I recently got to meet Veronica Bellino through my good friend Pauley Perrette... I had heard that she was playing drums with Pauley... We recently had the chance to hang out and I was very happy to get to know her better. I hope you enjoy my interview with her...... She Rawks!

Punk Globe: At what age did you decide you wanted to play drums?

Veronica Bellino: I GOT VERY INTO MUSIC AROUND 10 YEARS OLD. I LOVED BANDS LIKE NIRVANA, SEPULTURA, PANTERA, KORN AND HOLE. MY PARENTS GOT ME A GUITAR FOR MY 11TH BIRTHDAY AND I STARTED TAKING SOME LESSONS AND GOT REALLY INTO IT. THERE WAS A GIRL I WAS FRIENDS WITH WHO HAD A DRUMSET SO I WENT OVER HER HOUSE ONCE THINKING WE WOULD START A BAND, MEANWHILE WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WE WERE DOING! I STARTED PLAYING HER DRUMS A LITTLE BIT JUST TO MESS AROUND AND COULD PLAY SIMPLE BEATS RIGHT AWAY. IT SEEMED EASIER AND MORE FUN TO ME THAN PLAYING GUITAR... SO I TOLD MY PARENTS THAT I REALLY FELT LIKE I WANTED TO TAKE UP THE DRUMS INSTEAD OF GUITAR. I WAS ABOUT 12 WHEN I STARTED TAKING DRUM LESSONS AND STUCK WITH IT EVER SINCE.

Punk Globe: Who were some of your very early inspirations?

Veronica: ONCE I LEARNED THAT THERE IS MORE TO MUSIC THAN METAL AND ROCK AND ROLL, I STARTED LISTENING TO DRUMMERS LIKE DAVE WECKL, AND CARTER BEAUFORD FROM DAVE MATHEW'S BAND. THEIR PLAYING TOOK ME IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND INSPIRED ME VERY MUCH. I JUST LOVE THE DYNAMICS IN STYLE IN THEIR PLAYING.

Punk Globe: Tell us about your first band?

Veronica: ITS LIKE MY FIRST LOVE! I WAS ABOUT 16 AND WENT TO TOWER RECORDS (R.I.P.) IN CARL PLACE ONE DAY WITH A FRIEND. I LOOKED IN A DRUM MAGAZINE AND AN AD FELL OUT AND SAID "DRUMMER WANTED FOR A BAND WHO LIKES SEPULTURA, KORN, PANTERA..ETC". IT WAS LIKE OUT OF A MOVIE BECAUSE IT WAS SO PERFECT FOR ME. I WENT HOME AND CALLED THEM RIGHT AWAY. I AUDITIONED FOR THEM AT LYRIC STUDIOS IN GARDEN CITY. SO WE JAMMED AND THEY SAID I WAS IN THE BAND! IT WAS A BAND CALLED "CHAOS IN CANDYLAND".. WE WERE A HEAVY ROCK BAND INFLUENCED BY SYSTEM OF A DOWN, KORN AND THE DEFTONES. LATER ON THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD NO IDEA I WOULD BE SO GOOD BECAUSE I SOUNDED LIKE A LITTLE GIRL ON THE PHONE AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THEY MET ME AT THE STUDIO. THEY WERE SHOCKED! HAHA! WE HAD SO MUCH FUN. WE WOULD PLAY DIFFERENT VENUES AROUND LONG ISLAND WITH A FEW OTHER BANDS THAT WE WERE FRIENDS WITH. EVENTUALLY WE HAD SOME MEMBER CHANGES AND SOME DRAMA SO THE BAND BROKE UP BUT I MADE SOME GREAT FRIENDS AND HAD SOME OF THE BEST TIMES OF MY LIFE.

Punk Globe: Was your first professional job playing with Rob Balducci?

