.K./Europe in November! I'm excited to get across seas and play all my favorite places! Come out and catch a show, say hi, and check the Tour Series SJC kit! Hope to see you all soon!
SJC 8x14 Titan Snare
Foundation X Boom Stand
Foundation X Straight Stand
Foundation X Snare Stand
SJC Heavy Duty Throne
Foundation X Boom Stand
Foundation X Straight Stand
Foundation X Snare Stand
SJC Heavy Duty Throne
Here's his testimonial on the Tour Series Kit: "I've been so accustomed to playing larger sized kits for the past 10 years that I totally forgot how much kick and punch a standard size kit packs. The 12" and 16" toms really cut through the mix which is great for me in ETID, especially songs that are more up-tempo with a lot of fills. And the 22" kick makes it easy to shred on those quick punk licks without losing low end and punch! I know now why these sizes come standard. I don't think I can ever go back to my 24" kick or my 14" rack. The SJC Tour Series Kit has got me for good!"
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