Beloved Brooklyn Drummer Kid Millions Dishes on 20-Year Career Ahead of Back-to-Back Beijing Gigs, Dec 14-16

As the drummer for the 20-year-running Brooklyn band Oneida, along with his solo work as Kid Millions, John Colpitts has built up a devoted cult following. In a 2010 profile, the New York Times praised him for building "a career on percussive longevity, bashing away at his instrument for hours on end with fury and expert precision." Beijing experimental acts like White+ (fronted by Zhang Shouwang, of Carsick Cars fame) certainly look up to the 44-year-old percussionist, and have enjoyed performing with Colpitts both back in the US and in China during his last gig here three years ago.

Now Colpitts is back, and partaking in three back-to-back gigs at Yue Space (Dec 14) and Fruityspace (Dec 15 and Dec 16), for which he'll give rare solo perfomances as well as share the stage with Zhang and other local musicians. During a candid interview ahead of this weekend's gigs, Colpitts told us about the challenges of lasting for two decades on cutting edge of New York's noise rock scene, his influences, and what he has planned for the near future.

What should we expect at the shows?
I’ll mostly be working with local musicians; it’ll be three shows where I’m doing duos, collaborations, and I guess there’s one solo set. A lot of improvisation. And a focus on interacting with Chinese musicians.

Who are you most excited to perform with and why?
Of course I'm looking forward to seeing Shouwang. I made a record with him that was based on a duo show we did three years ago in Beijing. And we played in New York when he was traveling there. We have a great rapport. So that’s going to be cool; to see what we do again.

Then there’s a solo set I have. I’ve actually only played solo in China, making this the second time. I’d like to do it more; it’s a bit scary. But I’m excited for that.

I’m a huge White+ fan as well. What do you like about working with them?
They’re just innovative musicians. Ever since I first saw them, I've felt like they were doing stuff that was surprising to me. So that’s always attractive. But really, though music is amazing, the aspect that’s most lasting is the social element and connecting with other people. That’s more valuable to me, and I look forward to spending time with them again.

You mentioned how you don’t do many solo shows, and that it can be scary. Why is that?
When you’re up there by yourself, there’s nobody to hide behind. When you stop playing, there’s no sound. So you have to be comfortable with silence, and shaping that. You’re just very much exposed. And some people make a practice of it, which I admire. And I should honestly do it more, because the finances of music now are so brutal. Paying people is getting harder and harder. And because I haven’t explored it much, it’s a new avenue for me. And that’s always valuable, to find those untapped resources.

Let’s talk about your early influences and beginnings as a drummer.
I started drumming in high school. For whatever reason, it seemed like there were a lot of students who wanted to play. There was a lot of interest. A friend of mine was a drummer, and he was encouraging, and I just started. I joined a band and was playing with them by the end of the week, just figuring it out. Then in college I was introduced to jazz. I can’t call myself a jazz drummer because that requires a skill level I haven’t reached. But I certainly practice jazz, I just don’t play that style live.

Then after college, I moved to New York and started the band Oneida and it’s still around. We’ve been a band for 20 years. We’re still making albums. I would say that’s my main creative outlet. Then Man Forever started in 2010. That’s just my own thing, my own percussion based compositions, let’s just say. So that’s taken more of a bigger role because the other guys in Oneida have wives and kids.

It sounds like sticking with it as a musician doesn't get easier over time, based on both what you've told me and the economic issues you mentioned earlier.
Yeah. You just have to target all the income streams possible. Few of us can just be playing drums. Some do. Some are in a band that pays them, and if they get that gig that’s the ticket, but I don’t have that miracle ticket yet. So you have to piece together the income streams and cultivate them all. That includes teaching drums, giving talks at colleges, song and soundtrack placements, writing about music and drums. Getting paid for your own music, and getting paid as a drummer for hire, it all feeds into my income.

Honestly, it doesn’t really work. I couldn’t tell you how to do it. If someone has the answer, they should let me know!

And yet you’re hanging in there! The teaching part sounds interesting, do you get a lot of fulfillment out of that?
I love it. It’s a great piece of the puzzle, in terms of income. I’m always looking for new students. I’m available for lessons when I come to China [laughs].

Once you wrap up in Beijing, what projects will you tackle next once you’re home?
There’s a new Oneida album coming out in March, a double album, which is exciting. There’s an album that I made with Chris Brokaw[from the Boston band Come] and James McNew of Yo La Tengo coming out too. There are so many things. Lots of stuff. So keep an eye out!

Yo La Tengo is great. How did you get to know James?
I’ve been a fan of Yo La Tengo since their album Painful, the first Matador record. I’ve gotten to know them over the years. They’re also on my recently released album, my Man Forever record Play What They Want. They sing on the first track.

And what about the new Oneida album? Even though your bandmates are dads with big commitments, how does it feel to get the crew back together again?
It feels great, and it's a record. We’re now with a new label, Joyful Noise, and we’ve been working on the album for awhile so it’ll be great to finally put it out and play some more shows. We’ve only put out EPs and live stuff for quite awhile, so it’s great to finally put out a new full length.

Kid Millions will perform at Yue Space tonight, Dec 14, and at Fruityspace on Dec 15 and Dec 16. Check out his various releases via his website.

Photos: The Talk House, Hello Asia, nyctaper.com, johnwilliamcolpitts.com