Veronica: YES...ROB WAS SIGNED TO A LABEL AND HAD BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE SO IT WAS MY FIRST "JOB" AS A LIVE DRUMMER. WE DID A TOUR IN ENGLAND AND AROUND THE US. IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I WAS HIS DRUMMER FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS AND WE OPENED FOR ALOT OF BIG NAMES IN THE BUSINESS. IT WAS REALLY COOL FOR ME TO BE OUT THERE SHARING THE STAGE WITH SOME GREATS SUCH AS VERNON REID, ULI JOHN ROTH, MICHAEL SHENKER AND RICHIE KOTZEN. I GAINED ALOT OF EXPOSURE THROUGH PLAYING WITH ROB AS WELL.

Punk Globe: Can you tell the Punk Globe readers about SLAMM?

Veronica: SLAMM IS AN ENERGETIC, ROCK AND ROLL DRUM SHOW. IT HAS BEEN LABELED AS "STOMP ON STEROIDS." IT WAS CREATED BY DRUMMER, CARMINE APPICE ( VANILLA FUDGE, BLUE MURDER, OZZY) WHO RECRUITED 5 DRUMMERS AND A GUITAR PLAYER. WE HAVE 2 DRUM SETS ON STAGE, BUCKETS, TRASH CANS, OIL DRUMS... WE ALSO USE IRONING BOARDS IN ONE PIECE. ITS A VERY FUN SHOW TO SEE AND IS FAMILY FRIENDLY. WE HAVE A LITTLE HUMOR IN THE SHOW AS WELL AND A SMALL STORY LINE THROUGHOUT THE SHOW. ITS ENTERTAINING.

I WAS AT A BAR ONCE AND SOME GUY RECOGNIZED ME FROM A PREVIOUS BAND I WAS IN AND ASKED ME IF I HAD HEARD THAT CARMINE APPICE WAS LOOKING FOR A FEMALE DRUMMER FOR HIS NEW DRUM GROUP. GOOD THING HE SAID SOMETHING BECAUSE I HAD NOT HEARD ABOUT IT... HE GAVE ME THE CONTACT INFO FOR THE AUDITIONS AND I CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND SPOKE TO MIKE "BROWN LUNG" WHO WORKED ON LESLIE GOLD'S RADIO SHOW. LESLIE IS CARMINE'S GIRLFRIEND AND WAS HOLDING THE AUDITIONS AT HER HOUSE IN CONNECTICUT. ANYWAY, MIKE TOLD ME THAT I WAS A LITTLE LATE BECAUSE THEY HAD FILLED THE POSITION WITH A MALE DRUMMER SINCE THEY COULDN'T FIND A GIRL THEY LIKED, BUT TOLD ME TO SEND IN A VIDEO ANYWAY AND HE WILL PASS IT ALONG TO CARMINE. SO I SENT IN MY VIDEO, NOT THINKING ANYTHING WOULD COME OUT OF IT. THE NEXT DAY I GOT A CALL FROM CARMINE AND HE SAID SOMETHING LIKE "HEY GIRL YOU PLAY PRETTY GOOD THERE.. HOW DID YOU GET SO FUCKIN FAST?" AFTER WE SPOKE I WENT TO LESLIE'S PLACE TO JAM WITH THE REST OF THE CAST AND BEEN PART OF THE GROUP. OUR FIRST RUN OF SHOWS WAS AT THE CUTTING ROOM IN NYC. WE PLAYED 7 SOLD OUT SHOWS THERE, THEN MOVED ON TO PLAY BIGGER THEATERS AND EVEN DID A COMMERCIAL FOR NASCAR WHICH WAS SHOWN ON ESPN BEFORE AND AFTER THE NASCAR RACES. ITS A VERY COOL VIDEO.. YOU CAN SEE IT ON YOUTUBE IF YOU SEARCH "SLAMM NASCAR"

Punk Globe: What about SLAMM and Dunkin' Donut?

Veronica: SLAMM PLAYED THE DUNKIN DONUTS CENTER IN PROVIDENCE, RI FOR THE STATION FAMILY FUND. IT WAS A BENEFIT FOR THE FIRE THAT HAPPEND DURING A CONCERT AT STATION NIGHTCLUB IN PROVIDENCE WHERE ALOT OF PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES. IT WAS A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY. DEE SNIDER HOSTED THE EVENT AND TWISTED SISTER HEADLINED. SINCE WE WERE THE OPENER, WE GOT TO GET ON STAGE AND SPARK THE ENERGY FOR THE NIGHT. IT WAS AMAZING.

Punk Globe: While you were living in New York City you played in a band that was getting alot of notoriety. Tell us about that?

Veronica: YES. I PLAYED IN A BAND CALLED, 13, WHO WAS SIGNED TO LL COOL J'S BOOMDIZZLE LABEL. THE MUSIC WAS A HIP HOP / ALTERNATIVE STYLE THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN ANYTHING IVE DONE BEFORE. WE HAD A VERY LOYAL FOLLOWING IN NEW YORK AND EVERYONE WAS ANTICIPATING THE BAND'S SUCCESS. WE PLAYED SOME EXCLUSIVE EVENTS SUCH AS FRANK LUCAS'S FASHION SHOW AT DUVET IN NYC, AND EVEN THE MAIN STAGE DURING THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON. IT WAS AN EXCITING TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR ME BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS AN EQUAL PART OF A GROUP THAT HAD LABEL BACKING.

Punk Globe: Did you have any releases?

Veronica: WE RECORDED 7 SONGS AT PLATINUM SOUND SOUND STUDIOS THAT SOUNDED AMAZING, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE BUSINESS GOT THE BEST OF THE GROUP AND WE ENDED UP DISBANDING BEFOR RELEASING A RECORD.

Punk Globe: You are currently recording with Pauley Perrrette.. How did that come about?

Veronica: PAULEY AND I MET THROUGH A MUTUAL FRIEND AND WAS TOLD SHE SHOULD CHECK OUT MY DRUMMING. SHE WAS REALLY IMPRESSED AND WANTED ME TO PLAY DRUMS ON HER ALBUM. THE ALBUM IS STILL IN PROGRESS AND IT IS BEING RECORDED AT PARAMOUNT STUDIOS IN LOS ANGELES.

Punk Globe: Besides recording with Pauley or you doing any other projects here in Los Angeles?

Veronica: I HAVE DONE A FEW LIVE SHOWS WITH A BAND CALLED THE RED PAINTINGS. REALLY COOL BAND FROM AUSTRALIA. WE PLAYED AT THE KEY CLUB AND A FEW OTHERS HERE IN LA. ONE BIG THING THAT I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE RELEASE OF DMC'S ( RUN-DMC) SING "ATTENTION PLEASE" - WHICH I CO-WROTE AND PLAYED DRUMS IN THE VIDEO. THE HOOK OF THE SONG IS ACTUALLY SUNG BY PAULEY PERRETTE. IT WAS AWESOME AND AN HONOR TO WORK WITH A LEGEND SUCH AS DMC... AND HE IS SUCH A GREAT GUY!

Punk Globe: Do you have any web addresses you would like too share with Punk Globe readers ?

Veronica: SURE... MY FACEBOOK PAGE IS WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/VROCK888 AND MY YOUTUBE PAGE IS WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/VROCK888

Punk Globe: What does the future have in store for you?

Veronica: I AM CURRENTLY WORKING WITH AN AMAZING ARTIST ON A NEW RECORD, AND WILL BE PERFORMING LIVE. AT THIS PERSON'S REQUEST, I CANNOT SAY WHO IT IS OR SPEAK PUBLICLY ABOUT THE PROJECT... BUT SOON! STAY TUNED!

Punk Globe: Any advice to young girls that want to be a percussionist ?

Veronica: PRACTICE. AND IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY...NEVER GIVE UP.

Punk Globe would like to thank Veronica for the great interview an hope you keep up with her... She is really AMAZING!!!